Rating: 
Summary: Phenomenal. And... I usually hate these types of movies...
Review: I'm willing to place this movie over the likes of Amadeus any day. The movie was original, intricate, and tingly all in the right places. It really told one epic story made up of ingenious side stories that made it the whole. Not only was the acting and music extraoridinary... the plot(s) and story line were beautifully executed. There is no way you can go wrong with this movie unless you absolutely have no taste.
Rating:
Summary: A must see for anyone who can appreciate great films
Review: If you see one "foreign", if you can call the use of subtitles throughout 75% of the movie, this is a fantastic choice. I had read reviews in the trade magazines about how "great" this movie was when it came out, but I had no idea that they were right on...beautifully done, enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: great music/uneven story
Review: the music of john corligiano was great. i have a cd of the movie soundtrack. see my review in cds. on to the movie. i really could not get into the movie. the characters(anna, her husband, kaspar, the genius english noble and his mistress) seemed to be ciphers. i felt strangely uninvolved despite their extraordinary experiences and emotionally unmoved. i know i should have been moved but i wasn't. the auction scenes were not involving. there was no suspense and it was hard to follow. i had the impression that someone put in a phony violin. at that point i didn't really care. there were two characters that i thought were played well. the party cadre(sylvia chang) and the fortune teller. with the party cadre you wonder how someone who came from a priviliged background joined an organization that was dedicated to eradicating people of her class. her ambivalence was believable and realistic. the fortune teller seemed to tie the story(what there was of it) together. one last subject: the actress who played the nobleman's mistress(greta sacchi) i am convinced she did her nude scene just to irk john simon the movie reviewer. readers of "national review" will know what i'm talking about.well i hope this is helpful.
Rating:
Summary: Saved by the Music
Review: "The Red Violin" was an interesting movie. It had too many storylines, which were each vastly compressed to fit into the movie; but the movie itself was saved by the music in it. Each time the movie started to annoy me I would just close my eyes and listen to the music in the background. It's worth seeing just for that.
Rating:
Summary: What's the fuss about? This film just didn't do it for me.
Review: After reading the reviews, I suspected that I was in for a realtreat. But although the film had some beautiful music andphotography, I was left wondering why the story line was lacking in cohesion and completeness. The story bounces between ages and locations, but the thread that ties the stories together is very thin. None of the stories are particularly captivating, and the ending is completely unbelievable and disappointing.
Rating:
Summary: The Red Violin -- Great DTS Sound Demo
Review: Despite of the exotic, complex story of the film, this disc also stands out as a hi-fi demo. It is what any serious stereophile must own. With a first rate decoder, proper speaker placement and high quality equipment, the soundstage of this recording is deep, wide and natural. Not many DTS soundtracks communicate this degree of musicality and subtlety so far I have heard.
Rating:
Summary: The Red Violin -- Great DTS Sound Demo
Review: Despite of the exotic, complex story of the film, this disc is what any serious stereophile must own. With a first rate decoder, proper speaker placement and high quality equipment, the soundstage of this recording is deep, wide and natural. Not many DTS soundtracks communicate this degree of musicality and subtlety so far I have heard.
Rating:
Summary: WOW.
Review: WOW. A truly incredible movie. See it to believe it. Powerfull. Exciting. Truthfull, shows you how cruel people are when all they want is one thing (the violin not sex.....). Watch this, and you will not be disappointed. So mote it be!
Rating:
Summary: Forget the critics. Buy this film.
Review: As a lover of fine motion films, I must confess I am unabashedly ashamed to have loved the Red Violin after reading the review by your critic.However, today's movie critics are like many stock brokers, who prefer to tell people what they would like to hear, rather than telling them what they believe. I urge anyone who has ever delighted in viewing a true art masterpiece to buy this video. The camera work alone justifies the expense. But, the camera pales behind the compelling story that continues to unfold throughout the film. Perhaps I am a bit naïve, but I did not grasp the true meaning behind the red violin until the secret was revealed. Call me stupid, but with a documented IQ of 154, I prefer to turn the other cheek from your critic. FORGET THE CRITICS. Buy this film. I have no other reason than to say, "It will be on of your most unforgettable viewing experiences", ranking with Gone With the Wind and Saving Private Ryan.
Rating:
Summary: Modern Masterpiece
Review: When one thinks of an epic masterpiece, the films that usually come to mind are multimillion dollar extravaganzas, with a tale spanning years, even decades, following the story of one person or couple. Now, however, Francois Girard has made a small Canadian/Italian co-production with a total budget no bigger, I presume, than Mel Gibson's asking price. Yet THE RED VIOLIN, which can be compared to a symphony of sorts, spans over three centuries, in five different eras and countries. More epic than even GONE WITH THE WIND, but still as personal and intimate a tale as THE ENGLISH PATIENT, Girard's film is a purely cinematic musical and artistic triumph. One thing I especially admired about THE RED VIOLIN was its use of language. Unlike in most Hollywood period pieces, no one in 17th century Italy (for example) speaks perfect English, or even English with an Italian accent. Each segment is performed in the language of its setting, with English subtitles. It all makes perfect sense to me. Visually, the film is breathtaking. The fabulous sets and costumes are photographed lavishly by cinematographer Alain Dostie. The acting is likewise superb, with special mention going out to Carlo Cecchi as the Italian violinmaker, Sylvia Chang as the Communist music-lover, and Samuel L Jackson in a small role as the American violin expert. THE RED VIOLIN is a veritable symphony, a new cinematic masterpiece that is music to not only the ears, but the heart as well. Don't miss this one.
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