Tuesday 16 April 2013

the piano (1993) - jane campion








I haven't been able to sleep at night since seeing this.  Why you ask?  Because of Harvey Keitel getting naked yet again, that's why.  I had only just got over seeing him up to no good and butt naked in 'Bad Lieutenant' (the 1992 version), and l wasn't expecting more from him (not in that way) in this.
Anyway, l digress.
'The Piano' has been out for ages, but it was one of those films that l didn't really fancy seeing, as it seemed too wimpy when l saw the trailers for it back in the day.  I kept thinking l would catch it eventually on TV, but have never been that fussed when it has been shown over the intervening years.
Until now that is.
It was, as l suspected it might be, a bit drippy for my tastes, but there was a bit more to it than l had imagined, what with the nudity and love scenes, plus the odd bit of violence and excitement towards the end.
Some might consider it a gothic masterpiece, what with the period clothes and a mute, piano playing heroine, all detached and alone (apart from her young child), until she falls for another, in muddy and untamed 1850's New Zealand.  Holly Hunter was magnificent in it, but l wasn't that smitten, and found it to be pretty dull in places, and certainly not deserving of all the praise, even if it was unusual.
Also, at the end, the clicking of the metal finger on the piano would drive anybody crazy.  Why not put some rubber on it, or a bit of cloth?  Things like that really bug me.

toodle pip


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