The Pianist (2002)

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Wladyslaw Szpilman (book)
Ronald Harwood (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 January 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | War

Tagline:

Music was his passion. Survival was his masterpiece.

Plot:

A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II.

Plot Keywords:

Warsaw | Warsaw Ghetto | Jewish | Nazi | Piano

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 45 wins & 42 nominations

Cast

Adrien Brody	...	Wladyslaw Szpilman
Thomas Kretschmann	...	Captain Wilm Hosenfeld
Frank Finlay	...	Father
Maureen Lipman	...	Mother
Emilia Fox	...	Dorota
Ed Stoppard	...	Henryk
Julia Rayner	...	Regina
Jessica Kate Meyer	...	Halina
Michal Zebrowski	...	Jurek
Wanja Mues	...	SS Slapping Father
Richard Ridings	...	Mr. Lipa
Nomi Sharron	...	Feather Woman
Anthony Milner	...	Man Waiting to Cross
Lucy Skeaping	...	Street Musician
Roddy Skeaping	...	Street Musician
Ben Harlan	...	Street Musician
Thomas Lawincky	...	Schutzpolizei (as Thomas Lawinky)
Joachim Paul Assböck	...	Schutzpolizei
Roy Smiles	...	Itzak Heller
Paul Bradley	...	Yehuda
Daniel Caltagirone	...	Majorek
Andrzej Blumenfeld	...	Benek
Darian Wawer	...	Child at the Wall
Zbigniew Zamachowski	...	Customer with Coins
Lejb Fogelman	...	Customer with Coins
Detlev von Wangenheim	...	SS Officer
Popeck	...	Rubenstein (as Popek)
Zofia Czerwinska	...	Woman with Soup
Emilio Fernandez	...	The Soup Snatcher
Udo Kroschwald	...	Schultz
Uwe Rathsam	...	SS Shooting the Woman
Joanna Brodzik	...	Woman Shot in the Head
Katarzyna Bargielowska	...	Wailing Woman
Maja Ostaszewska	...	Woman with Child
John Bennett	...	Dr. Ehrlich
Cyril Shaps	...	Mr. Grün
Wojciech Smolarz	...	Boy with Sweets
Lech Mackiewicz	...	Fellow Worker
Ruth Platt	...	Janina Godlewska
Frank-Michael Köbe	...	SS Shooting Benek
Torsten Flach	...	Zig Zag
Peter Rappenglück	...	SS Making a Speech
Ronan Vibert	...	Janina's Husband
Krzysztof Pieczynski	...	Gebczynski
Katarzyna Figura	...	Kittie, neighbour
Valentine Pelka	...	Dorota's Husband
Andrew Tiernan	...	Szalas
Tom Strauss	...	Dr. Luczak
Cezary Kosinski	...	Lednicki
Grzegorz Artman
Adam Bauman
Pawel Burczyk	...	Polish Workman
Zbigniew Dziduch
Marian Dziedziel
Jerzy Góralczyk		(as Jerzy Goralczyk)
Nina Franoszek	...	Polish Woman
Jaroslaw Kopaczewski
Patrick Lanagan
Dmitri Leshchenko	...	Russian Soldier (as Dymitr Leszczenko)
Dorota Liliental
Rafal Mohr	...	Schutzpolizei
Andrzej Pieczynski	...	Prisoner
Morgane Polanski	...	Girl
Norbert Rakowski
Piotr Siejka
Weronika Szen
Andrzej Szenajch
Tomasz Tyndyk
Andrzej Walden
Zbigniew Walerys
Maciej Winkler
Andrzej Zielinski
Maurycy Zylber	...	German film crew
Xawery Zylber
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roman Garbowski
Malgorzata Trybalska	...	Zydówka
Rafal Dajbor	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Anna Gryszka	...	Woman in ghetto (uncredited)
Adrian Hood	...	Piano buyer (uncredited)
John Keogh	...	Polish Officer (uncredited)
Ryszard Kluge	...	Jew working on the bulding site (uncredited)
Maciej Kowalewski	...	Officer SS (uncredited)
Ireneusz Machnicki	...	SS Officer (uncredited)
Pawel Malaszynski	...	Man in ghetto (uncredited)
Adam Malecki	...	German soldier in the Ghetto (uncredited)
Aleksandra Nizynska	...	Girl (uncredited)
Axel Prahl	...	German Soldier, rummage bags (uncredited)
Dagmara Sieminska	...	Women in ghetto (uncredited)
Izabella Szolc	...	Women in ghetto (uncredited)
Dawid Szurmiej	...	Man in ghetto (uncredited)
Borys Szyc	...	Young gestapo (uncredited)
Jacek Wolszczak	...	Man in ghetto (uncredited)

