Per Giuseppe Tornatore: La leggenda del Pianista sull'Oceano

3 Abstract 1900 is the name of a character, not a century in this lush drama filmed in English by Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore: a project of uncommon scope and ambition by Italian standards, a physically imposing production reportedly costing upwards of 20 million dollars. The story is based on a dramatic monologue by Italian novelist Alessandro Baricco and tells the life story of a baby who was born and abandoned on a trans-Atlantic steamer, and found and raised by the ship’s crew. He grew to manhood never having set foot on dry land and becoming a virtuoso musician. The purpose of this essay is basically to expose and analyse the structure from a thematic point of view, such as the solitude and isolation of the musician which represents the isolation of all men, its mythical and epic aspects (the myth of a pianist who lives his life entirely on ocean liner since he has no nation, no paperwork or identity): the cinematographic technique has also been analysed as regards cutting, music, colours and light, and allows the viewer to experience a voyage towards the infinity of music and sea.