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Now, I sat down to watch the 2023 horror movie "The Piper" solely because it was a horror movie that I hadn't already seen, much less actually being familiar with.

But what a surprise I was in for here, I didn't know that the movie was starring Julian Sands. So when he showed up on the screen, imagine my surprise to see my favorite actor popping up on the screen unbeknownst to me. And with "The Piper" being one of the last movies that he worked on before his disappearance and death, that just makes sitting through this 2023 movie from writer and director Erlingur Thoroddsen all the more special.

The narrative in the movie was okay. I mean, it wasn't a particularly overly scary storyline. But writer Erlingur Thoroddsen put together a fairly entertaining script for the movie, based on the classic tale "The Flautist of Hamelin", but of course in an updated and modern setting. The ending of the movie was, somewhat anti-climatic and felt rather rushed, and that sort of took away from the overall impression of "The Piper".

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble, aside from Julian Sands, but I will say that they had an interesting and talented cast ensemble for the various roles and characters in the movie. I had not stumbled upon Charlotte Hope before this movie, but she certainly carried the movie quite nicely with her performance.

Visually then "The Piper" was okay. It was not a movie that relied heavily on an abundance of special effects, which in itself was a good thing. But the special effects that were utilized in the movie worked out well enough, and certainly brought flavor to the overall impression of the movie. However, personally I wished that the Piper creature would have been given more on-screen time, because it was just a shame that it was hardly in the movie. But of course that is a matter of preference, whether or not you want an abundance of screen time for a creature in a movie or not; needless to say that I do enjoy that.

The music throughout the course of the movie was good. And the concerto music that the movie revolved around certainly was haunting and memorable.

I found that "The Piper" was a good attempt at recreating a take on the classic tale, however, the movie ended up being somewhat bland and rather forgettable.

My rating of "The Piper" lands on a five out of ten stars.

Well, The Piper wanted to be a good movie, with its own plot and development, reaching to a nice climax and delivering all that it could.

Sadly it came off as boring and unsatisfactoring, it did try, but never quite delivered a punch. A few swings, some effort, sweat, simply put - unoriginal.

A movie like so many others before it, with a mytical creature, some supernatural elements and that is all. The creature itself makes very few appearences and it's not because it wanted to have that Jaws effect, but because the script didn't know what to do with it. Perhaps it relied on its third act, which does deliver a little but too little too late.

All in all, not a movie I'd recommend, I think it could and should have been better.

Cheers!

An uninspired horror film and the last screen appearance of the late Julian Sands, that explores the concept of music as a tool of evil through a reinterpretation of the popular story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Unfortunately, it lacks the suspense or imagination necessary to overcome its outdated visual style -unequivocally inspired by the typical mannerisms of 1990s Italian horror- and an alarming lack of effective scares. Furthermore, the Pied Piper's main appearance comes too late and is poorly justified. The most notable aspect, however, is Christopher Young's eerie and omnipresent score.

This film promises an intriguing blend of horror and music but fails to strike the right chords to create a memorable melody. Directed by Erlingur Thoroddsen, this adaptation of the German legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin gets lost in predictable passages and clichés, missing the opportunity to build true tension and emotional engagement. At the heart of the story is Melanie, a young composer played by Charlotte Hope, who strives to fulfil her dream in the orchestral world while worrying about her deaf daughter, Zoe. However, when Melanie stumbles upon a mysterious score from a deceased colleague, a chain of dark events unfolds, jeopardising not only her career but also her daughter's life. One of the main challenges of the film is its predictability. From the opening scenes, the direction in which the plot is heading becomes apparent, depriving audiences of the suspense and unexpected twists that characterise great horror works. The dynamics of the characters, though well-performed by actors like Julian Sands and Charlotte Hope, fail to lift the film from its conventional plotlines. Moreover, despite the title suggesting a strong connection between music and horror, this synergy is not fully utilised. While Christopher Young's soundtrack is well-executed and contributes to creating a tense atmosphere, the deep and sinister link between music and evil that could have elevated the film to new heights of terror is missing. Another critical point is the lack of development of the proposed themes. Although the concept of using music as a vehicle for forbidden ideas is intriguing, the film fails to fully explore this possibility, limiting itself to superficial hints that are never fully realised. However, not all is lost in "The Piper". Some visual sequences are well-crafted, with cinematography that creates a dark and unsettling atmosphere. In particular, the design of the Piper himself is fairly successful, although his on-screen moments are too limited to fully appreciate the impact. "The Piper" is a film that promises much but delivers little. While it has some positive elements, such as the performances of the actors and the visual atmosphere, it fails to overcome its fundamental flaws: a predictable plot, underdeveloped characters, and a superficial use of the proposed themes. For more discerning horror enthusiasts, it may be a disappointment.

