Michael Haneke
La Pianista

The Piano Teacher is a 2001 film directed by Michael Haneke, based on the novel of the same name by Elfriede Jelinek.

Isabelle Huppert, a wonderful French actress, masterfully interprets this beautiful film that brings to light the murky reflections of the bourgeoisie. Erika Kohut is a piano teacher at the Vienna Conservatory who lives with her mother, an impossible woman who has always imposed discipline and rigor on her, even in the smallest things. The conflicting relationship with her mother is the origin of all the existential problems of the woman. Cold and frustrated with no prospects for the future, Erika performs her work with disdain and boredom.

Erika is unmarried and nurtures, instilled by her mother, a deep mistrust towards men, unable to react to her mother's dictatorship except occasionally with bursts of deep anger followed by apologies and reconciliations. From these initial clues begins a long journey into the depths of a frustrated and unhappy soul. The only moment of grace for Erika is cutting herself and hurting herself; masochism helps her feel alive and the sadism towards her students compensates for her disturbed personality. To these two aspects, she adds an unhealthy voyeurism that pervades her and leads her to seek strong emotions, even in pornography.

The acquaintance with Walter brings an immediate relief, he, a modest piano student, immediately shows an attraction towards Erika. The relationship quickly becomes one of subjugation and admiration on Walter’s part. He becomes her student, and all the traits of repressed sadism and Erika's madness begin to come to light. Slowly, the relationship begins to take on shades of murky sexuality. Although in love with Walter, she is unable to show it to him. She engages in dangerous tactics to ensure the man's subjugation is total, even to the point of writing to him exactly what he must do to be able to make love to her. Erika thus vents her deviant sexuality and her perversion by demanding total control.

The loss of control, however, occurs when Erika sees Walter flirting with a young student of hers. She puts glass in the girl's pockets to prevent her from participating in a concert and out of bitter revenge. Walter one evening manages to enter Erika’s house and, destroyed by the murky and partial story he is forced into, locks the mother in a room and rapes Erika, in the ways she had nevertheless requested.

The evening of the concert, to which she arrives full of bruises and still shaken by the violence, should be a redemption to replace the young pianist. Instead, the nightmare does not end. Walter is indifferent, and having satisfied his perversion, he has surpassed his teacher and unimaginably violated her. He is accompanied by other women, and thus Erika's madness is unleashed. After the concert, Erika stabs herself at the entrance of the theater and vanishes, staggering into the mist of the cold evening.

The soundtrack marks the slow and inexorable decline of this marked woman. Schubert, Schumann play the deep crucible of a tormented soul.

An engaging and enthralling film in every aspect. The many declinations of love in every minute.

Erika and Walter become two "animals" overwhelmed by each other's perversions. Erika seeks to emancipate herself from the dictatorial maternal figure by becoming a dictator herself and getting overwhelmed by her own weapons.

How can one not make a personal reflection on such a film? Is love not perhaps what attracts us and frightens us the most? Having a loved one in our hands is exhilarating and illusory since it is impossible. In a victim-perpetrator relationship where the roles often reverse, and at that point, the madness of the one who had prevailed takes over, no longer possessing control.

Seen multiple times and worthy of seeing again, the strong colors of a life perhaps not even very distant, though not in reality but only in fantasy. Winner of many awards, this fascinating and murky film is absolutely to be seen.