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Based on his own memoir, The Pianist tells the story of the late Wladyslaw Szpilman, an acclaimed young musician whose promising career is cut short by the Nazi occupation in Poland during World War II. Forced to endure on indignity after another, he and his family are relocated to the Warsaw ghetto, and he quickly loses his sole outlet for expression, his piano. When the Nazi's begin to exterminate the Jews, Szpilman loses his family to Krakow and joins with a group of defiant uprisers. But with any rebellion against the Third Reich futile, Szpilman is forced to flee and hide in isolation and silence. As the war drags on, Szpilman's eventual salvation may only come from the most unlikely of allies....

Let me risk professional suicide and be frank. Before The Pianist, I felt I was "over" the Holocaust as viable source material for the narrative Hollywood film. Post- Schindler's List (a film I continue to feel is woefully overrated), the subject became so revered that the outpouring of documentaries and television specials that followed felt like a pretentious cavalcade of reality TV. All seemed to chart the same terrain: a parade of atrocities that, however well-meaning, ran the risk of bordering on crass exploitation. Few truly asked the tough moral questions required to raise their depictions of cruelty and horror above the shameless, and I am of mind to state unequivocally that I believe a filmmaker does need to justify their use of violence. I've never had a problem with any subject matter being used as grist for a Hollywood moneymaker (whether it be Schindler's List or Final Destination 2), but too many of these films use the threat of impending violence and doom solely to instill fear and dread in the audience, as if a well- staged barrage of atrocities is validation enough for shocking or guilting us into feeling remorse. Such manipulation is fine, even appropriate, for a popcorn movie. But shouldn't we hold those films that proclaim themselves to be Art up to a higher standard?

The Pianist reaches for this higher ground. Polanski effectively - and horrifically - stages the opening first half, and it is overwhelming. Even after all we know of the Holocaust, the images still confound. That such events ever occurred remains incomprehensible yet sadly almost ordinary, like a piece of nightmare nostalgia from which the world cannot wake. But it is the second half of this film that fully articulates a point of view and, for once, offers a source of illumination for the violence that preceded it. Polanski effectively uses the symbol of the piano to both parallel and juxtapose the physical, mental and emotional tortures inflicted on Szpilman. He also has the courage to at last portray both the Jews and the Nazis in shades of gray, the Warsaw ghetto becoming a still- relevant microcosm for the continued ironies and injustices that so epitomize today's culture. The fact that here we are over fifty years later and we may have come no further lends The Pianist a resonance that is all too chilling.

Considered a dark horse at this past year's Academy Awards, despite wins for both Polanski as Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, The Pianist may end up being most remembered as the film that won Adrien Brody the Best Actor trophy and made him a star. As Szpilman, he delivers a tour de force performance - for once, an actor deserves all the high praise. He is the heart and soul of the film and must make every scene work, often with nothing but his face, posture and expression. Along with Polanski, he brings a three-dimensional, human gravity to what has since become a source for numbing, almost banal black and white newsreel genocide. Roman Polanski has made his most intimate, personal film with The Pianist, and it is a landmark achievement.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

Presented here in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, this is a lovely transfer. Universal Studios Home Video has wisely released The Pianist as a DVD-14, giving this 150-minute feature its own dual- layer disc so as to not sacrifice quality for extras. Pawel Edelman's lovely cinematography is often gorgeous despite the subject matter, with the lush, warm amber hues and fleshtones impeccably reproduced. Later passages in the film have an appropriately subdued, desaturated look, but the transfer never appears artificial or overly processed. The print is pristine, with excellent detail and a wonderful three- dimensional appearance. Blacks are perfect and sharpness first-rate, and even shadow delineation is just about as good as it gets. I noticed no intrusive edge enhancement nor any compression problems. Terrific.

Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

Also a first-rate, class-A presentation are the Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround tracks included here. Appropriate to the subject matter, this is a restrained, subtle mix. Frequency response is excellent, with the sparse but haunting score by Wojciech Kilar and the classical compositions always warm and full-bodied. The mix is front heavy, with only minimal surround use even during the more violent outbursts. There are some noticeable uses of discrete rear effects, but they are relatively minor. The front soundstage, however, is expansive and low end powerful but not overwhelming.

Comparing the DTS and Dolby tracks, differences are slight but notable. Frequency response and overall dynamics are slightly improved on the DTS track; imaging is also a bit more transparent, although again with a mix this front heavy it is not that crucial. Low end is also a bit tighter, but nothing extraordinary. Either mix suits the material very well.

Also included are French 5.1 and Spanish 2.0 surround Dolby tracks, as well as English captions encoded as subtitles and French and Spanish subtitles.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

With the feature given its own side of this DVD-14 disc, the supplements are all located on the opposite, single-layer side of the disc. However, the back packaging may appear deceptive at first. It touts such extras as behind-the-scenes interviews, archival footage and clips of the real Wladyslaw Szpilman as if they were separate features. However, they are all contained in a single 35-minute documentary, Story of Survival: The Making of The Pianist, which is presented in 4:3 full screen and with no subtitle options included

While a single doc may seem slight, and this one certainly doesn't reinvent the form, it is still a very comprehensive and classy piece. While brief interview clips with Adrien Brody, producer Robert Benmussa and screenwriter Ronald Harwood are also included, as well as many of the crew, it is really Polanski's show. Despite his broken English (always charming) his passion is clear in every word, from the personal nature of the project to the surprisingly jovial onset atmosphere. We are also treated to some disturbing archival newsreel footage as well as the real Wladsylaw Szpilman, who would eventually enjoy a long and fruitful life following the horrors of the Holocaust. This is a comprehensive and very well-produced making-of that is bereft of gimmicks but infused with hope and humanity.

The only other extras are some fairly good production notes, filmographies for the main cast and crew and the film's original theatrical trailer as well as a soundtrack promo spot.

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?

No ROM extras have been included.

Parting Thoughts