The Piano Teacher

Plot

Erika Kohut is a pianist, teaching music. Schubert and Schumann are her forte, but she's not quite at concert level. She's approaching middle age, living with her mother who is domineering then submissive; Erika is a victim then combative. With her students she is severe. She visits a sex shop to watch DVDs; she walks a drive-in theater to stare at couples having sex. Walter is a self-assured student with some musical talent; he auditions for her class and is forthright in his attraction to her. She responds coldly then demands he let her lead. Next she changes the game with a letter, inviting him into her fantasies. How will he respond; how does sex have power over our other faculties?

Why watch

"The Piano Teacher" is a haunting exploration of desire and control, where the boundaries of love and obsession blur within the confines of a piano studio. Michael Haneke crafts a chilling narrative that delves into the complexities of female sexuality and the psychological unraveling of a woman caught between societal expectations and her own dark desires.

Talking points

• the intersection of art and obsession
• the impact of toxic relationships
• the portrayal of female sexuality
• the role of power dynamics in intimacy

Cultural context

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