LadyAmati Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 I thought I'd share a movie I just watched that might be interesting for luthiers on a wintry evening in front of a large screen TV. Without giving away the plot, it's about an unemotional luthier who tweaks a beautiful female violinist's violin and makes her fall madly in love with him. Even though he enjoys the emotions emanating from the music, he cannot handle it in raw physical real life. See my review in Amazon.com "He can set a violin on fire, but not his own heart". Any other movies that has a luthier as the main character? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HIVIQU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNewbie Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Yes I've seen this movie a few times! Well done, and the actors do a marvelous job. "http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105682/">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105682/ "http://www.amazon.com/Un-Coeur-Hiver-Daniel-Auteuil/dp/6302973570"> http://www.amazon.com/Un-Coeur-Hiver-Danie...l/dp/6302973570 It reminded me that behind the beautiful music are people with real people challenges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torbjörn Zethelius Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 I thought he was creepy. Gave a bad image to violin makers at the time. Of course you have The Red Violin which is really about the violin, but there's a violin maker in the beginning. And other violin enthusiasts. I liked it. And then you have the one that I think was called Stradivari with Anthony Quinn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeyerFittings Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Most luthiers worth thier salt can close their eyes and run their hands over a complex, curved surface, becoming immediately aware of all of it's bumps, nooks, and crannies as translated through the nerve endings of their fingertips. What does that tell you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAmati Posted November 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Actually that would have been a good scene in the seduction. Have the luthier ran his hands over the violin while she looks on. Good idea, if we were the directors. I wish the violinistic parts were more realistic. It was too obvious that the tonal changes were just louder, and the actress didn't really play very convincingly. Her fingers were very stiff, bowing and arm position were off. And his tweaking was too quick and superficial. They should have spent more time, with adjustments, intense looking back and forth while playing and testing between adjustments, really savouring the music and using it to communicate. To me, that would be how unspoken love can develop between a player and a luthier. But I guess to the general audience it would be boring... Still a good movie though since it has violin in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNewbie Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 His heart couldn't be that cold, since we are shown a young student that benefits from the kindness of his Master Teacher. I see the real cruelty of the maker as being against Love and the Happiness that it brings. The shortcomings of someone who has lost Trust. Perhaps he is changed by all this, and so maybe there is Hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAmati Posted November 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 I think he is scared. There is a scene where he witnesses a knock-down drag-out fight between an elderly couple that he is friends with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNewbie Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 "I think he is scared." I agree. As bad as the fight was, they still stayed together, which shows that when compared to Love all things are small in comparison. I remember his former partner in business had a very laid back approach, a 'Life is too short' kind of thing that the French seem to have the market cornered in. A 'laissez faire', 'joie d'vie', and we mustn't forget 'viva la difference', which all seem to be missing in our main character. The main character seems to enjoy the hunt, and in disturbing the waters, and was probably hoping that somehow he would change through all this, since part of him doesn't like what he did. I could be wrong, but hey "comme ci comme ca' . The use of warm hearted people surrounding him, seems to expose him, and is a very effective way to explore this cold heart. The use of a young woman, who plays such a passionate instrument as the violin, has to add to the depth, and strength of those emotions that she has to go through, so strong that they almost crush her. While he exposes the clinical side of the instrument when it comes to doctoring it, he heals the instrument, but inflicts pain to the instrumentalist. We are left hoping that her heart doesn't become cold as winter, and that his will see spring. Hopefully the cycle of abuse is broken. C'est la vie! Great movie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnus Nedregard Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 "How to make beautiful female violinists fall madly in love with you" wow, this must be the most appealing title I've seen in an MN topic for a while! "How to"s always grab interest anyway don't they? In any case I always fail to enjoy any of these violin-related movies, probably because I am annoyed by all the unrealistic parts... so it is probably just my own fault. I've heard "Tous les matins du monde" should be really good, anyone seen it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tradfiddle Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 "Touts les Matins du Monde" is a visually stunning film with an outstanding soundtrack. HOWEVER, the gamba-play-miming by Saint Colombe (and his daughters) verges on the ridiculous and ruins it for me. Depardieu (the younger) studied cello, so his playing scenes are just about believable. The history - largely invented - is also a problem (especially for poor Marais - it does his memory an injustice). