which film about Beethoven do you prefer?

[Peter]

I think that I am going to have to change my vote. I hadn't seen Beethoven (BBC), so I decided to search Google Video for it. I found it, at least the last two parts. It seems to be a far more detailed movie than IB. I wish I had better taste when it came to movies. Beethoven (BBC) seems to be my vote as of now.

I am not saying that the actor that played Beethoven did not do a good/great job, but I would like to see someone who looked more like Beethoven. Someone who meets the descriptions of Beethoven. I think that would have made a lot of difference. I mean I see why they chose the actor they did, you could say he has resemblances but I imagine that they could have found someone better to play the role.

Good pick, Michael. Anyone that hasn't seen this really really needs to, I think.

I have checked the Opus Arte website and they do not have it. Does anyone know where to get the movie Beethoven (BBC)?

I agree that the BBC Genius of Beethoven was a much better film than Immortal beloved - (quite sad to see that film topping our poll - even L'amour de Beethoven from the 30's was superior to that). As to where you can get the Paul Rhys, I've no idea - not on Amazon or the BBC (you'd think they'd be a bit prouder of their own productions). The BBC also did an excellent documentary series on great composers, this is available (but coupled with Wagner!) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Compos...506833&sr=1-10

[lvbfanatic]

LvB Films...

The list of films shows a few that I did see, and many that I have not seen. Of the ones that I did see, it would be very difficult to apply any kind of preference rating since they all pretended that by adding fictional elemental characters the film would be more interesting. The additional fictional elements failed miserably and pretty much crashed the effort.

Copying Beethoven was classically bad from almost every perspective because it offered nothing but cliche after cliche ranging from the fotoplay to the story line. For example, other than age and gender, there was no difference story wise between the fictional little boy of Beethoven lives Upstairs and the fictional copyist in Copying Beethoven... And where else did we all see a horse dran carriage roaring thru the countryside with the composer's music in the background? Anyone recall the same thing in Amadeus?

I'm not sure if in the list provided went into the older productions of LvB's life done in b&w sometimes in the 30's and 40's.

But these older films had highly memorable events... and rats... I cannot remember their titles. Perhaps someone here can remember? In one such oldie but goodie, to the background beat of LvB's 7th (2nd Movement), there is a brief encounter twixt Rossini and LvB in his sick bed. Rossini babbles out words of praise and is stared at by a very dour LvB who, in reply, utters something like 'Me? I'm very miserable'. I'm not sure if this film was originally done in French but it had guts.

[terry]

[
I am not saying that Beethoven wasn't good though, by saying the things I said. The only reason I say this is because I like Immortal Beloved, I mean you have to admit that it had some really good scenes, at least I think.

Dear Preston, the scenes that should have been cut because useless and a bit vulgar are in Copying (you know which ones). Yes I admit that some scenes in IB are good. And moreover, most of the dialogues are historically correct, and also spoken in 19th century language, rather than 21th and this is good too. At least, I could give 7/10 to this movie, it's not bad.
Dear joy, I will look for this "sound and fury" on Amazon, if it's not zone 1, thank you

[Preston]

I agree that the BBC Genius of Beethoven was a much better film than Immortal beloved - (quite sad to see that film topping our poll - even L'amour de Beethoven from the 30's was superior to that). As to where you can get the Paul Rhys, I've no idea - not on Amazon or the BBC (you'd think they'd be a bit prouder of their own productions). The BBC also did an excellent documentary series on great composers, this is available (but coupled with Wagner!) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Compos...506833&sr=1-10

If you can change my vote from Immortal Beloved to Beethoven (BBC), that would be great.

This movie really inflicts the tormenting that Beethoven felt. The scenes are far more factual than Immortal Beloved, and far better. For anyone out there I recommend that you check out Beethoven (BBC) first. Here is where you can watch it, http://video.google.com/videosearch?...s+of+beethoven . You have to have high speed internet though because it downloads a 500mb movie, for each part. And it is a slow download. I recommend that when the movie first starts, you hit pause and wait for it to download the whole thing. Otherwise it might download half and stop downloading. It happened to me.

