The Piano Teacher

It's been quite a while since I last blogged.  So thought I will start it back up with a movie review! 

Upon my friend's insistence, I went ahead and watched 'The Piano Teacher', a French film that rocked the Cannes back in 2001, with much reluctance.  This is my second French film, after 'The 400 blows'.  The reason I mention reluctance is because of the lasting effect '400 blows' had on me, even for days after having watched it.  I started associating French films with weirdness, and dark thoughts, not to forget brilliant film making technique, amazing screenplay and world class acting, after the blow '400 blows' left on me and this film didn't disappoint me one bit!  

'The Piano Teacher' is a film about the life of a, well... you guessed it right, a piano teacher - Erika Kohut, played by renowned French actress Isabelle Hupert.  Erika, in her mid-40's, is a head strong woman with a mountain of an ego, and sexually repressed - one of the reasons why she always seems frustrated with life.  Her role has been well etched with many scenes depicting the 'weirdness' in her character.  The opening scene shows her quarrel with her over-dominating mother, going to the extent of beating her up, for a reason I'll let you figure out!  As a piano teacher at a music conservatory, she's sternness personified, with her constant ruthless commentary acting as the accompaniment to her students' practice sessions; something no musician would prefer, in my opinion!  She frequents porn shops and voyeuristically screens parked cars in drive-in theaters for sexual activity, giving vent to her sexual desires in the process.  She comes across a young engineer, Walter Klemmer, played by Benoit Magimel who is smitten by her as well.  The story unfolds with the two discovering their passion for each other beginning with music, swiftly moving in to sexual revelry, albeit a tryst too brief.  

The French are almost unabashed in their depiction of lust, desire and passion in their movies.  It sometimes makes you shirk with embarassment while watching the goings-on on screen.  But you got to give it to them for being 'bold' in the true sense.  They are apparently renowned for their love making, but to bring it on screen in all it's glory and at the same time be artistic is commendable!  

The film making is simply brilliant with so many extended scenes, some going on for almost 5 minutes at times, executed with perfection.  At one point, I wondered if this was a movie or a candid camera show that I was watching.  The camera might be stand still, but the amount of planning, rehearsals, takes and re-takes that might have gone in to each scene is simply mind-boggling.  One particular scene with a stationary camera set in Erika's room while her mother prepares dinner in the adjacent room was the standout.  Erika switches the light off in her room and moves to the dining table with her back facing the camera.  But there is no attempt made to follow the character.  The camera stays there, with 2/3rds of the frame being dark (due to the light being switched off in that room) while the action continues in the space that is lit; it was almost a frame of art, I must say.  There is something about stationary shots that fascinates me.  Take the opening chase scene in 'Slumdog Millionaire', for instance, where, amongst constant motion, there is one stationary shot that shows the kids running madly atop a gutter, or the scene in Swades where , amongst all the commotion, a stationary camera captures Mohan Bhargav's caravan driving in to Charanpur from inside a hut!  

Each of the main actors in 'The Piano Teacher' play their roles so convincingly that they stay on your mind for at least a couple of days, if not more.  I hated Erika from the core of my heart by the end of the movie and I still do, but such an impression being created in me is nothing but Isabelle Hupert's triumph!  Benoit Magimel as the confused lover plays his part extremely well, especially in the final scenes.  Annie Girardot, who plays the mother is adequate and so are all the other actors cast in small roles.  

There wouldn't be a film named 'The Piano teacher' without music playing a major part, would it?  But guess what... background score is almost non-existent in this movie!  The only scenes where you hear music is when musicians play/sing on screen; I must mention that both the lead actors were exceptional pianists themselves!  (When will Indian movies portray such realism?  Sigh!)  On a couple of instances, the on-screen music piece does flow in to following scenes but they are cleverly placed to go well with the mood in subsequent frames.  This is probably the first movie I have seen with such minimal background score, but never did one scene lack in depth or meaning.  

Overall, I had the satisfaction of watching a very well-made movie with strong performances and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for cinema with realism in it.