Kinski Paganini (1989)

Director:

Klaus Kinski

Writer:

Klaus Kinski (writer)

Release Date:

25 May 1990 (Italy)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

Kinski believed that he lived through the same experiences as the legendary "devil violinist" Niccolo Paganini...

Plot Keywords:

Violinist | Paganini | Hysteria | Natural Lighting | Classical Music

Cast

Klaus Kinski	...	Niccolo Paganini
Deborah Caprioglio	...	Antonia Bianchi (as Debora Kinski)
Nikolai Kinski	...	Achille Paganini
Dalila Di Lazzaro	...	Helene von Feuerbach
Tosca D'Aquino	...	Angiolina Cavanna
Eva Grimaldi	...	Marie Anna Elise Bonaparte
Beba Balteano	...	Carol Watson
Fabio Carfora	...	Mr. Watson
Donatella Rettore	...	Miss Wells
Bernard Blier	...	Pater Caffarelli
André Thorent	...	Galvano
Marcel Marceau	...	Pantomime
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Feodor Chaliapin Jr.
Vittorio Ciorcalo
Niels Gullov
Luigi Leoni
Hermann Weisskopf

Also Known As:

Paganini (short title)

Runtime:

81 min | 95 min (director's cut)

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

West Germany:16 | Italy:VM18

Company:

Président Films

Trivia:

Klaus Kinski wanted Werner Herzog to direct, but he turned it down.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mein liebster Feind - Klaus Kinski (1999)

A must see movie to understand the inner workings of Kinski's genius/madness.

Filmed entirely using natural lighting, the film Paganini is an honest attempt by writer/director/actor Klaus Kinski to portray the life of the legendary violinist. Some of the scenes filmed indoors, particularly in the theater have an eerie surreal feel to it, much to Kinski's foresight to film it without any electrical lighting and often using only candle light for illumination. I've read Kinski's autobiography. The parallels between the two (Kinski and Paganini) are eerie and more than coincidental. Both obsessed over young girls; the younger the better. Both were and are considered to be geniuses in their respective fields. Both gave impassioned performances to the point of being referred to as being "demonic" in nature. Both made enormous sums of money, but inevitably squandered it away. And both had young sons late in life whom they absolutely and without doubt, worshipped. Originally Klaus had presented this film as a very long 3 hour plus movie. It would have been interesting to see exactly what he had in mind if this version had ever been released, but alas, producers only allowed a very sparse 82 minute cut version of what Klaus Kinski described to be the work of his life. It really is too bad that the original longer version isn't available. After viewing this film one is left with a very unfulfilled and empty feeling. Too often, there is little character development within Nicolo Paganini's aquaintances and conquests. In particular an affair with a member of a royal family. While this film outwardly appears to be little more than a tawdry, lewd effort on Kinski's part, it more importantly portrays Paganini as a suffering shell of a human being; never satisfied with anything and all too often left unsatiated, unfulfilled, and all too often, spiritually dead The film has a remarkable soundtrack thanks to the efforts of virtuoso violinist Salvatore Accardo. It also features performances by Kinski's lolita wife, Deborah Caprioglio Kinski and his son Nikolai "Nanhoi" Kinski, who both perform their roles admirably. This is a definite "must see" movie, regardless of whether or not you are a fan of Klaus Kinski. Sadly, it is the last film he ever made.