Oy, I just saw August Rush last night and although very sappy, actress Kerri Russell who plays a cellist does an awful job of faking it, not to mention that she quits for 10 yrs then finds her way back to play professionally as a soloist with the NY Philharmonic within one or two storyboards (don't worry, I didn't give the end plot away for those of you wanting to see it but the ending is so predictable).

As I came out of the theater, it got me thinking as to what I thought were the best movies with classical music story lines. First movie that came to mind was "The Red Violin" with Joshua Bell performing to Corigliano's soundtrack. I love how they wove the time periods together following the journey of the violin through the years.

Please post your favorites.

quote:

Originally posted by Jack492:
As I came out of the theater, it got me thinking as to what I thought were the best movies with classical music story lines. First movie that came to mind was "The Red Violin" with Joshua Bell performing to Corigliano's soundtrack. I love how they wove the time periods together following the journey of the violin through the years.

Please post your favorites.

"Brassed Off" is one of my faves, especially in my family (three horn players and an oboist, go figure). Heard from someone one time that Ewan MacGregor used to play the horn. Really awesome soundtrack, too.

"Brassed Off" and "Red Violin" are great. The Marx Brothers "Night at The Opera" is a good one.

"The Competition"
"Shine"

The Money Pit, starring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long. circa 1983, I think.

It's a ridiculous screwball comedy about a husband and wife who stretch to the financial limit to buy their dream house on Long Island, only to find out they've been sold a deathtrap that's falling apart before their eyes.

The twist is that Shelley Long's character is the principal violist of what is clearly supposed to be the New York Philharmonic (if the Phil had 35 or so musicians and rehearsed in a recital hall,) and the dictatorial maestro is her former boyfriend and wants her back. (There's even a scene in which Long is practicing a Bach suite in the house while Hanks is pushing over birch trees outside.) Oh, and there's a rock band of cross-dressing midgets who keep trying to change their name to Kathleen Turner Overdrive, too. What could be better?

Oh, and I almost forgot: Ghostbusters should get a mention, too. Sigourney Weaver's character is a cellist, as I recall. But I suppose it doesn't have much to do with the storyline.

quote:

Oh, and there's a rock band of cross-dressing midgets who keep trying to change their name to Kathleen Turner Overdrive, too. What could be better?

I believe they wanted to call themselves Meryl Streep. A funny movie.
There is also "Unfaithfully Yours" With Dudley Moore another comedy and of course the "Piano" with Holly Hunter.
There is also Duet for One with Julie Andrews about a violinist who contracts MS and her conductor husband. Kind of follows Jaqueline Du Pre. Which also brings us to "Hilary and Jackie" which follows Jackie and her sister Hilary. There I also "Electric Dreams" about a threesome with a cellist, a computer and its owner. Cute movie. Also Madame Sousatzka with Shirley Mclaine.That one is one of my favorites.

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" Nodame Cantabile "

It is not a movie but a Japanese TV drama. I am not sure whether it will be broadcasted in the U.S. or Europe later. But it has been a very popular TV drama in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong for the past year. And the most important is, many people are interested in classical music after watching it.

" Nodame " is a girl's name. Noda is a Japanese family name, and " Me " (pronounced as mE, not mi ) is the short form of the girl's name Megumi.

It is a story about a music university in Japan and the story begins in Prague, where the Czech Philharmonic's Zdeněk Mácal has also played as a Czech Maestro in the earlier chapters. He has his scripts ofcourse as he played as the mentor and friend of the future promising young conductor when in his childhood.

It talks about the scenes in the classical field and how the students to struggle. It is a bit crazy because it is transcribed from a comic with the same title so sometimes the scenes are not quite realistic.

The faking is marvelous. Almost all young actors in the TV drama has no previous instrumental training before. But they learned " their " instruments several months before the filming and " play " very well in the drama. The " worst " performance, was by the young, good-looking conductor - too stiff everytime. Hahahahaha.

There are several love lines too but it's not the main theme in the story. The two main characters are a pianist and a pianist/conductor.

As Wing-sie Yip, the Music Director of the HK Sinfonietta says, you feel more in this drama if you knew classical more. And Edo de Waart immediately held 3 concerts of " Nodame Cantabile " because of this TV drama.

It attracts many non-classical music lovers. And ofcourse as you are a professional you will see different levels of interest in the program. You will find even the worst situation and thought in the classical field also become a joke and a happy thing in the drama.

Highly recommended.

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Ghostbusters: " You're the best in your Row".