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catnip Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 When I was setting the neck in my first violin I was told to watch this movie to hear that final authentic "creak" that happens as the luthier set the neck in the mortise... "and that is how you know you have a good fit". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnus Nedregard Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 I guess I have to see "tous les matins..." then so I can criticize the gamba playing myself. I was trying to think of other "bowed instruments-films", the only one that comes to mind is "Prova d'Orchestra" (Orchestra Rehersal) a rather strange movie by Federico Fellini. Not among his greatest films, but still worth seeing, and a "must have" for collectors, it was actually made for TV and is quite short (for being by him). As usual Fellini makes no attempt whatsoever to sync the sound with the pictures, so you will forgive the orchestra (playing crappy instruments) their extremely odd bowing. The music that the orchestra is "playing" is composed for the occasion by Nino Rota. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlecollector Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Theres a movie called `Theres Magic in Music`,made in 1941, most of the musicians in it are real musicians most playing themselves.the American violinist Patricia Travers (still alive in NY) features in it playing her Guarneri,she also used to own the Tom Taylor Strad. Great film ,only seen it once though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnus Nedregard Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Also, I think there was a movie featuring Heifetz wasn't there? I think I saw it as a kid. Does anyone recall what it's title is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlecollector Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 They shall have music!!! He was paid 120 K $US to feature in it though, a massive amount in 1939. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oded Kishony Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Heifetz owned a huge yacht. Of course he could not sal it himself or he'd injure his precious hands so he hired a crew. I guess this is where the $$$ wnet. Oded Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbow Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 NewNewbie said: "The use of warm hearted people surrounding him, seems to expose him, and is a very effective way to explore this cold heart. The use of a young woman, who plays such a passionate instrument as the violin, has to add to the depth, and strength of those emotions that she has to go through, so strong that they almost crush her. While he exposes the clinical side of the instrument when it comes to doctoring it, he heals the instrument, but inflicts pain to the instrumentalist. We are left hoping that her heart doesn't become cold as winter, and that his will see spring." Hi NewNewbie, Daniel must have warmed up a bit somewhere along the relationship. He and Emmanuelle have a daughter Nelly born in 1992. Daniel Auteuil has played a wide variety of characters and is quite famous in France, I understand. I like the movie 'A heart in Winter' very much and watch it about once a year. "Stradivari" with Anthony Quinn was a disappointment. 'lastchair', This is an interesting thread---- thanks for posting it! Jimbow http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~skim/people/eb/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNewbie Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 quote: Originally posted by: magnus nedregard Also, I think there was a movie featuring Heifetz wasn't there? I think I saw it as a kid. Does anyone recall what it's title is? "http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032023/">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032023/ Nice thing about the movie is that you get to see Heifetz play himself. Normally that would be considered a bit of a stretch for anybody, even Heifetz! So were you a kid when the movie came out ( 1939 )? Or are you still a kid? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It has to be challenging for an actor to have to fake playing an instrument. Perhaps that is why Russel Crowe took lessons. There was a golf film shot about Ben Hogan and his amazing life story. To get the correct look, Ben Hogan insisted on doing the golf swings , instead of the actor Glenn Ford. You know what they say, "It don't mean a thing, unless it's got that swing!". "http://www.amazon.com/Follow-Sun-Ben-Hogan-Story/dp/6303082874">http://www.amazon.com/Follow-Sun-Ben-Hogan...y/dp/6303082874 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnus Nedregard Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 So he is actually playing live in the movie? That is so "old-world", where are all the heroes now? A kid in 39? Well no, I am only 31 now, so I can't have been, but that still leaves me the opportunity to see it as a kid for example in '85. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMORI Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Lastchair, I bought this DVD about 2 years ago on a magazine recommendation and really enjoyed it (a number of times) I'm not a "real" player and did not notice the things that put you off - but then again, Emmanuelle Béart is so beautiful, the average male would not notice her playing at all:-) I particularly like films and (especially) books, fact or fiction, about the subject of violins (and the like) and have compiled a short list of some titles, many of which I have already acquired. Just recently I have been getting "into" guitars as a diversion and find far less in the way of books or films revolving around guitars. I have just ordered a few books from Amazon, two of which are on the subject of guitars. Both about Eric Clapton, one is his autobiography, the other about the guitar making process he went through with a particular maker. Probably similar to a violin equivalent I read recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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