Ok, so my trip to Pattaya wasn't completely unproductive. I did start and finish The Pianist. It was such a great book, I had to see the movie right away, before it left Bangkok.
So a friend from the office, Jet, accompanied me to the theatre tonight. And wow, what a movie. The music during the closing credits alone were worth the price of admission. And we even had to pay the (relatively) outrageous sum of 300 baht (US$7) because it was only showing in the VIP theatre. But what a great movie to see in a huge comfy lazy-boy recliner!
Of course, no movie is as good as the book, and this one was no exception. I thought that the book was written beautifully, but there were a few small cases where the movie strayed. For example, some scenes were glossed over, while some were extended. Other scenes combined several ideas into one big scene. Sometimes the approach worked, sometimes it didn't.
In any case, it was a beautiful, albeit extrememely depressing film. I'm sure that if I hadn't read the book, I would have no compaints of the video version. It was one of those rare movies where the cinematography, the story, the dialogue, the acting, and the special effects all combine to make a moving film that I will always remember.
