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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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Brendon S 3d 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 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 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 thiago s @Thiagostone Aug 23 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more TripleStryke B Apr 4 I cannot say I "enjoyed" The Piano Teacher in the typical sense, but it is an extremely good film. The story is disturbing and provocative in multiple ways and Huppert's acting was outstanding. If you like movies that let you interpret the underlying thoughts and motivations behind the main characters this is for you. See more Alyssa K Apr 4 I can’t say I enjoyed this movie or will ever watch it again, but it delivers what it claims to deliver. The acting, atmosphere, and music create an uncomfortable feeling throughout the whole movie, which in turn keeps the viewer engaged to see what is going to happen next. 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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