Directed by
Roman Polanski

Writing credits
Wladyslaw Szpilman		(book)
Ronald Harwood		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Benmussa	....	producer
Timothy Burrill	....	executive producer
Daniel Champagnon	....	line producer
Gene Gutowski	....	co-producer
Henning Molfenter	....	executive producer
Roman Polanski	....	producer
Lew Rywin	....	executive producer
Alain Sarde	....	producer
Rainer Schaper	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Wojciech Kilar

Cinematography by
Pawel Edelman

Film Editing by
Hervé de Luze

Casting by
Celestia Fox
Heta Mantscheff

Production Design by
Allan Starski

Art Direction by
Sebastian T. Krawinkel
Nenad Pecur

Costume Design by
Anna B. Sheppard

Makeup Department
Didier Lavergne	....	makeup artist
Waldemar Pokromski	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Sonja Döring	....	assistant production manager
Oliver Lüer	....	unit production manager
Henning Molfenter	....	production supervisor: Germany
Françoise Piraud	....	post-production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tobias Asam	....	trainee assistant director
Ewa Brodzka	....	second assistant director
Zbigniew Gruz	....	second assistant director
Weronika Migon	....	second assistant director
Aleksandrs Petukhovs	....	second second assistant director
Ralph Remstedt	....	first assistant director
Marianna Rowinska	....	second second assistant director
Filip Jan Rymsza	....	second second assistant director
Oliver Schnug	....	third assistant director
Marcin Szczerbic	....	second assistant director
Caroline Veyssière	....	second assistant director
Jordan Waugh	....	assistant director: additional photography (uncredited)

Art Department
Pierre Brayard	....	draughtsman
Zuzana Cizmarova	....	set designer
Eckart Friz	....	prop buyer
Philipp Hübner	....	carpenter
Oliver Humke	....	construction manager: backlot
Gracia Janowicz	....	property master
Christoph Kettenring	....	prop buyer
Marek Kukawski	....	set designer
Alexander Liebenthron	....	props
Anja Müller	....	assistant art director
Peter Naguib	....	stand-by props
Matthias Prange	....	construction supervisor
Matthias Prange	....	stand-by carpenter
Grzegorz Rzepecki	....	props
Uwe Schaer	....	hod carpenter
Tobias Schroeter	....	plasterer
Torsten Schwartz	....	supervisor plasterer
Joey Weber	....	lead man
Joey Weber	....	prop buyer
Waldemar Weiss	....	construction manager
Berndt Wenzel	....	plasterer
Gabriele Wolff	....	set decorator: Germany