Fellini's "Orchestra Rehearsal" is a classic from the '70s. Supposedly, it's a clever satire of Italian politics, but since I know nothing of Italian politics, to me it just seems like a brilliant depiction of a jaded, cynical orchestra and its narcissistic conductor.

" Together " (和你在一起)

It is a film directed by famous Chinese director Kai-ge Chen (陳凱歌).

It's about an extremely talented teenage countryboy in China. He was brought up by his poor father, also a countryman. He can play the violin well and his teacher knows he can never bring him fame and fortune. The boy's father, one day knows someone can " make " a famous violinist and gives him bright future, then asks the professor to help his son.

The boy, misses the previous teacher, his admired pretty " sister lover " and Dad, then he quits lessons, sells his violin and doesn't show up at the national competition.

What he wants is, be together with whom he had been...

Director Kai-ge Chen plays the famous violin professor. Violin competition winner Tang Yun (唐韻) plays the teenage boy. Chinese/Hong Kong violinist Chuan-yun Li (李傳韻) plays the famous violinist and plays all the violin dubbings in the movie.

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"Truly, Madly, Deeply", starring Alan Rickman (Snape, of the Harry Potter movies) is a wonderful example.

He plays a cellist who dies, leaving behind a devastated girlfriend. It is filled with the music of Bach, and Rickman fakes the cello admirably well.

A terrific romantic comedy, and kleenex are a must!

Also, "The Man with One Red Shoe", starring Tom Hanks is a good one. Sort of a Spy/Comedy about a violinist who unwittingly gets caught up in intrigue. Tom Hanks fakes the violin amazingly well.

Lastly, starring Peter Sellars. "The World of Henry Orient". About an avant-garde concert pianist (Sellars). It is worth seeing just for the performance w/ orchestra of this totally outrageous contemporary piece.

"Intermezzo"

"The Pianist" with Adrien Brody.

Then, of course, there's "Amadeus". Not good music history, but very entertaining, and the scene in which Salieri writes, as Mozart, on his deathbed, dictates the "Confutatis" from his requiem is priceless, a wonderful lesson on composition and scoring, and (sort of) really happened.

Finally, Jack Nicholson in "Five Easy Pieces".

"Foul Play" with Chevy Chase & Goldie Hawn, the final sequence takes place during a performance of " The Mikado". It's pretty funny, and includes a great shot of SFO Musican Tony Cirone doing a classic double take. Dudley Moore plays the conductor in this sequence.

Someone will know the title, but isn't there a Hitchcock thriller involving an assination or escape timed to a climax in "Tristan" ? I seem to remember an orchestra held hostage and POWs?

Frosty The Freelancer

quote:

Originally posted by frosty:


Someone will know the title, but isn't there a Hitchcock thriller involving an assination or escape timed to a climax in "Tristan" ? I seem to remember an orchestra held hostage and POWs?

Frosty The Freelancer

"The Man Who Knew Too Much" (both the 30's original and 50's remake) have climactic sequences in Albert Hall, with the orchestra playing Arthur Benjamin's "Storm Clouds". Bernard Hermann even conducts onscreen in the 50's version.

Lest we forget one of the all time classics, "Fantasia" with Leopold Stokowski conducting.

"Meeting Venus" starring Glenn Close. If you want to know what it's like to play in a European opera orchestra, rent it. It's too accurate: trumpet players tossing paper airplanes before rehearsal, union musicians going on early breaks and going on strike, visiting a new orchestra and seeing someone you had a music camp fling with 20 years ago, getting treated like crap by French people, not getting paid on time....... all the details are there. And, oh yeah, there's some kind of romance between a guest conductor and the lead diva, but who cares about that.

My choice for best movie is "Tous les Matins du Monde" (All the Mornings of the World), about a viola da gamba player, his teacher, and a lover. Being a French movie, it stars Gerard Depardieu of course. Music is played by Jordi Savall and is utterly divine. BTW, Red Violin was good, with a few wonderful vignettes, but the scene of the virtuoso having sex WHILE playing the violin (Paganini if I remember?!)was ridiculous. Then again, maybe I was just envious because I'm a bass player. Wait! What am I saying??? Size DOES matter!

check out "American in Paris", the dancing is, of course, amazing. The scene where Oscar Levant plays Concerto in F, is hilarious. Levant is the soloist, the conductor, all the orchestra musicians and audience members as well. Worth checking out.

Frosty the Freelancer

There is a french farce called the "Man with One Brown Shoe" about a wacky french violinist who strumbles his way in all sorts of mis-adventures, including a hilarious scene with an uncooperative zipper and a french siren (woman). The Tom Hanks movie was a re-make of this film, I belive. Get it. Its the best.