Someone must have thought it an extremely original horror-concept: an evil-infested deadly classical concerto. Seriously??! As anyone could have guessed beforehand, the idea totally fell flat. To begin with: classical music and horror-movies do not mix well in appreciation, each having very different aficionados. To make the pivotal demonic tune sound like a sweet and innocent ditty didn't really help to evoke the intended creepy apprehension. And after hearing that same little tune for the 100'th time you just want to smother your soundbar!

Most disappointing of all was the bad writing: what a silly, uninspired and chaotic story this is! Apart from Julian Sands, who gave his usual professional performance (this by the way being one of his last pictures), the rest of the small cast didn't really seemed to believe in the project themselves, everyone acts so lackluster and contrived. The final scene presents the usual cliché (the evil hasn't ended...) and thus fits the rest perfectly. In short: a failed, unscary and not even slightly entertaining attempt at trying to be original.

While the film scores points with its music details, The Piper isn't more than just a generic horror film.

I've always appreciated a film that has a specific focus on something that's supposed to be a crucial part of the story. In this case, Piper does so with its music. The particular haunting composition at the center of it has an especially haunting and unnerving air to it. Unfortunately the rest of the soundtrack doesn't have that same quality to it. We're given a film where the main focus is actually its only strong point..... Those who know the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin will at least appreciate that there's a mild nod to it, but it's such a mild part of the movie, replaced instead by a clunky subplot involving a big orchestral performance and some family struggle moments. There was potential for growth, but it was ultimately squandered by the generic and safe approach taken with telling the main story. Plus, a lack of actual character personality makes most of the movie proceed at a sluggish pace.

There's a heavy reliance on jumpscares that just doesn't translate well to the finished product, especially where there were opportunities for visual flair or a stylish means of incorporating the music more heavily into it. Those familiar with the usual tired techniques of cursed things films will find plenty of that here, as well as other bits of yawn-worthy cliche and gimmickry. While there were a few bits of intriguing cinematography, it isn't often enough to warrant proper recommendation..... Acting was also subpar, with Julian Sands being criminally underutilized in his role as conductor Gustafson. There isn't enough visible skill in the performances for anything noteworthy.

The Piper is yet another forgettable film. It's not worth watching, especially with how little it makes use of the music at the center of it.

This movie doesn't make any sense, the story is so bad... For example: a terrible thing happens and everybody just plays along, like nothing happened. And then, 15 minutes later, "oh yeah, something happened, what are we gonna do with that... ahmm, yeah ehh..." The script is stupid, who writes this crap?

The acting is really bad. I liked Julian Sands (RIP) in Warlock and Arachnaphobia, but in this movie he plays not quite convincing, too bad.

I keep on asking myself, why? Why do you write this crap, why do you make a movie at it and why do you want to play a role in such a movie?

Strange business model and no good for the resume of a director, producer, actor or anyone else involved...

Erlingur Óttar Thoroddsen must be commended, for he has written and directed a most intriguing adaptation of "Rattenfänger von Hameln."

The detail that affected me most while watching the film was the death of Julian Sands, who was in fact British and lived in England, while hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains in the United States, where he was for the filming of this film... The film is not to blame, of course, but Sands was an actor I was most fond of.

I learned of the film thanks to a list by my dear Brett Petersel, I suspect its global promotion was poor, which is why it is so underrated.

Yes, it is not a cult classic, but it is an undeniable truth that it is a production that will satisfy horror lovers.

While watching this live I have to admit the storyline was okay, and the actors did the best they could with what they had been given, nothing really special story wise.

Now the music is a completely different thing. If you love music or feel very enchanted by it and you can be inspired by it, then this is the movie for you.

Honestly there was not a moment in this movie that I was no terrified by the beautiful but heartbeat accelerating music.

I was constantly watching over my shoulder trying to see if the piper was there.

The music will bring you into a beautifully constructed scene of terrifying wait, as if something was really going to happen anytime.

The main melody is in every part of the movie and it leads up until the final scene.

I recommend if you are very moved by music.

I didn't think too much about watching this one especially after I saw the late great Julian Sands name on the poster. It is a classic horror story with a twist and a few Lovecraftian overtones that will please the fans of the king of cosmic horror. The movie starts at a steady pace by laying down the story and various players, quite atmospheric at times and tries to keep the mystery in check for as long as possible. After a while, the plot becomes apparent but this does not hurt the pace and there are a few surprises in store. The ending was a bit too "happy" and convenient for its own good, but overall this was a good movie that tries to honor older horror movies while keeping in touch with the present. Not a masterpiece but a solid effort that makes up an entertaining watch for horror fans.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Piper. Its eerie melody is catchy and haunting enough to get stuck in your head, and while it's film delivers more than expected, it somehow doesn't scrape the surface with its potential either.

