Copying Beethoven (2006)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Agnieszka Holland

Writers (WGA):

Stephen J. Rivele (written by) &
Christopher Wilkinson (written by)

Release Date:

19 October 2006 (Israel)

Genre:

Drama | History | Music | Romance

Tagline:

The passion behind the genius

Plot:

A fictionalized account of the last year of Beethoven's life.

Plot Keywords:

Beethoven | Composition | Student | Orchestra | Pit

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Diane Kruger	...	Anna Holtz
Ralph Riach	...	Wenzel Schlemmer
Matyelok Gibbs	...	Old Woman
Ed Harris	...	Ludwig van Beethoven
Bill Stewart	...	Rudy
Angus Barnett	...	Krenski
Viktoria Dihen	...	Magda
Phyllida Law	...	Mother Canisius
Matthew Goode	...	Martin Bauer
Gábor Bohus	...	Schuppanzigh
Joe Anderson	...	Karl van Beethoven
David Kennedy	...	Neighbor
Nicholas Jones	...	Archduke Rudolph
László Áron	...	Judge
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Karl Johnson	...	Stefan Holtz
George Mendel	...	Doctor (as Gyorgy Mendel)

Directed by
Agnieszka Holland

Writing credits (WGA)
Stephen J. Rivele		(written by) &
Christopher Wilkinson		(written by)

Produced by
Ernst Goldschmidt	....	executive producer
Marina Grasic	....	executive producer
Andreas Grosch	....	executive producer
Sidney Kimmel	....	producer
Jan Körbelin	....	executive producer
Alex Lewis	....	co-producer: Copying Beethoven Limited
Péter Miskolczi	....	co-producer: Eurofilm Studio KFT (as Peter Miskolczi)
Stephen J. Rivele	....	producer
Andreas Schmid	....	executive producer
Michael Taylor	....	producer
Gábor Váradi	....	co-producer: Eurofilm Studio KFT (as Gabor Varadi)
Ronaldo Vasconcellos	....	executive producer
Bruce Webb	....	co-producer
Christopher Wilkinson	....	producer

Cinematography by
Ashley Rowe		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Alex Mackie

Casting by
Priscilla John

Production Design by
Caroline Amies

Art Direction by
Paul Ghirardani		(supervising art director)
Lóránt Jávor

Set Decoration by
Zoltán Horváth		(as Zoltan Horvath)

Costume Design by
Jany Temime

Makeup Department
John Henry Gordon	....	key hair stylist (as Jonhenry Gordon)
Katalin Jakots	....	makeup artist
Gabi Nemeth	....	hair stylist (as Gabriella Nemeth)
Balázs Novák	....	makeup artist
Trefor Proud	....	hair designer
Trefor Proud	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Stephen Barker	....	post-production supervisor
Kerstin Dyroff	....	production manager: VIP Medienfonds
Veronika Megyeri	....	unit manager
Maria Ungor	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kasia Adamik	....	second unit director
Bryn Lawrence	....	third assistant director
Bogi Móricz	....	second second assistant director
Alex Oakley	....	second assistant director
Matthew Penry-Davey	....	first assistant director
Tamás Vass	....	second assistant director: second unit
Tamás Vass	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Kasia Adamik	....	storyboard artist
János Czakó	....	stand-by propman (as Janos Czako)
István Galambos	....	construction manager (as Istvan Galambos)
Fred Gray	....	scenic artist
David Haberfield	....	scenic painter
Attila Kiss	....	stand-by propman
Emily Lutyens	....	graphic artist
Palma Melis	....	art department coordinator
Mihály Molnár	....	assistant art director (as Mihaly Molnar)
László Nagyidai Jr.	....	assistant construction manager
Raymond Perry	....	property master (as Ray Perry)
Peter Rutherford	....	production buyer
Judit Sági	....	art department interpreter (as Judit Sagi)
Tamás Simon	....	leadman (as Tamas Simon)
Mike Sotheran	....	scenic painter (as Mick Sotheran)
Andrea Tóth	....	assistant construction manager (as Andrea Toth)

