The Legend of 1900 [IMPORT]

Rating:
Summary: On A Sea Cruise
Review: Wistful. Subtle. Nostalgic. Moving. Soul-stirring. Fanciful. Passionate. Painful. Beautiful. Tragic. Introspective. Haunting. Metaphorical. Magical. Musical. Heart wrenching. Mystical. Majestic. Fantastic.

I adored this movie. There is something fantastic and appealing about the grand ocean liners, and this film uses that setting as its world. The cast is superb, the images striking, and the story of the life of the main character is moving beyond words. The scene as he is stepping off the ship to find a woman really tore at my soul. The music, a vital component of the plot, is by the remarkable Ennio Morricone, who has been scoring hundreds of films over the past 40 years (including, for example, Wolf, Mission to Mars, Cinema Paradiso, La Cage Aux Folles, Once Upon a Time in the West, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, and Fistful of Dollars).

Like many other reviewers, I discovered this film by accident on television late one night in Paris. I do not know why this film was not more popular, but there seems to be a growing cult of devotees. This is a film to watch, share with friends, ponder, and watch again.

Rating:
Summary: The Legend of 1900: Philosophy or fable?
Review: This Tornatore venture virtually oozes four decades of atmosphere and is beautifully embellished by punctiliously detailed sets, costumes, and threaded with lush musical themes. The life of a child abandoned on an ocean liner at the turn of the century("1900" played by Tim Roth),is recounted in the present and flashbacks by his friend Max(Pruitt Taylor Vince),an aging, down-on-his-luck trumpeter,to a pawn shop proprietor (Peter Vaughan).
1900's prodigious musical talents are displayed many times, but three instances are outstanding for their humor, drama and melancholy, respectively: the piano "duel" between 1900 and Jelly Roll Morton(Clarence Williams III); the rhapsodic pathos of a love theme as 1900 records a wax matrix while absorbed in the angelic face of a young woman outside his window(Mélanie Thierry), soon to be lost in a crowd leaving the ship--and him--behind; the brightly lilting tune he plays as the brakeless piano rolls about the ballroom in a turbulent sea with Max at his side.
To refer to this story as mere character development understates its value. 1900 symbolizes a man, never having left the confines of the ship, who lives in a defined, finite world and who,though the piano finds infinitude in his imagination and music. Ultimately,however,he must confront the inevitable: to leave the ship for the seeming boundlessness of dry land or die in a state of non-existence. There is no record of his birth and only one recording of his work.
Roth's subtle skills are brought to the fore in 1900' sometimes brilliant,sometimes naive--and always irreverant--character.
"Legend" is fresh and challenging,admixing philosophy and fable into myth. After four viewings, there is always an overlooked detail,expression,or nuance missed previously.I may be satisfied after four more.

Rating:
Summary: The Legend of 1900
Review: This is undoubtedly the VERY BEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL movie I have ever seen. It is a movie that, after you have seen it, you can not forget. The story and characters, and music, haunt you, and Tim Roth is unbelievably fabulous. I can not understand why this movie, Tim Roth, and the soundtrack, did not win some major awards because the movie certainly deserved best picture of the year, Tim Roth deserved best actor, and the haunting and very original soundtrack should have also received the top academy award. This movie is even better than Cinema Paridiso, which is also one of my other favorite films. I buy this movie for everyone I really like. Lucky for me that I heard about this movie only on the Netflix website and ordered it. Why did this movie never get the publicity it deserved (that is something that I would like to know from anyone out there who may know)??

Rating:
Summary: How Large Does The World Need To Be?
Review: "The Legend of 1900" is a movie unlike almost any other I have seen. It takes place entirely on a ship at sea, but the action spans more than 40 years. It is the story of a musical genius who is born, lives out his life, and ultimately dies on board a grand trans-Atlantic liner in the first half of the 20th century. He watches the world pass him by just a few thousand people at a time, has a fabulous piano-duel with none other than Jelly Roll Morton, is sought after by recording companies, and listens to and learns from the music of all the different cultures who are emigrating from the Old World to the New, but he never once leaves the ship. Indeed, the mere thought of setting foot on land is his ultimate nightmare.

