Beethoven Lives Upstairs (1992) (TV)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

David Devine

Writer:

Heather Conkie (writer)

Release Date:

1992 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Music

Plot:

A young boy learns to appreciate the music of his upstairs boarder, Ludwig Van Beethoven.

Plot Keywords:

Beethoven | Ludwig Van Beethoven | Composer | Deaf Man | 19th Century

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 5 nominations

Cast

Neil Munro	...	Ludwig Van Beethoven
Illya Woloshyn	...	Christoph
Fiona Reid	...	Mother
Paul Soles	...	Mr. Schindler
Albert Schultz	...	Uncle Kurt
Sheila McCarthy	...	Sophie(Maid)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Luca Ackerman	...	Street Boy
Ross Conkey	...	Street Boy
David Foote	...	Street Boy
J. Hanus Jr.	...	Prince's Rider
Lubomír Kostelka	...	Waiter
John McCarthy	...	Musician

Runtime:

USA:51 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Port Hope, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Devine Videoworks Production

Trivia:

At one point in the film, an angry Christoph is told that Beethoven is working on his Ninth Symphony. He retorts by saying that he hopes it is Beethoven's last. This is a reference to actual fact: the symphony was finished in 1824, and he died three years later without ever writing a new one.

Quotes:

Christoph: You're all just a bunch of sissy-faced cowards!
Street Boy: You wanna make something of it?
Christoph: Yeah!

Like comparing chalk and cheese

I'm sorry, but how could you even compare Amadeus to this film? This movie (which I haven't seen in seven odd years) was meant, essentially, for children in order to help them appreciate a great historical figure like Beethoven and bring his life to a medium they could understand. Amadeus was based on a Tony Award-winning play by Peter Schaffer and won the 1986 Oscar for Best Picture... Just lay off this movie... it wasn't out to win any awards, but rather to educate, and I think it was successful in doing that. And I don't know... I would think Immortal Beloved would be a little more than boring for students in a World History class, even though it's one of my favorites; furthermore, it concentrates too much on his romantic life, not on his Romantic music, so this movie would be more effective as a learning tool, I would think.

Now, with that rant over with... a 9/10 for Amadeus?! How could you give that film anything less than a 10/10? For shame.