The Piper isn't particularly unique nor unforgettable, it does well in certain aspects, especially considering its low budget. The film takes inspiration from the ancient Hellenic fairytale of the Pied Piper, grounding the story in its dark, historic origins.

Discord and harmony serve as the core musical theme or might I say represents the delicate parity between evil trying to upset that balance? The story takes a compelling turn when Mel finds the musical score of the Piper, and whoever listens to it, goes into a seemingly possessive trance.

Julian Sands, as Gustafson, plays the central role with intensity, capturing the essence of an obsessed conductor driven by power. While other characters like Mel and Franklin add to the plot, it's Alexis Rodney's portrayal of Philip that provides some much-needed joy to balance the rest of the cast.

The Piper's appearance does appeal, leathery, burnt, a bit demonic, truth be told he reminds me vividly of a rabid orc from Lord of the Rings.

While the film shows promise, it doesn't quite reach its full impact, but never fails outright either. What I appreciated was its gory restraint - it doesn't rely on slasher or blood stained moments to make an impression, instead delivering some effective, suspenseful scenes about what lurks in the shadows without needing to shock the audience excessively.

On the downside, The Piper doesn't quite move you or offer any sharp twists or deep narrative layers. It feels like it exists to tell the story, but without much emotional payoff. There are also several missed opportunities, like the lake scene, which looked a bit like a stale 1970's fantasy backdrop. This was the place where the Piper supposedly led the children to their demise.

The highlight for me was the orchestral concerto near the end, which was both mesmerizing and fitting as it ultimately reveals the Piper. Ultimately, though, The film is an experience I don't regret having, but it's one that's easily forgettable.

5/10.

Many are the tales that have been spun, in cinema and in every medium, concerning the power of music. Many such tales before this one have been spun with a bent of dark fantasy or horror, and in fact the very name is pointedly evocative of a certain classic folk tale. Actually, I rather wonder who chose the name, be it writer and director Erlingur Thoroddsen, or someone involved with marketing or the executive suite instead of someone creative. There's nothing wrong with it, per se, save for that like a trailer that reveals too much, with one word we know what space 'The piper' will play in. And, granted, there's nothing inherently wrong with that, either, for the work may still delight of its own accord, hopefully doing something imaginative with the concept, and stand firmly on its own merits despite such foreknowledge. Unfortunately, though I mean no disrespect to Thoroddsen or anyone else involved, I don't think that's quite what happened here, and the upfront nature of the name turns out to be reflected in how this was made.

Please understand, I don't think this is outright bad, and in fact it does boast admirable strength in some measure. It's well made by all the modern standards of the medium, in every manner of craftsmanship: production design, art direction, costume design, hair, makeup, stunts, and practical effects; sound, lighting, and all technical aspects. All the component parts are here, and I do mean all of them; some smart, thoughtful, and enticing (and others conventional, unremarkable, and almost dull or off-putting). We hear the bewitching song, a concerto, and though not impressing at first blush, the more complete the iteration, the more striking it is. With strong direction, cinematography, and editing, those sequences where the orchestra performs it are haunting. We see flashes of imagery, and some dark force that that the concerto taps into; bits of dialogue speak in passing to music theory, perspectives on music across time and culture, and the psychological (or, more fantastically, physiological) effects of music. To the latter point, importantly, there is a psychological edge to this horror-thriller as much as there is a supernatural one, with some degree of capitalization on the inescapably entrancing melody and its hold over the mind while forming the bridge to something sinister.

However, in Thoroddsen's writing and direction alike, in conjuration and in execution, the feature is sorely troubled by unseemly, gawky, forthright bluntness. The use of computer-generated imagery is regrettable, for it's not the top of the line in the first place, it's used in a rather gauche manner, and as is almost always true in film and television, it looks worse the more we see of it. Just as the screenplay leans too heavily and ham-fistedly on accentuating the foundations in 'The pied piper of Hamlin,' much herein is shoved so hard in our faces that it's as if Thoroddsen is right in the room with us, talking our ears off: the emphasis of a singular antagonistic figure, of creepiness involving children, and of discrete fantasy elements that are as plain as day; violence, effects sequences, and "gotcha!" moments intended to startle that are a dime a dozen in the genre; a resolution to the climax that feels too easy, overt, and sentimental in light of the finer points on hand, and in light of the tone that the flick otherwise wishes to capture. The director does a swell job of orchestrating shots and scenes, whatever our thoughts on the underlying ideas, but the doing is overcharged, sometimes resulting in overacting, not least from the late Julian Sands in one of his last roles. Speaking of Sands, his character and the entire story thread concerning Melanie's professional difficulties seem too prominent here, and they should likely have ideally been more of a catalyst for the plot that then faded away so the double helix of the psychological and the supernatural could have been latched onto all the more.

