The Pianist
The Plot:
The film is adapted from the autobiography of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish Jew who detailed his survival during World War II. A composer and a pianist, he played the last live music heard over Polish radio airwaves before Nazi artillery hit. During the brutal occupation, he eluded deportation and remained in the devastated Warsaw ghetto. There, he struggled to stay alive even when cast away from those he loved. He would eventually reclaim his artistic gifts and confront his fears, with aid from the unlikeliest of sources. (From Yahoo Movies)
My Thoughts: (Reviewed by Azrael)
How many Holocaust movies do I have to see until I am utterly disturbed? And how many dubbed movies can I survive, actually a lot, because Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is in my opinion, one of the greatest movies ever made, but that’s beside the point. This Holocaust movie is different. It isn’t a testimony to the inhumane conditions of death camps and such, but focuses on one man, Wladyslaw Szpilman, and his struggle to survive the ghetto. The only problem some people may have is that this movie is VERY artsy: the only musical score is a piano, and an orchestra at the end, and at one point you have to wait five minutes while he does nothing but plays a piano! (But very well I might add). This movie is very emotional and better yet, it is true. The fact that this movie is based off the man’s autobiography adds a natural element and more personal effect to usually graphic WWII movies. As Wladyslaw Szpilman undergoes the deterioration of his body, and hiding from the Nazis in Warsaw, he even returns to the ghetto to hide, you get a better perspective of the harshness the Jewish people underwent. OK, the only problem that I have with this movie is that he gets help from a Nazi! I’m sorry, but Nazi’s aren’t supposed to be caring. This man finds Wladyslaw with a can of Asparagus he cannot open, looking for a can opener; the Nazi then orders him to play the piano; then he supplies him with food and information on the liberation of the Russians. And the kicker is as the Nazi leaves he gives him his jacket- which actually supplies a nail biting ending. But as hard as a warm-hearted Nazi is to believe, it is true, so I guess there was at least one good Nazi? This movie was inspirational, and if you are tired of seeing brutal portrayals of the death of the Holocaust, this one is more personal “ If I had a choice to watch Schindler’s List or The Pianist, I’d choose The Pianist.
Editors Note:
Don’t forget about Oscar Schindler, there were at least two good Nazis
- Greg
Starring:
Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Maureen Lipman, Ed Stoppard
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Rated R