Sound Department
Courtney Bishop	....	adr recordist
Arthur Fenn	....	boom operator
Peter Gleaves	....	adr recordist: London
Peter Gleaves	....	foley recordist: London
Andrew Glen	....	playback operator (as Andy Glen)
Tim Hands	....	supervising sound editor
Simon Hayes	....	sound mixer
Philip Jenkins	....	assistant sound editor (as Phil Jenkins)
Philip Jenkins	....	sound mix technician
Robin Johnson	....	playback operator
Robin Johnson	....	second boom operator
Rob Killick	....	assistant sound editor
Adrian Rhodes	....	sound effects editor
Adrian Rhodes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gavin Rose	....	assistant sound editor
Jack Stew	....	foley artist
Ruth Sullivan	....	foley artist
Sven Taits	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hilary Wyatt	....	dialogue editor
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer: New York (uncredited)
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer: New York (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Attila Erczkovi	....	stand-by pyrotechnician
István Gittinger	....	stand-by pyrotechnician (as Istvan Gittinger)
Gyula Krasnyánszky	....	chief pyrotechnician (as Gyula Krasnyanszky)
Ferenc Ormos	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Lee Clappison	....	colorist: Lipsync Post
James Clarke	....	digital lab supervisor: Lipsync Post
Anya Dillon	....	assistant visual effects editor
Guy Ducker	....	visual effects editor
William Foxwell	....	digital lab operator: Lipsync Post (as Will Foxwell)
Katja Hollmann	....	associate producer: Lipsync Post (as Katja Lazare)
Alasdair MacCuish	....	senior producer: Lipsync Post
Adrian Oostergetel	....	visual effects artist: Lipsync Post
Howard Watkins	....	visual effects supervisor: Lipsync Post
Rus Wetherell	....	digital artist: CFX
Angela Rose	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Sándor Boros	....	stunts
György Kivés	....	stunt coordinator
József Kovalik	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ian Clark	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Sándor Domokos	....	second assistant camera: "c" camera (as Sandor Domokos)
John Ellis Evans	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (as John Evans)
J.R. Hall	....	photographer: electronic press kit
Zoltán Jánosa	....	camera operator: "c" camera (as Zoltan Janosa)
Tamás Jánossa	....	second assistant camera
Róbert Jász	....	electrician (as Robert Jasz)
Gábor Kasza	....	video assist operator
Ádám Kliegl	....	first assistant camera: "c" camera (as Adam Kliegl)
Gabor Laczkó	....	electrician (as Gabor Laczko)
Dávid Lukács	....	still photographer
László Major	....	generator operator (as Laszlo Major)
Adrian McCarthy	....	grip equipment
Adrian McCarthy	....	key grip
Campbell McIntosh	....	key gaffer
András Nagy	....	camera operator: "c" camera (as Andras Nagy)
Sándor Novák	....	best boy electric (as Sandor 'Tucsi' Novak)
Tamas Nyerges	....	Steadicam operator
Tamas Nyerges	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Tamas Nyerges	....	director of photography: second unit
Tamás Oláh	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Tamás Oláh)
Phil Reader	....	best boy electric
Ashley Rowe	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Peter Sidlo	....	gaffer
András Gábor Szöke	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera, New York and Connecticut unit (as Andras Szoke)
Attila Szûcs	....	grip (as Attila Szucs Jr.)
Atilla Szucs Sr.	....	best boy grip (as Atilla Szucs Jr.)
Csaba Vásári	....	grip (as Csaba Vasari)
György Vesztergombi	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (as Gyorgy Vesztergombi)

Casting Department
Faith Allbeson	....	casting associate
Vanessa Baker	....	voice casting
Tamás Kertész	....	extras casting
Mari Makó	....	casting: Hungary (as Mari Mako)
Brendan Donnison	....	voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Chloe Aubry	....	dresser: Diane Kruger
István Bagin	....	dresser (as Istvan Bagin)
Richard Davies	....	assistant costume designer
Anikó Fazekas	....	dresser (as Aniko Fazekas)
Michelle Gisonda	....	wardrobe assistant
Laurent Guinci	....	costume master
Laurent Guinci	....	wardrobe master
Gabriella Hógye	....	extras wardrobe supervisor (as Gabriella Hogye)
Bob Van Hellenberg Hubar Jr.	....	wardrobe assistant (as Bob van Hellenberg Hubar)
Yvonne Otzen	....	assistant costume designer
Zsuzsa Stenger	....	wardrobe supervisor
Katalin Ujvari	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Kasia Adamik	....	additional editor
Michael Nollet	....	first assistant editor
Phil Ashton	....	color grader (uncredited)