Sound Department
Nicolas Becker	....	foley artist
Jean-Marie Blondel	....	sound mixer
Katia Boutin	....	dialogue editor
Claude Broutin	....	assistant sound editor
Marilena Cavola	....	assistant sound editor
Fabrice Conesa	....	foley recordist
Paul Conway	....	supervising adr editor
Gérard de Lagarde	....	sound effects
Edouard d'Heucqueville	....	sound mix technician
Philippe Dongé	....	sound mix technician
Marie Guesnier	....	sound librarian
Gérard Hardy	....	supervising sound editor
James Harrison	....	adr editor
Stefan Henrix	....	adr editor
Dean Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nikolas Javelle	....	assistant dialogue editor
Anne Le Campion	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stephane Lioret	....	boom operator
Pierre Mertens	....	sound librarian
Carlos Pinto	....	assistant sound editor
Raphael Sohier	....	sound assistant
Svetlana Vaynblat	....	assistant sound editor
Alexandre Widmer	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Jan Gwiasda	....	special effects technician
Maurice Koester	....	special effects assistant
Adrian Lorbert	....	special effects technician
Volker Lorig	....	special effects technician
Alister Mazzotti	....	special effects supervisor
Jason Oettle	....	special effects technician: physical effects
Hans Seck	....	special effects supervisor
Roland Tropp	....	snow effects
Zbigniew Urbaszek	....	special effects technician
Kazimierz Wróblewski	....	special effects coordinator
Lightning Bear	....	special effects advisor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Nastuh Abootalebi	....	digital effects compositor: das werk
Andreas Beck	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Roger Beck	....	systems administrator: Das Werk
Odile Beraud	....	visual effects production assistant: Eclair Numerique
Elena Blum	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Stephanie Boutinaud	....	digital effects artist
Michel Briegel	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Cania	....	digital matte paint artist: das werk
Arnaud Chelet	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Peter Connelly	....	digital effects compositor: das werk
Philipp Danner	....	junior compositing artist: das werk
Olivier Debert	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Mark Dollery	....	scanning and recording: Das Werk
Yann Doray	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Christian Dutac	....	color grader
Philipp Eckel	....	image data wrangler: Das Werk
Mitch Enzmann	....	motion control operator
Roxane Fechner	....	visual effects production assistant: Eclair Numerique
Nico Feindt	....	3D animator: Das Werk
Derek Flood	....	3D animator: das werk
Jerome Fournier	....	matte painter: Eclair Numerique
Alexander Gabrysch	....	digital effects compositor: das werk
Stefan Galleithner	....	lineup operator
Moritz Glaesle	....	digital effects compositor: das werk
Melanie Göggelmann	....	production coordinator: das werk
Joachim Grüninger	....	miniature supervisor
Joachim Grüninger	....	motion control supervisor
Philip Hahn	....	production accountant: das werk
David Hofmann	....	3D technical director: das werk
Walter Hörger	....	scanning and recording: Das Werk
Philippe Jarland	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Michel Jonas	....	programming and software development: Das Werk
Oliver Kirchhoff	....	3D animator: das werk
Martin Kretschmer	....	assistant model maker: Magicon
Ines Krüger	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Christian Künstler	....	visual effects producer: das werk
Christian Künstler	....	visual effects supervisor
Michel Lazarus	....	model maker: Magicon (as Michel 'Lazy' Lazarus)
Jörg Lehnert	....	motion control assistant
Yvan Lucas	....	color grader: Eclair Numerique
Stephane Martini	....	digital color grader (as Stephane Martinie)
Marcel Mazoyer	....	color grader
Joyce Menger	....	visual effects producer: Eclair Numerique
Frederic Moreau	....	visual effects producer: Eclair Numerique
Sarah Moreau	....	visual effects production assistant: Eclair Numerique (as Sarah Flament)
Nicolas Morlet	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Michael Multhoff	....	image data wrangler: Das Werk
Katharina Nobis	....	camera assistant: miniatures
Jan Oehlschläger	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Connie Oettl	....	model painter: Magicon
Fabien Pascal	....	color grader: Eclair Numerique
Paul Poetsch	....	lead shake compositor: das werk
Tanja Rath	....	graphics artist: Das Werk
Michel Roca	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Matthias Scharfenberg	....	digital film I/O supervisor: das werk
Henrik Scheib	....	workshop coordinator: Magicon
Abraham Schneider	....	digital effects compositor: das werk
Bernd Schulze	....	digital effects compositor: das werk
Hans Seck	....	visual effects coordinator
Britta Sell	....	miniature director of photography (as Britta Mangold)
Philippe Soeiro	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Philippe Soeiro	....	digital compositing supervisor: Eclair Numerique
Swen Spichtinger	....	3D animator: das werk
Gerhard Spring	....	scanning and recording: Das Werk
Robinson Steinke	....	3D animator: das werk
Saskia Stoever	....	model maker: Magicon (as Saskia Stoewer)
Oliver Stück	....	assistant compositor: das werk
Sebastian Tuttas	....	model maker: Magicon
Christoph Unger	....	digital matte paint artist: Das Werk
Morgan Varona	....	digital artist: Eclair Numerique
Carole Vasseur	....	visual effects production assistant: Eclair Numerique
Gunnar Wittig	....	3D technical director: das werk
Steffen Zeugner	....	motion control assistant
Thomas Tannenberger	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)

