2007 Athens Film Festival
'Copying Beethoven' music for the soul
By Jen Pontzer, Staff Writer
April 30, 2007 | 1:21 p.m.
"Copying Beethoven" is a fictional take on the last year of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s life. What begins as a bleak, monochromatic film with frantic camera work soon becomes a beautiful and witty take on Beethoven’s genius and difficult nature.
The movie centers on the idea that Beethoven (Ed Harris) has sent a female copyist, Anna Holtz (Diane Kruger), to help him finish his "9th Symphony" in time for its premier. At this point, Beethoven is deaf and called crazy and “the beast.” Holtz is the perfect match for Beethoven because she is able to give him her honest opinion and be around him without fear of what he may do. The characters are well-written and played with a full range of emotion, instead of being one-dimensional like so many characters in popcorn films today. Every actor seems to embody his or her character fully without holding back.
Of course, one of the best things about "Copying Beethoven" is the music. Being able to listen to some of Beethoven’s greatest works in surround sound alone makes the film worth seeing. The soundtrack is both used as a functional part of the movie and also as an emotional underscore to the action that takes place. This can best be seen during the premier of the "9th Symphony." Beethoven can’t conduct well and throws off the orchestra. Holtz sits on the stage and conducts the piece with him. Their connection is graceful, like a perfectly executed dance. It’s completely enthralling, and when the choir begins to sing, watch out for the goose bumps.
As with any movie based on a historical figure, dramatizations are to be expected. In real life, Beethoven didn’t conduct the "9th Symphony" -- Michael Umlauf did. Also, at the end of the performance it was one of his soloists, Caroline Unger, who turned him around to receive his applause, not Holtz. However, if you are able to get past these factual errors and concentrate on the brilliant emotion of the film, you will find you have encountered a masterpiece.
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Visit the Athens Film Fest Web site for show listings.
Rating: A-Running Time: 104 minutes
MPAA: PG-13 for some sexual elements
Genre: Historical dramedy