The Piano | | Cast : | Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill | | Director : | Jane Campion | | Studio : | Artisan Entertainment | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Widescreen | | Released Date : | November 12, 1993 | | DVD Released Date : | January 20, 1998 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 08, 2005 | | Summary | "To hell!" | Content
 | Ada floating above her piano at the bottom of the dark and silent sea is quite haunting and peaceful to see. Attached to her piano by the rope around her foot, the blue of the water is glowing deep and light, everything is barely visible, only dark shadows with her, the piano, a few fish and some swaying vegetation. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 05, 2005 | | Summary | Often misunderstood | Content
| I have already defended "Straw Dogs" and "Dressed to Kill" against charges of misogyny - and I have good things to say about a number of other films that could actually be misogynist. The real question for me always comes down to whether or not it's good cinema. Vent your aggressions against women on the screen. I don't have a problem with those fantasies. Attack masculinity all you want. That's valid too - men also have it coming. I won't take it personally. (For that matter, I wouldn't mind seeing men get victimized more often in the movies. It's always nice to see something a little different.) Just make it interesting.
Having said that, "The Piano" in no way struck me as anti-male - and even if it were, I wouldn't necessarily dislike it just for that. But it wasn't. That's a pretty superficial and insecure reading of a great movie. The people dismissing it as a "chick-flick" are even further off the mark. I see nothing here in common with Titanic Steel Magnolias of the Ya Ya Green Tomatoes order of slop that you have to be premenstrual to appreciate. It's not even the same breed as the arthouse weepie "The Hours."
I didn't find it pretentious, either. See Peter Greenaway and find out what that word means. (Anyway, Greenaway's pretentiousness and arrogance works very satisfyingly in his films - although I find it far less charming in his interviews.)
Nor was it "depressing." Again, I wouldn't mind if it was - but it wasn't. Not unless maybe you belong in therapy.
The other complaint people seem to have is with Harvey Keitel's frontal nudity. All I can say to that is - grow up. (I did get tired of seeing Ewan McGregor's piece, though - just because it seemed like he had to flash it in EVERYTHING he did for a while there.)
I saw "The Piano" in a theatre - so I can't comment on the DVD quality. I do remember it as one of the few really excellent films that was around at the time (circa the incredibly soppy and manipulative "Schindler's List," the irritating "Short Cuts" and the hopelessly cutesey "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" That's what was passing for quality in '93. Yuck!) - a beautiful story, beautifully acted, directed and photographed. Just fantastic, anachronistic music and all.
Unfortunately, I don't know if Jane Campion ever really delivered on the promise of this and her earlier work. Some of her shorts were remarkable, and best of all was "An Angel at My Table" which will soon (finally!) be available. Don't miss that one! It's moving without pandering, a fine evocation of time and place, with four actresses seamlessly portraying one woman - and I swear you are never aware of the transitions. Bertolucci couldn't pull that off in "The Last Emperor," but Campion and her performers managed the trick better than I've ever seen.
I don't know if Campion calls herself a feminist or not. The important thing is that she has talent and intelligence. Those qualities are in far too short supply in movies these days.
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| Rating | | | Date | July 27, 2005 | | Summary | Beautiful. | Content
| A superb film symbolising a womans spirit by her piano. The piano that both men try to use to control and contain her. I wouldnt say it was a love story at all, more one of a strong willed woman who is at the mercy of the patriarchal society she is in. Her only freedom would have been to follow the piano. The New Zealand scenery is beautiful, but also symbolic following the poetry of the film, it is restrictive and inescapable to Ada (Hunter).
If you found it boring then you havent opened your eyes to it and are missing out on a great film.
A stunning film that recieved oscars for best actress, script and supporting actress. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 08, 2005 | | Summary | the piano | Content
| You have to be a special kind of person for you to benefit from this movie. I thought it was stupendous? You have to be a total wierd romanic to appreciate this kind of movie. The acting is marvous, the story is the best, the acting in this movie makes it all come together. You won't be disappointed unless you are hopeless, or unromantic with absolutely no hope of ever finding true love. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 09, 2005 | | Summary | BUY IT !!!!! | Content
| I am a pianist who spends most of his life playing or teaching the piano. A person who watches this movie without an understanding of the thoughts and emotions of a musician will not ever comprehend the numerous layers of emotion that this movie presents. The Piano meant everything to this woman. Words could never describe this concept but she did say them with her playing. ( The playing is beautifully played by Holly Hunter) One man understands these feelings while another does not have a clue about what the piano means to the woman. The reviews that people have given regarding this movie clearly reflect the feelings that these two men had about the woman. Some reviewers get it and some do not. If you are not a musician, you'll probably not appreciate this movie. If you are, you will buy this movie and watch it over and over again. The woman used her piano to speak words that could never be expressed better in any other way. I understand that totally because my words will never describe how wonderful this movie is. If you are a musician, go and buy this movie ! |
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