This is simply the story of a Jewish pianist and his family. The story begins in Warsaw in 1939, and within moments you know what this story is about.. The opening scene is of Wladyslaw Szpilman playing the piano as bombs come crashing in on the radio station for which he plays. From that moment on, we watch as his family is taken from their home to the Jewish ghetto, and from the Jewish ghetto to concentration camps. However, as the trains are being loaded for the concentration camps, Wladyslaw is saved by a Jewish policeman and escapes. He never sees his family again, and one can only assume they die in the camps.
Commentary
I'm torn on how I feel about this film. I was sickened by the constant violent images of murder and abuse.. absolutely sickened. I wanted to rate this a 1/5 stars because I just couldn't stomach it.. but for the same reason I loathed watching this, I respect it. The film doesn't attempt to provide any comedic relief or happy/inspiring moments that give you hope. Every scene is gruesome.. death after death after death...You are in a constant state of despair through until the end. Some may disagree with me that the final scene is a scene of despair, but I saw very little light in it. What joy could the piano bring when you have lost your family, your friends, and suffered so much? I guess what we're celebrating is that he made it through alive.. but mere life to me is no celebration when you have lost everything. Perhaps the scene is meant to portray the resilience of the human spirit... the ability to find hope and joy at the end of a tragic road.
On a side note, I just want to know who thought the quote on the image above was appropriate..? "A riveting adventure story?" Adventure? Really? Don't you think that's a bit of a freaking euphemism? Adventure implies excitement, fun.. it implies voluntary action. I'm sorry but I don't see anything adventurous about life as a Jew in Poland during the 1940s.
Write to you soon,
Kendra
No comments:
Post a Comment