Films/DVD Asylum Movies from comedy to drama to your favorite Hollyweird Star.

---

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Films/DVD Asylum ]

---

[ Alert Moderator ]

---

Copying Beethoven...or The Girl with the Piano Earring

Posted by DWPC (A) on May 21, 2007 at 14:31:46

I guess it was trying to be a musical "Girl With The Pearl Earring". Actually, I didn't mind the injection of Diane Kruger's Anna as Beethoven's copyist. The use of a fictional character in a historical context as a vehicle has been around forever. The story is much more about her than Beethoven, he's merely the platform. But her story here is really so weak. Its seems mostly spunky-girl-in-man's-world cliche. The absoluteness of the barriers to a gifted woman seeking a musical career in Beethoven's Vienna are only hinted at. Almost nothing about her background or her experiences. And her pulling Ol' Louie's fat out of the fire on the 9th is way more than incredulous.

Harris doesn't make it as Beethoven for me...he's too earthy, and just way way too buff for a 50+ y.o. composer (for half the film he has no shirt on). Kruger should stick to romantic comedy.

Surprisingly, Beethoven's music seemed secondary in the film, and aside from the finale of the 9th and fleeting reference to the late quartets, is hardly touched. A few brief tonal references to Beethoven cliches. The piano pieces were, however, performed on a period piano (maybe the same ancient one shown in the scenes?).

This film isn't much for factual realism either. The story occurs during the completion/rehearsal of the 9th. Who's copying the parts for the various instruments. He'd have had an army of copyists. Etc. Etc. Why is the greatest composer in Vienna living in seedy tenement, playing an ancient piano whose veneer is peeling?

My wife liked it, but it would have worked much better for me if it had been written as a light comedy. Not nearly as interesting as "Immortal Beloved" from a few years back with Gary Oldham as Beethoven.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Signature Sound

[ Signature Sound Lounge ]

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]

---