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Music as a language 2
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My favorite scene in Mr. Hollands Opus is the “play the sunset” scene. Look it up on youtube.
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Mr. Thompson, yes, I love that scene too! Mr. Holland gets the young lady to relax and focus on something she loves, such as her beautiful red hair and the fact that it reminds her dad of a sunset. This helps her to stop fretting over making a mistake and to dial-in to a deep place in her heart and soul, and then she starts to play from there, and you and I know the result. I love how she opens her eyes when she realizes she “hit” the note, and then Mr. Holland says, well, don’t stop, keep going, then Mr. Holland stops playing and watches her in pleased astonishment, but the young lady is so engrossed in her soul and playing that she just keeps on going, like she’s found a groovy place in her own world. She was definitely in a “zone!” Wow!
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Jacki, it is like To Sir With Love, but about a music teacher.
Michael, yeah there are so many great scenes, my favorite is the John Lennon reference scene, but won’t say any more so I don’t give away too much.
David, if you do a search in Youtube on the title of the movie you should be able to find the full length movie, that is where I saw it as I could not find it in the Canadian Netflix.
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I think I found it, Jung. I’ll give it a whirl this weekend!
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I saw “Mr Holland’s Opus” when it first came out. I loved the movie, but it was hard living through John Lennon’s death again. When I saw “Yesterday” last year, I have to admit I cried when I saw John as an old man. If only…
There are songs that are sad because that’s how they were written.  “My Immortal” by Evanesence is a good example (as is “She’s Leaving Home”). Then there are songs that are sad because of circumstances. It’s been four years and I still can’t listen to the “Titanium” cover by Christina Grimmie. I listen to other songs by her and I can separate the song from the singer and just enjoy the music she makes, but not that one. If you know her story, you know what I’m talking about. If not, I’ll just tell you she’s in John Lennon’s club, around the corner from Club 27.
Music has always spoken to me with all sorts of emotion, not just sadness.  I remember my father listening to Beethoven waving his hands like a conductor and asking me”Doesn’t this give you goosebumps?” Turns out only 50% of people are genetically inclined get goosebumps when they listen to certain music. I happen to be one of them. It’s a feeling I get when what I’m listening to is perfect, whatever “perfect” happens to mean in the moment.
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Hi Lynn! Yeah that part in the movie about John Lennon’s death was sad, but what a testament to the power and greatness of John Lennon’s music, even after he is gone it can impact peoples lives so profoundly, the way Mr Holland used it to express his love. I guess when the sadness of a legacy or a song can inspire, that is special.
With Evanesence I really like the heavy metal meets classical nature of their music. I really get into some of their stuff, and Immortal is one of them. Some part of their music is dark, but in an inspiring way. I’m not familiar with Christina Grimmie and Titanium, but will look it up.
I get goosebumps all the time too, especially when listening to some of those beautiful runs in MLT’s music. Your story about your dad and Beethoven reminds me of my dad too. I remember my dad would put on a Bach, Mozart or Beethoven record and listen to it all day, and sometime he would have his eyes closed and his head would slowly nod up and down getting into he music. I never understood what he was feeling until I really got into his music too. I love some of the classical piano runs, I can feel my left and right hands playing like air piano in my hand! I remember once we were watching a video of Murray Periah playing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 21, and at one point in a real moving piano part my dad exclaims “wow listen to that! That is Mozart years ahead of Beethoven and all the romantic composers who would follow hundred of years later. Mozart already did it!” . When I heard the Beatles “Got to Get You Into My Life”, and it sounded years ahead of it’s time, I understood my dad’s excitement back then about Mozart.
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Grrr! It says “video blocked in your country”.
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David, is it the one titled “Mr Holland’s Opus Ministry of Film & Music – U.S. Department of the Peforming arts” you tried on youtube?
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No, Jung, but that title isn’t even coming up in the search.
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Try this:Â Mr Holland’s Opus Ministry of Film and Music
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Well, that got me there, but it says “Video unavailable. This video contains content from Disney, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds.”
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I guess youtube varies from country to country. That was posted in 2017 so I assumed it is OK.
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No problem. That movie is on my to-do list now, so I’ll find it somewhere.
The premise of the film made me think of a Twilight Zone episode called “The Changing of the Guard”, about an old retiring poetry teacher. Are you familiar with it?
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Is this the same link !?… it works fine for me:
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Also, I see you have to buy it on YouTube, Disney YouTube to watch, or subscribe to different streaming that offers it. Hulu is offering a free trial and its on that streaming service, if that’s of any help. I had Googled Streaming services it’s on….
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Thanks, Jacki. I guess I’ll have to pursue one of those avenues.
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