The Piano

How can we forget this film?

The piano is a large romantic fresco which takes place in New Zealand. Jane Campion is the movie director. The film won The Cannes Palme d'or.

It's about a mute pianist and her daughter and the film sits during the 19th century. It features a score for the piano by Michael Nyman which has became a bestselling soundtrack album. Hunter plays her own piano pieces for the film, and also served a sign language teacher for Paquin.

Mickael Nyman succeeded in creating a brilliant composition.

The original score was composed by Michael Nyman and is his twentieth album release. Despite being called a "soundtrack", this is a partial score re-recording, as Nyman himself also performs the piano on the album (whereas the film version is performed by Hunter). The music is performed by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nyman.

The composer managed to write original music that sounds as if if could have been written in the mid-19th century and makes it sound contemporary at the same time. It worked wonderfully with the film and conveyed a sense of passion, fun, tragedy, and romance. The music is a delight to the ears and soulfully touching.

This music pulls you into the movie.

Now, Nyman's interview about his work.

The Thin Red Line

Now, i'll introduce you to my favorite movie.
It's a Terrence Malick movie called The thin red line. It was released in 1998. Malick has a typical sense of intellectual contemplation and visceral stimulation.


The story takes place during WWII, Pacific side. The director follows many American characters during the big Guadalcanal battle. At this time, Japan and the United States fougth in the Pacific islands.

In my opinion, this movie isn't only a war film, it's a psychological way to show how the war kills everything, physically and mentally: soldiers, civils, natives. Everybody loses his mind during this experience, nobody escapes safety. No issue for anyone.

The film describes a main character, an American soldier, named Witt. This man tries to forget the horrible situation. We understand he isn't like a common soldier because his purpose is pacifist: live into a wild world, in peace with the power of nature, out of human foolishness.

The music is so important. Hans Zimmer is the composer. The score expresses the director's feelings. To my mind, this is most mature soundtrack which he made. It's also interesting to compare this score with the soundtrack of Saving Private Ryan by Steven Spielberg (composed by John William: see "Star Wars" in the blog). The score differs from John Williams' similarly stark score for Saving Private Ryan in that it makes no attempt at patriotism or a noble heart.




For example, Hans Zimmer has specially explored some traditional Melanesian Choirs. I love these Aboriginal songs and I think it was impossible to do the movie without including these voice of women and men who live in these islands with nature.




Hans Zimmer best-of:

Star Wars

"Star Wars"...everybody knows this trilogy. But do you know its music composer?

We talk about the most famous American composer, to my mind. His name is John Williams. Now, it's a old man who always composes a lot of hymns.
You remember this.

Anyway...everyone has once sung a JW medoly.

Another example:

The movie Schindler's list, which tells a story about a "good samaritain". During the WWII, he helps a lot of Jewish people buying for keep them in life. John Williams chooses the "famous Jewish violin to express the sadness of this part of our History. The violin vibrato is so fragile, so emotional. I think it's the perfect choice to describe the Jewish felling during the Shoah.

But let's talk about my initial subject: "STAR WARS".
The introducing theme is very known. Listen: