shine.

 I realize – although having mentioned it – I have not yet posted about the greatest band or the greatest album (pop) of all time, but since this seems a perfect segue I will quickly blog about the greatest movie ever.

Shine.

Since its release the film has been criticized to have glorified David Helfgott's pianism. It was said in the film's aftermath that Helfgott's playing is permeated with inaccuracies and technical and aesthetic "difficulties" (he can be heard to hum and mumble in the background of most of his recordings – although Glenn Gould also was noted for doing this). It was pointed out the film performed an irresponsible glamorization of his ability. Of course this is all ridiculous. Helfgott's performances are not perfect by any means, but his proficiency is undeniable and it is in my opinion in the imperfections (of timing, of pacing, of emphasis and so forth) that his genius is discovered. There is a human element to his playing which is unmistakable.

It was also criticized for its portrayal of David's father Peter Helfgott saying that it was too harsh. That opinion, however was mostly unfounded and it is widely accepted that Peter's brutality as depicted in the film is actually quite favourable to him – in that there were recorded instances where he was much harsher on David than what the screenplay shows. It is David's relationship with his father of course that creates much of the psychological being within – how he would forever seek acceptance from any and all due to the harshness he received as a child.

The film is brilliantly done, told as a flashback. Geoffrey Rush was awarded an Oscar for his portrayal of the adult David and joked during his acceptance speech waving the award and pointing out to the big studios who would not bankroll the film with his participation (it was subsequently released by Fine Line Features because the director – Scott Hicks – demanded that Rush portray Helfgott). He took up the piano after having quit at the age of fourteen so he would not need a hand double (and his piano playing is quite impressive). Noah Taylor is brilliant as the adolescent David – a difficult role because it was during this period all of the turmoil occurred – including David's breakdown after his performance of Sergei Rachmaninov's D-minor piano concerto (affectionately called the Rach 3 and widely regarded as the most difficult concerto written for the piano) and required an enormous amount of passion to portray. As his character practiced for this performance, he became more and more manic and detached as the music began to overwhelm him.

After a lapse in history between his mental breakdown following that performance, the film returns to David as an adult and his path to once again return to the stage. It is an emotionally-charged film that is heroic and monumental. The incredible and immense music of Rachmaninov forms the backdrop to the story and it is completely understood (at least for me) how one could go mad studying and studying the notes of the D-minor. As his professor at the Royal College of Music tells him ~

"You must learn how to tame the piano David or it will swallow you whole!"

Read out of context this may sound a bit mad, but within the confines of the music it makes perfect sense (and coincidentally, Rachmaninov himself observed – after hearing Vladimir Horowitz perform the Rach 3 – that he "swallowed it whole" when they performed it together on two pianos in the basement of the Steinway & Sons factory in New York).

There was no good trailer to embed, and I could only really find it here. But in any regards, this is and will always remain the greatest film of all time.