Product Description

Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II. This powerful, ultimately triumphant film follows Szpilman’s heroic and inspirational journey of survival with the unlikely help from a sympathetic German officer (Thomas Kretschmann). A truly unforgettable epic, testifying to both the power of hope and the resiliency of the human spirit, The Pianist is a miraculous tale of survival masterfully brought to life by visionary filmmaker Roman Polanski in his most personal movie ever.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5023 in DVD
• Brand: UNI DIST CORP. (MCA)
• Released on: 2006-08-22
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 150 minutes

Customer Reviews

Beautifully captures the resilience of the human spirit
I've watched "The Pianist" twice since it's 2002 release, and felt compelled to write a review after watching it tonight. This is a well-directed Holocaust movie by Roman Polanski, and the stellar acting by Adrien Brody [who deservedly won an Oscar for his role] makes "The Pianist" a truly memorable viewing experience.

The story is based on the real-life experiences of Jewish pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman [played by Adrien Brody] during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw in WW II. The movie follows him from his piano playing days at Polish Radio, through the restrictions imposed upon the Jews by the Nazis, the move by Szpilman and his family to the Warsaw ghetto,how he is saved from deportation [whilst the rest of his family gets deported to Treblinka, an extermination camp], his role in the Jewish resistance movement, and finally his struggles in hiding on the Aryan side of Warsaw till war's end.

The brutality of the Nazis is very effectively portrayed in this movie without being over-the-top - scenes of Nazi violence against the Jews are usually portrayed in brief but potent scenes, leaving an indelible mark in the viewer's memory. One particular scene still haunts me - the Nazis have selected a group of Jews for deportation [including four members of Szpilman's family] and a young woman innocently asks the SS officer in charge where they're being taken. His response is a shot to her head - just like that, and her only crime was to speak up. There are many poignant scenes that are heartrending in their portrayal of human suffering - a grieving young mother who is beside herself as she smothered her own child to death to prevent the baby's cries from being heard, bodies of Nazi victims including young children, and also one particularly disturbing scene where an old man in a wheelchair is picked up by the Nazis [for being unable to stand up when the Nazis stomp into his family dinner] and thrown off the balcony. Though the scenes may appear random, the viewer is well aware that there was nothing random about the Nazis' intent - that of decimating the Jews.

Adrien Brody as the pianist Szpilman effectively portrays a man who is tortured by his circumstances, yet bears all his suffering in silence - witnessing the atrocities around him, being separated from his family and learning of their tragic fates later, and being forced to endure the agony of incessant hunger whilst trying to stay alive. His indomitable spirit shines through in many scenes, especially the scene where he is asked by a German officer to play the piano - even in the midst of great hunger, and with fingers gnarled by sickness and starvation, Szpilman is able to play an achingly haunting piece that would have done a concert pianist proud.

"The Pianist" is definitely a memorable Holocaust film - it even shows that not all Germans were monsters as exemplified by the humane German officer who helped Spzilman when he was in hiding. Though the movie evokes the horrors of the time it also captures the resilience of the human spirit under the most harrowing circumstances.

Good But... An Oscar for Brody?
I agree with much of what was said by other reviewers. The movie was moving and quite good. I don't know how Brody won an Oscar, however. His performance was fine but far from extraordinary. His character is passive throughout most of the movie and registers few emotions - additionally, some of the most heartbreaking scenes show him from a distance or from the back so that we are unable to see his reactions. This may have been how the character survived but staring blankly or casting your eyes downward doesn't add up to a great performance. Again, it wasn't a poor performance. The character, the script, the direction did not give Brody a chance to register a range of emotions and, thus, earn an Oscar nomination. I would love to read something about his performance that I may have missed.

Brilliant film - Adrien Brody's finest performance to date
I purchased this film for the sole purpose that it is Adrien Brody's finest performance to date and is arguably one of the most incredible films Roman Polanski has directed (of which he has many). The cinematography is incredible, and the musical score is beautiful. I couldn't give this movie any higher review than any other customer review already has given. The Pianist is one of those films you are proud to have in your collection.