The Piano 25th Anniversary Edition [Blu-ray] [2018]

One of my all-time favorites. I've seen it at least five times, as much for the music as the story. Acting is spectacular and you get to see a full frontal (nude) of Harvey Keitel. It's about time we women got to enjoy the male body as much as men enjoy women. Can't understand why people think naked men shouldn't be seen. Good grief -- it's the 21st century!

The first time that I saw this movie, The Piano. I thought it was weird, but beautiful in its own way. The Piano is a film that stays with you. I can still remember the playing the piano scene at the beach. I can still remember when she made a tent using her crinoline. I could go on and on, but I won't. The score is mesmerizing. Holly Hunter shines through this film. She conveys so much with just her expressions. Harvey Keitel played a soft, but manly man. These two actors had great chemistry that makes you root for them. Anna Paquin does a really good job playing a cute, but weird kid. Sam Neill is a great addition to the cast. If you are looking for a movie that has heart and a great score to go with it, then this movie is just for you.

Couldn't even finish this atrocity. They actually make a man sexually harass and coerce a disabled individual and then make her LIKE it, and then have her husband try to rape her, after he literally enjoyed secretly watching her fraternize with the other man. THEN Ada decided she liked that too, even though she was fighting to get away from him, and approach him in his room. I'm supposed to think this was sexy and sensual? Am I supposed to think it would be ok for my daughter to view this movie and think this was how men were supposed to treat her? Sorry but I don't find raping women and sexually assaulting them and making them uncomfortable sexy or romantic. And in real life, no woman finds themselves captivated by someone like that. Disgusting. They managed to completely attack women, disabled individuals, as well as indigenous people all in the first hour. Please spare yourself and don't waste your money or sanity on this movie.

This is an uncommon love story with fine acting and well directed. When Ada is reunited with her piano on the beach, neighbor George Baines is spellbound watching her smile sensually as she plays. He senses her passion is linked to the piano and by connecting it to his step by step seduction tries to channel that passion to him. Harvey Keitel is exceptional in his role and should have been nominated as was Hunter and Paquin, as well I was delighted to see full frontal male nudity for once. The sexual scenes focused on displaying great affection rather than lust, even with the crinoline cage. Undeniably, the gentle George desires to please in every tender loving way possible. In my view the sex scene showed what Ada feels for him because of her inability to vocalize it, otherwise would not be necessary. You get a clue of George’s disciplined appeal chided by his Māori friends for not partaking of available native women. Although their marital relations not consummated, Sam Neill’s non-combative reaction as a betrayed husband did puzzle me, or perhaps came to realization was mainly his fault yet not clear. The story also reflects the subjection of women to fathers and spouses’ will. The film did leave me with some unanswered contradictions about Ada’s behavior and her husband’s afterwards. Most times you can fall back on the book it is based on, but not in this case. Nevertheless, it is compellingly and at times, complex but loved the ending.

This movie was astonishing to me, so different than most of the movies made today, and it has become one of my favorite movies ever. The music, the talent of all the actors and actresses in it. I was totally blown away. I have recommended it to everyone I've talked to, and even posted clips of it online, encouraging others to see it. The historical aspect of it, the message it gives, I can't think of one thing I didn't like about it.

Highly understated yet forcefully romantic, The Piano is a haunting women's film. Holly Hunter portrays a mute woman who expresses her emotions through a prized piano—one that sailed with her (and her daughter) to a strange island where she's to marry an unseen, proper landowner. Harvey Keitel is not that man but rather a simpler, rawer land manager who becomes mesmerized by Hunter and her music. The evolution of their love story is both intense foreplay and a dance with danger. The results are shocking and eventually freeing, culminating in a dream nearly every woman has had at least once. For mature women especially, this is a no-brainer, must-see film, worthy of every Oscar it received.

Hollie Hunter (Ada) and Anna Pacquin won Oscars for their roles in this film. Harvey Keitel should have won an Oscar for his portrayal of George the hopelessly lovesick man who slowly tries to win Ada's affection but he wasn't even nominated, a gross oversight by the Academy. Ada who by choice hasn't spoken a word since she was six years old and who has an illegitimate child is married off by her father to a man living in New Zealand whom she has never met. Ada brings her precious piano with her. After being left on the beach overnight Ada's husband arrives on foot with George and some natives to bring Ada and her belongings to her new home. However there are not enough men to carry the piano so to Ada's horror it is left on the beach. Ada's husband doesn't understand what the piano means to her but George quickly realizes that the piano is a part of Ada. It's her voice and her spirit. This all happens in the first thirty minutes of the movie. George falls desperately in love with Ada but feelsthat such a lovely refined and educated woman as she would find him repulsive. The scenes of him longing for Ada are so touchingly beautiful. I would recommend this hauntingly beautiful love story to anyone who appreciates the amazing talent of Harvey Keitel. This in my opinion was his best work. I personally could have done without the explicit fully nude love scenes. The movie didn't need that. In fact it would have been better without it.

Taking place in mid-nineteenth century, this great film tells the story of a Scottish woman who goes to New Zealand with her young daughter for an arranged marriage. She then begins an affair with another man. Terrific performances, outstanding direction, this picture will stay with you forever. A triumph.

In the mid 19th century, a mute woman (Holly Hunter) and her young daughter (Anna Paquin) travel from Scotland to New Zealand where a marriage to a frontiersman (Sam Neill) has been arranged by her father. The husband is a coarse somewhat confused man but his friend (Harvey Keitel) possesses a sensitivity that eventually wears down her emotional resistance. This haunting, evocative film directed by Jane Campion (who won a best original screenplay Oscar for this) won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes film festival and it's a remarkably sensitive portrait of a woman without a voice, literally of course but metaphorically without a voice in the society of her time. Even her marriage is arranged by her father and no explanation is given to why she simply stopped talking at age six. Hunter's career best performance (Cannes film festival and Oscar best actress awards) is stunning as is the remarkable performance by a then 10 year old Paquin (unlike most child actors, there isn't a false note in her performance) who won the supporting actress Oscar. The score by Michael Nyman is one of those rare scores that become a very part of the film's fabric and the exquisite cinematography is courtesy of Stuart Dryburgh.The Optimum DVD from the U.K. is a pristine anamorphic wide screen (1.85) transfer with an audio commentary by director Champion, an interview with composer Michael Nyman and a vintage making of documentary.

A passionate but stubborn woman becomes the "mail ordered bride" of a man who ignores her pleas to rescue her piano from the beach where she landed, resulting in her coldness towards him and his frustration with her. The piano is rescued by an acquaintance of her new husband which sets the scene for a lustful affair and crazed jealousy.

I’ve loved this film since it was released. It never ages. Beautifully made. Beautifully acted. Wonderful cast. Holly Hunter played all the piano music herself?? I heard?

I love this film and the music is outstanding in my opinion. The DVD works well and arrived in good time. A very happy bunny!