One of the characters in this TV movie about the first repetition of Beethoven's Third says something like 'it's a work of quality but it's way too long'. If we are looking at the movie as to what it really is - a video clip around Beethoven's symphony we are inclined to say the same. Very good as a video clip, but too long for the genre.
Sure, it's good quality music, and a great interpretation. Whoever loves classical music and Beethoven especially will love it. I did enjoy myself as a music lover, and the composition will not sound the same for me for a long time.
But what about film lovers? They do not get too much from this movie. The script is based upon quite a unbelievable premise - never a symphonic work can be played almost without interruption and at such a level of quality with the musicians seeing the music for the first time. Certainly not a symphony of Beethoven! The characters around are, say and behave more or less the way you would expect them to do, maybe too much so. I was expecting to see the moment when Beethoven realizes Napoleon is not the liberator and ideal leader he though he is, and here it came the same day the piece was played for the first time. Come on. As a film 'Eroica' is no more than a well acted but boring British TV docu-drama. If you like Beethoven you must see it. If you do not like Beethoven you should avoid it.
Sure, it's good quality music, and a great interpretation. Whoever loves classical music and Beethoven especially will love it. I did enjoy myself as a music lover, and the composition will not sound the same for me for a long time.
But what about film lovers? They do not get too much from this movie. The script is based upon quite a unbelievable premise - never a symphonic work can be played almost without interruption and at such a level of quality with the musicians seeing the music for the first time. Certainly not a symphony of Beethoven! The characters around are, say and behave more or less the way you would expect them to do, maybe too much so. I was expecting to see the moment when Beethoven realizes Napoleon is not the liberator and ideal leader he though he is, and here it came the same day the piece was played for the first time. Come on. As a film 'Eroica' is no more than a well acted but boring British TV docu-drama. If you like Beethoven you must see it. If you do not like Beethoven you should avoid it.