Roberto Lorenz

I did not really like the movie, at first. Nice, okay, but that was all, I thought.. Meanwhile I read the novel, watched the film again and again... And I love it more and more! Okay, NOTHING compares to "The Piano", but it's simply stunning.

Jane Campion (what a director!) tells the fascinating story of Isabel in unforgettable pictures and very true to the original novel of Henry James. Nicole Kidman is just made to play the main-character and the whole cast is without exception astonishing and powerful.

Kilar's musical score... A dream! Ardent, subtle themes, flowing and catchy. But not only that: The film succeeded in picking out the two most beautiful Piano-Pieces Franz Schubert ever composed; and melts story, pictures and music perfectly together.

To all the people who don't like or even hate "The Portrait of a Lady": I'd like to point out, it is a masterpiece! Point.

Watch it in a rainy afternoon, listen closely to the music and check out the - without a doubt - most beautiful ending of film-history!

Thank you.

This is definitely more than an antique soap opera. It's without a doubt the most beautiful interpretation of the novel. May be that the story is geared to the 80's generation, but the pictures it shows are unforgettable!

A magnificent set-decoration and the most authentic art-direction I've ever seen (look at the temple of Isis: even the number of stairs tallies with the original!), tasteful, opulent costumes and finally a few amazing visual-effects, phenomenal for a TV-mini.

Trevor Jones' music is another wonder. As a great fan of soundtracks I always listen more to the scores than to the dialogues, when I watch a film. Mr. Jones is a man of genius; able to give the worst movies ("G.I. Jane", "The mighty"..) grace and poesy through his music.

I never heard a more haunting, majestic music than his score for "The last days of Pompeii" and I get a goose-flesh whenever I hear the main-theme - still after twelve years.

The cast is marvelous, as well. Sir Laurence Olivier, Franco Nero, Olivia Hussey and two outstanding No-names: Lesley-Anne Down and Linda Purl. Both of them are beautiful AND talented, although they rarely were able to show what they are made of.

I traveled to Pompeii a few times, considering the magic of this forgotten masterpiece. What can I say... the most beautiful town of the earth! And this motion picture is its impressive monument. Thanks.

Ok, you could call this movie "Heads without a brain", when you look at the operation-scene for example (the skin is taken off the face in one part!). But this is not the point.

"Les yeux sans visage" is a bizarre dream, a funny finger of the horror-genre, an absolute classic, as disturbing as unique! You smell the odour of the mask in every scene.

One of the reasons for this mighty effect is the musical score: All of the themes are composed in flowing three-four times; varied orchestrated: flutes, bassoons, vibraphones... Powerful and sensitive. Just everything you need for a lovely, little film-music. But this is one of the most stunning and implicative soundtracks ever composed for a horror-movie!

It was not very intelligent to show Edith Scobs real face in the two scenes after the operation. It would have been so much more mystical, when she had used her mask while the whole film.

Yes: the film airs slowly, very slowly, but not slothful! And when suggestive pictures and a haunting cast relate such a brilliant story, it is clear: an unforgettable, obsessive movie-experience.

And Alida Valli is outstanding!