# Favorite Beethoven?



## violadude

Who was your favorite movie Beethoven? Is it Immortal Beloved Beethoven? Is it Copying Beethoven Beethoven? Is it Beethoven lives upstairs Beethoven?


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## Manxfeeder

I think the Immortal Beloved Beethoven is the most convincing (Cleanflix version, of course).


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## violadude

Are there two Immortal Beloved moves? What do you mean by Cleanflix version? I only know the one with Gary Oldman.


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## Curiosity




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## violadude

Curiosity said:


>


Somehow, I seriously doubt that...


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## lou

I must confess to having never seen any of the aforementioned films. 

One of which, I'm happy to say so.


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## itywltmt

I think Gary Oldman in Immortal Beloved is very good, and plays a believable character, unlike Tom Hulce's Mozart in Amadeus...


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## Manxfeeder

violadude said:


> Are there two Immortal Beloved moves? What do you mean by Cleanflix version? I only know the one with Gary Oldman.


There used to be a company, Cleanflix, which took movies and removed the naughty bits. Unfortunately, the studios took exception to them editing their art, so they are now defunct.

I don't like having movies in my collection which I wouldn't want my 6-year-old grandson to watch or which he would think less of me for watching.


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## violadude

Manxfeeder said:


> There used to be a company, Cleanflix, which took movies and removed the naughty bits. Unfortunately, the studios took exception to them editing their art, so they are now defunct.
> 
> I don't like having movies in my collection which I wouldn't want my 6-year-old grandson to watch or which he would think less of me for watching.


Oh I see. So they took out the scenes of Beethoven running through the forest with topless women in that version?


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## Weston

Gary Oldman IS Beethoven. Ed Harris - not so much. Harris even confesses in the commentary he never listened to or knew anything about Beethoven before the role. 

There is another movie Beethoven who is pretty good, and that is Ian Hart as a youngish Beethoven in Eroica. Quite enjoyable.


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## Curiosity

violadude said:


> Oh I see. So they took out the scenes of Beethoven running through the forest with topless women in that version?


They removed all of the shots with Beethoven looking rebellious and uncouth. Wouldn't want the young'uns seeing that...


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## itywltmt

Weston said:


> There is another movie Beethoven who is pretty good, and that is Ian Hart as a youngish Beethoven in Eroica. Quite enjoyable.


I remember seeing a few years back on CBC's "Opening Night" Arts anthology series a film/dramatized performance of the Eroica symphony, complete with period players scattered throughout a large banquet hall or living room and an aged Haydn listening and giving his impressions (often negative) to a conducting Beethoven between movements. Is that the one?


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## Manxfeeder

violadude said:


> Oh I see. So they took out the scenes of Beethoven running through the forest with topless women in that version?


Apparently, because it isn't in my version.


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## Weston

itywltmt said:


> I remember seeing a few years back on CBC's "Opening Night" Arts anthology series a film/dramatized performance of the Eroica symphony, complete with period players scattered throughout a large banquet hall or living room and an aged Haydn listening and giving his impressions (often negative) to a conducting Beethoven between movements. Is that the one?


Yes, that's the one. It's a cross between a performance of the 3rd Symphony and a dramatization. The fellow playing Haydn does a fine job too with the slow realization that music has now changed forever -- even though I think history shows that Haydn could not attend the premier of the Beethoven's 3rd.


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## Air

My piano teacher once told me a story about a time she gave a presentation to a 3rd grade class about classical music.

Trying to start simple, she asks the class in her wonderful Russian accent: _"So, has anyone here heard of Beethoven before?"_
_
*awkward moment of silence*_

About 10 seconds later, two of the kids looked at each other, nod, and one raises his hand.

My piano teacher, seeing a glimmer of hope, calls on him: _"Yes, my dear?"_

The kid, encouraged, responds proudly: _"I know him, he's that dog from that movie!"_

Sigh...


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## jdavid

Immortal Beloved, the fantasy - because of Gary Oldman - great actor! - love the scene where he puts his ear down to the clavier sound board...



violadude said:


> Who was your favorite movie Beethoven? Is it Immortal Beloved Beethoven? Is it Copying Beethoven Beethoven? Is it Beethoven lives upstairs Beethoven?


