The Piano
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Movie Reviews of The Piano
Movie Review: If Looks Could Kill
Summary: 5 Stars
THE PIANO is a very unusual, enigmatic and haunting film. To say anything less would be incredulous. It is a story set in some remote coastal hills of a very bleak eighteenth century New Zealand overrun by dense jungle, mud, the elements and crude natives. Ada (Holly Hunter) and her young mischievously meddlesome daughter Flora (Anna Paquin) arrive on the New Zealand beach to meet Stewart (Sam Neill) whom has arranged to marry Ada. Ada, as we discover in the prolog is a woman who has not spoken since she was 6 years old. She is not only mute but strangely introverted and repressed. A piano, which Ada has brought with her, is her only means of expression. The ex-seaman ex-whaler Baines (Harvey Keitel) is a rather crude looking character who becomes enchanted by Ada's piano, which has been left on the beach. He retrieves it, buys it and then has Ada barter for its return setting the conflict of personalities and their repressed feelings into motion. Ada's mute playing of the piano is juxtaposed by her piercing dark eyes focusing from her face shrouded in ever so pale white skin. Her looks are riveting and disturbing. The image of Paquin's face is unnerving. As the film progresses we see that the primary characters are truly misunderstood from what our initial impressions had ascertained them to be. This is an exceptional film that you have to watch and listen to closely because of its very subtle nature that envelops your senses. The characters and the actors that portray them are brilliantly presented. Stuart Dryburgh's cinematography is equally important because the images on the screen take on a life and spirit of their own in this haunting film.Movie Review: Disturbing and brilliant
Summary: 5 Stars
People seem to either love or hate this film, which is understandable because it wants to be approached on an emotional level more than an intellectual one. My boyfriend complained that none of the characters were compelling enough to care about, whereas I could see that the central character is, indeed, the piano and how everything revolves around its voice -- Ada's voice. Listening to her voice, being moved by it, is the key to the entire film.One of the several engaging themes is that of who is on center stage at any given time. Count the number of times someone is watching someone else: Baines watching Ada play her piano on the beach, actors in a play looking through curtain eyeholes at the audience, the natives in the audience watching the play and believing the actors to be "real", Stewart looking through gaps in the planks to see his wife with another man, Flora watching Stewart attempt to destroy his wife's voice. (Interestingly, this is an assault not on the piano itself but on something more fundamental. And those who believe that Ada's gift of the piano key to Baines is a major faux pas perhaps don't realize that he will know exactly what that white key means though he can't read the words burned into it.)
The disturbing moments, and there are several, are entirely about the piano's (Ada's) voice and how these men attempt to either restrict or manipulate it to get what they want -- one endangering her sense of self while simultaneously using and liberating her, the other denying her self-expression while trying to be her protector and "a good man".
It's a very fine movie for those of a mind to listen.
Movie Review: The erotism made music !
Summary: 5 Stars
The piano is my favorite instrument . The musical literature has been widely generous with it. Since Bach to Mozart , and from Beethoven to Shostakovich , the piano has proved with all the deserved respect to the rest of the instruments the unbeatable king.
And that special profile that incorporean majesty given through the pianissimos and crescendos makes of it a perfect caleidoscope of sensations and auditive fragancies according the tonal color .
The piano is one the supreme films of the nineties . Conceived as a tribute for the female soul , the movie explores deep laberynths in the soul of a married but unsatisfied woman who only through the music she is friendly about her inners demons and obviously hidden desires .
The decisive argument for developing a poetic and dazzling script where Holy Hunter plays a superb role and Harvey Keitel shows his unexhaustive actoral powers. The locations are really sumptuous with the precise light quantity and the marvelous landscapes working out as an additional actor . The dark forest , the unbeatable , the exquisite close ups and one superb script . Anna Paquin steals the show and excels among all these giants actors .
The credits go besides, to Michael Nyman who inspired himself with such commitment level to offer us his fine moods for this film .
Sublime is one common characteristic of the masterpieces .
And this is one of them.
Movie Review: A Different Look At Romance
Summary: 5 Stars
All the things that characterize a Hollywood romance are turned upside down and changed about in this film. The usual fare is the interactions between two urbanites with huge polished smiles stuck to their faces. They enter a relationship which is loud, giddy, and giggly.In The Piano, the woman doesn't speak at all and both men are stoic sorts who have lived in a hard land. A lot happens under the surface where we can only guess at it. In mainstream films, the emphasis for the man is rushing in and grabbing the woman of his dreams with all possible speed.
But here, just once, the quiet, patient, and tender man emerges with the lady. And what's more, when we first see him, we fail to see through his hard exterior. Even the viewer comes to know this man's virtue only over time.
I found this to be an incredibly beautiful story and as if that alone wasn't good enough, I also greatly enjoyed the cinematography and the music. This is one of those films that I find guilty of being incredibly good on all counts.
And a final note about male nudity: Yes it is in this film. Both male and female are seen completely nude. And there's nothing wrong with the male part. We men have beautiful bodies too. Art of the past has had no compunctions about showing nude males and correctly so. I'm not sure I can understand this modern prudery.
Movie Review: The Real Meaning
Summary: 5 Stars
Much has been said about the symbolism of this movie. You can read them here among the reviews, and they all miss the mark.
As correctly assumed by most reviewers, it all centers on the piano. But this is also where most misconception starts. Most believe the piano is Ada's mouthpiece - the instrument that conveys her emotions and passion. But it is not. It is much deeper than that. It is actually the symbol for Ada's sexuality. For a woman totally devoid of any assets, sex is the only possession she can use and trade. As one reviewer said, we do not know if Ada is diabolical, or the victim.
This is why, for her infidelity, Stewart cut off her finger (which symbolically, is an extension of her piano, hence here sexuality) and for which Stewart thinks is what Baines is only after. This is also why, when she lost her finger, she tried to kill herself, for she now has nothing to offer (or lure) Baines. But then, she realizes, Baines' love is pure and sincere.
Flora was able to see through her mother's guile precisely because she has an innocent heart, still not comprehending a woman's power over men.
In the end, the piano is like a phallic symbol, and as such, it represents power. Cut it off, and we have nothing - except the love, if there was ever love.