Piano (1993)

Piano (1993)

Starring: Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neil, Anna Paquin 

Director: Jane Campion

This film we were advised to watch for its melancholic qualities shot in beautiful blues, purples and greens in New Zealand the location and atmosphere is inspirational for our own film. We also found inspiration in the hair. The story is of Ada a mute 19th Century woman sent to New Zealand in an arranged marriage with a patriarchal landowner. Along with her went her daughter and she also took her beloved piano. Her husband tried to abandoned the piano on a beach as it was not something he approved of or wanted to encourage. Artistically and emotionally frustrated Ada finds love and new feeling with Baines, an illiterate settler covered with Maori tattoos. Maori rescued Ada's piano and bought it off of her husband. He then struck a strange deal with Ada where she was able to play the piano at his house supposedly teaching Baines how to play in her husbands eyes. It is here however that their love affaire bloomed and she became sexually awakened. Her husband finds out and decides to 'clip her wings' cutting her finger tips to prevent her playing the piano. The Piano is a ravishing love story and a psychosexual fairy tale considered of the same standard as Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.

W thought the backdrop would set off Marko Mitanovski's style clothing and suits the melancholic mood perfectly. The Plats in Ada's hair would work with the melancholic feel to as they can be styled in a way that is not to fierce and powerful.