The Pianist

The talented Jewish pianist, Wladislaw Szpilman (1911-2000), is the central character in this absorbing film by Roman Polanski who had plenty of personal and family experience on which to draw for this war film, set in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. Szpilman was a well-known pianist of exceptional talent who found himself in the ghetto with all its dehumanised deprivation. Adrien Brody's performance is engrossing and his features seem to become more gaunt and drawn with every sequence and his eyes simply emit a raw fear which draws viewers into his soul. Throughout the film, he captures what must have been a harrowing, inhuman and terrifying experience. His musical spirituality draws others in and the power of his music overwhelms even the toughest Nazi who sees Szpilman, not as a Jew but another human being, one with a stunning talent which seems to diminish the war and all its inhumanity, reminding him of what he once was. It is an exceptionally powerful film which asks deep questions of its audience but, ultimately, it leaves them with a deeper awareness of their own humanity. BACKGROUND "As set out in his memoir, Szpilman found places to hide in Warsaw and survived with the help of his friends from Polish Radio and fellow musicians. In November 1944, Szpilman was hiding out in an abandoned building when he was found by a German officer. Surprisingly, the officer did not kill Szpilman, but instead after finding out that he was a pianist, asked Szpilman to play for him on a piano they had found. After that, the officer showed Szpilman a better place to hide and brought him bread and jam on numerous occasions. He also offered Szpilman one of his coats to keep warm in the freezing temperatures. Szpilman did not identify the German officer until 1950. His name was Captain Wilm Hosenfeld. Despite the efforts of Szpilman and the Poles to rescue Hosenfeld, he died in a Soviet Prisoner of War camp in 1952." Highly recommended - one of Polanski's best.

Excellent movie

Biopic - 2002 Academy Award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated film starring Adrien Brody (who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as "Władysław Szpilman" in this film). his is a monumental film in so many ways and here is the Wikipedia review that sums it up - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pianist_(2002_film). And for Music lovers it is especially poignant with two memorable scenes for pianists, not least the occasion when Szpilman is hiding in a room with a piano he dare not play (torture) and the other where he has to play for a Nazi Officer. The sound track for this film is also outstanding and for Chopin lovers in particular, it won't disappoint. In 2003, the music won the César Award for Best Music Written for a Film, and was also nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music. The Chopin pieces are played by Polish pianist Janusz Olejniczak and the original score piece was composed by Wojciech Kilar. The music in the actual movie also includes pieces by Beethoven and Bach. 1."Nocturne in C-sharp Minor (1830)" - Frédéric Chopin, Score at IMSLP (4:12) 2."Nocturne in E Minor, Op. 72, No. 1" - Frédéric Chopin (4:31) 3."Nocturne in C Minor, Op. 48, No. 1" - Frédéric Chopin (5:57) 4."Ballade No. 2 in F Major, Op. 38" - Frédéric Chopin (7:41) 5."Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23" - Frédéric Chopin (9:01) 6."Waltz No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 34, No. 2" - Frédéric Chopin (5:13) 7."Prelude in E Minor, Op. 28, No. 4" - Frédéric Chopin (2:34) 8."Andante spianato in G Major" - Frédéric Chopin (4:28) 9."Grande Polonaise brillante in E-flat major" - Frédéric Chopin (9:31) 10."Moving to the Ghetto Oct. 31, 1940" - Wojciech Kilar (1:52) 11."Mazurka in A Minor, Op. 17, No. 4" - Frédéric Chopin (3:42)

Even if it's just an excert, Adrian Brody leaning the coda from Ballade no. 1 for this film while basically starving himself to look the part is insanely impressive. I had seen that scene before, and to my pleasure the rest of the film is even more heart-wrenching. It's shocking that in many ways the film might not even go far enough to show Szpilman's true suffering, having been moved around in hiding much more than twice and by around 30 different people between 1943-44 (including to my surprise Witold Lutosławski, a great composer who is not in the movie), but what it does show is more than enough to get the point across. Władysław Szpilman's survival through these years is an extroadinary feat, grinding him down to nothing but his artistry and his life. Even when he claims it's no longer his

Absolute great film however the digital copy on Amazon doesn’t give you subtitles when they’re talking in a foreign language which is annoying cause you don’t know what’s going on

I didn't think I would enjoy this movie but decided to give it a go, Surprisingly I couldn't be further from the truth. The storyline was fantastic and remembering all, everything from start to finish is unforgettable. It's not about the war but off the victims created by it, A pianist caught up in it, and than captured by the Germans has to prove that he was a musician so that he would not be killed, Convincing by the actors was fabulous and pure entertainment as you felt with them everything that was going on and being there. Suspense around every corner, edge of the seat not knowing what was going to happen next. Weather survival or death was an option. Highly entertaining and is a must see for all. I rated this A grade plus, one that I won't say more so not to spoil it. I can say its different and unusual. So collect the popcorn put your feet up and sit to a masterpiece on the D.V.D. player and enjoy.