I remember having a guest over one evening who was seeing it for the very first time. His reaction (after wiping a tear from his eye) was to exclaim "what a wonderful movie! How did anyone even get a film that quirky made?" There is no Hollywood 'formula' to this film. It proceeds without any of the usual conventions: no good guy vs. bad guy struggles, no sex, no violence, and no crude jokes. It is like that really good book that you start reading one night when it is already too late but are unable to put down until you have turned the last page.

Rating:
Summary: Richly rewarding character study
Review: Director Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso) has lovingly crafted a bittersweet story about life, music and the intricate weave of one upon the other. Tornatore caresses the heart with characters steeped in emotion and sentimentality without descending into sappiness (okay, maybe just a little at the end).

The setting is turn of the 20th century. On New Year's Day, a baby is abandoned on an ocean liner and adopted by one of the crew members who names him "1900". The boy never leaves the vessel and crosses back and forth for his whole life. As a child he learns to play piano and proves himself to be a genius at the instrument.

The story is interesting by itself, but Tornatore brings incredible feeling to the tale. 1900 has an amazing gift of being able to put not only his emotions to music, but characterizations of others he sees around the room. All his pieces are impromptu and as original as the people surrounding him.

Tim Roth is fantastic in the lead role, displaying extraordinary range. He renders a believable pianist, but more importantly, he simultaneously brings the character dynamism and depth. When he is playing the crowd he is the flamboyant showman, yet when he is alone or with Max (Pruitt Taylor Vince) he is reflective and moody.

Pruitt Taylor Vince also comes through with a strong performance as 1900's close friend and fellow musician. Vince plays the part with great empathy and the interactions between him and Roth are often moving. Clarence Williams III (yes, that's Linc from the Mod Squad TV series in the 60's) is electrifying as Jelly Roll Morton, the self proclaimed inventor of jazz. Williams steals the show for at least 15 minutes as he and Roth duel it out on the piano.

The music is exquisite. Ennio Morricone is a prolific composer whose career spans 40 years with five Oscar nominations. He has scored over 400 films including "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly", "The Untouchables", "Days of Heaven", "Disclosure", and "Twister". His ability to find the right music for the multiple moods in this film is astounding.

For viewers who enjoy complex character studies replete with unabashed sentimentality, this film is worth hunting down at the movie store. I rated it a 9/10. It is a richly rewarding experience.

Rating:
Summary: A mythical fable
Review: This work of Giuseppe Tornatore is an original issue in the celluloid.
The story tells us about a child born in the middle of the ocean , (so forget about what's his birthplace), that lack of no land human being gives him that mythical character.
The script shows the process of growing up of this boy , who gradually became in the official pianist of that ship called Virginian, (another smart clue) .
The time comes for him , the piano and his intimate friend , the trumpeter are the only friends he has.
All the story is told in third person, before a seller of old musical instruments and musical scores; I mean a true dialogue between two categories of memories ; the emotional and the historical.
In that sense Tornatore signs his directorial prints on his favorite theme: the memory. That's the clever device of Cinema Paradiso.
But the pianist (in a brilliant performing of this underestimated actor of one million carats talent, Tim Rith), refuses in every decisve moment to leave his own country ship; he belongs to it. He was born there and a invisible link ties him: not even the only love , and mighty inspiration motive for his best composition is capable of make leaving his water home.
Beautiful , poetical and amazing tale with multiple laughable sequences, are surrounded by that duty fate of mixing with the ground land .
An unforgettable experience that will reward you from beginning to end.
Don't miss this one.

