PIANOMANIA: IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT SOUND (PIANOMANIA: DIE SUCHE NACH DEM PERFEKTEN KLANG)Movie Reviews
Movie review iPhone app at the bottom of this page...
Story: German and English language documentary follows Master Tuner Stefan Knupfer at his unusual job with several world famous pianists. Cast:Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Alfred Brendel, Aleksey Igudesman, Stefan Knüpfer, Lang LangDirector:Robert Cibis, Lilian FranckOpened:June 24, 2011On DVD:May 24, 2011From:Oval FilmemacherLength:1 hr. 33 min.
MAY 24, 2011
Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound (Pianomania: Die Suche Nach dem Perfekten Klang), Good Reviews (Doc) Limited
Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound (Pianomania: Die Suche Nach dem Perfekten Klang) opened in limited release to good reviews. • Dennis Harvey wrote in Daily Variety, "...peels back a curtain to observe the meticulous, instinctive, sometimes downright flabbergasting attention that goes toward choosing and preparing keyboards played by world-class virtuosi.... surprisingly absorbing." • And Moira Macdonald wrote in the Seattle Times, "...at times engaging but ultimately frustrating; you keep thinking that there's a better documentary nearby, just behind another door." More Reviews Below...
Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound (Pianomania: Die Suche Nach dem Perfekten Klang) Positive Reviews (12 Reviews, click on headers for reviews)
Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound (Pianomania: Die Suche Nach dem Perfekten Klang) has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (5 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...the very dry, very accomplished Mr. Knüpfer makes engaging company both because he keeps enviable company and because he's a full-on geek, though one possessed by pianos."(Read the full review...) 752 words, 11/04/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...to watch [master tuner Stefan Knüpfer] in action is addictive."(Read the full review...) 564 words, 11/04/11
Kyle Smith, New York Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...an enticing but flawed character study... It has a pleasing smallness -- it's cinematic chamber music -- that almost makes you overlook its inability to really explain its subject."(Read the full review...) 224 words, 11/04/11
Brian Miller, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK "[Master Steinway piano sound technician Stephan] Knüpfer loves his dog, and his wife makes a mean cheesecake -- that's all we learn. Though he can certainly play the piano and distinguish its every audible color and tone, it's unclear if he even loves music."(Read the full review...) 199 words, 11/02/11
KEY CITIES (4 Reviews)
Stephanie Merry, Washington Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the portrait of a man who loves his work. 'Pianists are mostly dissatisfied,' [Stefan Knupfer] admits at one point, but it's less a lament than a rallying cry. [The film] contains disturbingly persnickety artistes."(Read the full review...) 435 words, 08/26/11
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: VERY GOOD(cg) "The film remains perfectly absorbing if you're unfamiliar with the nuances of live sound, much the way a good glass of wine is still good even if, to a layperson, it defies ready description."(Read the full review...) 479 words, 10/20/10
Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle: MODERATE(cg) "Non-lovers of classical music will probably be bored. Classical music lovers will either enjoy the backstage glimpse at professionals in action or wince at the digital-age fetishization of perfect sound."(Read the full review...) 205 words, 08/05/11
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...at times engaging but ultimately frustrating; you keep thinking that there's a better documentary nearby, just behind another door."(Read the full review...) 318 words, 07/14/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (4 Reviews)
Brian Miller, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK "[Master Steinway piano sound technician Stephan] Knüpfer loves his dog, and his wife makes a mean cheesecake -- that's all we learn. Though he can certainly play the piano and distinguish its every audible color and tone, it's unclear if he even loves music."(Read the full review...) 199 words, 11/02/11
Betsy Sherman, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a fantastic voyage to the innards of the instrument, as [Stephan] Knüpfer labors to achieve the artist's desired effect with materials as complex as sound reflector panels and as simple as a strategically placed piece of felt."(Read the full review...) 168 words, 06/23/11
Joseph Jon Lanthier, Slant: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a gentle portrait of aural genius... follows Steinway & Sons' chief technician, Stefan Knüpfer, through a series of piano repairs and calibrations during the months, hours, and seconds leading up to star recitals in the famed Vienna Concert House."(Read the full review...) 574 words, 10/31/11
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...the very dry, very accomplished Mr. Knüpfer makes engaging company both because he keeps enviable company and because he's a full-on geek, though one possessed by pianos."(Read the full review...) 752 words, 11/04/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...to watch [master tuner Stefan Knüpfer] in action is addictive."(Read the full review...) 564 words, 11/04/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (3 Reviews)
Dennis Harvey, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "...peels back a curtain to observe the meticulous, instinctive, sometimes downright flabbergasting attention that goes toward choosing and preparing keyboards played by world-class virtuosi.... surprisingly absorbing."(Read the full review...) 235 words, 05/14/10
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...to watch [master tuner Stefan Knüpfer] in action is addictive."(Read the full review...) 564 words, 11/04/11
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...the very dry, very accomplished Mr. Knüpfer makes engaging company both because he keeps enviable company and because he's a full-on geek, though one possessed by pianos."(Read the full review...) 752 words, 11/04/11
17.0 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound (Pianomania: Die Suche Nach dem Perfekten Klang)'s reviews are separated by an average 17.0 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.
Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound (Pianomania: Die Suche Nach dem Perfekten Klang) (12 reviews, roll over dots for each review)
Coverage:Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound (Pianomania: Die Suche Nach dem Perfekten Klang)'s reviews cover 12.6% of potential readers (average is 67.3%). Volume:The film's reviews total 4,394 words involume (average is 19,775 words). Length:The film's reviews average 366 words in length (the norm is 509 words).
Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound (Pianomania: Die Suche Nach dem Perfekten Klang) Coverage, Volume & Length (12 Reviews, click on headers for reviews)
Reviews Broke 72 Days After Release (Norm is 0.1 Release)
Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound (Pianomania: Die Suche Nach dem Perfekten Klang)'s reviews on average broke 72 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 0.1 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 Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound (Pianomania: Die Suche Nach dem Perfekten Klang)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound (Pianomania: Die Suche Nach dem Perfekten Klang) (12 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
iPhone app version 1.3 shows a list of all current movies and review information. You can click through to the cast, director, synopsis, release date and rating on page two, plus individual reviews on page three. The information is updated on a live/real-time basis. In version 1.3 we added movie run time, distribution and box-office. Designed for when you're on the move and want the latest info. The cost is 99 cents. For more information, visit our page at the iTunes app store here...
