Piano, The

The Piano DVD

The Piano - 1993

Ciby 2000/Jan Chapman Productions - 120 min.

DVD UPC/EAN # 9339065002584; 012236046202, 9315842023089; 5060034576266; 012235133132; 5017239190278; 3384446000570; 4006680027906; 7319980042553; 5060034572725

Blu-Ray UPC/EAN # 9339065002317(AU/NZ); 031398147619(US); 4006680063973(DE); 5055201822420(UK); 9339065009880(AU); 5055201840394(UK 2-disc); 715515267717(US Criterion)

4K Blu-ray UPC/EAN # 715515267618(US Criterion); 4006680099866(DE Studio Canal)

Cast: Holly Hunter, Anna Paquin, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, Kerry Walker, Genevieve Lemon, Tungia Baker, Ian Mune.
Screenplay: Jane Campion; Photography: Stueart Dryburgh; Editor: Veronika Jenet;, Music: Michael Nyman; Producer: Jan Chapman; Director: Jane Campion.

In the 1840s a mute Scottish woman makes the voyage from England to New Zealand, with her young daughter, for a prearranged marriage. She brings with her a piano, as music is her refuge in an uninviting environment. Her arranged husband is unimpressed with the piano and leaves it on the beach, before swapping it with a neighbor for land. The neighbor bargains with her for the return of the piano if she gives him lessons, but his deal is motivated by romantic rather than musical interest. Winner of New Zealand's first Academy Awards; it has won many other awards including the Cannes Palme d'Or, however it has its detractors. In any case, if you have not gotten around to it, you need to put it on your must see list.

Censor rating: M - Review rating: A-

The Piano

Official MP4 Trailer

AVAILABILITY OF COPIES

R2 PAL DVDs can be found from UK sources for about 6#. R1 NTSC DVDs are going for about $10us. New standard R4 PAL DVDs are selling for about $20nz or $15au.
A "Collector's Edition" R4 DVD was released, in Australia and New Zealand. It is 116 minutes but the 1.85 widescreen is enhanced for 16x9 and the sound has been upgraded to 5.1 surround, however there still is a 2.0 option. Extras include: Optional English subtitles, trailer , commentary track by Jane Campion and Jan Chapman, 'Inside The Piano' featurette and a Limited Edition booklet. It is selling in New Zealand for about $35nz.

The R2 version of the "Special Edition" version was released in the UK, selling for about 10#. In addition to the items listed in the R4 limited edition, it also contains extended interviews with Jane Campion, Jan Chapman and Michael Nyman.

Dendy(Au) has released a region B Blu-ray version which is selling for about $30au/nz. Extras include the "Inside the Piano" featurette (15:06), trailer and the commentary track by Jane Campion and Jan Chapman that is included with the "Collector's Edition R4 DVD. It is presented 1.78:1 1080i (Yes, that is 1080i, not 1080p) with audio of English DTS HD Master 5.1 or English Dolby Digital 5.1. It does offer subtitles in English.

Starting 31 January, 2012, a Region A Blu-ray was released in North America. It is 1080p with a DTS-HD Master 2.0 spoken English soundtrack, with English and Spanish subtitle options and sells for about $10us. Other than trailers, it has no extras.

On 20 January 2014, a Region B Blu-ray was released. It is 1080P 1.85:1 with 5.1 DTS HD Master spoken English audio with an English subtitle option. Additionally there is an option audio commentary track, a "Making of" featurette, an interview with Jane Campion and Jan Chapman and the trailer.

Starting 10 December 2014, a digitally remastered 1080p Blu-ray was released in Australia. It's basic specs are similiar to the StudioCanal UK one in that it has the audio commentary track and a "Making of" extra, but also has an English subtitle option. It is an All Regions disc with DTS-HD-MA 5.1 and DD-HD 5.1 spoken English tracks. As of May 2017, the best sources for this one would seem to be at ebay.

Starting 16 July 2018, a 25th anniversary Region B Blu-ray edition set from StudioCanal UK was released, selling for about 15#. It is a 2-disc set with audio commentary by Jane Campion and Jan Chapman. It also contains a new "Making of" featurette. The second disc is a CD of the original soundtrack. The set also includes a booklet with essays by film critic and broadcaster Anna Smith, Screenwriter and critic Kate Muir and film journalist and editor-at-large Helen O'Hara of Empire magazine.

Starting 26 August 2021 a Blu-ray version was released in Brazil with spoken English and Portuguese subtitles.

Starting 25 January 2022 a single 2k Blu-ray and a 4k/2k combo set from Criterion will be released. English subtitles are included. Extras include: New conversation between Campion and film critic Amy Taubin, New interviews with Dryburgh and production designer Andrew McAlpine, Interview with actor Holly Hunter on working with Campion, "The Piano" at 25, a program featuring a conversation between Campion and producer Jan Chapman, Excerpts from an interview with costume designer Janet Patterson, Water Diary, a 2006 short film by Campion, Trailer and an essay by critic Carmen Gray.

Starting 07 July 2022, a 2-disc (region free BD-66 & Region B BD-50) set that has spoken English and German, and optional English & German subtitles, has been released.

