An Analysis of Desires and Rights in "The Piano Teacher"

Jerry 2022-04-19 09:02:16

Bazin said in "Film Theory" that "movies are an asymptote of reality", films are constantly exploring and discussing real problems, and problems can only be solved when we face them squarely. "Piano Teacher" is a film about the deformed relationship between Erica and their mother and daughter, the sadomasochistic entanglement between the piano teacher and the students, and the self-struggling between persecution and persecution. The main content is "female sexual repression". The theme of the film, through which the film conveys the story of the closure and release of Western women's psychology, the humility and self-esteem of women in the patriarchal society.

Erica was mentally struggling with the ego and superego. Under the strong restraint of her mother, her desire could not be vented, and finally she vented in a perverted form. Erika was a famous and admirable piano professor. She was aloof and arrogant and strict in teaching. The queen is an image of a 40-year-old little woman who is still "coexisting" with her mother. She is restricted in dressing and conversing with men. Everything is under the control of her mother. She wants to break free but enjoys such control. She quarreled with her mother, took action against her, and even wrote "don't pay attention to my mother" in the letter, which was actually her subconscious resistance and a catharsis of herself. But in the end, it ended with "I'm sorry mom, I love you" and continued to be restrained by her mother. When the mother of the injured schoolgirl said to Erica "We made all sacrifices", Erica wrongly replied "She made all sacrifices". The injured schoolgirl is like a young Erica. Does hurting Erica have the dual meaning of wanting to protect Erica from the tragedy and jealousy that fill her life? Erica wants to be a good daughter and a good teacher, but at the same time her desires cannot be vented. There was a contradiction between the two, and when he met the young Gan Huade, the suppressed desire surged out.

The film constantly tries to resist the patriarchy of female characters, subverting the traditional gender order centered on men: 1. The female doctor on the TV screen at the beginning of the film resists the theory that "women are weak" and even scolds male patients "When is your turn to speak up. 2. Men's voyeuristic gaze is a passive display of women. Erica ignores men's mocking gaze and wants to "see" instead of "be seen" When Erica was kissing, Erica strongly teased Gan Huade's penis, etc. This series seems to be the women who have the upper hand and gain self-esteem, but the final ending seems to tell us that everything is in vain: being The neglected Erica ran to the ice rink to pray for Gan Huade to love herself, and was finally kicked out and fled humblely on the ice rink; Gan Huade shouted "How should you treat men, what should you do" in the face of Erica's drama. Do, what should not be done"; even rushed into Erika's house, beat Erika, and raped her, as if she could not bear the violation of male social status; at the final concert, the sunshine returned to the normal Gan Huade , as if to say "I won" to Erica. It ends with Erica inserting the prepared knife into her chest, and there is a lot of traffic outside. This patriarchal resistance finally ends with the persecution of women.

Sexual repression produces sexual perversion, which is not only the mother's oppression, but also Erica's overly closed self and overly pure inner world - narcissism, but never self-pity. There is no antidote in real life that can rescue the "sexual fantasy" caused by "sexual repression". Sadly, Erica enjoys self-abuse and sexual release from pain in this sexual fantasy. When she met the teenager who really liked her, she was no longer able to get out of this quagmire and could no longer feel normal love. She said: "She was clean, like a baby. Is such that? Can she still experience normal sex when she can only feel pleasure in "voyeur" and "masochism"?

references :

[1] Freud. A New Introduction to Psychoanalysis [M]. Beijing: Commercial Press, 1987

[2] Li Yinhe. Sadomasochism" subculture [M]. Beijing: China Today Publishing House, 2009: 6.

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Extended Reading
  • Florine 2022-03-26 09:01:07

    Excessive depression leads to psychological distortions. By the way, there are so many films about repressed desires. …

  • Celine 2022-04-24 07:01:15

    I really hate that perverted teacher.

The Piano Teacher quotes

  • Walter Klemmer: [reading the teacher's letter] "On the contrary, if I beg, tighten my bonds, please. Adjust the belt by at least 2 or 3 holes. The tighter the better. Then, gag me with some stockings I will have ready. Stuff them in so hard that I'm incapable of making any sound. Next, take off the blindfold, please, and sit down on my face and punch me in the stomach to force me to thrust my tongue in your behind." Is this supposed to be serious? You're making fun of me, aren't you? You want a slap?

  • Walter Klemmer: Just then, I was under your window and I was jerking off. That's what you want, huh? You want to...

    [making obscene signs]

    Walter Klemmer: is that it? You're a witch, a pervert! You want to give everyone your illness, don't you? Not me!

    Erika Kohut: I did apologise.

    Walter Klemmer: Fuck your stupid apologies!