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## skalpel

Not sure if this counts, as you've asked for films, but there is a dramatised documentary of Beethoven's life in mini series form made by the BBC. Paul Rhys played Beethoven very well I thought and even looked quite a lot like him too.
It was a little corny at times; 'interviews' with his family and friends in full costume gets the eyes rolling every so often but enjoyable nevertheless, it's viewable on youtube actually:


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## violadude

skalpel said:


> *Not sure if this counts, as you've asked for films,* but there is a dramatised documentary of Beethoven's life in mini series form made by the BBC. Paul Rhys played Beethoven very well I thought and even looked quite a lot like him too.
> It was a little corny at times; 'interviews' with his family and friends in full costume gets the eyes rolling every so often but enjoyable nevertheless, it's viewable on youtube actually:


Yup! That's a good enough example for me!


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## kv466

Hmmm, I just found one of the posts that was deleted during the crash or whatever. Anyway,..guess I'll try and recreate it.

Despite any historical inaccuracies or anything like that, I think Immortal Beloved is a great flick for any Beethoven fan. I am biased as I was there opening night at the theater when it came out and had the loveliest high school sweetheart at the time...Oldman was among my very favorite actors of the time and Beethoven was my favorite composer at the time. All was well with the world, it seemed. All good feelings aside, however, and strictly as a movie buff I still think it's worth the while.

Oh, and someone had put something about the wonderful nude scenes being edited on their version...there's a particular one during the Eroica which is simply excellent...many great scenes throughout.


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## violadude

kv466 said:


> Oh, and someone had put something about the wonderful nude scenes being edited on their version...there's a particular one during the Eroica which is simply excellent...many great scenes throughout.


hahaha I first watched Immortal Beloved when I was around 13 years old and just starting puberty......man I replayed the hell out of those nude scenes. :lol:


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## furelise

Never seen Eroica! I'll have to rent it.


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## gr8gunz

Gary Oldman in "Immortal Beloved" is far and away the best as is the movie itself. While some liberties are always taken for dramatic effect, "Copying Beethoven" is a politically correct farce with which Hollywood abused historical accuracy to the Nth degree. They just couldn't resist portraying a giant like Beethoven as a pitiful deaf man who needed a woman beside him to succeed. Why, he couldn't even pick the right key for his 9th symphony without her. The highlight of the movie of course was the end with his female copyist crouched down in the orchestra pit keeping Beethoven in sync as he conducted the 9th. Made me want to barf. 

I might have given high marks to Harris's acting abilities if the movie didn't tick me off so much. I suppose it was a good thing that he knew nothing of Beethoven.


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## elgar's ghost

The Ian Hart Eroica's my favourite - as it portrayed only one time in Beethoven's life it was far more realistic than Immortal Beloved where they too often played fast and loose with the title role (though I have to admit that Oldman was good and the film itself was entertaining). Just can't take on board that Ludo lusted after his sister-in-law despite openly hating her to the extent of taking her to court over the welfare of his nephew, violently attacking his consumptive brother Kaspar and also seeing LvB drunkenly unconscious in a Vienna street lying in a pool of ****. On more than one occasion I felt like shouting 'muss es sein?' to the TV.


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## Guest

Do plays count? I saw _33 Variations_ with Jane Fonda and Zach Grenier in LA last year--it was riveting. I imagine it could be made into a movie, but some of the intensity would likely be lost.


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## Moira

My sister names all her pets after operas. That caused a bit of confusion for my nieces.


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## alexc

Great deal on new complete Beethoven piano sonatas recording

http://itunes.apple.com/us/preorder/beethoven-complete-piano-sonatas/id525810495
Only $9.99 for all of the Beethoven piano sonatas! It's a new recording played by HJ Lim, released by EMI Classics

Here's a video of her as well (there's a bunch more on YouTube):


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## Crudblud

I've only seen Immortal Beloved, and I really liked it. It was over the top and silly as any composer biopic should be, and Gary Oldman played the role fantastically Oldman-ish.


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