Its such an interesting story, its about a woman called Ada (played by Holly Hunter) and she hasn't spoken since she was 6 years old. She and her daughter Flora (played by Anna Paquin) are shipped of to New Zealand so Ada can marry a frontiersman called Alisdair (played by Sam Neill). As they arrive to New Zealand, Ada spends hours on her piano and that's the only thing she cares about. Alisdair has a friend Baines (played by Harvey Keitel) and he wants to learn how to play piano, at first Ada refuses and is disgusted by Baines, but Alisdair demands that she does. As time goes on Ada plays for him and Baines wants to 'do things to her' as she plays in exchange for keys on the piano, she agrees, and over time they fall in love.
One of the reasons as to why I love this film so much isn't to do with the fact that it has amazing costumes but its the story that's so unique and completely different from what I've seen before. Its one of those films I wish there was more of, I love that its set in New Zealand in the Victorian/Edwardian era because there's alot of Victorian and Edwardian films that are set in America and England, and its nice that it's set in New Zealand. I love anything to do with New Zealand because my mum's from New Zealand so this film holds such a special place for me. I love how the characters are unlike anyone I've ever seen before, Baines wasn't the typical handsome hero and neither was Alisdair they were very average looking. I love that Baines had tattoos on his face, like all the rest of the Maoris and Ada didn't speak both of them were the perfect couple.
I love that with this film, it doesn't need to shout it and make it so blindingly obvious as to what's happening, what I mean by that is, it doesn't feel to the need to treat their audience like idiots sometimes films do that, they make things so loud and 'here it is wooo look they get together yay!!!' with the music. With this film they use music and the storyline very naturally and like a highlighter and not so in your face, especially with the romance of it all. Its great that with Ada she communicates by the piano and the piano is the main character in a way. Flora is fantastic, she was just so good, I love that they wrote her not being this good girl Victorian doll like child. She was written and played by a girl you would see now, and its no surprise to me that Anna Paquin won an Oscar for her part that year, because she was just incredible.
The music of this film is just beautiful, it just geled so wonderfully with this film. This film is how to do music right and it made me want to learn the piano and play it. This film was written and directed by Jane Campion and she is so wonderful, and I need to watch more of her, because her way of storytelling is just so gorgeous. With the sex scenes they did it brilliantly again because it wasn't cheaply done in any way which is in my opinion how sex scenes in film should be done, by how the relationship is and the characters are, not just 'oh let's just do it!'. This film is one of my favourite period dramas and its such an underrated film, and Jane Campion is such an underrated director. I feel people only talk about her because she's a female director I've said this before, she's not a good female director, she s a good director, don't put the female in front.
This film is well worth watching as its so wonderful and unique with its story and characters and music, costume just everything its so good. I haven't found another film like this yet, even if you arn't a fan of period drama romances, you'll still love this as its not too lovey dovey. But still remaining the truth of the story and the characters, definitely give it a watch!
No comments
Post a Comment