For all of you claiming that there is nothing new and original happening in the world of film today, allow me to direct your attention to a little film entitled Grand Piano.
Part of what makes this film so interesting is just how easily it could suck. Crafting a thriller with such a goofy premise as this and making it work requires Alfred Hitchcock level focus and skill. If this Eugenio Mira dude isn’t up to the task, this movie will slip from tense and suspenseful to riotously bad comedy. Mira appears to have a musical background as well as being a director, which should serve him well here. Check out the trailer here:
Wood seems like a bit of inspired casting as nobody does wide-eyed panic quite like him. Elijah Wood has one of the most expressive faces in film today, a key component for a film like this. Wood’s character isn’t allowed to fully react to what is happening to him. He has to keep up appearances as best he can and go on with the show. Wood has to carry the emotion on his face, we need to feel his anxiety and fear while trying to get through the performance so that we can invest in the character.
While Wood may be perfect casting, his isn’t the most intriguing one. That honor goes to John Cusack as the villain. Generally we see Cusack in roles ranging along the quirky and/or schlubby spectrum in film. Even when he is playing a badass, what we haven’t seen much of at all is him playing the straight sinister villain. Cusack has that everyman quality and that is part of what makes him scary, the idea that the average person right next to you might in fact be a crazed killer.
The film looks to be a fascinating tale of suspense with some cool concert pieces to boot.
So does the Grand Piano trailer tickle your ivories, or does it leave you flat? Fire off your comments below and let us know!
