| Copying Beethoven | 
 enlarge | Director: Agnieszka Holland
Actors: Diane Kruger, Ralph Riach, Matyelok Gibbs, Ed Harris, Bill Stewart
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $9.71
You Save: $10.27 (51%)
New (35) Used (21) from $5.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  51 reviews
Sales Rank: 6355
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 104
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: DM106498D
UPC: 027616064981
EAN: 0027616064981
ASIN: B000MV8AE0
Theatrical Release Date: 2006
Release Date: April 3, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: ******BRAND NEW****** ** Over 1.5 million orders shipped worldwide and more than 500 000 items in stock, BUY FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE, ESTABLISHED SINCE 1998 - INETVIDEO ~~~
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Amazon.com
A passionate, powerful drama based loosely on the final months of Ludwig van Beethoven's life, Copying Beethoven finds the maestro a haunted man, composing the most revolutionary yet unappreciated work of his lifetime; largely deaf; disappointed in his relationship with a wastrel nephew; and fascinated by a young, female composer, Anna Holtz (Diane Kruger), who goes to work for him transcribing music. Staying as a guest at a convent and engaged to a stolid engineer, Anna is drawn to Beethoven's tempestuous genius. Half the time he's enchanted by her and seems to see straight through to her soul. The other half, he's shouting at her for her timidity or flattery. Hardly a mouse, Anna fights back. The more she does, the more Beethoven recognizes in her a kindred survivor, someone with whom he can reveal his vulnerability and the burden of his artistry. Ed Harris' Beethoven is wracked by pain but not overwhelmed by it; he looks like a man who understands his responsibility to nature too well to merely disintegrate. ("God whispers in most men's ears," Beethoven says. "He shouts in mine.") Director Agnieszka Holland (Olivier, Olivier) oversees a handsome, alternately tender and brutal drama, with several thrilling moments, including the stunned look of audience members hearing the world premiere of the glorious 9th Symphony. --Tom Keogh Copying Beethoven Extras 
Watch Ed Harris speak about portraying Beethoven in this exclusive clip. |
Beyond Copying Beethoven 
Copying Beethoven Soundtrack | 
Famous Composers: Ludwig Van Beethoven | 
More From MGM |
Stills from Copying Beethoven
Description
When young Anna Holz (Diane Kruger), a Viennese music student is asked to transcribe scoring notes for the great Ludwig van Beethoven (Harris), she eagerly accepts, despite warnings about his volatile behavior. Part maestro, part mentor and part madman, Beethoven reluctantly relies on Anna to help him realize the culmination of his art.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 46 more reviews...
 great November 18, 2008
Ed Harris' performance is GREAT. Beethoven is my favorite composer, and I myself love to play on the piano his sonatas and feel how great this guy was. This story is just captivating. it shows you the personal aspect of Beethoven, who was he, how was he? how did he live. great dvd
It Speaks To The Soul November 2, 2008
I absolutely loved this movie! The acting is superb and the music is excellent. It depicts the attitudes of the time toward women trying to be recognized for their talents in music, and the obsessive drive of all musicians to reproduce in music what they feel deep in their soul.
When "Beethoven" (Ed Harris), described to "Anna" what it is to be a musician, it brought a tear to my eye. Being a lifelong musician myself, it was the best description I have ever heard.
 Should have been funnier June 20, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
The only thing that kept me from giving this one star was the music of Beethoven--and in this film the music was minimal. More music might have added a star, but maybe not. The ten minute condensed version of the 9th Symphony was almost nonsensical in its portrayal in the film. The attempt to make the orchestra conducting interplay between Beethoven and his female protege come off as a sensual act was obvious, but for me did not work and was dumb, dumb, dumb, dummmmb.
"Copying Beethoven" plays almost like a low-budget teleplay. The acting is passable, but not especially engrossing. I never really cared for any of the characters very much. The dialogue was mostly trite and contrived. The visuals were for the part not particularly interesting. In all the film looked like it was basically slapped together in a rush. I was actually tempted to turn the movie off several times, but persisted to see it out to its ending. The viewing experience left me unsatisfied and disappointed.
I think the film could have worked if it had been presented as a comedy. There were many elements of potential humor in the presentation.
Some attempt was made to use the humorous aspects to lighten the story, but I think it would have been better to exploit this humor. The film should have embraced elements of farce, slapstick, and intellectual humor much like "Amadeus". As a serious story, however, "Copying Beethoven" is unbelievable, uninspirational, and silly. For a better take on the story of Beethoven, as well as better musical offerings, I would highly recommend "Immortal Beloved".
Fun bit of modern myth-making May 1, 2008
Every good myth starts with a foundation of fact and some vastly powerful being or beings - in this case, Beethoven fills both roles. Then the mythmaker adds some fictional elements to set the story in motion - here, Anna Holtz does the job. Finally, the story requires drama. Could anything be more dramatic than the birth of Beethoven's sublime Ninth Symphony? Throw in some very fine actors, including Ed Harris in the title role (he also starrd in Pollock), and a good movie becomes almost unavoidable.
Anna enters the scene as an eager student, the best of her composition intructor's recent crop. Her job, as copyist, is to take the maestro's rough notes (musical nots, in this case), and transcribe them into final form. In this story, she's no mere scribe, but Beethoven's partner and intellectual soul-mate. You could call this a romance story of the most chaste and intellectual kind, but intimate nonetheless.
Beethoven comes across as fiercely driven, fiercely egotistical, and just plain fierce. Holtz's delicate beauty tames that "beast", as he was termed early on. That feat came about more through her own strength and artistic skill than through her comeliness, though. I enjoyed seeing the fictional Holtz in a strong role, as improbable as it might historically have been. If you don't mind Beethoven the man being co-opted into a fictional setting that rewrites a few of his historical facts, this movie offers plenty to enjoy.
-- wiredweird
 Very Good...but... April 26, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I enjoyed the story and the actor's portrayal of Beethoven. Some awesome quotes as well, talking about God's involvement in music. But...
Once again, I do not understand the need to include the name of Christ in a derogatory manner. Using His name out of anger...is very very hurtful....why cannot they make a movie that honors the name of Christ instead of cursing...?
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