The Red Violin

Mounted in high lavish style, from the opening strains to coda, The Red Violin pays homage to the careful uses of color and composition without bothering to support these qualities with any real substance. Oh, it's a class act on the surface all the way, while failing on nearly every other level to convince. The story tells the story, revealing precious little else. The 17th-century Cremonese instrument-maker Niccolo Bussotti finishes his final violin with a curious red varnish, the secret of which spans the film, yet will come as a surprise only to the very sleepy. The odd voyage of this unique violin through history is then explored from one episode to the next, from child prodigy to gypsies to Victorian virtuoso to a clandestine enclave of art lovers in Shanghai during the Cultural Revolution. This is all framed by the violin's rediscovery in present day by instrument appraiser Charles Morritz (Samuel L. Jackson), for whom the perfect instrument strikes a resonant chord. The main scheme of the film, an object connecting a number of seemingly disparate stories, has been used many times, most notably in Max Ophuls's La Ronde. But while this approach is employed elsewhere to cause one scene to reverberate against another, The Red Violin is content to leave each episode thematically unconnected with any of the others. On the decorative level, the film may satisfy many viewers with its sensuous attention to tone and detail, as well as its eclectic and expertly performed score. But as narrative it is very slight. Just pierce the pretty crust of this puff pastry and gaze in wonder at the pocket of air within. --Jim Gay
Customer Review: The Red Violin DVD
I received a new copy of The Red Violin. It arrived in a timely manner and was in, the as discribed condition.
Customer Review: MY REVIEW OF THE RED VIOLIN
I thought the film was great. I play the violin myself, & have come across some Stradavarii, & Guanarius in my time,& know what it is like to have such a find. It is not always possible to trace the history of not only an instrument,but the many other items that have come down to us from times long ago. So it was wonderful being able to see something as important as a violin being traced.Except for the injection of spiritism, the showing of nudity,sexual promiscuity,& the suggestion of one engaging in such conduct,which I did not think had any place in such a film,except for these things, I enjoyed the film itself,very much. The 1st time I watched it I was not really watching it, I was busy on the computer, so it was more like listening to it, & looking up every once in a while.The 2nd time, when I really watched it, I was shocked at the above items, & when I could tell they were coming, I skipped over it by pushing the forward button 'til I was sure I had passed those scenes.

There are many things you can do to prevent problems from the start. You know the old saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Having made an investment for such a beautiful guitar youd be mad not to invest in a relatively cheap system for keeping the humidity of your guitar constant, like a guitar humidifier case for example.

He's been involved in playing guitar (mainly classical) for longer than he cares to remember and has also taught the instrument for many years. He is teacher trained, having a Diploma of Education (Majoring in music)

When guitars are built they are usually in an environment where the relative humidity of the room is kept constant, roughly around 50%.

Trevor Maurice is an Australian, living in beautiful seaside Maroubra, in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.

I would recommend keeping your house, or wherever you keep your instrument, at a constant temperature and humidity all year round.

An interesting example of anecdotal evidence of problems with humidity I've heard is with Ramirez guitars.

Another thing to invest in is a "hygrometer", which is an instrument that will keep track of humidity, or lack of it in your guitar case. As mentioned above, some guitar cases are made with these things as standard.

Because they're made in Spain where the humidity is often above the 50% mark and are shipped to areas where the humidity is much lower with dry winter conditions, they can easily develop cracks and slits throughout the guitar.

Problems with humidity can lead to heartbreak for the classical (or other) guitarist. Excessive humidity or dryness can ruin an instrument probably quicker than you think.

To be safe you ideally should keep your instrument around this mark though they are generally regarded as safe between 40%-70% as the upper and lower margins. Below or above this can be drastic for your instrument!

Guitar Humidification

If you follow these few simple rules and keep an eye out for changes in temperature and humidity conditions it shouldn't be hard to keep your instrument in good order.

You must always be aware of what conditions you are leaving your instrument, whether inside a guitar case or within a room or in the open. They should NEVER be left in the sun for any length of time.

The damage caused by too much humidity or of drying out your instrument can range from cracks, splits and shrinkage to warping and even snapping of the wood.

Next I would get a humidifier for my guitar case, whether one sold commercially which releases moisture slowly and attaches to the inside of your case, or a home-made one which could consist of a wet cloth (be careful not to let it touch your instrument as it may damage the wood).