The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes is a 2005 animated drama film by the Brothers Quay. The film stars Amira Casar, Gottfried John, Assumpta Serna and César Sarachu. It is the second feature-length film by the Brothers Quay and their first film in over a decade.
| The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes | |
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 Official release poster | |
| Directed by | |
| Written by | Alan Passes |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Nick Knowland |
| Edited by | Simon Laurie |
| Music by | |
| Distributed by | Zeitgeist Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 99 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Languages |
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| Box office | $29,121[1][2] |
The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2005, prior to being theatrically released by Zeitgeist Films on 17 November 2006.
Plot
editA 19th-century opera singer is murdered on-stage shortly before her forthcoming wedding. Soon after being slain by the nefarious Dr. Emmanuel Droz during a live performance, Malvina van Stille is spirited away to the inventor's remote villa to be reanimated and forced to play the lead in a grim production staged to recreate her abduction. As the time for the performance draws near, piano tuner of earthquakes Felisberto sets out to activate the seven essential automata who dot the dreaded doctor's landscape and make sure all the essential elements are in place. Once again instilled with life after her brief stay in the afterworld, amnesiac Malvina is soon drawn to the mysterious Felisberto as a result of his uncanny resemblance to her one-time fiancé Adolfo.
Cast
edit- Amira Casar as Malvina van Stille
- Gottfried John as Dr. Emmanuel Droz
- Assumpta Serna as Assumpta
- César Sarachu as Adolfo Blin / Don Felisberto Fernandez
Production
editAn animated film was in development by the filmmaking duo, the Brothers Quay, in their first film in over a decade.[3] The cast was announced to consist of Amira Casar, Gottfried John, Assumpta Serna and César Sarachu.[3] The music was composed by Christopher Slaski and Trevor Duncan.[4]
Release
editThe Piano Tuner of Earthquakes had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2005.[5][6] The film was theatrically released by Zeitgeist Films on 17 November 2006.[3]
Critical reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 44% of 39 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.6/10. The website's consensus reads: "Though visually stunning and brilliantly original, the film fails to resonate emotionally."[7] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 66 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[8]
Box office
editAs of 1 October 2024[update], The Piano Turner of Earthquakes has grossed $29,121 in the United States.[2][1]
In the United States, the film grossed $944 in its opening weekend.[2][1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes (2005)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes (2005)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ a b c Catsoulis, Jeannette (17 November 2006). "Film in Review: The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ "The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes Music". MovieScore Media. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "2005 Toronto International Film Festival Annual report" (PDF). Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "2005 Toronto International Film Festival Wrap-up - 36 Films". Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