Stunts
Zofia Bachleda-Zolnierczyk	....	stunts
Janusz Chlebowski	....	stunts
Piotr Cichon	....	stunts
Robert Cichon	....	stunts
Jacek Dlugosz	....	stunts
Jim Dowdall	....	stunt coordinator
Ryszard Francman	....	stunts
Oliver Fritsche	....	stunt rigger
Christof Genesis	....	stunts
Udo Harnach	....	stunt performer
Jacek Jelen	....	stunts
Jacek Kadlubowski	....	stunts
Stella Kuczynska	....	stunts
Zbigniew Modej	....	stunt coordinator: Polish location
Pawel Pliszka	....	stunts
Tomasz Przybysz	....	stunts
Antje Rau	....	stunt supervisor
Jacek Ryniewicz	....	stunts
Armin Sauer	....	assistant stunt coordinator: Germany
Armin Sauer	....	stunt supervisor
Rene Schobes	....	stunts (as Rene Schobess)
Lee Sheward	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Józef Stefanski	....	stunts
Sylwester Zawadski	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Guy Ferrandis	....	still photographer
Volker Gläser	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Zbigniew Gustowski	....	assistant camera
Sönke Hansen	....	additional photographer
Patrick Kaethner	....	camera operator
Zsolt Kalbér	....	electrician: Germany
Cezary Lisowski	....	gaffer: Poland
Andres Lizana Prado	....	assistant camera: second unit
Marcus Pohlus	....	Steadicam operator
Marcus Pohlus	....	camera operator
Marek Rajca	....	camera operator
Teja Schwede	....	video operator
Albrecht Silberberger	....	gaffer: Germany
Jörg Widmer	....	Steadicam operator
Anna-Maria Hora	....	camera trainee (uncredited)

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	adr voice casting
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting
Alex Johnson	....	casting assistant
Iris Müller	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sabine Groh	....	dresser: Mr. Brody
Brita Hofmann	....	costume breakdown
Gudrun Leyendecker	....	associate costume designer
Adrianna Wozniak	....	dresser: Mr. Brody

Editorial Department
Lionel Cassan	....	assistant editor
Yvan Lucas	....	color grader: Eclair Numerique
Margot Meynier	....	first assistant editor
Fabien Pascal	....	color grader: Eclair Numerique
Carlos Pinto	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Nancy Allen	....	assistant music editor
Tadeusz Boniecki	....	orchestra contractor
Marcus Herzog	....	music mixer: Chopin
Marcus Herzog	....	music recordist: Chopin
Marcus Herzog	....	music supervisor: Chopin
Grazyna Kozlowska	....	music coordinator
Anne-Laure Lermyte	....	music editor
Janusz Olejniczak	....	musician: solo piano
Suzana Peric	....	music editor
Tadeusz Strugala	....	conductor
Wladyslaw Szpilman	....	musician: piano (as Wladislaw Szpilman)
John Timperley	....	music mixer
John Timperley	....	music recordist
Henry Vars	....	composer: song "Umówilem sie z nia na dziewiata" (as Henryk Wars)
Hanna Wolczedska	....	musician: clarinet
Zbyszek Zbrowski	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Markus Bendler	....	additional action vehicle coordinator: Germany
Michael Fechner	....	action vehicle coordinator: Germany
Katja Heissig	....	driver
Axel Hübner	....	driver: cast
Tobias Lauterberg	....	production driver
Inga Meissner	....	transportation coordinator
Grit Menzzer	....	driver
Enrico Taubert	....	production driver

