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Rating:  -
This movie was an unfortunate commercial flop (made only $9.8m), but it ranks with Amadeus as one of the greatest classical music related movies of all time.
Certainly, I have yet to see any movie as good related to Beethoven.
It is very obvious the creators lovingly devoted much of their effort and time in crafting a highly coherent and interwoven biography of one of music's greats. Such devotion, I believe, was motived by the creators' love of Beethoven and his music. Indeed, it is hard not to love Beethoven's music.
I have read many books about Beethoven. But movies can do what books cannot. Movies can fill the imagination with visualization and delight the ear with music to feel the soul of the character. The "Immortal Beloved" allowed me to understand Beethoven as no other medium could.
Beethoven, in my humble opinion, was the greatest classical composer. There might have been better technicians with finer sense of musical nuances. Bach and Mozart comes to mind when describing musical geniuses. But neither Bach nor Mozart, however, had to overcome the kinds of tremendous obstacles that Beethoven had to overcome to become the finest composer of his day. Unlike Mozart who had a very supportive and a very finest of music teacher as a father, Beethoven grew up in an unloving family with a drunken father who beat him on a regular basis. And he often took the beating in lieu of of his younger sibling whom Beethoven had to support in the midst of a poverty. Impressively, he rose to become the greatest pianist and composer of his generation. Beethoven's greatest creation and inspiration, the 9th Symphony, was written after he had become completely deaf. Yet the 9th Symphony is not about bitter hopelessness brought on by life's tragedies. Out of all his works, it is the 9th Symphony that expresses the awesome joy of life. It is about hope, inspiration, and triumphing over all obstacles with an indomitable spirit and determination. Beethoven's motto must have been "if determination great, no obstacle can be great". And I admire him greatly.
The only negative aspect of this movie is its rather speculative conclusion of whom the "immortal beloved" was. I won't give it away, but the movie's conclusion differs from the conclusion of most experts on Beethoven. The movie's emphasis on the Beethoven's "immortal beloved" detracted the movie from the truly immortal Beethoven.
Rating: -
Though this is a work of fiction, it does in fact reveal the genius of Beethoven, through passions and rages of scorching intensity. Director Bernard Rose in the commentary compares the film's construction to that of "Citizen Kane," in that it begins with a mystery that begs to be solved if the man is to be understood. In this case, it's a final will bequeathing everything to his "Immortal Beloved," along with an undelivered billet-doux to the unknown woman. In the course of trying to fulfill the maestro's last wishes, the executor of Beethoven's estate explores the composer's past. Through flashbacks, Beethoven's dizzying genius and private pain are revealed. It's true, that there is some license here, but it's respectful of the facts, and tries to stay within the lines while exploring the possibilities. First, there really was such a final will discovered among his papers. Also, the custody battle over his nephew is well documented, and transcripts were consulted for some word-for-word re-creation, as Rose discloses in his commentary. The film takes license in that Rose purports to have solved the mystery, and he makes such a strong case, I'm partially convinced he has.
But all of that is merely a means of exploring Beethoven. A thorough knowledge of his music, which I do not possess, would probably heighten the appreciation of some references to it. For instance, even in my limited familiarity, I know that the 5th Symphony is about fate knocking at one's door. The very first scene of the film is of Beethoven's weary, hoary head on a white pillow, surrounded by night. Lightning strobes in sync with the sudden obtrusion of the 5th. He succumbs. It was an artful touch, and there might be others similar to it that I can't catch, lacking as I do the prerequisite knowledge. The primary point here is that the opening allusion adverted to me from the outset that this would be a meticulously crafted film. But a previous knowledge of the context of his music is not essential toward appreciating this intelligent film in its own right. When the credits rolled after I showed it to my companion, who had never given the man any thought whatsoever, she said in the warm afterglow of awe, "I'll never look at that music the same way."
For the performances by the actors, I'm not sure I'm being hyperbolic in saying that Gary Oldman is as stellar an actor as Beethoven was a composer. He was downright explosive at times, disdainful others, but somehow always sympathetic. His performance was nothing short of magnificent. In one of the documentaries on the disc, Oldman admits that he turned the role down a couple of times, until his agent convinced him it would be the right thing. Thank heaven! He was a fierce presence every time he was on the screen, as you'd imagine Beethoven himself must have been when he walked into a room.
If you already own the SD DVD, as I did, and you still love this film, I suggest you go ahead and upgrade to the Blu-ray. There is so much filigree in the location shots and the costumes, it definitely benefited throughout from the hi-def transfer, and made seeing it even more pleasurable. The artistry of the film is given a more rightful emphasis.
As for the special features, there's the aforementioned commentary track; a 30-minute documentary "Beloved Beethoven" in which the director and other principals of the film reveal some interesting aspects of Beethoven himself; and the original behind-the-scenes featurette (about seven minutes). So there was nothing new added for the Blu-ray edition, but in this case, the beauty of the film alone makes it worth the upgrade.
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Rating: -
This is a magnificent film of great performances and inspired storytelling. I'm sure it plays fast and loose with historical fact, but anyone who can appreciate Beethoven's genius can surely find a fondness for this story. Gary Oldman portrays Beethoven with an aloof complexity; he leaves the viewer spellbound with a hunger for more about Beethoven's life. The supporting cast is equally impressive, with outstanding performances from Valeria Golino, Isabella Rossellini and Jeoren Krabbe. I can find no fault with Immortal Beloved as it tells an engrossing story through masterful performances and an amazing attention to period detail. Of course, the music of Beethoven is also profoundly moving, especially within the context of the film. This is a beautifully shot film with loads of natural grain and a fine attention to the most minute of period details.And speaking of detail, closely watch the many delicate fabrics that are used in the film's costuming. Beethoven's funeral is a notable scene where all of the women in attendance are wearing veils. The amount of detail in these veils is among the most startling fine film detail I've yet seen conveyed in a home video presentation. Immortal Beloved, on Blu-ray is pure perfection! TrueHD soundtrack is outstanding and succeeds in every aspect. Sure, there is one scene where cannon-fire is nicely directional, but the remainder of the film is more ambient with a focus on performed music taking up the appropriate space in your home theater. Most of this music relies on the front speakers, but rear fill adds a nice acoustic touch in reproducing the atmosphere from whatever room in which we are watching the music performed.
I've been a huge fan of the film for years and am thrilled to be able to experience it in my home in such outstanding quality.It would be a crime if I didn't give this film my highest recommendation.
Rating:  -
The blu-ray transfer on "Immortal Beloved" is excellent. Everything is distinctly clear, and the colors are vivid. The acting is very good. Story is touching with a great ending. Keeps you guessing. Recommended.
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If you have no appreciation for Beethoven or his music watching this film will undoubtedly change that. Directed with real verve and finely acted by the likes of Gary Oldman, I loved watching this film. I own this movie and drag it out every once in a while. Great recordings of his music by the current masters infuse some scenes with intense emotion: the emotions Beethoven himself must have felt. This is one of the finest period films I have seen, and can only recommend it highly.
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