Le violon rouge (1998)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

François Girard

Writers:

Don McKellar (written by) &
François Girard (written by)

Release Date:

11 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Mystery | Music

Tagline:

Passion Is Timeless

Plot:

A perfect red-colored violin inspires passion, making its way through three centuries over several owners and countries, eventually ending up at an auction where it may find a new owner.

Plot Keywords:

Violin | Auction | Secret | Violinist | Passion

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 19 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Carlo Cecchi	...	Nicolo Bussotti (Cremona)
Irene Grazioli	...	Anna Bussotti (Cremona)
Anita Laurenzi	...	Cesca (Cremona)
Tommaso Puntelli	...	Apprentice (Cremona)
Samuele Amighetti	...	Boy (Cremona)
Jean-Luc Bideau	...	Georges Poussin (Vienna)
Aldo Brugnini	...	Assistant (Cremona)
Christoph Koncz	...	Kaspar Weiss (Vienna)
Clotilde Mollet	...	Antoinette Pussin (Vienna)
Florentín Groll	...	Anton von Spielmann (Vienna)
Johannes Silberschneider	...	Father Richter (Vienna)
Rainer Egger	...	Brother Christophe (Vienna)
Paul Koeker	...	Brother Gustav (Vienna)
Wolfgang Böck	...	Brother Michael (Vienna)
Josef Mairginter	...	Brother Franz (Vienna)

Also Known As:

The Red Violin (Canada: English title) (UK) (USA)
Il violino rosso (Italy)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality.

Runtime:

131 min | France:140 min

Country:

Canada | Italy | UK

Language:

French | English | Mandarin | Italian | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:LH | Philippines:PG-13 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Chicheley Hall, Chicheley, Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Channel Four Films

Trivia:

The Vienna section of the movie concerns itself with a boy named Kaspar who is described as an orphan and a wild child. This is probably a reference to Werner Herzog's film Jeder für sich und Gott gegen alle (1974), which also concerns itself with a wild child named Kaspar, and which is also in German.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Anna and Nicolo look out a window at a nighttime crescent moon that has its lit side facing upward instead of toward the horizon. This orientation can only be seen in the daytime.

Quotes:

Charles Morritz: What do you do when the thing you most wanted, so perfect, just comes?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Weird Sex and Snowshoes: A Trek Through the Canadian Cinematic Psyche (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

O Richard! O mon Roi!

Life in the day of a Violin, or centuries in this case...

A journey from the creation unto its eventual end brings you through many different small stories; people from different generations all effected by the power of a grand spiritual 'red' violin. Though music lovers should appreciate this most, it has enough elements to satisfy any regular film goer.

I myself can't help but feel captivated; looking to see how this one little violin could effect the next setting, how it could change so many lives. Not only did it bring these stories to life in a very provocative, masterful manner, it also kept on fishing out the intrigue even until the final scene. Throughout each instance, you can't help but wonder what will happen next to this instrument, and how it will seek to live on.

I loved how, though I don't believe in myself, the tales related to the old house maiden and her predictions. Its seamlessly put together instances of the predictions, the life of, and the present pace of its journey and Its scope is so grand, yet so well done, with the music to match, that I can't help to also feel mystified and intrigued by it all. Another awesome addition to my movie collection...