Other crew
Malgosia Abramowska	....	assistant: Roman Polanski
Julie Adams	....	dialect coach: Adrien Brody, Frank Finley and Maureen Lipman
Anne Attalla	....	coordinator: A&R
Aneta Cebula	....	assistant location manager
Janusz B. Czech	....	location manager
Isabelle Dassonville	....	assistant: Roman Polanski
Valentin Dimitrov	....	production assistant
Jon Duncan	....	production accountant: UK
Christian Fischer	....	cashier: Germany
Elzbieta Heleniak	....	production accountant
Katja Hoerstmann	....	assistant production coordinator
Jan Jagielski	....	historical consultant
Iris Kronauer	....	assistant production coordinator
Martina Ludwig	....	assistant: Mr. Schaper
Eric Martin	....	digital technician
Paul Meyer-Gerlt	....	production accountant
Andrew Mollo	....	military consultant
Feliks Pastusiak	....	assistant: Mr. Rywin
Chantal Peyrieras	....	assistant: Robert Benmussa
Eva-Maria Pilling	....	production assistant
Dieter Reinhold	....	production secretary
Lars Rieken	....	location manager
Daria Rogozinska	....	production assistant
Gabi Scheiger	....	production coordinator: Germany
Marco Schenke	....	crowd marshall
Katarzyna Skrzyczewska	....	assistant: Mr. Rywin
Paul Sonderegger	....	language coach: German, Mr. Brody
Daniel Sutton	....	piano coach: Mr. Brody
Adam Warchol	....	animal handler
Hildegard Westbeld	....	location manager
Roman Polanski	....	voice dubbing: Michal Zebrowski (uncredited)

Production Companies

• R.P. Productions
• Heritage Films
• Studio Babelsberg
• Runteam
• Agencja Produkcji Filmowej
• Beverly Detroit
• Canal+ Polska
• Canal+
• FilmFernsehFonds Bayern
• Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg (FBB)
• Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA)
• Interscope Communications
• Mainstream S.A.
• Studio Canal
• Telewizja Polska (TVP)

Distributors

• Studio Canal (2002) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Bac Films (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• Wild Side Vidéo (2003) (France) (DVD)
• Wild Side Vidéo (2003) (France) (VHS)
• Studio Canal (2008) (France) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• 01 Distribuzione (2002) (Italy) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Falcon (2003) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Focus Features (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2002) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Tobis StudioCanal (2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United King Films (2002) (Ireland) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (video)
• Amuse Pictures (2003) (Japan) (all media)
• Bergvik (2003) (Iceland) (all media)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Gateno Films (2003) (Peru) (all media)
• Impuls Home Entertainment (2003) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2003) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Das Werk (digital visual effects)
• MagicMove GmbH (miniature effects)
• Magicon (miniature effects)
• Sparks Filmtechnik GmbH (miniature lighting)
• Éclair Numérique (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Audio 24/25  sound editing equipment
• Audio 24/25  sound libraries
• Cinemontage  editing equipment
• Cinéstéréo  sound transfers (as Cine Stereo)
• Das Werk  titles
• Filharmonia Narodowa  orchestra (as The Warsaw Philharmonic National Orchestra of Poland)
• Goldcrest Post Production London  adr recording studios (as Goldcrest - London)
• Laboratoires LTC  film processing (as L.T.C.)
• SIS TV  editing facilities
• Scanlab Saint Cloud  digital post-production (as Scanlab)
• Sony Classical  soundtrack published by
• Sound Design Company, The  pro tools system
• Transit Film  film archives (as Transit Film GmbH Munchen)
• Wfdir Archiwum Filmowe Warszawa  film archive
• Witold Lutowslawski Polish Radio Studio  music recorded at

Also Known As:

Der Pianist (Germany)
Le pianiste (France)
Pianista (Poland)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and brief strong language.

Runtime:

150 min | Spain:142 min (DVD edition)

Country:

France | Germany | UK | Poland

Language:

English | German | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:TE | Denmark:11 | Egypt:(Banned) | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 (re-rating) | New Zealand:R15 | Norway:15 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:AA (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Babelsberg, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

Company:

R.P. Productions

Trivia:

During the shooting of the movie, while scouting locations in Krakow, Roman Polanski met a man who had helped Polanski's family survive the war.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The bayonet used by the German sergeant to open the sack of beans is not German issue. It appears to be a Turkish Model 1890 bayonet.