Rating:
Summary: Magic, Music, and an Ocean Cruiser...
Review: On a foggy night right after the World War II Max (Pruitt Taylor Vince) enters a secluded music store in Southampton, England, where he intends to sell his trumpet. Before Max leaves the store he plays one final tune on the trumpet which the storekeeper recognizes as he has just found a recording of the same tune. The storekeeper asks if Max knows about the creator behind the touching piece, which Max does. Max begins to tell the story of musical genius Danny Boodmann T.D. Lemon Nineteen Hundred (Tim Roth), the man who was born on a the ocean cruiser, Virginian, and never had set foot on land. Legend of 1900 is a warm and wonderful story as it presents several interesting themes under the skillful direction of Tornatore. These themes come to life as 1900 plays the piano, music that he creates instantly as his eyes and imagination wander the world and build new life experiences. However, behind the inviting tale of 1900 there is a dark past that is unveiled as the story is told by Max. The cinematography and music enhance the cinematic experience as it tells the tragedy of 1900 and leaves the audience in silent thought.

Rating:
Summary: Incredibly well done!
Review: I agree with some other reviews I've read above on how some people criticize this movie too easily. I don't think it's necessary to sit down and watch it with some preconcieved idea as to what to expect, rather than just let the movie and the soundtrack seduce you to it's full extent. I believe Guiseppe Tornatore and Ennio Morricone have put together a film that will be referred back to by many generations. It's one of those films that refuses to age in time. The brilliant performance by Tim Roth in an not-so-usual role brings to life 1900, a character so much within us all, representing what he has to say and do in this world through his magnificent piano-playing, ("A light that shines so bright yet for so little time"...taken from blade runner). I haven't the slightest intention of drawing any conclusion for the reviewer of this movie but if your not into great expectations, you'll probably wind up with more than that at the end of the film. My opinion is that the story didn't necessarily need to take place on an ocean liner, it could have been anywhere where 1900 felt safe and secluded from the bustle of the surrounding world but through his greatness as a pianist, he was always bound for fame and glory as well as his inevitablity. I feel it's important to get this point across to those who feel the need to compare this "insignificant" aspect with the movie "Titanic", yet I would have wished half the musical score in "Titanic" this film has. The main character leaves me with the sensation that he's subconsciously set out the task to leave a mark on this Earth while he's never literally set foot on dry ground and that all of us who have strived in our own lives can relate to easily yet again, he leaves an unfinished task to those who haven't. My advice, get the DVD, listen to the beautiful music and put your thoughts aside, the film will do the rest and you'll surely be wanting to see it more than once!

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Movie!
Review: I've read the negative and I've read the positive and I can't help but think the negative reviewers just didn't get it.

Sometimes movies are meant to make you think (often foreign and Independent films) and other times movies are meant strictly to entertain.

This movie walks a tightrope, and I feel the negative reviews are due to people both taking the film too seriously and not taking the film seriously enough.

I watched this movie for the first time, not knowing what to expect. As the end credits rolled there were tears in my eyes and a smile on my face. Within a couple weeks I went out and bought a copy of it on DVD.

Anyone I've shared this film with has thoroughly enjoyed it, they watched with no expectations and by the time the end credits were rolling there were smiles on their faces or tears in their eyes.

If a movie can elicit such a strong emotional response, be it positive, or negative it has done its job. This movie not only did it's job it's kept me coming back for seconds, thirds, and... well you get the idea.

Tim Roth is brilliant, and while I wasn't a fan of his before this film, I certainly was afterwards. Knowing he can play vile and venomous (in "Rob Roy"), quirky and fun ("Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead"), piss and vinegar ("Resevoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction") and then take a turn in an utterly sentimental role truly shows his versatility.

Ignore the naysayers and give this film a chance, you won't regret it.

Rating:
Summary: Buy it for the Piano Music
Review: "The Legend of 1900" is a very nice film that is enjoyable to watch. Being a huge fan of ragtime, jazz, and piano music in general, I would say that the film is worth watching for the soundtrack alone. It is really the music that carries this film for me. The story is a bit strained and I don't particularly feel any empathy for the main character. But the music is gorgeous and the sets are wonderfully intimate and detailed. I agree with one reviewer: you will watch particular scenes over and over. My recommendation? Buy a used copy (DVD) and enjoy the film.