Music Department
Peter Erdei	....	conductor: Kecskeméti Chorus
Lucy Evans	....	assistant music supervisor
Geoff Foster	....	music engineer: orchestra
Laszlo Gerhat	....	conductor: Kecskeméti Orchestra
Andrew Glen	....	music editor (as Andy Glen)
Jake Jackson	....	assistant music engineer: orchestra
Piotr Kaminski	....	music consultant
Wlademar Lalleci	....	musician: Pre-recording pianist
Carmine Lauri	....	orchestra leader
Antoni Lazarkiewicz	....	composer: Anna's theme
Antoni Lazarkiewicz	....	composer: additional music
Waldemar Malicki	....	musician: piano
Lev Oborin	....	musician
Jaroslaw Regulski	....	pre-recording music producer
Maggie Rodford	....	music supervisor
Emily Rogers	....	assistant music editor
Bill Silcock	....	music copyist
Nick Taylor	....	assistant music engineer: orchestra
Benjamin Wallfisch	....	additional music conductor
Marek Wronski	....	musician: Pre-recording violinist

Transportation Department
Zoltán Bai	....	driver (as Zoltan Bai)
István Becságh	....	driver (as Istvan Becsagh)
István Bognár	....	driver (as Istvan Bognar)
Pál Boroznaki	....	driver (as Pal Boroznaki)
Andras Filo	....	driver
Zoltán Fohn	....	driver: cast (as Zoltan Fohn)
László Kiss	....	transportation captain (as Laszlo Kiss)
Sándor Molnár	....	driver: catering (as Sandor Molnar)
Imre Solti	....	driver
Zsolt Spitzer	....	driver: director
István Varga	....	driver (as Istvan Varga)
Sándor Vercz	....	driver (as Sandor Vercz)
Zsolt Zászló	....	driver

Other crew
Zsolt Bajczar	....	craft service
Gergö Balika	....	location manager
Kinga Baranyai	....	assistant production coordinator
Mark Beaumont	....	chief production accountant
Francie Brown	....	dialect coach: pre-production
James Clarke	....	digital laboratory supervisor
Béla Dévényi	....	caterer (as Bela Devenyi)
Veronika Dobos	....	interpreter
Kriszta Dorogi	....	production assistant
Gergely Fülöp	....	production assistant (as Gergo Folup)
Larry Garrison	....	unit publicist
Mary Haddow	....	script supervisor
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond company representative
Florian Harms	....	legal counsel: VIP
Vera Janisch	....	production assistant
Balázs Kovács	....	extras coordinator
Gabriella Lovasz	....	craft service
Krisztina Lovasz	....	craft service
Peter Macaroon	....	stand-in
George Marshall	....	post-production accountant
Péter Mészáros	....	production assistant (as Peter Meszaros)
Weronika Migon	....	production assistant (as Weronivka Migon)
Agnes Nagy	....	cashier
Gyula Petényi	....	production assistant
István Pocsai	....	production assistant (as Istvan Pocsai)
Aranka Rónai	....	stand-in (as Aranka Ronai)
Katalin Schulteisz	....	production coordinator
Claudia Sendlbeck-Schickor	....	tax advisor: VIP
Réka Szabó	....	production assistant (as Reka Szabo)
Esther Szasz	....	assistant: Agnieszka Holland
András Tóth	....	location manager
Kolos Trimmel	....	production accountant: Hungary
József Varjú	....	production assistant (as Jozsef Varju)
Berit Wetzel	....	legal counsel: VIP
Sarah-Jane Wilson	....	assistant accountant
Aaron Merrell	....	production financing (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Sidney Kimmel Entertainment (in association with)
• Myriad Pictures (presents)
• VIP 2 Medienfonds (as VIP Medienfonds 2)
• Copying Beethoven
• Eurofilm Stúdió
• Anomaly Entertainment
• Copying Beethoven
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Myriad Pictures (2006) (worldwide) (all media)
• Alfa Films (2007) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Benelux Film Distribution (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Concorde Filmverleih (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Gussi Artecinema (2006) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Intersonic (2007) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Notro Films (2006) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Tohokushinsha Film (2006) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Verve Pictures (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Lumière Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Odeon (2007) (Greece) (DVD)
• Video Film Express (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Lipsync Post (digital visual effects)

