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IN SEARCH OF BEETHOVENMovie Reviews
Documentary about the life of Beethoven, examined in tandem with each piece of music he wrote. Cast:Juliet Stevenson, David DawsonDirector:Phil GrabskyRelease Date:September 23, 2009DVD Release:April 27, 2010From:Seventh Art ProductionsLength:2 hr 19 min
APRIL 27, 2010
In Search of Beethoven, Very Good Reviews (Doc) Limited
In Search of Beethoven played in limited release to very good reviews. • Shaula Clark wrote in the Boston Phoenix, "...an intriguing portrait of the man as a hopeless romantic, a smack-talking punk, a sickly individual tormented by his deafness and thoughts of suicide, and an 'eternal optimist.' " • And Kevin Thomas wrote in the Los Angeles Times, "...a revelation to the uninitiated and a joy to music lovers..." More Reviews Below...
In Search of Beethoven Positive Reviews (11 Reviews, reviews below)
In Search of Beethoven has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (7 Reviews)
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...jammed with prominent musicians and conductors... They don't just talk the usual documentary talk, they play the music to illustrate their points... stretches too long..."(See all of Neil Genzlinger's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 320 words, 09/23/09
Andrew Patner, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Beethoven's life and work show us how much greater a thing it is to be concerned so totally with life and joy and humanity and true creativity."(See all of Andrew Patner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 873 words, 07/10/09
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "...a splendid work that will be a revelation to the uninitiated and a joy to music lovers... Every source Grabsky interviews enlarges the viewer's appreciation..."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 267 words, 10/02/09
V.A. Musetto, New York Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...what made Ludwig such a great musician? The documentary 'In Search of Beethoven,' directed by Phil Grabsky, answers that question reasonably well."(See all of V.A. Musetto's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 158 words, 09/25/09
John Von Rhein, Chicago Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "I cannot imagine a classical music lover who wouldn't come away from this beautiful film having learned something new about Beethoven, his struggles and his music..."(See all of John Von Rhein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 521 words, 07/17/09
Andrew Schenker, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "The film's real resource is its impressive array of talking heads, their intimate familiarity with the music, and their ability to impart graspable insight..."(See all of Andrew Schenker's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 206 words, 09/23/09
KEY CITIES (2 Reviews)
Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle: POOR(cg) "...trudges through the composer's life and works, pausing along the way for the usual smorgasbord of talking heads and performance clips.... shapeless, drab..."(See all of Joshua Kosman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 344 words, 12/18/09
Jeremy Eichler, Boston Globe: VERY GOOD(cg) "...tells the story of its subject in a clear, accessible, and gimmick-free manner while still preserving, or perhaps even cultivating, a core sense of wonder..."(See all of Jeremy Eichler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 521 words, 01/08/10
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (3 Reviews)
Andrew Schenker, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "The film's real resource is its impressive array of talking heads, their intimate familiarity with the music, and their ability to impart graspable insight..."(See all of Andrew Schenker's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 206 words, 09/23/09
Shaula Clark, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD(cg) "...an intriguing portrait of the man as a hopeless romantic, a smack-talking punk, a sickly individual tormented by his deafness and thoughts of suicide, and an 'eternal optimist.' "(See all of Shaula Clark's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 175 words, 01/07/10
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...jammed with prominent musicians and conductors... They don't just talk the usual documentary talk, they play the music to illustrate their points... stretches too long..."(See all of Neil Genzlinger's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 320 words, 09/23/09
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "...a splendid work that will be a revelation to the uninitiated and a joy to music lovers... Every source Grabsky interviews enlarges the viewer's appreciation..."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 267 words, 10/02/09
MOVIE INDUSTRY (3 Reviews)
Joe Leydon, Daily Variety: GOOD "...far too genteel to make a similarly powerful impression on viewers. But like many works in a minor key, it has a way of commanding and sustaining attention."(See all of Joe Leydon's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 546 words, 09/22/09
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "...a splendid work that will be a revelation to the uninitiated and a joy to music lovers... Every source Grabsky interviews enlarges the viewer's appreciation..."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 267 words, 10/02/09
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...jammed with prominent musicians and conductors... They don't just talk the usual documentary talk, they play the music to illustrate their points... stretches too long..."(See all of Neil Genzlinger's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 320 words, 09/23/09
18.3 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
In Search of Beethoven's reviews are separated by an average 18.3 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
In Search of Beethoven (11 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:In Search of Beethoven's reviews cover 12.3% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 4,126 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 375 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
In Search of Beethoven Coverage, Volume & Length (11 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 42.7 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
In Search of Beethoven's reviews on average broke 42.7 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is In Search of Beethoven's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
In Search of Beethoven (11 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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