Aro Video of Wellington - Recommended NZ Reseller

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DealOZ North American price comparison site

Bluray-disc.de German Search Portal

STREAMING AND DOWNLOADING

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SOUNDTRACK ON AUDIO CD

Click for The Piano CD Details

SOUNDTRACKS VAULT - Link to MP3 samples of all titles

REVIEWS

Dr. Svet Atanasov Review of Criterion 4k release

Why The Piano is the greatest film directed by a woman

M. Enois Duarte Blu-ray Review at HighDefDigest

Digital Fix Blu-ray Review

DVDCompare - Blu-ray versions

Samuel Scott Blu-ray Review at DVD Compare

Jamie S. Rich Blu-ray Review at DVD Talk

Brandon A. DuHamel UK Studio Canal Blu-ray Review

Steve Withers Review of Studio Canal UK Blu-ray

Dennis Schwartz Review

IMDB User Reviews

Gary Tooze Blu-ray/DVD comparison Review

DVDCompare - DVD versions

'Like Mike' DVD Review at voxy.co.nz

Reviews at Letterboxd.com

Common Sense Media Review

New Zealand Film Archive Info and Reviews

Roger Ebert Review

Metacritic consolidated reviews

All Movie Guide Review

Movie Review Query - 50 articles

"Based in Sydney, Campion was drawn to New Zealand's colonial past when she began working on the script in 1984. 'I think that it's a strange heritage that I have as a pakeha New Zealander, and I wanted to be in a position to touch or explore that [...] In contrast to the original people in New Zealand, the Maori people, who have such an attachment to history, or at least not the same tradition. This makes you start to ask, 'Who are my ancestors?' My ancestors are English colonisers - the people who came out like Ada and Stewart and Baines"' - ("Campion explores her 'strange heritage'", The Evening Post, May 19, 1993)

OFFLINE REVIEW SOURCES

Arena, no.7(Oct/Nov.1993)
Dominion, Sept.6, 20 1993
Entertainment weekly, no.197(Nov.19 1993)
Film criticism, v.24no.3(spring 2000)
Film literature quarterly, v.25no.3(1997)
Filmnews, v.23no.6(Aug.1993)
Guardian weekly, v.149no.19(Nov.7 1993)
Illusions, no.21/22(winter 1997)
Listener, v. 140no.2789(Sept.18 1993)
Metro, no.147(Sept.1993)
Metro (Australia), no.102(1995)
Ms., v.4no.5(Mar/Apr.1994)
Nation, v.257no.19(Dec.6 1993)
National review, v.45no.25(Dec.27 1994)
New republic, issue 4117(Dec.13 1993)
New statesman & society, (29 Oct., 1993)
New Yorker, (Nov.29, 1993)
North & South Review by Brian McDonnell - October 1993 - For details or copies contact Kakapo Books
Quote, unquote, no.4(Sept.1993)
Sight and sound, v.3,issue11(Nov.1993)

TRAILERS - MISC

VIDEO VAULT - Links to trailers and clips for all titles.

NZ On Screen Videos & Comments

The N to Z of Film on SoundCloud

Jane Campion NZ Interview when The Piano was in theaters.

The New Zealand Box Office Million Dollar Movie List

The 4th Draft Script Text

'How We Made The Piano' - Anna Timms Interview with Jane Campion and Michael Nyman

Information at IMDB

Internet Movie Poster Awards

Three 3-minute video clips at Australian Screen

AWARDS

1993 - Australian Film Institute - Best Film; Director; Leading Actor: Harvey Keitel; Leading Actress: Holly Hunter; Cinematography: Costume Design; Editing; Production Design; Sound; Original Music Score; Original Screenplay.
1993 - Boston Society of Film Critics - Best Actress: Holly Hunter.
1993 - Camerimage, Poland - Best Cinematography.
1993 - Cannes - Golden Palm - Best Actress: Holly Hunter.
1993 - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Actress: Holly Hunter; Director; Supporting Actress: Anna Paquin; Screenplay; Cinematography.
1993 - National Board of Review - Best Actress: Holly Hunter.
1993 - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Director; Best Actress: Holly Hunter; Screenplay
1994 - Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences - Oscars for: Best Actress in a Leading Role- Holly Hunter; Best Supporting Actress- Anna Paquin; Best Screenplay for the Screen.
1994 - Bodil (Denmark) - Best non- American Film
1994 - BAFTA - Best Leading Actress: Holly Hunter; Costume Design; Production Design
1994 - Chicago Film Critics Association - Best Actress: Holly Hunter; Best Foreign Language Film; Best Score
1994 - Cesar Award (France) - Best Foreign Film
1994 - Golden Globes - Best Actress in a Drama: Holly Hunter
1994 - Guldbagge - Best Foreign Film
1994 - Independent Spirit Awards - Best Foreign Film
1994 - London Film Critics Circle - Film of the Year and Actress of the Year: Holly Hunter
1994 - National Society of Film Critics - Best Actress: Holly Hunter; Screenplay
1994 - Producers Guild of America - Golden Laurel for Most Promising Producer in Theatrical Motion Pictures.
1994 - Robert Festival (Denmark) - Best Foreign Film
1994 - Writers Guild of America - Best Screenplay written directly for the Screen.

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