This is my first post on this message board, and perhaps my second of all posts to IMDb boards. I seldom encounter a movie and subsequent discussions therein that compel me to take the time to respond as this movie and board have. There is no question in my mind that this movie is a singular work of art, and it holds a special place in my heart and esteem. It appears that I am in good company here with such sentiments, particularly with DATo Diomedes.
I wish to add my interpretation of the part of Cesca's tarot reading that foretells the end of her (Anna's) journeys. I believe that the end of a journey does not necessarily signify the end of a life, though that may be the most common meaning at which people arrive. In this case, Cesca meant that the full cycle of Anna's "life" vis-a-vis the red violin, would come to an end when she would at last be reunited with the spiritual, if not corporeal, manifestation of her one true love -- her husband, Nicolo. I believe this occurs when the violin comes to rest in Charles Morritz's hands, a man who becomes obsessed with Anna and whose love for the red violin is not a mere infatuation, desire to possess, or craving that is based upon greed or fame, such as those of the other players in the movie, but is a love most genuine, deep, and pure. This love becomes the symbolic representation, and, to me, the physical manifestation of her husband's love for her. Hence, when the red violin "returns" to Charles Morritz, Anna returns to Nicolo, and her journey is finally over. (You can see that I also believe that Charles Morritz may be the reincarnation of Nicolo Bussotti.)
This is how the journey comes full circle.
reply
share
19 years ago
[deleted]
sognobello
19 years ago
Greetings, DATo and warmth for comprehending the Italian. How wonderful that your mind (or soul) perceived the connection between the moon in the final scene with the moon in the conversation scene between Nicolo and Anna. What a gem, as I had not initially remembered the final moon nor this particular exchange between them. Thank you. When I read your post, your description just seemed to confirm to me the symbolic representation of which I had written earlier. The film is pieno di metafori and symbols, and you have pointed out another one that I love.
Incidentally, out of my fascination for this movie, I read all of the other boards and messages for it and found several others who had "discovered" the reincarnation theme for themselves, be it physical or not. Reincarnation is one of those phenomena that escapes empirical proof in the traditional sense, so it can be argued that whether it is a physical event or not may not be the point. We are all connected energetically, so one could say we all share aspects of each other to some degree, especially those who are close to one another or feel "simpatico" with each other (actually, one did say that, with molecules - John Stewart Bell, 40+ years ago, Bell's Theorem).
I feel that when a movie engenders a deeper reflection in its audience and remains in our memory long after viewing, it is most meaningful and achieves something special. The added bonus of this movie is that it seems to bring people of similar persuasions closer (like us) and bridges even those of dissimilar persuasions.
Thanks for your post!
reply
share
gradpsyd
17 years ago
Not only is the circle completed by Moritz as the reincarnation of Bussotti (in a round about way)..but also Anna completes another cycle by sort of becoming a mother to Moritz's daughter. Thus the end of the family cycle, the struggle, the journey... with the Violin experiencing the travail of child birth. Remember Moritz stopping the audio testing which paralleled the pain of Anna in childbirth? Also perhaps Bussotti was partially right.. Moritz's daughter not B's son (maybe he actually had a daughter) will be the great violinist with the violin. It's all related or maybe we are just reading WAYYY too much into it. :)
reply
share
CurlyAutumn
18 years ago
Hi
I just wantend to comment that there is another meaning of the Tarot "Death" card which is not fully explained in the movie. "Death" is sometimes referred to as a "new beginning" in the occult sense and I think this card meaning trully fits in here...
The possible death of the violin (as a music instrument meant to produce music) in some kind of private collection doesn't happen and the violin gets a new beginning and a new life with Morritz's daughter who will probably give the violin a new life by playing it and releasing it's spirit. This way the violin will live again through the little girl.
reply
share
18 years ago
[deleted]
CurlyAutumn
17 years ago
No problem,
thank you too for your many good comments on the movie and your polite replies.
reply
share
jakelp3
17 years ago
To go along with what Curly said, the "Death" card in the Tarot deck has a significantly different meaning when turned over upside down. Cesca turns this card over upside down and tells Anna not to worry. The "Death" card would have had very bad implications were it turned over right side up, but the fact that it was flipped signifies the "rebirth" Curly mentioned. My interpretation would be that the rebirth is the continuation of the music through Morritz's daughter.
reply
share
jennifer010599
17 years ago
Curly and DAto - It occurs to me that the "red violin" was originally created as a gift of love from a father to his child. If I remember it correctly (although my Netflix copy was skipping around a lot during the China segment of the film, the violin does not ever realize this intended fate until Moritz acquires the violin, and makes his intentions known to bestow the violin lovingly upon his child. So, at this point the movie does indeed come full circle and the violin is able to realize its fate. Do you think this nuance of interpretation holds any merit?
reply
share
jennifer010599
17 years ago
Curly and DAto - It occurs to me that the "red violin" was originally created as a gift of love from a father to his child. If I remember it correctly (although my Netflix copy was skipping around a lot during the China segment of the film, the violin does not ever realize this intended fate until Moritz acquires the violin, and makes his intentions known to bestow the violin lovingly upon his child. So, at this point the movie does indeed come full circle and the violin is able to realize its fate. Do you think this nuance of interpretation holds any merit?
reply
share
fray_cool
16 years ago
This has been one of my favourite movies for years and i lvoe reading what everyone has said about anna ad the violins life coming full circle, i thought i may have been reading too much into it but it appears im not the only one :D I love the way the violin is constructed with him not only using her blood in the varnish but her hair as a brush, and it gives me chills thinking about her humming the main tune to the unborn child in her stomach. best movie, one of those movies where your following so closely and intensly that you dont even realise its not in english, amazing!
reply
share
svanatter
16 years ago
Consider that the idea of the Creator not having a RELATIONSHIP with his daughter, is mirrored NOW by Morritz SEEING that _this_ (the relationship) is paramount . . . NOT possessing the literal violin.
IOW, his daughter will STILL be involved and love music, but the obsession with this particular violin is now overcome. Especially with Morritz.
Scott V.
reply
share
JacintoCupboard
12 years ago
So all those gypsy kids don't count as fulfilling that destiny? The Chinese violinist giving it to her daughter doesn't count? There is nothing special about Morritz at all in this regard.
The, to my senses, obvious completion of the cycle is that the red violin, having been substituted, is now lost forever. Whereas before it was, literally, recovered from the grave and hung for decades in a pawn shop, it will now not return again. It is dead. Perhaps Morritz will remove what is left of the blood varnish in order to disguise his stolen booty. We may write our own ending.
reply
share
first-things-first
10 years ago
I agree with the death you speak of for the violin at Morritz's hands in his theft.
If we can save humanity, we become the caretakers of the world
reply
share