The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes

Stefan Drees

The visual imagination of the Quay Brothers (referring to the iconography of European fine art, e.g. to the depiction of Kythera and - in the end - directly to the island of the death) is really incredible - like the sound design.

Mara Dean

The Quays are the insperation for my writting my own screenplays. The piano tuner was basically a dark opera by Dr. Droz. Malvina the opera singer is brought back to life by his sorcery. The piano tuner not knowing what his plans are, helps him make the Automatons work, and can only entrap them in his dark music boxes when there is an earthquake. At the end he entraps them and the doctor himself is re-born.

Rodrigo López

This is one of my favorites, visually impressive, it is like a dream, even the sounds are very important, the second time I watched it I did it with headphones. If someone know a movie like this one, please recommend

Dzimas

This is a lovely film to watch. Not quite sure what the Quay Brothers were trying to say. It makes me think of The Invention of Morel, but in a more operatic manner with wonderful performances all the way around, reminiscent of the silent film era.

Walt Panorama

Like a dream. Gorgeous Quay visuals and dusty victoriana. The automaton and the piano tuner's dream sequence are especially impressive. Dialogue felt a little pretentious at times which brings my rating down 1 star, but my it's beautiful.

Adam Whybray

2.5 stars. I struggled with this and was disappointed that I struggled with it because, as always with the Quays, it looked so beautiful. But the tin-eared dialogue really shows up the limitations of the brothers' approach and I found myself just waiting for the next exquisite animated tableaux as though being led through a museum by an interminable tour guide.

Ludovic72

Voilà peut-être le film-somme des frères Quay : la cohabitation entre les animations et machineries subtiles (superbes "automates") et les personnages étranges et somnambules, y atteint un équilibre élégant, renforcé par une savante utilisation des couleurs et du flou. Un travail d'orfèvre onirique, qui impose aux acteurs (remarquables) un jeu décalé et irréel. On peut regretter que le rythme reste trop uniforme...

BUSTER TIERNEY

3,8/5 Rythme, musique, lumières, teintes, récit... Tout s'accorde pour faire trembler nos émotions, notre compréhension, notre logique. Cet univers est pour autant parfaitement homogène. Du court au long métrage, les Quay savent équilibrer leur esthétique et leurs intentions. Pas de panda, et pourtant, j'ai l'impression d'en voir partout !