Advantages: Two outstanding peices of chamber music for an unusual combination of instruments Disadvantages: On the surface quite contrasting works, listener must be openminded
The work of Ligeti has been at the forefront of Western avant-garde since his escape from the oppressive communist regime of Hungary in 1956, and he is widely appreciated as one of the most outstanding contemporary composers. The Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano because it was born out of a three-year period of illness and writer's block after the completion of Le Grand Macabre in which time he laboured over a piano concerto but completed only two short harpsichord pieces (Continuum and Hungarian Rock), yet the result in 1982 was the Trio, one of the finest and most complex pieces written so far. His career up to this point had included such sucesses as his Requiem, Atmosphères and the soundtrack for Stanley Kubrick's film 2001. Tiring of his own cluster-textural techniques and the avant-garde, Ligeti refreshed his compositional ...
Advantages: Excellent physcological study of character. Disadvantages: Grim, brutal, shocking scenes of a sexual nature.
The Piano Teacher
The Piano Teacher is a subtitled film of the Phycological Drama genre. Released in 2001 it is also known by it's French name La pianiste. Directed by Michael Haneke, it is based on the novel by Die Klavierspielerin which won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 2004.
Graphic in it's content this film delves into the darker side of sex, including fetishism, bondage, and sado/masochism. It also touches
on the delicate subject of genitalia self harm. This is not a light film, and is not recommended for family viewing. ~
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Synopsis
This is a tale revolving around a professor at a music conservatory in Vienna. Her name is Erica and she is played played by the wonderful actress Isabelle Huppert, Who has an impressive 75+ films under her belt. Erica is ...
Morning_Becomes_Electra 20.01.2008 (25.01.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Piano Teacher
Advantages: interesting story, excellent acting, Disadvantages: expected more
I went into this movie knowing about the oscars it had won and having been recommended by several friends, I expected something good.
As a fan of period films, this movie is set in the 1850's, New Zealand. Ada (Holly Hunter) is a mute who with her young daughter Flora(Ann Paquin) braves the dangerous journey across the world. We see the movie start with them landing with all their belongings, including the priceless piano. Life begins in the leafy forest with her new Husband, Stewart (Sam Neill). Life is not what she expected in this remote area. Things take a turn for the worse when her new Husband sells her piano a neighbour, George (Harvey Keitel). George however, tells Ada she may earn back her piano by giving him piano lessons. Through the lessons, we see a turbulant but intreging relationship form.
This movie wasn't what I ...
rafomania 16.11.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Piano (DVD)