New Brothers Quay film a bit shaky.
There is no simple meaning behind the films of identical twin animators Timothy and Stephen Quay, and no different is the case of their new feature, The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes. As visually stunning as the brothers’ previous works, the unconventional style of dialogue and plot initially makes Piano Tuner an inaccessible piece of art. However, the DVD allows further comprehension and appreciation for the unusual film.
What was ten years in the making, The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes finally hit the screen in select cities on February 17, 2006, and released to DVD on April 24, 2007. The filmmakers and writers attended some festival screenings, but for audiences not so lucky enough to hear them talk about the movie, watching the film on DVD is just as good, if not better. Not only does the disc feature an insightful interview with the Brothers Quay and co-writer Alan Passes, it also provides subtitles.
The caption feature is intended for the hearing-impaired, but for those with even the keenest sense of sound may want to turn it on for this movie. The problem is not so much the volume itself as it is the unnatural dialogue.
Inspired by South American literature, the Brothers Quay have created in Piano Tuner what they call “poetic science fiction,” which is reflected in how the characters interact with one another. In an effort to appeal to a broader audience, the Brothers Quay and Passes attempt to change the monologue-heavy style used in their first feature, Institute Benjamenta, into a more conversational style. The result is a lack of reciprocal dialogue with a cornucopia of playful metaphor difficult to grasp upon hearing it alone--bouts of Portuguese making it even more confusing.
Nevertheless, the Brothers Quay have created yet another beautiful dreamlike atmosphere. Their typical dingy and decrepit settings are replaced by an exotic island where a mad scientist-type character, Dr. Emmanuel Droz, holds the secret to harnessing the perfect singing voice. This secret is his automaton, based on clockmaker Pierre Jaquet-Droz’s invention of the self-operating machine, which steals the essence of opera singer Malvina van Stille. Droz needs the automaton repaired for the big opera he is hosting on the island, and so he calls upon the help of piano tuner Adolfo Blin, who bears a striking resemblance to van Stille’s lover and composer, Don Felisberto Fernandez. Both guiding and misleading the piano tuner is Droz’s assistant and lover, Assumpta Serna, suspicious that Blin may actually be Fernandez.
Returning performers from Institute Benjamenta are Gottfried John and César Saracho as Dr. Droz and Adolfo Blin, respectively. While both deliver good performances, their characters’ motivations are unclear. In this type of fantasy film, though, one has to just roll with it. It’s useless trying to make any sense of the Quays’ plots, because it doesn’t follow a traditional structure.
“It’s not plotted point-by-point,” says Passes in the DVD interview. “There is no storyboarding, and a great deal of accident is allowed to happen--a great deal of day-by-day influences--some smell, some sound. All of those things fit into the finished product.”
In many ways the Brothers Quay were working out of their element, such as using live actors, blue screens, and CGI, although they leave room for the surreal animation they are best known for, including scenes with their signature doll with the cracked head. There is no doubt that the twin team can create amazing visuals, but The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes is anything but groundbreaking.