Because 'The piper' is so gawkily blunt and forthright, the nuance and subtlety required for the psychological facet to succeed is relegated to, if you will, Second Chair, or even Third. Like dominoes laid out in a pattern, much else in these ninety-some minutes fall in turn. I mostly love the music, but sometimes it's also rather straightforward and/or ordinary. The cast generally act well enough, but they are inhibited from bringing their characters or scenes to life in an impactful fashion. Without the mindful tact necessary to draw all notions together, there are no thrills or chills to be had. It's a movie with some very good ideas, and some less notable ones, but none of them speak to the audience in a meaningful way.

I don't altogether dislike this. May Thoroddsen grow as a filmmaker, and impress in the future. It's just that the concept is rendered in a mixed bag of the shrewd and the sullied, and there's not enough grabbing substance amidst it all to earn an especial recommendation. I'm glad for those who appreciate the title more, and it is enjoyable enough to warrant checking out with the caveat that it's ultimately less than inspiring. With that caveat in mind, though, there is a lot of other genre fare in the world for us to be watching instead, so 'The piper' will just have to wait quietly in the wings until a chair opens up.

Julian sands did okay as the deranged composer but Charlotte Hope dropped the ball as a main actress... she was terrible. Her facial expressions and reactions were amateur at best. However her dialogue and improve was good... it's weird a potentially good actress who cannot act... maybe it's just the way it's written but they should've had a coach to walk her through her expressions. Even if they had to be as tedious as rehearsing each reaction immediately prior to filming the scene. So much potential and what's more is I just finished watching strangers chapter 1 which was picked up by lionsgate... that movie was actually worse than "The Piper" so with the right production this movie could've actually been a really good movie... I gave them a B for effort and potential but an F on execution and acting... concept was great but the casting was horrific and not in the great horror movie way.

A passable supernatural and chilling thriller with terror , intrigue , twists , turns and lots of imaginative special effects. When a musician, Mel (Charlotte Hope), is tasked by his musical conductor (Julian Sands) with finishing her late mentor's concerto, she soon discovers that playing the music summons deadly consequences, leading her to uncover the disturbing origins of the melody and an evil that has awakened. At first, she assumes her assignment but soon discovers fateful consequences. In one moment, she experiences the incredible wonder imagination, and in the next, the horrific nature of her night terrors. To save her daughter Zoe (Aoibhe O'Flanagan) Mel embarks on a dangerous hunt to uncover the truth behind the terrible nightmares and a monstrous being that is followed by absorbed children. This is beyond you wildest nightmare ! .

¨The Piper¨ is a journey through the terror, possession, dreams and fears of a young classical music performer in which our starring discovers a deadly tune. It results to be a mix of horror, fantasy and drama. The creepy goods are delivered by ¨The Piper¨ who's projected into reality and often materializes in a horrible and deadly monster.

Charlotte Hope (The Nun) and Julian Sands (A Room With a View) star in this horror film that subverts the fable of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Charlotte Hope gives an agreeable acting as the young composer who is commissioned to complete the third movement of her late mentor's score left unfinished and discovers that playing those musical notes carries deadly repercussions . While Julian Sands -in his posthumous film- plays overacting, a demanding and cruel composer who will stop at nothing to get the aforementioned score. It contains adequate cinematography with plenty of darkness by Daniel Katz. As well as thrilling, frightening and suspenseful musical score by composer Christopher Young who's an expert on sinister atmosphere as proved in: The Tall Man, Drag Me to Hell, Sinister , Untraceable, The Uninvited, The Ghost Maker, Dominion and several others , The motion picture was uneven but professionally directed by Erlingur Thoroddsen. This Icelandic filmmaker has made other terror films, such as: Kuldi, Rökkur, Child Eater, Patient Seven. Rating: 5.5/10. The Piper is a creepy, claustrophobic and scary low- budget horror movie that will satisfy the not very demanding lovers of the genre.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin (also known as the Pan Piper or the Rat-Catcher of Hamelin) is the title character of a legend from the town of Hamelin (Hameln), Lower Saxony, Germany. When a medieval town overwhelmed by rats, the citizens hire a magical piper who can rid the town of the pest in exchange for gold but the crooked mayor has no intention of honoring the deal . The Pied Piper uses his musical talents to lure the pesky rodents away from a small German town. The legend dates back to the Middle Ages, the earliest references describing a piper, dressed in multicolored ("pied") clothing, who was a rat catcher hired by the town to lure rats away with his magic pipe. When the citizens refuse to pay for this service as promised, he retaliates by using his instrument's magical power on their children, leading them away as he had the rats. This version of the story spread as folklore and has appeared in the writings of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the Brothers Grimm, and Robert Browning, among others. The phrase "pied piper" has become a metaphor for a person who attracts a following through charisma or false promises. There are many contradictory theories about the Pied Piper. Some suggest he was a symbol of hope to the people of Hamelin, which had been attacked by plague; he drove the rats from Hamelin, saving the people from the epidemic. A number of theories suggest that children died of some natural causes such as disease or starvation, and that the Piper was a symbolic figure of Death. Analogous themes which are associated with this theory include the Dance of Death, Totentanz or Danse Macabre, a common medieval trope.

