The Piano (1993)

One of my all time favorites.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The piano (1993) written and directed by Jane Campion, is a drama film about Ada, a mute piano player and her daughter Flora, who are sent, along with her prized piano, to wet, marshy New Zealand. Set in the 1850's, the story circles around the musician's love for playing the piano and her struggle and determination to regain her piano after it is sold. Bordwell and Thomson refer to cinematography as the 'manipulations of the film strip'(2013:239). Film used a range of different modes including sound and visual therefore it's effective in portraying feelings and attitudes and creating particular moods. The type of light 'will clearly effect the saturation and value of its hues and the illusions that it gives' (Rose 2016:79). Therefore, light is a major aspect to producing a desired atmosphere of an image. The use of light filters is made great use of throughout the film, to evoke emotion and give insight into the characters feelings. The blue filter is used predominantly to project the notions of melancholy, solitude and misery, for example in the wedding photo. There is a lack of warmth and delight that usually is present in a wedding photo. The blue cold blue hues reflect the isolation and loathing she has for the situation. However, a rose filter is made use of to reflect feelings of happiness and peace, in contrast to the blue filter. The rose filter is made particular use of when Ada is playing her piano on the beach. Campion allows the audience to see and feel, through this warmer filter, that music is Ada's secret to happiness. Sound, is also a major component within film. Reay (2004) suggests that music within a scene has a considerable effect on its interpretation and significance. Music, in particular piano, is a predominant factor within the movie. The music represents Ada's voice, emotions and attitudes; it is her internal monologue. The repetition of the same song, 'The heart asks pleasure first' through the course of the film helps to show the continuity and determination of her character. However, the song is played in a variety of ways throughout different parts of the film. The different volumes, paces and intensities produce certain atmospheres. In the finger cutting scene, the music is increased in volume and doubles in speed, which portrays to the audience that Ada is feeling threatened and frightened. Contrastingly, in the scene where Ada visits the piano on the beach, the song is played softly and gently. This highlights her inner contentment, as the piano is the only way she can express her feelings. The use of different camera shots is also highly significant within film. Bordwell and Thomson (2013) state that a close up shot puts emphasis on a character's facial expressions, showing their emotional state. The extreme close up of Ada's eye just before she is nearly raped, shows boldness and stamina. This close up is extremely important, as because she is quiet, the viewer must be able to read her emotions from her facial expressions. Personally, I see the film as exceptionally incredible, as it truly moves you, making you almost feel the inner turmoil and heartbreak of the characters.

This may be one of my favourite love tragedies. The script is just wonderful - a classic story, a woman is married to a stranger into a foreign land and the only thing she has is not her voice, it's her music. The combination of art and romance and tragedy makes me wonder, doesn't this portray the usual life of women in the past? Being sold off to men who couldn't care less about them, but just care that their wife is their property, not to be touched or seen, not a real human with real feelings. I think that this is a story of finding yourself, of finding what really life has planned for you, it teaches that is is okay to change ones mind - only if it is not too late to do so. This story is about great misery, but also great love - the kind that prevails everything, makes that same misery disappear and makes you see just how happy you can be even when something seems to be missing from you (literally). This film keeps you on your toes, makes you wonder and fantasize about what is going to happen next, and when it happens you think - I couldn't have been more wrong.

OK so I know that the story goes with a woman who was muted because on her wedding day, her husband was killed by lightning and is rising her daughter as a single parent.However, It didn't make any sense to me that she had to take off her clothes for a fisherman who promises her to give her back the piano. I honestly didn't understand why the story was going all over the place when that scene happened because like why on earth did she decide to go for him and not Sam Neill's character. Also the characters really should've been played by English actors because some of the amercian actors weren't that great with their fake English accents!I didn't find this movie that great to be honest!

Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter) has been mute since she was 6 without a reason. She and her young daughter Flora (Anna Paquin) are brought over to New Zealand to marry Alisdair Stewart (Sam Neill). She communicates with Flora with sign language. Her piano is her prize possession and her voice. However Alisdair deems it too heavy to carry and leaves it on the beach. Then Alisdair sells the piano to his illiterate neighbor George Baines (Harvey Keitel). George proposes to sell it back to her with one visit for every piano key and she counters with just the black keys.This is romance novel melodrama from director Jane Campion and it is epic. Everything works including the epic landscape. The pounding waves, the lush forest and the isolation becomes part of the story. It is filmed beautifully. The performances are great. Anna Paquin is precocious. Holly Hunter and Harvey Keitel are not the natural romantic pair but there is something touching about that.