[Tony John Hearne]

I agree that the BBC Genius of Beethoven was a much better film than Immortal beloved - (quite sad to see that film topping our poll - even L'amour de Beethoven from the 30's was superior to that). As to where you can get the Paul Rhys, I've no idea - not on Amazon or the BBC (you'd think they'd be a bit prouder of their own productions). The BBC also did an excellent documentary series on great composers, this is available (but coupled with Wagner!) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Compos...506833&sr=1-10

I have been raving about this three parter (which I have on video and watched repeatedly) ever since its release. The director and commentator is the conductor Charles Hazlewood who makes a wonderful job of the project along with some superb acting and musical presentations (as with also his other three parters on Mozart and Tchaikovsky, both shown on BBC 2) I contacted Mr Hazlewood via his website to see if he knew of any plans to release all three programmes on DVD but was told alas, no. I am going to make further enquiries from the BBC but am not hopeful

[Michael]

I have been raving about this three parter (which I have on video and watched repeatedly) ever since its release. The director and commentator is the conductor Charles Hazlewood who makes a wonderful job of the project along with some superb acting and musical presentations (as with also his other three parters on Mozart and Tchaikovsky, both shown on BBC 2) I contacted Mr Hazlewood via his website to see if he knew of any plans to release all three programmes on DVD but was told alas, no. I am going to make further enquiries from the BBC but am not hopeful

A lot of work went into the making of this superb three-parter and it's absolutely disgusting to think that it is rotting away in some vault. Opus Arte released "Eroica" on DVD so why can't they do the same for "Beethoven"?
I suggest that it might be worthwhile keeping an eye on BBC 4 - the free digital channel - as it's the only place where it might crop up again.

[gardibolt]

I have a fondness for Eroica, thanks to the performance of the symphony, which moves me to tears every time (others have scoffed at it as lifeless but it touches me somehow). It's a fun picture too, and sticks decently close to reality, though it does give poor Ries an awfully hard time.

[Tony John Hearne]

I have a fondness for Eroica, thanks to the performance of the symphony, which moves me to tears every time (others have scoffed at it as lifeless but it touches me somehow). It's a fun picture too, and sticks decently close to reality, though it does give poor Ries an awfully hard time.

I agree my friend I have this on DVD and have viewed it loads of times There are parts that are indescribably moving, not the least the comments made by Frank Finlay as Haydn towards the end of the film ("Music will never be the same again....." ) Superb film making

[Preston]

I suggest that it might be worthwhile keeping an eye on BBC 4 - the free digital channel - as it's the only place where it might crop up again.

http://video.google.com/videosearch?...s+of+beethoven

Chris, can you change my vote to Beethoven (BBC)?

[Preston]

Terry, I thought I would let you know that I have changed my mind about IB. I don't know how I didn't see this before. I now feel that in IB it is unbelievably your typical stereotyped image of Beethoven. How I didn't see this earlier I do not know. Just thought I would let you know.

Best Regards,
Preston

[Chris]

Chris, can you change my vote to Beethoven (BBC)?

Done.

[Preston]

Done.

Thanks Chris. I think that Beethoven (BBC) will do until I have seen others, .

[Tod]

Interesting thread Preston. I'd never heard of most films on your list. I did manage to download the three part "The Genius of Beethoven" BBC doco and have been blown away by how good it is. What a shame it isn't available on DVD. Thank you all for pointing it out here as it is now my #1 Beethoven film.

[Preston]

Interesting thread Preston. I'd never heard of most films on your list. I did manage to download the three part "The Genius of Beethoven" BBC doco and have been blown away by how good it is. What a shame it isn't available on DVD. Thank you all for pointing it out here as it is now my #1 Beethoven film.

"The Genius of Beethoven" is the best one I have seen too. I really want to see some of the older ones that are on the list though. The thing I don't like about "The Genius of Beethoven" is the actor that played Beethoven. Not that he didn't do a good job, just that he does not meet the descriptions of Beethoven physically. WHEN are the directors going to follow the rules and show Beethoven as he would have been! I mean in "The Genius of Beethoven" they chose a guy that was like 6' 2". Sure they may say that it doesn't look right with the camera to choose a smaller actor as Beethoven, but that is how he was!!!

What I would really like to see is a movie directed by George Lucas with screenplay by Stephen Rivele and George Lucas. That premiers on the History Channel or something like the History Channel, that is a 15 part or so movie!!! That would be unreal. Like the BBC did with "War and Peace" starring Anthony Hopkins. That is just a dream though, .

[terry]

What I would really like to see is a movie directed by George Lucas with screenplay by Stephen Rivele and George Lucas. That premiers on the History Channel or something like the History Channel, that is a 15 part or so movie!!! That would be unreal. Like the BBC did with "War and Peace" starring Anthony Hopkins. That is just a dream though, .[/QUOTE]

I go on dreaming about a movie directed by Scorsese, starring Hopkins...