Quotes:

Dorota: I'll get a doctor.
Dorota's Husband: You can't, it's too dangerous.
Dorota: I'll get Doctor Laczek, we can trust him.
Dorota's Husband: Dorota, don't be ridiculous, he's a pediatrician.
Dorota: He's still a doctor.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Ryan Reynolds/Lady Gaga (#35.2)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Marsz Strzelcow

An astonishing film

The Pianist is the true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, at the time Poland's most acclaimed pianist whose life is transformed during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw beginning in 1939. The film spans several years and maps his many personal trials in addition to providing the perspectives of his family, rebel factions and sympathizers.

Brilliantly directed by Roman Polanski and starring an amazing Adrien Brody, The Pianist is bound to garner comparisons to Schindler's List, for obvious reasons. However similar the subject matter, the approach is different. While Schindler's List was filmed in a beautiful, crisp black and white that offered many incredible images, The Pianist was filmed with almost muted color. Schindler's List featured what has been argued as a complicated hero. Oskar Schindler did save many Jews, but not without battling his own materialistic demons first. The Pianist's Szpilman is a sympathetic character throughout. His plight was desperate, and the demons he fought were over his own guilt in surviving a fight that eventually turns into a primal will to live.

Polanski does not spare the viewer any grief with his film. The horrific scenes between the Nazis and the Warsaw Jews were more terrifying and horrible than any horror/suspense movie I have seen in some time, possibly ever. The humiliation and complete loss is wrenching. In several scenes, Jews are lined up in the middle of the night and subjected to either torture or death. In one case, a woman asks of a Nazi officer, "What will happen to us?" and is promptly shot point blank in the head. The camera does not flinch or subdue any of these atrocities.

A mention must be made of Brody's performance. Having only previously seen Brody in two other films, Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam" and Terrence Malick's "The Thin Red Line" (a part that was supposed to be his launch into stardom before his part was unfortunately cut drastically) I knew his potential was great. After his Oscar win, I viewed this movie with more criticism than I normally would have and he certainly did not disappoint. He transcended my expectations. His physical transformation was amazing, but more importantly, he conveyed the sorrow of this man shockingly well - in both verbal and non-verbal contexts. It will be very interesting to see what kind of opportunities this role will afford him, and the kinds of roles he will accept.

Something worth mentioning is the affect this movie had on the audience with whom I viewed this film. Normally, when a film ends, the regular hardcore filmsters like myself will stay and watch the credits in their entirety. The rest of the audience stands up and leaves, usually to the chagrin of the remaining enthusiasts. This was one of the few times I have seen a film at a theater where not one person stood to leave during the final credits. It wasn't until the house lights came up at the end did people begin to disperse. Personally, I hightailed it out of the theater the second the lights came on because not only was my face a mess from crying during the film (Tammy Faye comes to mind) but I had this overwhelming need for an emotional release, so when I reached my car I sat and wept for about five minutes. It has been years since I have watched a film that upset me to that extent. Conversely, while discussing this film with my brother, (someone who loves movies as much and has similar tastes as I do) he mentioned that while he thought the movie was excellent, he wasn't as profoundly emotionally effected as I was. After thinking about this for a couple of days, I realized the difference: The music. As a classical music enthusiast and erstwhile musician, the thought of not being able to enjoy, much less play the music you love is a tragic one. Then the emotional outpouring that comes when you return to it - there aren't words to describe how intense that is. Not having the same appreciation for this musical genre, one will be able to sympathize with the physical and emotional tribulations, but perhaps not in the musical sense.

The Pianist was truly an astonishing film. I was riveted from start to finish and so emotionally affected that I couldn't even consider writing a review until a week later. Having said that, I am filing this away with my list of movies which include Schindlers List and Philadelphia, as films that I love but cannot rewatch for a long time after due to their intensely emotional content.

--Shelly