I never thought I would ever see such a wonderful film again,as there is so many disappointing films around that have received good reviews.This would appeal to anyone who is sensitive,musical and compassionate by nature ~~ as we see the Jewish families stripped of everything they have and hold dear to their hearts,their family life destroyed,their homes taken away,and then herded into walled in ghettos to die of starvation and disease.Many are transported to the death camps in trains,thrown in to the carriages as if they were rabid animals.. The story begins with the full horror of the Nazi takeover in Warsaw."Oh Warsaw,what did they do to you?" ~~ the City of endless tears!! I still cannot fathom out why intelligent and cultured German people joined the Nazi regime in their droves.What power Hitler had over the Germans is impossible for me,after all these years,to grasp and come to terms with.How could anyone with an ounce of human compassion stand aside and watch the mass cruelty without even trying to stop it?I would have preferred to die with the Jews. I will not spoil the story anymore for prospective buyers,but I can promise the ones that do buy this,you will not be disappointed and you will want to see the film again and again.Just as a good book can be read many times and still hold the interest then so with this masterpiece.

So much better that Europeans do films of Europe during the war! Polanski's own experiences in the ghetto add piquancy and poignancy to this virtuoso film; although criticisms of the role of Szpilman have been noted (that he is merely an observer rather than an actor in the fate of the ghetto, Warsaw or Poland) this is much more realistic a film than the saccharine tripe usually served up by Hollywood which paints an unrealistic picture of the possibility of one man or woman to save the lives of hundreds. The film depicts the gruesome reality of the ghetto, including things which I had felt too far-fetched to have happened in my own writings brought to cinematic life right before my eyes. Maureen Lipman is the real star turn in the first part of the film, and although usually a comic actress is one of the most believable characters in the ghetto and beyond. Many of the actors playing the other Jews are in fact Polish, which belies the authenticity of the project, but casting has been sensitive to other nationalities depicted, including Germans and the Gentile Poles, although one Irishman does slip through the net. Adrian Brody is for me one of the sexiest actors yet (if that's not an insensitive remark in the context) so it was a good excuse to watch it again after having seen it in the cinema two years ago. There are some unanswered questions in the film and book, but perhaps for now they are better left unanswered, as real life is never as concise as in the movies. All in all an excellent film - one of the real treasures of the last few years.

J'ai visionné ce BluRay à mon entière satisfaction

Execellant!!!!!👍🏻❤

A very good movie about a talented man who played the piano during the Hollocaust.

L ho vidi da piccolo mi piacque, l ho rivisto da grande ed è uno dei miei preferiti, storia vera della seconda guerra mondiale che narra la tragica storia del pianista!

Eine Meisterleistung in der Filmwelt! Der Film ist einfach so unglaublich, dass man gar nicht wagen möchte ihn zu rezensieren, da man denkt ihm nicht das Wasser reichen zu können. Es ist einer der dramatischsten Werke auf der Ebene von Holocaust-Verfilmungen. Alle Faktoren zusammen ergeben erst dieses erschütternde Meisterwerk. Die Musik, Szpilmans Schicksal, die wahre Begebenheit der Geschichte, das Thema Antisemitismus und die Umsetzung im Film, all das und noch vieles mehr lassen den Film zu etwas aufblühen, das noch in vielen Jahren ein epochales und monumentales Mahnmal sein und nie untergehen wird. Nebst "Schindlers Liste" ist es der beste Film, der den Holocaust thematisiert, zwar nicht mit dem Fokus auf KZs, aber mit der Konzentration auf das Los eines begabten und viel begehrten Mannes, eines herausragenden Pianisten vor dem Krieg, dessen Musik und sein Vorspiel vor dem deutschen Offizier die Sinnlosigkeit des Kriegs wiederspiegelt und ihn für eine Weile vergessend macht durch die atemberaubenden Klänge von Chopins Ballade no. 1. Das ist einer der wenigen Filme, die man in seinem kurzen Leben gesehen haben MUSS! Es dient auch zur Veranschaulichung der Schwere des Judenhasses seitens der Nazis und der Leiden der Opfer. Der Film sollte in Schulen angesehen, diskutiert und thematisiert werden! ~Bücher-Liebhaberin~