The Pianist

This was one of the first films I downloaded from eMule. Anyone remember that bit of ancient software? Back before anti-piracy laws were a thing? Yup, those were the days, when you could peer-to-peer up with your favourite downloaders and spend a week downloading the next movie you wanted to watch. I remember it took me a whole weekend to download Max Payne 3.

Anyway, the trailer I just posted doesn't do this film any justice. This was the first film I had ever watched that made me realise how bad the war actually was. I mean we had heard stories from our grandparents, but the way they told us didn't paint gruesome images like this film did.

Great! A film about a Piano player in the war, what could go wrong with this? A lot. You see, he was a Jew and his whole family were Jews. Polish Jews in fact, and we catch up when them as they are starting to hear rumblings about the war coming to Poland, although many people don't believe it will go that far because of WW1.

And yet as the film progresses at the beginning we see the rumblings of war, and then, of course the Germans reach Warsaw, the Polish capital. The Pianists family desperately think they should flee until they hear of the radio that the British have declared war on Germany.

"We're saved, this war will be over by the morning" they all think

How wrong they were.

I'll not joke, this film is probably one of the most brutal and unkind film I've seen in all my life. The things that I've witnessed in this one I don't think I've seen anywhere else. They really don't skimp on how the Nazi's treated people less fortunate than themselves. For example they raided a home and there was an old man in a wheelchair -- obviously a useless eater so they threw him out of the window. I was 22 when I watched that film, but I don't think I could watch it now because I'd end up so angry I'd want to commit murder.

This is a real true story and portrayal of a man who survived the war. It was so fascinating how he survived, through sheer grit and sometimes just dumb luck. The scenes when they are all getting loaded onto the trains and he is pulled back from his family into a secret alley to save his life by people who knew him and also knew what was going on -- how can you live with yourself? Knowing that your entire family is being taken away to their death and only you are being saved. Crazy.

A very harrowing and traumatic tale here, but one with incredible insight of what went on behind the propaganda of both sides. Amazing film.

A must watch.