Copying Beethoven (2006)

Director:

Agnieszka Holland

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

19 October 2006 (Israel)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

The passion behind the genius

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Student | Pit | Performance | Symphony | Romanticism

Awards:

2 wins & 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 Korbelin	....	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
Ronaldo Vasconcellos	....	executive producer
Gábor Váradi	....	co-producer: Eurofilm Studio KFT (as Gabor Varadi)
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
Richard Glass	....	contact lens optician
Jon Henry Gordon	....	key hair stylist (as Jonhenry Gordon)
Réka Görgényi	....	makeup artist
Katalin Jakots	....	makeup artist
Balázs Novák	....	makeup artist
Gabriella Németh	....	hair stylist (as Gabriella Nemeth)
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
Pálma Melis	....	art department coordinator (as Palma Melis)
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
Tamás Simon	....	leadman (as Tamas Simon)
Mike Sotheran	....	scenic painter (as Mick Sotheran)
Judit Sági	....	art department interpreter (as Judit Sagi)
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	....	foley 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
Alexander Beddow	....	studio assistant (uncredited)
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
Csaba Bankhardt	....	electrician
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
Péter Sidló	....	gaffer
Atilla Szucs Sr.	....	best boy grip (as Atilla Szucs Jr.)
András Gábor Szöke	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera, New York and Connecticut unit (as Andras Szoke)
Attila Szûcs	....	grip (as Attila Szucs Jr.)
György Vesztergombi	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (as Gyorgy Vesztergombi)
Csaba Vásári	....	grip (as Csaba Vasari)

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
Bob Van Hellenberg Hubar Jr.	....	wardrobe assistant (as Bob van Hellenberg Hubar)
Gabriella Hógye	....	extras wardrobe supervisor (as Gabriella Hogye)
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 Swanson	....	assistant music editor (as Emily Rogers)
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
Josef Brandmaier	....	production advisor
Francie Brown	....	dialect coach: pre-production
Jerome Butler	....	dialect coach
James Clarke	....	digital laboratory supervisor
Veronika Dobos	....	interpreter
Kriszta Dorogi	....	production assistant
Béla Dévényi	....	caterer (as Bela Devenyi)
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
Weronika Migon	....	production assistant (as Weronivka Migon)
Péter Mészáros	....	production assistant (as Peter Meszaros)
Agnes Nagy	....	cashier
Berit Norrenberg	....	legal counsel: VIP (as Berit Wetzel)
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
Richard Szabó	....	location security and facilities manager
Réka Szabó	....	production assistant (as Reka Szabo)
Esther Szasz	....	assistant: Agnieszka Holland
Kolos Trimmel	....	production accountant: Hungary
András Tóth	....	location manager
József Varjú	....	production assistant (as Jozsef Varju)
Béla Vaszary	....	medical coordinator
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:

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:

Bill Stewart died shortly after its release.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When Beethoven is berating Schlemmer, he yells, "B-flat! B-flat! B-flat!" and hits a chord 3 times. The chord he hits on the piano sounds like a modern A-flat major chord, even though Beethoven is clearly hitting a chord with a top note of F. The reason for the discrepancy is probably because the pitch for tuning instruments has changed over time, and a frequency that would today be called an "A-flat" would have in Beethoven's time been something between an A and B-flat.

Quotes:

Ludwig van Beethoven:The vibrations on the air are the breath of God speaking to man's soul. Music is the language of God. We musicians are as close to God as man can be. We hear his voice, we read his lips, we give birth to the children of God, who sing his praise. That's what musicians are.

Soundtrack:

Symphony No. 7 in A major Op. 92

Enjoyable and sensible screen mini-biography about life of the greatest composer

This is a colorful, enchanting though superficial fictional semi-biography of Ludwig Van Beethoven (Ed Harris) kissed with genius. His last days are brought to life in this entertaining drama musical . This 104 minutes film gives you a splendid idea of the most famous classical music composer .The picture concerns about the tempestuous relationship between a young girl (Diane Kruger) who works as copyist and the excellent musician. A number of factual liberties are taken is this imaginative screen-biography of the history's great composer but it doesn't matter because is also based on real events, as his problematic relation submerged by dramatics with his nephew Karl Van Beethoven(Joe Anderson). Not too bad as biopic go, but musical talent and Ed Harris interpretation is definitely the star in this production. Beethoven's music is the highlight of the film as when he directs the orchestra amid the strains of symphonies 5,7 9,¨Ode to joy¨ and she helps him .

It's a stunning film full of superb music, literate, wit and an immensely dramatic fire. The picture contains some striking visual images ,lavish setting, terrific period piece with realistic scenario for the XIX century filmed on location in Budapest,Hungary, besides nifty brilliant costumes. Ed Harris delivers a convincing portrayal, sometimes a little bit exaggerated, of the popular composer whose music is become immortal. Ed Harris(nominated for Academy Award by ¨Pollock¨) acting is magnificent, he expresses musical genius and a first class finger-matching and musical conductor of Beethoven's music has a glorious sweep. The German actress Diane Kruger(Troy,National treasure) is beautiful and gorgeous, she is resolute but vulnerable in the role as copyist and admirer of the greatest composer she has ever heard. The Academy of Ancient Music Orchestra and soloists contributed to the splendid soundtrack. Atmospheric and glimmer cinematography by Ashley Rowe is simply stunning. The motion picture is well directed by Agnieszka Holland. Devotees of the music will appeal this film which is a fine tribute to the master.