Describe The Piano Movie
Describe The Piano Movie.What is the effect of central character Ada’s muteness? What elements of Holly Hunter’s performance are more noticeable to the viewer since it is not necessary to pay attention to spoken words?
In what significant ways are Ada and Flora shown to be similar? How are the actresses—Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin—shown to be similar? Note aspects of costume, make-up, and performance.
In what ways are the male characters, like Baines and Stewart, portrayed differently from the female lead character? How are Baines and Stewart visually different? Why do you think Campion emphasizes such differences?
In what ways does the signing between Ada and Flora enhance the emotional impact of the film’s story? Is there anything particularly feminine about the ways in which Ada and Flora communicate non-verbally?
Part 2
What feminist ideas seem to be expressed by Campion in the development of the love triangle between Baines, Ada, and Stewart? What conflicts or issues among the three or between any of the two seem most feminist? What do these conflicts suggest about the power of women to make their own decisions and choices regarding crucial aspects of their lives?
Note how Campion frames and shoots key sexual scenes. How are Campion’s views of these sexual scenes of pleasure different from those scenes shot by traditional male directors? Note several significant differences.
Is there a noticeable female gaze in significant scenes of The Piano? Male gaze, by contrast, objectifies women as sexual objects, focusing visually on body parts. Pick two distinct scenes from The Piano, and note how they are visually different from a similar scene shot by a male director.
What symbolic value does the piano have to Ada? How does it function for her? What does it represent to Ada? Why does Ada eventually decide to do what she does to the piano? Is there a feminine or feminist message noted in reference to the piano’s function?
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