While the world waits for the hotly-anticipated sequel to 2015’s biggest movie of all time, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ we can still be entertained by searching for clues about its story in the meantime.
One such clue lies in the form of pianos, which feature prominently in the new movie. Several studios noticed this trend and decided to capitalize on it with various films in the works.
Perhaps the best example of this trend is the upcoming biopic ‘Robert Pattinson: The Twilight Years,’ which is set to premiere on May 19, 2018. From the makers of the hugely-successful Russian series ‘KorobovuyetNastya’ (Russian for ‘Everyone’s Drunk’), comes a telling tale of Pattinson’s life during the twilight years of his acting career. Directed by Andrei Tykhonov, the film will chart Pattinson’s life from his humble beginnings in England to his rise to fame and eventual fall from grace, all while exploring the rise of the so-called “teenage idol.”
The Film’s Inspired By Real-Life Dramatic Events
Tykhonov has said that his film is inspired by real-life dramatic events, though he has refused to elaborate. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Tykhonov stated that he was ‘‘fascinated’’ by Pattinson’s story and that he hoped that his film would ‘‘allow people to see the other side of [Pattinson’s] story.’’
The director further explained that he felt that ‘‘many people don’t really know much about’’ the Twilight actor and that he thought that the film would ‘‘give them a view of the person that perhaps they’ve never seen before.’’
Pianos Play Major Role In The Film’s Musical Score
Pianos play an integral role in the film’s musical score and Tykhonov has said that he wanted to make sure that they were heard throughout. The score will feature some of the biggest names in contemporary music, including Halsey, Martin Garrix, and Madeon. Fans of the film will no doubt recognize the music from the trailers, which have been circulating online for months.
The director has also revealed that the pianos featured in the movie are real and that he actually played them himself. In the same interview, he stated that ‘‘I needed a real piano for the scene where Robert plays piano. It takes a lot of space to film a concert scene, so I couldn’t use a fake one.’’
Pianos Have An Important Place In Contemporary Art
The art world has also taken notice of the ‘‘twilight’’ phenomenon and several galleries have exhibited work that was inspired by the actor. The Isola Foundation in Capri, Italy even put on a show dedicated to the film and its director, with a prominent display of Tim Burton-esque paintings that were influenced by the actors wardrobe. A number of museums, such as the MCA Glasgow and the Victoria And Albert Museum in London, have also featured exhibitions dedicated to the theme.
Pianos Have Been Inspired By Real-Life Celebrities
But beyond movies and art, the piano has also been used as a tool to educate the public about real-life celebrities. The New York Public Library, for example, used a piano as part of their ‘‘Infinite Consequences: The Art of Diplomacy’’ exhibition, which showcased the work of Martin Luther King, Jr.. The library’s senior curator, Stephen Burks, said that they wanted to ‘‘bring a little bit of the wonder of invention’’ to the exhibit, which explored the life and works of the Civil Rights leader.
Burks also explained that the library had wanted to feature pianos as part of their collection ever since they had been featured in an episode of the PBS documentary series ‘‘America Reframed.’’ The episode, which explored the history of pianos in the United States, had originally focused on abolitionists and their fight against slavery. However, the library had wanted to feature the pianos themselves, not just talk about them, and this is what had caused an idea to form in the curators’ heads.
‘‘I think when people think about pianos, they usually think about Bach or Beethoven,’’ Burks said. ‘‘But I think a lot of people don’t really know a lot about them. They’re not aware of how important they were to people fighting for their rights. So, we wanted to shine a light on that aspect of history and show what else these magical instruments could be used for.’’
Pianos Have Been Represented In Popular Culture
The art world has certainly benefited from the ‘‘twilight’’ phenomenon and several museums have put the piano on their itinerary for visitors. The White House has also hosted several concerts and played a significant role in the careers of several prominent contemporary musicians. Additionally, the theme was even mentioned in the song ‘‘Yellow Flicker Beach’’ by Jack White, which serves as the soundtrack to the Coen Brothers’ next film, ‘‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.’’
The most prominent of the pianos that inspired ‘‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’’ was probably the very first one that appeared in the movie. It was played by none other than Mr. Robert Pattinson himself and was later followed by several other pianos that appeared at various points in his career. Some fans might even see these cinematic pianos as a meta commentary on the whole experience of watching the film. The music of Halsey, the lead singer and songwriter of the U.S. alt-rock band of the same name, is featured in the background of several scenes in ‘‘The Twilight Years.’’ Halsey herself has even stated that she is a fan of the film and its music and will be attending several of the screenings in London.
Whether or not you are a fan of the ‘‘Twilight’’ films, there is no denying that the piano has had a prominent role to play in this year’s cinematic landscape. At least, not until ‘‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’’ comes out later this year.