Trying to advance her career, a young musician attempting to get in good with her composer boss finds an unfinished concerto from her late mother and sets out to finish it despite rumors of it being cursed, which only proves to be true the more she attempts to put the final parts together.

This was a fairly solid and rather likable genre effort. Among the better aspects of this one stems from the rather strong setup in play that brings about an intriguing overall storyline. The idea of her being willing to get a better seat in her company to advance her station by wanting to track down the unfinished score her mother was writing and using illicit means to retrieve what remains of it at her estate to then complete it in secret so the rest of the troupe can rehearse it for a special performance that her career needs. The resulting attempts to do this are soon undermined with a fine supernatural mystery involving the strange reasons she initially tried to stop it from being performed in the first place that spreads to the kids she's tasked with looking after being moving on to her, giving this some intriguing elements as the clues start to take shape as to what's going on and why the mother failed to finish it before killing herself in a fun starting setup. That all leads to the immensely solid hauntings and supernatural occurrences that are featured throughout here. The initial scenes surrounding the death of her mother and what happened to her, the surprisingly volatile reactions to the announcement of completing it, and the sudden influx of supernatural noises and discordant whispers affecting not just her but those around her set this off on a strong note. As she races to finish the material and the accidents start happening to those in the orchestra or the children she looks after who hear the music she's attempting to finish, the connection between the musical piece and the classical story of the Pied Piper makes for an intriguing and quite dark notion as the sanitized nature of the popular version of the story hiding the true origins of the tale makes a drastic turn into her being the crazed interloper spouting nonsensical warnings trying to prevent others from listening or playing it. All leads up incredibly well to the true fate of the piece as the resurrection of the mythical figure and ensuing rampage is incredibly fun and brutal leading to some rather fun elements present here in the race to stop it from continuing and all work at giving this a lot to like. There aren't too many issues here but the film does have some minor drawbacks. The main detriment is the staggered and somewhat sluggish pacing that leaves the first half here oddly far more impactful and chilling compared to the middle sections. Getting a rather strong start with the discovery of the piece as a means of carrying on her legacy and needing to finish it, there's a slew of sequences showing the impact playing the piece actually has only to then go into an investigative mode in the middle section figuring out what's going on even though there's been a bunch of visions and hallucinations about it before then. It does slow the pacing to this one down somewhat with the way it plays out, especially with the whole thing never putting the final method of defeat on-screen at all either since it just appears out of nowhere so everything has little context despite the build-up. These are what managed to lower this one overall.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and children-in-jeopardy.

The Piper takes the fairy tale of the Pied Piper of Hamlin and creates a modern supernatural story that is mostly psychological horror, but in its third act, it unleashes some bloody horror, and just enough.

The overall story and plot is rather standard and hackneyed in terms of plot points and characters that are just recycled from typical ways to make a scary movie. Acting, unfortunately, is undermined by the lack of depth in the script versus ability of the actors. Set in an orchestra, we have the narcissistic Maestro conductor, self-serving musicians fighting for the spotlight, and meeker parties wanting to have their share to shine. Outside of this, there are children because the villan needs something to hunt.

While this isn't groundbreaking, The Piper does certain elements well enough that overall I found the film to be entertaining. Most of the standard tropes are okay enough for it to be a "good" bad film. And production quality and sound design are better than the norm.

The Piper takes its time to establish it's story, building on the psychological horror and thriller elements. By the end, the film creates enough of a thriller atmosphere and third period horror to enjoy the warch. There is enough here, even with the limitations presented, that I did want to see how things were going to happen and resolve itself.