Music and Film - Michael Nyman

Das Reich und die Herrlichkeit (The Claim)
Director: Michael Winterbottom, GB/CDN/F 2000, 121 min, 35 mm, colour, GS
Actors: Wes Bentley, Peter Mullan, Milla Jovovich, Sarah Polley, Nastassja Kinski, Music: Michael Nyman


Snowy northern California in the aftermath of the gold rush. Daniel Dillon runs the town of Kingdom Come with an iron fist. But changes are brewing and his past is coming back to haunt him. A surveyor scouts the town as a location for a new railroad line and two women suddenly appear in the town.




Der Koch, der Dieb, seine Frau und ihr Liebhaber (The Cook, the thief, his wife and her lover)
Director: Peter Greenaway, GB/F/NL 1989, 125 min, 35 mm, colour, GV
Actors: Michael Gambon, Richard Bohringer, Helen Mirren, Music: Michael Nyman


Using lavish and breathtaking images, Peter Greenaway tells a powerful story about power and corruption, sex, violence and revenge. The wife of gangster Albert Spica, Georgina, starts an affair with a restaurant guest which leads to a double revenge tragedy. A masterpiece with a clever score from Nyman, who brilliantly fuses old music with new.




Die Verlobung des Monsieur Hire (Monsieur Hire)
Director: Patrice Leconte, F 1989, 88 min, 35 mm, colour, ES
Actors: Michel Blanc, Sandrine Bonnaire, Luc Thuillier, Music: Michael Nyman


Bald, middle-aged Peeping Tom falls in love with the object of his obsession - a young woman, peripherally involved in a murder, who lives across the courtyard. Cold, but involving and terrifically acted version of a Georges Simenon novel. Previously filmed in 1946 as "Panique".




Ein Z und zwei Nullen (A Zed and two Naughts)
Director: Peter Greenaway, GB/NL 1985, 115 min, 35 mm, colour, OV
Actors: Andréa Ferréol, Brian Deacon, Eric Deakon, Music: Michael Nyman


Two separated Siamese twins, Oliver (a successful doctor) and Oswald (a morbid zoologist) lose their wives in a car accident. The brothers meet Alba, who has lost her leg in another accident. This is the start of a menage á trois centered around sex, decay, Vermeer and symmetry.

Michael Nymans inventive music ranges from baroque sounds to minimal music.




Never Forever
Director: Gina Kim, USA/ROK 2007, 90 min, 35 mm, colour, ES, german premiere!
Actors: Vera Farmiga, Jung-Woo Ha, David Lee McInnis, Music: Michael Nyman


The only thing missing in Sophie's perfect life is a child. Artificial insemination also fails but when Sophie meets a young, illegal Korean man in the clinic, she uses him to become pregnant much to the joy of her husband and his Korean family.

Michael Nyman wrote a soft, intensive, spiritually sounding music score, partly after poems of Paul Celan.




Wonderland
Director: Michael Winterbottom, GB 1999, 109 min, 35 mm, Scope, colour, GV
Actors: Shirley Henderson, Gina McKee, Molly Parker, Music: Michael Nyman


The focal point is on three sisters who meet one weekend in a cafè in South London to gossip and talk. It is a portrait of a big city told with laconic humour and vibrant rhythms and also describes the condition of urban family relationships.

The film moves on in a wonderful blowing rhythm which is intensified by Michael Nymans fairytale music.




Das Piano (The Piano)
Director: Jane Campion, NZ/F/AUS 1993, 120 min, 35 mm, colour, GS
Actors: Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, Anna Paquin, Music: Michael Nyman


Nineteenth century New Zealand: Mute Scottish woman Ada arrives with her illegitimate daughter and her beloved piano for an arranged marriage to a farmer. Then she strikes a bargain with moody neighbour Baines involving the piano that leads to eye-opening consequences for the entire community.





Der Kontrakt des Zeichners (The Draughtman's Contract)
Director: Peter Greenaway, GB 1982, 108 min, 35 mm, colour, GV
Actors: Anthony Higgins, Janet Suzman, Anne Louise, Music: Michael Nyman


England, 1694. Ambitious artist Neville is offered a commission by Mrs. Herbert, who wants twelve drawings of her husband's estate, to be done while he is away. Neville accepts, on the condition that his payment includes the sexual use of his hostess. He hasn't got a clue as to what's going on.




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