I saw The Pianist tonight. Who else has? I rate it highly but I'll elaborate later on.

the pianist. haha. that's a funny name. haha.



sorry, ignore my immaturity.

I haven't seen it but I imagine it's very good, considering the success of Roman Polanski's past films (particularly Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown)

I haven't seen it, but I've heard only good things about it. It's been nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Adrien Brody was nominated for Best Actor and Roman Polanski for Best Director.

PageSix.com

REEL-LIFE ‘PIANIST' WROTE MEMOIR TO PURGE HORROR
By LORENA MONGELLI

Wladyslaw Szpilman, subject of the film "The Pianist" - nominated for a Best Picture Oscar - wrote his 1946 memoir of surviving Nazi-occupied Warsaw to purge himself of the painful memories, said his son, Christopher Szpilman.
"I suspect my father wrote the book to put all his unbearable memories into it, get them out of his head and never return to it," said Christopher Szpilman, who discovered the book in the attic when he was 12 or 13 years old.

In an interview with Newsweek, Christopher said the film may have been too vivid for a man who chose never to speak of his horrid past.

"The book was published in 1946, but my father never talked about his war experiences," said Szpilman, who was shocked to first learn about his father's ordeal in the book.

"Even after I read the book, it was a very difficult to broach the subject. He'd have just turned it into a joke.

"It's difficult to imagine he'd be able to sit through and have to bear 21/2 hours of the memories of his own experience on the screen," he added.

When the book was republished in 1998, his father "was pleased, but the renewed attention was very painful," Szpilman said.

"He was pained by the idea that he survived but not anyone else."

Wladyslaw Szpilman died in 2000 as director Roman Polanski searched for a an actor to play him in the movie, which also has Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Actor (Adrien Brody).

"The first negotiation took place in late 1999 . . . He had been in excellent health, but he was gone very suddenly," said son Christopher.

"I can't help feeling that the success of the book and this film talk had something to do with that."

When I arrived at the theatre I was tempted to see "About Schmidt" instead of "The Pianist". I’d read some reviews of The Pianist and so had more than an inkling of what I was in for emotionally. Now, after having seen The Pianist I’ll have to see About Schmidt as soon as possible just for balance.

The actor, Adrien Brody, who had dropped 30 pounds to look the part of the character, was as believable a character as I’ve ever witnessed. Handsome and dashing as the pianist in his suits and comfortable home of pre-occupied Poland, to ragged, on the run and half-crazed by fear and starvation in German occupied Poland, he lived the role and took the audience with him, convincingly.

Roman Polanski, who is a survivor of the time period of his film, worked hard and long scouting locations that would replicate or allow re-creation of the Warsaw ghetto. It was a tough place to hang out for a couple of hours and I felt deeply for the characters depicted in the film. Unlike many films, where soundtrack, special effects, or exaggerated characters are used to manipulate emotion, this film depended on the telling of the story, and the realism of the actors and location to pull you in and hold you there. In spite of the title of the movie the pianist, who’s name in this true story was Wladyslaw Szpilman, is given only a few opportunities to play the piano throughout the film. Each time is effective. Most especially in one scene towards the end of the film when he plays for a Nazi soldier—as well as for himself! I feel chills remembering that scene!

I saw Adrien Brodie's performance as outstanding, but I was surprised that he won all the marbles. That's fabulous when a performance such as his in a movie of such debth is recognized in such a big way. Congrats to him and to The Pianist for it's other Oscar wins.

Adrian Brody:
"It fills me with great joy, but I am also filled with a lot of sadness tonight because I'm accepting an award at such a strange time. My experiences of making this film made me very aware of the sadness and dehumanization of people in times of war and the repercussions of war. Whether you believe in God or Allah, may he watch over you and let's pray for a peaceful and swift resolution." (loud applause) "I have a friend from Queens who's a soldier in Kuwait right now, Tommy Szarabinski, and I hope you and your boys make it back real soon and God bless you guys, I love you." (more applause and standing ovation)

--Adrian Brody-- at The Oscars.

Thanks Kitt. I'll make this my next movie. I've never heard a bad word about the film.

Originally posted by Kitt
Adrian Brody:
"It fills me with great joy, but I am also filled with a lot of sadness tonight because I'm accepting an award at such a strange time. My experiences of making this film made me very aware of the sadness and dehumanization of people in times of war and the repercussions of war. Whether you believe in God or Allah, may he watch over you and let's pray for a peaceful and swift resolution." (loud applause) "I have a friend from Queens who's a soldier in Kuwait right now, Tommy Szarabinski, and I hope you and your boys make it back real soon and God bless you guys, I love you." (more applause and standing ovation)

--Adrian Brody-- at The Oscars.
His speech was touching and not offensive to anyone. Adrian Brody is a gentleman.

Originally posted by Janice
I've never heard a bad word about the film.

On the amazon.com reviews there are some unfavorable ones.

I can't wait to see to movie. I have a keen interest in the holocaust. Though, I admit I haven't read the Pianist just yet.

Oh my. So many movies to watch and not enough money to spend...

Originally posted by Max Whittaker


On the amazon.com reviews there are some unfavorable ones.

I can't wait to see to movie. I have a keen interest in the holocaust. Though, I admit I haven't read the Pianist just yet.

Oh my. So many movies to watch and not enough money to spend...

Did you ever see Schindler's List? It's one of the best movies out there about the subject.

Originally posted by Max Whittaker
On the amazon.com reviews there are some unfavorable ones.

On rottentomatoes.com, The Pianist received a 95% rating, which is incredible. This site compiles and averages all major reviews and gives a movie a 'freshness' rating. Anything over 60% is considered 'fresh', anything under is considered 'rotten'.
95% is off the charts.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ThePianist-1116005/

Originally posted by Original Prankster


Did you ever see Schindler's List? It's one of the best movies out there about the subject.

I saw it in the tv guide once long ago. Not knowing or caring what it was, I past it up.

Great review Kitt. I appreciate your words even more now since I finally saw it two days ago.
It's one of those movies that lingers with a person. It's a very tough watch and tough to shake off afterwards. It must be one of the saddest movies I've ever seen....every bit as emotionally draining as Schindler's List. Some of the images are horrific.
The scene when the German soldiers make the people dance in the streets just about broke my heart. Those poor people were robbed of everything--material possessions, family, friends, homes, their dignity, and for most, their lives.
The Holocaust is, of course, one of the worst chapters in history, but what astounds me is that is happened recently, in a sense. My husband was born in 1940, so it happened in his lifetime.
Tossing the Christians to the lions, the Civil War, all the horrible things that happened, are somehow toned down in my mind because it was so long ago.
Yet with Hitler and the Holocaust---well, the man who tailors and drycleans my clothes lost his entire family in a concentration camp, and he came to this country when he was 17.
Adrien Brody deserved his Best Actor Oscar. His portrayal of Wladyslaw Szpilman was spellbinding.
Anyone was hasn't seen this movie should run, not walk, to the video store and rent it, and pick up a box of Kleenex too.
Movies simply don't get any better than The Pianist.

I haven't seen the film yet, but I want to see it. I'll rent it and see it. I'm interested in seeing it because the pianist character is Polish and and I come from a Polish background. My grandfather was Jewish. From what I have read about the plot it sounds really good. Although, the history of what happened back in the 30s and 40s during the holocaust was terrible.

http://www.thepianist-themovie.com/pianist.htm