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. ~

I will be reviewing FILM ONLY

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 a sexually repressed woman, dull, straight laced, and uptight. She dresses in a severe, matronly manner that belies her forty something years. Hair scraped back, and unadorned she disguises any feminine traits she may posses. She is matter of fact to the point of bluntness, cold, and appears without emotion. But under this facade lies a sexually disturbed woman. She frequents porn shops, to watch the hard core videos being shown there. She also has voyeuristic tendencies, and watches young couples, making love in their cars at night.

Erica is living some strange kind of double life, and she goes from one extreme to the other. Respected Professor by day, and depraved individual by night. She lives in an apartment with her mother played by Annie Girardot. Her relationship with her mother is a strange one. On the one hand Erica seems to be over needy, and regresses into a childlike state when in her company, then on the next, she will rebel against her mother for her overprotective, and controlling ways, and her mother constantly rings her at all times to check her every movement.

Erica self harms. Being disgusted with her own desires, she cuts her herself to try to stop her sexual urges. She sleeps in her mothers bed, though she does have a room of her own. Their relationship is very much at the heart of this film, and at times a sexual element of incest does creep in, though it does seem to be born from Erica's frustrated sexual repression, and confusion, and is simply directed at her mother as she is the closest person to her.

Erica is, as a teacher, impossible to please, and she rules her students with a rod of steel. Her jealousy of any student who plays the piano with excellence is evident, and although she trains them to this stage of perfection, she becomes jealous of their hard earned achievement when they have reached their pinnacle. Erica is highly strung and sexually charged, and she is also a bitter and vindictive individual. One day she meets a promising young male pianist at a recital, by the name of Walter (Magimel Kramer). Walter is a handsome,arrogant, and self confident young man, and there is an instantaneous strong mutual bond, a meeting of minds, and a deep physical attraction, and she sees something in him that she seems to have been searching for. They talk and discover they both share the love of the works of Schumann and Schubert. This is a further attraction for Erica, and an unhealthy obsession towards him begins to take shape in her mind. ~

Erica teaches piano masterclass at the conservatory, and the young man, strangely attracted by her hostility, and intrigued, and fascinated by her complex character decides to interview for a place at the conservatory as a means to getting to know her better. When Erica hears him play a classical piece from her favourite composer for his entrance audition, it further increases the passion she is feeling for him, but in true denial she tells the board she does not want him in her class. Confused by her negativity, as he had just played a brilliant piece, the board argue it out, and he is allowed to join. What happens next is the sordid journey into the depths of her depravity, and her strange sexual appetite. Walter thinks he has fallen madly in love with her, but Erica sees him as just an instrument to bring her sexual fantasies to life. This is a story of what can happen when trying to make someone party to something that goes against the very grain of their own morality.~

My opinion

I personally found this a very interesting study in human behavior. In the repressed sexuality of Erica, and her tormented and cold personality. It was fascinating to watch the change in this character. She seems to have no sense of what is acceptable sexual behavior, as more and more she seeks out the seedy side of life. - What I love about French films is the pace. They are slow and deliberate with careful close up work. The facial expressions are synonymous with the thought process, and studied, fine characterisations, and these for me, tell the tale far better than mere words.

Isabelle Huppert is a brilliant actress and brings this character to life with her fine acting. She has a delicate quality about her, but she portrays the cold and calculating personality within this character with careful precision. She actually played the piano in parts of the film. She had studied piano for 12 years when younger, and when preparing for this role, she began practicing a year before the film went into filming. This film basically centres around Erica, and the supporting characters are her mother and lover. Set in Vienna the film doesn't allow you much of the scenery, being shot mainly at the apartment, or at the conservatory. But scenery is not what this film is about. It's all about the strength of passion, and what lengths someone would go in the name of desire. Like all films of extreme, this will shock, and may even disgust you.

There are no holds barred, and the film contains extreme violence. The director, Michael Haneke is well known for implementing the shock element into his films. He likes to leave his audience felling unsettled. Cinematography is brilliant with subdued colouring reflecting the drabness of Ericas life, and the greyness of the storyline. I have watched this film a few times now, and with each viewing I am stunned by the perfection of Isabelle Hupperts performance. Annie Girardot as the mother also gives a strong, convincing performance with the elements of smothering, and control in the right balance.

In my opinion, I think this is a great film. It won many awards, and well deserved accolades. The Piano teacher has a very basic storyline,contains subtitles, and is very graphic in it's content, so it will not be to everyones taste. The musical score is brilliant throughout with the of sonatas Schuman, Schubert Bach, Beethoven, and Schonberg and other classical pieces in keeping with the high and low points in the film. Though psychologically disturbing, and shocking at times, The Pianist makes compulsive viewing. -

STARS: I will give this film an overall 9 /10.

Running time 130 min.
BBFC rating18. Due to scenes of sex and violence.

Language French
Directed by Michael Haneke
Written by Michael Haneke,
Music by Martin Achenbach
from the novel Die Klavierspielerin by Elfriede Jelinek

Starring
Isabelle Huppert
Benoît Magimel

Thankyou for reading
Electra 2008*