Tony Palmer's Film of Shostakovich: Testimony

You must know your Shostakovich to understand what is going on in this film, otherwise you may be confused. This DVD is based upon the memoirs of the composer as edited by Volkov. Some academics have taken it upon themselves to question the books authenticity. There are counter arguments which state it is true. This I believe, for I grew up in a police state. I can assure you, that you are watched. Step out of line and you are in trouble as I was. I suggest you read Shostakovich, A life remembered by Elizabeth Wilson and Shostakovich Reconsidered by Ho and Feofanov,whose arguments destroys these ivory tower Academics. They should get a life.Tony Palmer who directs, writes and Edits the film, uses Shostakovich's music to illusrate his life. Kingsley plays Shostakovich, Rigby, Stalin, Pickup the general,Robert Stephens Meyerhold. These are the well known actors in the film. The film lasts for two hours thirty minutes and is in black and white. Many of the composers friends were shot, but this did not stop his bravery in standing up to Stalin via his music. The Symphonies are played by the London Philharmonic conducted by Rudolf Barshai, who knew Shostakovich. Also the Violin Concerto No 1,plus the piano concerto no 2 and two of his string quartets. Without prior knowledge of his life, you will be confused. I think this film is for the composers fans. I liked Testimony .

Ben Kingsley is a fine actor, but he looks nothing like the composer...The hardest part to watch was the opening with the real composer, not the actor, dead in his coffin.

A brutally moving account of Shostakovich suffering under the ruthless paranoid, Stalin. It is relevant to me in these times where we have a president intend on ousting Independent consul Mueller by concocting lies after lies against Mueller and his FBI allies-yet unable to pull the trigger because of fear of the unknown (what would Congress do). Stalin also was faced with a similar dilemma--how to jail or even have kill a national heroe, beloved by the Russian people. At Stalin's megamaniac height, he forced the composer to give a speech denouncing his "betrayal" of Russia, which was no more than a salute to Stalin. Sound familiar? Fortunately, Stalin died before he could completely destroy the composer. Shortly after, the battered Dimitri vented his years of mental torture through a series of soul shattering symphonies. It's a far cry from what I expected of a composer who wrote Romance of the Gadfly, the lyrical haunting theme from Ace of Spy, with Sam Neil.

Palmer ought to really try another art form as a profession--perhaps cartoons for a start.I have never seen anything this man has done regarding classical bio that is sustained good story telling or bio. He likes explicit physical suffering in the darkest of environments.Never the joy of Shostakovich--in bright light and benevolent clarity-- holding hands with ormandy and Rostropovich in Philadelphia--smiling, happy, joyful. I would play the third movement of the tenth and do a Beethoven like ode to joy ( and liberation from Stalin) at the end of the film by playing the later part of the last movement of the Tenth--- that expresses joy, happiness, supreme confidence and excitation. That would be in good taste and leave us uplifted. Palmer likes pus and the dark prison of the suprressed mind. Don't like his stuff.

I loved this when I saw it in the cinema. The DVD is another story. The publishers had the audacity to state on the back cover, "Shot in Panavision"(a 'scope process, 2.35:1), which is true, but what we get on the disc is in the wrong ratio, about 1.78:1. What is it about Tony Palmer films that make publishers want to 'mess about' with them? His mammoth music documentary, "All You Need is Love", was also mutilated, but in the opposite way, being cropped top and bottom from the original 1.33:1 to 1.77. There is no need for this. It is sacrilegious, because it just looks wrong.

I have Larry Weinstein's documentary "Shostakovich Against Stalin: The War Symphonies" which is available here and have listened to Shostakovich's late compositions on CD. I prefer Tony Palmer's fascinating documentary to Weinstein's, but you might consider watching both if you are a Shostakovich fan.It was not easy being a Soviet composer during Stalin's tenure. Shostakovich bore most of the criticism from the Soviet leader, who had shown little interest or knowledge of works by Soviet composers. Stalin would have failed miserably as a music critic.

Have loved this movie for years. Tony Palmer's take on things is idiosyncratic--this movie should definitely NOT be considered as a documentary! But he manages to hone in on the themes of Shostakovich's life and music that can be really provocative and enlightening. Ben Kinsley is magnificent in almost everything he does, but he's especially good here, capturing the carefully-balanced double-life that artists behind the Iron Curtain had to maintain in order to remain true to their art and safe from government interference.

The Terror of France reenacted in the 20th Century, but hidden by an Iron Curtain. Most people alive today are unaware of the danger of a well-intentioned government seeking to protect itself from enemies both from abroad but also perceived to be present within the nation. Shostakovich regarded himself as a good communist. Yet he spent his life in fear.