Other Companies

• Hyperactive Broadcast  editing equipment
• Kecskeméti Szimfonikus Zenekar  group cast members: in vision orchestra
• Kecskeméti Pedagógus Énekkar  group cast members: in-vision chorus
• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  music performed by
• London Symphony Chorus, The  chorus
• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance services (as AON Albert G Ruben)
• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting equipment supplied by (as Arri Lighting)
• ARRI Media  camera equipment provided by (as Arri Media Film Services)
• Abacus Consult  accounting: audit
• Air Lyndhurst Studios  orchestra recorded at
• Air-Edel Recording Studios  orchestra mixed at (as Air Edel Studios)
• Business Affairs  production counsel
• Concorde Film Trust  funding
• De Lane Lea  sound re-recorded at
• Decca Records  soundtrack
• Film World Freight  shipping
• Filmbusz  facilities vehicles
• International Film Guarantors  completion bond
• Kodak  color
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Panther Rental  grip equipment (as Panther Rental Prague)
• Prangl Hungarian  cranes
• Sapex Scripts  post-production services
• Sapex Scripts  script services
• Technicolor  laboratory
• Travel Company, The  travel services
• Wavevend Communications  walkie-talkies (as Wavevend Radio Com)

Also Known As:

Klang der Stille (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual elements.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA | Germany | Hungary

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Brazil:10 | Hong Kong:IIA | Germany:6 | UK:12A | Ireland:12A | Netherlands:6 | Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:Atp | South Korea:12 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Sidney Kimmel Entertainment

Trivia:

In an interview with The Guardian on August 11, 2007, Ed Harris stated that his biggest disappointment has been "The distribution of Copying Beethoven in the US." He also claimed the most important lesson life has taught him is "Don't let MGM distribute a film you care about."

Goofs:

Plot holes: In the film we learn that copying music is hard labor, and that there is little time before the premiere of The Ninth. Yet Anna gets a, beautifully bound, extra copy of the score at the very last moment, from which she helps conducting. Where did that come from?

Quotes:

Ludwig van Beethoven: Schlemmer. I've arranged for Krenski to send him some pickled carp.
Ludwig van Beethoven: That will put him back in the pink.
Karl van Beethoven: He's got cancer.

Soundtrack:

String Quartet No. 15 in A minor Op. 132

I loved the film -- Read Maynard Solomon if you want historical accuracy

I enjoyed "Copying Beethoven" for different reasons than I enjoyed "Eroica" (the Ninth was the focus of practically every moment) and "Immortal Beloved" (the conflict between the composer's passion for creating music and his human need to be connected to others). For me, the focus of "Copying Beethoven" combined these two themes into a much more personal one, and dramatized the Maestro's need to communicate a comprehensive knowledge -- intellectual, emotional, spiritual -- of his art to this young copyist who was so intimate with his work. For if not her, than who?

While the musical performances were truncated out of necessity -- the success of the film, "Eroica", is due primarily to the performance of the Third Symphony in its entirety -- the actors' performances in "Copying Beethoven" reveal aspects of Beethoven not explored in the other two films. Beethoven is always portrayed as a "cranky genius", but Harris' Beethoven is so human -- impulsive and brutish, then reflective and apologetic, then insensitive and crude, then regretful and humble -- someone trying not to make the same mistakes over again. The relation he develops with the copyist realistically (and thankfully) does not influence his music, but it does cause his character to focus on his humanity, and I so enjoyed hearing this Beethoven talk about things like music, musicians, family, and God.

A word about the other performances. Kruger was radiant. The conflict between her respect for the artist and repulsion at his cruelty was wonderfully mixed with her character's own strengths, ambitions, and needs. The supporting characters were also splendid with hilarious and touching moments. The film is full of delightful words and gestures. Whether you have read volumes of history on Beethoven or are only passingly familiar with the Fifth, I recommend you see this lovely film about the humanity that lived within the genius who infused music with life.