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PIANOMANIA screens Saturday January 21st at 7:10 pm and Sunday January 22nd at 4:15 pm at the Cleveland Cinematheque.]
Review by Charles Cassady, Jr.
In my other hanging-by-fingernails career as a book reviewer I gave a less-than excited writeup to a peculiar medieval fairy-tale-fantasy partially written in Norse dialect, complete with formal and informal and Court-of-Royalty address modes, a glossary, a talking flying squirrel and laissez-faire politics. I wasn't even negative about it, just...not thoroughly enchanted. The offended author has complained to the publisher, and I imagine will next be coming after me with a retinue of dark elves, broadaxes and a trebuchet. Good thing I know an actual knight to fight for me - John Ewing of the Cleveland Cinematheque, recently presented with a Chevalier d'Honneur by the government of France for his support of the French film industry. I picture him now like one of those Frank Frazetta warrior paintings, broad-shouldered armor studded with spikes, perched atop a giant, quasi-reptilian steed with blazing red eyes. Bring it on!
But now I'm going to give an unenthusiastic review to
PIANOMANIA, a German-Austrian production Ewing has imported here. So I can't depend on Ewing's mighty sword and oaken shield to defend me either.
