Priceless. When he heard her for the first time...
Just Priceless
I know nothing about acting.
But to me the sheer, urning, passion displayed on Morritz's face when he heard the red violin, makes this movie a true paragon.
I watch this movie every other year or so, and every time this section of the movie comes around i can't help but find myself with a tear in my eye.
People. I know some one you know what Im talking about...
Priceless
Agreed. Great acting on Jackson's part. With the tiniest expressions on his face, he gives a deep insight into his character and, ultimately, into what has made the violin so special for so many people over the course of three centuries.
I also thought it was pretty funny that the master violinist didn't know what he had in his hands there.
He may not have been the perfect actor for this role, but in that scene, Jackson certainly justified his presence in the film.
S.
The value of the violin is its provenance, not its musicality. Altho it is identified as a fine instrument, no one in its entire history regards it as a supreme instrument. Pope is attracted to the sexuality of the violin (Unsurprising given its creation.) and it is his ownership of the instrument that gives it its commercial and historical value. Ruselsky doesn't miss anything. He suspects it is the Red Violin but is told by the authenticators that it is nothing special. And when he plays it he realises it is a good instrument but nothing spectacular. This is a man who would have played Stradivari for chrissakes. Those lab scenes with the loudspeaker and mere technicans calling it the perfect instrument was simply ridiculous. Only musicians get to make that call.
What Morritz hears, and is moved by, is the story of the Red Violin's creation, something he has pretty much worked out by that point.
Totally disagree …
shareThis is a man who would have played Stradivari for chrissakes. Those lab scenes with the loudspeaker and mere technicans calling it the perfect instrument was simply ridiculous. Only musicians get to make that call.
Actually, @JacintoCupboard is more correct than not.
There is no such thing as "a perfect acoustical machine" violin. Also, frequency response is only part of the overall sound & playability. Other important factors include sustain, damping, evenness up the neck (which that guy didn't test for) dynamic response (incredibly important) etc etc etc And ultimately, there is no perfect fiddle, period. There is responsive, and there is unresponsive. If you understood string instrument physics and acoustics (I do) you'd know this, but it's not something most people WOULD understand, and I completely understand why they put that scene in the movie.
One could also laugh at the master trying out violins in a small, acoustically dead room, since those instruments are specifically designed to sound their best in a large auditorium. Again, though, this is something only a violinist or luthier would understand.
There is no such thing as "a perfect acoustical machine" violin.
For the love of god it's a movie though...that wasn't my point either...
Also, frequency response is only part of the overall sound & playability. Other important factors include sustain, damping, evenness up the neck (which that guy didn't test for) dynamic response (incredibly important) etc etc etc And ultimately, there is no perfect fiddle, period. There is responsive, and there is unresponsive. If you understood string instrument physics and acoustics (I do) you'd know this, but it's not something most people WOULD understand, and I completely understand why they put that scene in the movie.
On could also laugh at the master trying out violins in a small, acoustically dead room, since those instruments are specifically designed to sound their best in a large auditorium. Again, though, this is something only a violinist or luthier would understand.
Sorry, but no.
Later they expressly state it has perfect acoustics. It is designed for perfect resonance. That's all violins are. They are boxes that amplify sound. It's how will they do it where the value is.
The fact this guy couldn't tell a fine instrument from a poor quality one testifies to his being a hack. He is all about the provenance. He puts on the face of a connoisseur but Moritz knows the guy is a fake because he can't tell the real thing from the fake one. He even played it and couldn't tell. He swallowed the *beep* about it being inferior when his ears should have told him they were wrong. Instead he swallows their bee ess. It's a godsend to Moritz this guy buys it. Although any of the other competitors would have been equally safe since none of them would actually play it.
It's like the emperor's new clothes. This guy thought he bought the real thing so when he plays it, he'll hear it as the real thing.
There are other violins that sound better than some of the lesser Strads but don't command the price because they aren't Strads. But they aren't cheap either. You'll still pay plenty for a Guarneri that is a masterpiece. It will have a provenance too. If anything the name Stradivarius is over hyped. Some of them are the finest violins every made. But but there are others just as good.
Provenance gives it monetary value. The perfect design and execution resulting in a magnificent sound is what gives it value. Just ask Joshua Bell about his Gibson. He sold his other Strad (probably used in this film) to come up with the almost $4 million dollars it took to buy the Gibson. He wouldn't do that if they all sounded alike. Why sell one Strad to buy another at almost double the price? Ask the musician that plays it.
Great acting on Jackson's part. With the tiniest expressions on his face, he gives a deep insight into his character and, ultimately, into what has made the violin so special for so many people over the course of three centuries.
I also thought it was pretty funny that the master violinist didn't know what he had in his hands there.
He may not have been the perfect actor for this role, but in that scene, Jackson certainly justified his presence in the film.
This is a bizarre discussion. If you think the voice of the violin is "nothing special," then you not only have to discount the digital readouts and Moritz's tears, but Bussotti's claim that it's his masterpiece instrument and all his others are trash by comparison, the fact it was presented to each of the first violinist boys at the orphanage, the sound luring Pope across the fields, the technician who wanted to dismantle it to learn why the sound produced was so exquisite, etc.
I interpreted the Rulensky scene as possibly concealing his enthusiasm with an eye toward future acquisition. Or, more likely, we're supposed to dislike him because his only measure of value is a million dollar price tag.