Member review

I loved this film so much. I thought it was clever how they edited the jump cuts to make it seem like the actor was actually playing the piano. They filmed parts where the actor was playing it and parts where the camera zoomed in on the hands. The hands weren't actually the actor's but an

actual pianist. And then the camera focussed on the actor supposedly playing the piano and the audience would have no idea. Very clever!

The lighting is quite low-key, but not extremely noticeable. It's definitely not high-key, as it isn't bright and cheerful. In the scene where the main character (Wladyslaw Szpilman) is playing the piano for the Nazi, they are in a dark room with faded light shining through from tiny partings and rips in the curtain. But when the main character is ever outside, there isn't obvious shadowing. Most of the film is set in dark places or the weather is very dark to represent the mood in the film.

Most of the music is diegetic. The main character plays the piano a lot and because of the fact that there's hardly ever non-diegetic music in the film, shows just how much love Wladyslaw Szpilman has for the piano and that it's the only music he ever wants to hear.

I think it is all very cleverly planned out with the cinematography and makes the already-real story all the more real.