PIANO MAN
***1/2 out of *****
Reviewed by Mandroid3000

Screening in the 2006 New Zealand Documentary Film Festival
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Genres
Biography
Documentary

2005
Directed by
John Carlaw

Piano Man is a biographical documentary of New Zealand’s top pianist, Michael Houstoun. A private man who prefers to speak through his performances, he makes an engaging subject for people overdosed on E! True Hollywood Stories (i.e. me), as he has more depth of character than some of those musicians and celebrities who shove themselves down your throat.

Houstoun was a childhood piano prodigy in Timaru, his mother was highly supportive of his music, while his father was indifferent; he didn’t discourage Houstoun’s piano playing, he just had no interest or understanding. As a result, Houstoun never played while he was in the house. (Note: around here there is a bizarre claim that back in those days a boy would have to keep his piano playing secret at school, as if you wouldn’t get pantsed for it now.)

His exceptional talent obvious to his teachers, Houstoun started entering and winning South Island piano competitions. This led him to competitions in Auckland and his first taste of life beyond rural New Zealand. Houstoun then made the leap to competitions abroad, which he placed well in, but didn’t win.

This was the first point in the telling of his story that I wanted more detail and perhaps some more interview subjects. The film hints at the politicisation of the contest judging, but offers no real details. Then we get a brief segment about Houstoun drifting around Europe and America, returning occasionally to New Zealand to perform and earn money. What was he doing all of that time? We get a brief mention by Ian Fraser (in his role of Former Head of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra) that Houstoun was badly managed and packaged to the marketplace, contrasting with Houstoun’s brief statement that he disliked the packaging of classical music performers. Some details about this would have been welcome.

He moved back to New Zealand in 1981. In 1993 he embarked on a highly challenging series of performances of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas in a short space of time. This was considered a triumph, but may have lead to his development of focal dystonia; a condition that can cause a loss of control in hands or fingers. Due to this condition, he disappeared from concert halls for five years.

We learn that many classical performers and top athletes’ careers were ended due to focal dystonia, but with no mention who these people are (Wikipedia lists some, including Dilbert creator Scott Adams). Through determined rehabilitation, Houstoun was able to recover and return to performing. This was apparently a world first, so it's something I would have liked to hear a bit more about in terms of the outside impact of this in the fields of medicine and music (if any).

His recovery and determination is remarkable, and when we see him playing as part of an orchestra in the intense and complicated View From Olympus by composer John Psathas it is stunning compared to clips of his deliberate and ponderous playing during his recovery process.

A lack of solid facts in places and the occasionally echoing This Is Your Life-style narration are the only down sides in this interesting profile. I made it to the end without making a Billy Joel joke!

Bonus fact: Microsoft Word thinks Beethoven is a misspelling, and suggests “Batehaven” instead.
Bonus Bonus Fact: There are some great clips of Houston performing in a tuxedo with a shaggy ‘70s mo and mullet. Come on, fashion visionaries, bring out a line based on that? (Note: he’s being serious – Ed.)

Screening in Wellington on Sunday October 1 at 2:50pm at the Paramount Theatre.
Screening in Christchurch on Sunday October 15 at 6:00pm at the Rialto.
Screening in Dunedin on Friday October 27 at 7:00pm and Saturday October 28 at 4:40pm at the Rialto.
Refer to the Documentary Film Fest homepage for more information.

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