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The Piano Teacher
(2001)
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Title: The Piano Teacher (2001)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Isabelle Huppert | ... | ||
| Annie Girardot | ... | ||
| Benoît Magimel | ... | ||
| Susanne Lothar | ... |
Mrs. Schober
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Udo Samel | ... |
Dr. George Blonskij
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Anna Sigalevitch | ... |
Anna Schober
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Cornelia Köndgen | ... |
Mme Gerda Blonskij
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Thomas Weinhappel | ... |
Baritone
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Georg Friedrich | ... |
Man in drive-in
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Philipp Heiss | ... |
Naprawnik
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William Mang | ... |
Teacher
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Rudolf Melichar | ... |
Director
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Michael Schottenberg | ... |
Teacher
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Gabriele Schuchter | ... |
Margot
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| Dieter Berner | ... |
Singing teacher
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Edit
Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Erika Kohut is a pianist, teaching music. Schubert and Schumann are her forte, but she's not quite at concert level. She's approaching middle age, living with her mother who is domineering then submissive; Erika is a victim then combative. With her students she is severe. She visits a sex shop to watch DVDs; she walks a drive-in theater to stare at couples having sex. Walter is a self-assured student with some musical talent; he auditions for her class and is forthright in his attraction to her. She responds coldly then demands he let her lead. Next she changes the game with a letter, inviting him into her fantasies. How will he respond; how does sex have power over our other faculties? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated R for aberrant sexuality including violence, and for language | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Release Date:
5 September 2001 (France) See more »Also Known As:
The Piano Teacher See more »Box Office
Budget:
€3,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
$29,671 (USA) (29 March 2002)Gross:
$1,900,282 (USA) (8 November 2002)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby DigitalColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
The Mother: Good evening, child.
Erika Kohut: Evening, mama.
The Mother: [sarcastically] Home already? I'm so happy.
Erika Kohut: I'm going.
The Mother: Not so fast.
Erika Kohut: Please. Leave me be. I'm tired.
The Mother: I can quite believe it. Your last pupil left 3 hours ago. Might I know where you've been all this time?
Erika Kohut: [trying to go to her room] Please.
The Mother: No, you don't. Not until you tell me.
[...]
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The character of the mother is based on author Elfriede Jelinek's real life mother. See more »Quotes
[first lines]The Mother: Good evening, child.
Erika Kohut: Evening, mama.
The Mother: [sarcastically] Home already? I'm so happy.
Erika Kohut: I'm going.
The Mother: Not so fast.
Erika Kohut: Please. Leave me be. I'm tired.
The Mother: I can quite believe it. Your last pupil left 3 hours ago. Might I know where you've been all this time?
Erika Kohut: [trying to go to her room] Please.
The Mother: No, you don't. Not until you tell me.
[...]
See more »
To be honest I had to go have a stiff drink after this film; I felt drained and my shoulders were knotted. I also had to talk the whole thing out with the friend I saw it with for a good half hour. Whatever else this movie is, it's not dull - you have to have respect for anything that produces such a visceral reaction, even if you couldn't claim to have 'enjoyed' the experience. (Anyone else I've talked to who's seen it has responded in much the same way.)
The reason the film is so powerful is not simply because it deals with unpalatable subject-matter like sado-masochism and violently dysfunctional relationships - that on its own would leave no defence against a charge of exploitation. It packs a punch because whatever her deeply ingrained character flaws, however reprehensible her behaviour (and at one point that's VERY), the piano teacher Erika always retains your sympathy - you never forget the type of influences which might have made her what she is, while scenes as subtle as the one where she walks down a street of shoppers, being casually bumped into without apology, remind you of her utter isolation. Isabelle Huppert's performance is as brilliant as it is uncomfortable and I can't even imagine how she might have wound down after a day's filming.
Appalling, compelling, horribly funny at times, but ultimately deeply despairing look at how people damage each other. View with caution.