One of the best films of a generation that left theatre goers in tears as they left the cinema is available to watch in the comfort of your home.
While some war films like 1917 or Hacksaw Ridge keep you on the edge of your seat with cinematic depictions of the trenches, with each bullet and mortar making your nerves twitch, others take a look at what was happening far from the front line.
Taking a look at just as devastating a story, 2002’s The Pianist stars two-time Academy Award winner Adrian Brody in his first Oscar-winning performance as Władysław Szpilman.
The film is based on Szpilman’s autobiographical book of the same name, released in 1946.
His memoir follows his life as a Polish-Jewish pianist and composer in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation of Poland. From being forced into a Jewish Ghetto to being separated from his family, who are sent to Treblinka concentration camp, he then hides around various places in Warsaw, slowly starving until the Soviet offensive reaches Poland in 1945.
A truly moving piece of cinema, the film was extremely well-received upon its release. At the 2003 Oscars, it scooped three wins for Best Director, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay, while being nominated for four more categories, including Best Picture.
For the role, Brody pushed himself to the limit, committing to method acting, he began a near-starvation diet, losing 30lbs and dropping his body weight to just over nine stone.
To keep his starving physique well filmed, he wouldn’t eat and “barely drank water”. To give him time to prepare, the film was shot backwards, allowing him to gain weight throughout the filming.
For the role, Brody took on a near-starvation diet and lost 30 lbs., dropping his weight to 129 lbs. The actor was said to be “barely drinking water” when they started filming the movie, which was shot in reverse, showing Szpilman at his most depleted.
Directed by Roman Polanski, alongside Brody, the cast includes strong performances from Thomas Kretschmann, Maureen Lipman and Emilia Fox.
The film was a hit with audiences too, on Rotten Tomatoes it earned a “Certified Fresh” score of 95% and 96% on its popcornmeter while also being rated as the 45th best film ever according to IMDB scores.
On the website, one reviewer wrote: “A master work on humanity vs. inhumanity, on the resilience and mercy of art, and on the personal horrors brought on by one of the world’s darkest events.”
While another added: “Deserves its place in the annals of the great historical movies. Movies that offer us a fleeting glance into a different time, a different community, and at its core, an individual’s incredible experience.”
The film is available to stream with a subscription to Studio Canal Presents or is available to rent on Amazon Prime or Apple TV.