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The Piano Teacher

Play trailer Poster for The Piano Teacher R 2002 1h 58m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 92 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Erika Kohut teaches piano at the Conservatory in Vienna. In her early forties, she lives at home, cooped up with her mother, whose influence Erika escapes only on her regular visits to porn cinemas and peepshows. Her sexuality is an affair of morbid voyeurism and masochistic self-mutilation. Erika and life travel separate paths. Until one day, one of her students gets it into his head to seduce her...
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The Piano Teacher

The Piano Teacher

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Critics Consensus

Though it makes for rather unpleasant viewing, The Piano Teacher is a riveting and powerful psychosexual drama.

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Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) Jun 10
5/5
This is a film, European arthouse to its core, that seemed to look back at Hollywood’s “erotic thriller” boom — Basic Instinct, Body of Evidence, Eyes Wide Shut — and say: “Pah, that’s nothing.” Go to Full Review Danny Leigh Financial Times Jun 9
5/5
The film still holds the same fraught charge it did a quarter of a century ago. Go to Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out Jun 3
5/5
Ambitious, profoundly articulate, and despite its avoidance of sentimentality and sermonising, very compassionate. Go to Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Jul 5
FIVE STARS
Although he is retired, Michael Haneke's films remain a beacon of hope in Cinema. Here is a true filmic poet with wisdom and insights that become crystal clear through his provocative and controversial films. Go to Full Review Susan Sontag Artforum 05/02/2024
Not Haneke’s best film, but Isabelle Huppert is stupendous. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 10/03/2021
3/4
Isabelle Huppert outdoes herself. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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retro b @retrobite Feb 1 It is an outrage against 'High Culture.' There is no love, there is a guerrilla war between the thighs. It is the total defeat of harmony. The film is an infrarrealist poem, a search for beauty at the bottom of a trash bag in a public restroom. Haneke lacked more filth but had an excess of hatred. You simply have to see it. Es un atropello a la "Alta Cultura'". No hay amor, hay una guerra de guerrillas entre los muslos. Es la derrota total de la armonía. La película es un poema infrarrealista, una búsqueda de la belleza en el fondo de una bolsa de basura en un baño público. A Haneke le faltó más mugre pero le sobro odio. Simplemente tienes que verla See more Richard B @RichardB12314 Jan 27 A highly conflated version of the novel. Some of the changes aren't really better, but expedient. Unless you're mentally ill, it says nothing about male and female relationships. It's better to read the novel, but not much better. See more Leprechaun K @LeprechaunKing Jan 17 The movie is as powerful as it is disturbing. Huppert's performance is outstanding. It is not an enjoyable movie and quite painful to watch during some scenes. This is arthouse cinema at the extreme. See more Brendon S. @RT53318968 Jan 9 My favorite movie. Michael Haneke is one of the best directors, using great cinematography and encouraging fantastic actors to tell a deeply unsettling story about sexual repression. See more dede w @RT37612585 Dec 24 AYE THIS WAS GOOD! HE GOT AWAY WITH IT AND GAVE HER AMAZING SEX, BUT HER LITTLE UNGRATEFUL ASS DIDNT APPRECIATE, LONGLIVEMAHBOI See more Howard R @RT56023295 Sep 10 Harrowing, psychologically blistering, and emotionally draining, The Piano Teacher is one of the finest, most haunting films ever made. Remains my favorite film of all time since I saw it in 2000. See more Read all reviews
The Piano Teacher

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Cast & Crew

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Michael Haneke

Director

Isabelle Huppert

Erika Kohut

Annie Girardot

The Mother

Benoît Magimel

Walter Klemmer

Anna Sigalevitch

Anna Schober

Susanne Lothar

Mrs. Schober

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The Piano Teacher

Benoît Magimel as Walter Klemmer and Isabelle Huppert as Erika Kohut in THE PIANO TEACHER. Scene from the film THE PIANO TEACHER. Scene from the film THE PIANO TEACHER. Walter (Benoît Magimel) auditions at the Vienna Conservatory. Scene from the film THE PIANO TEACHER. Walter (Benoît Magimel) and Erika (Isabelle Huppert). Isabelle Huppert as Erika, Benoît Magimel as Walter. Erika (Isabelle Huppert). Annie Girardot as Erika's mother, Udo Samel as Dr. Blonskij. Scene from the film THE PIANO TEACHER. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Erika Kohut teaches piano at the Conservatory in Vienna. In her early forties, she lives at home, cooped up with her mother, whose influence Erika escapes only on her regular visits to porn cinemas and peepshows. Her sexuality is an affair of morbid voyeurism and masochistic self-mutilation. Erika and life travel separate paths. Until one day, one of her students gets it into his head to seduce her...
Director
Michael Haneke
Screenwriter
Michael Haneke, Elfriede Jelinek
Distributor
Kino Pictures, Artificial Eye, Alta Classics S.L. Unipersonal, MK2 Diffusion
Production Co
Les Films Alain Sarde, Le Studio Canal +, Arte, MK2 Productions, Centre National de la Cinematographie, Eurimages, Arte France Cinema
Rating
R (Language|Aberrant Sexuality|Violence)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 29, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 4, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.0M
Runtime
1h 58m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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