Beethoven Lives Upstairs
| Beethoven Lives Upstairs | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | David Devine |
| Produced by |
David Devine Richard Mozer Terence Robinson |
| Written by | Heather Conkie |
| Starring |
Illya Woloshyn Neil Munro Fiona Reid Paul Soles |
| Cinematography | David Perrault |
| Edited by | Rik Morden |
|
Release date
|
1992 |
|
Running time
|
51 min. |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
Beethoven Lives Upstairs is a Canadian 1992 HBO Original Films TV movie produced and directed by David Devine. Based on a very popular children's audio recording written and directed by Barbara Nichol, the film stars Illya Woloshyn as Christoph, a young boy who develops a friendship with composer Ludwig van Beethoven (Neil Munro), a boarder in the boy's parents' house. The film was shot in Prague in the Czech Republic and has been broadcast in over 110 countries in numerous languages and has sold over one million DVDs and is used extensively in U.S. and Canadian elementary and middle school music classrooms.
The film went on to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program in 1993, was nominated for numerous Gemini Awards, and was also admitted to the Permanent Collection in the Paley Center for Media in New York City.
Christoph's father, a physician, has died, forcing his family to rent their upstairs room to a boarder to make ends meet. Christoph's uncle Kurt, a student at the Vienna Conservatory, arranges for Beethoven to rent the room. Kurt is thrilled at the prospect of having the famous composer living at his brother's house, despite Beethoven's dismissive attitude toward him, but Christoph doesn't like the idea of a stranger living with them. Christoph's fears are confirmed when he encounters Beethoven's rude and eccentric behavior, and teasing from the neighborhood children.
When Sophie, their housekeeper, suggests that Beethoven is a heavy drinker, Christoph surreptitiously follows him on one of his walks. Beethoven's mannerisms, including humming to himself (presumably composing as he walks), and dumping soup on a waiter following an argument, convinces Christoph that Beethoven is a madman. Christoph complains to Kurt, who talks about the pain of Beethoven's deafness and implores Christoph to give him a chance. Kurt mentions that Beethoven is working on his Ninth Symphony; Christoph says he hopes it's his last.
...
Wikipedia