More cinematic accordion anachronism

[Big Squeezy Accordions]

I just watched the movie Godland and have come here to vent. It's a beautiful film, set in Iceland sometime in the 19th century, as the plot largely revolves around the new technology of photography. There seems a great deal of attention to historical detail, until the middle of the film when some Icelandic shepherds start playing piano accordions made in the 1960s. It looked to me like someone pulled out a smartphone. Why do movie people always seem to use modern accordions for period films? I guess they think all accordions are inherently old timey.

 

[debra]

Ignorance is bliss...

 

[Ventura]

any publicity beats no publicity ?

 

[Plinky]

Not to mention all the unforgivable historical inaccuracies

 

[nou]

It’s still a ’bit’ closer to historical accuracy, than 17th century pirates becoming the main cultural association with concertinas, first invented 150 years later. At least accordions became a thing around the same time as photography.

 

[Plinky]

It’s still a ’bit’ closer to historical accuracy, than 17th century pirates becoming the main cultural association with concertinas, first invented 150 years later. At least accordions became a thing around the same time as photography.

Hi nou
Most people have some historical education ,so that's why the internet is full of sites pointing out all the historical and factual inaccuracies in movies,but very few people are aware of any accordion history ,so how many would actually notice?

Most people I know including several musicians ,just refer to anything portable free reed as a “squeezebox”

I think this comes under the term “artistic licence” my pet hate is not so much what's being played, at least they are musicians but it's those fake fumblings of actors pretending to playing guitars,fiddle etc

I see these two instruments as being very different but the little woman just says
“Oh no not another squeeze box”

 

[nou]

Hi nou
Most people have some historical education ,so that's why the internet is full of sites pointing out all the historical and factual inaccuracies in movies,but very few people are aware of any accordion history ,so how many would actually notice?

Most people I know including several musicians ,just refer to anything portable free reed as a “squeezebox”

I think this comes under the term “artistic licence” my pet hate is not so much what's being played, at least they are musicians but it's those fake fumblings of actors pretending to playing guitars,fiddle etc

I see these two instruments as being very different but the little woman just says
“Oh no not another squeeze box”

I only recently came across the explanation of why so many „musicians” in movies don’t have any idea what they’re doing. It was in an analysis of „Whiplash” on YT made by an educated jazz player. It turns out, that in Hollywood, if you have a „speaking role”, you must be in an actors guild. This leads to situations, where background musicians are real musicians and it shows, but leading actors are faking it, and it also shows.

 

[Big Squeezy Accordions]

I only recently came across the explanation of why so many „musicians” in movies don’t have any idea what they’re doing. It was in an analysis of „Whiplash” on YT made by an educated jazz player. It turns out, that in Hollywood, if you have a „speaking role”, you must be in an actors guild. This leads to situations, where background musicians are real musicians and it shows, but leading actors are faking it, and it also shows.

A rare exception is Richard Gere in Coppola's Cotton Club. Gere did all his own cornet and piano playing and singing, and sounds pretty decent.

 

[Alan Sharkis]

Then again, documentaries don’t have to abide by those rules. Although accordions don’t figure into it, Immediate Family is one for all of us to see.

 

[Plinky]

A rare exception is Richard Gere in Coppola's Cotton Club. Gere did all his own cornet and piano playing and singing, and sounds pretty decent.

Thats very cool and also the avenger Loki (Tom Hiddleston)


and of coarse the wonderful Dudley moore

 

[nou]

Not on accordion, but still a free reed family - Steve Martin on concertina in „Only murders in the building”.

 

[OuijaBoard]

Jeff Goldblum could have played jazz piano as "The Fly." Truly a missed opportunity.

 

[Plinky]

Jeff Goldblum could have played jazz piano as "The Fly." Truly a missed opportunity.

And if Hannibal Lecter invited you over for dinner,it might just be...................
To play his latest composition

 

[JeffJetton]

And if Hannibal Lecter invited you over for dinner,it might just be...................
To play his latest composition

IIRC, Sir Anthony got to really play piano onscreen in his role as Pope Benedict in "The Two Popes".

(Which is a very good movie and worth watching even without the piano concert. )

 

[SteveBox]

After reading this post, I was curious to see this movie "Godland" that I had not heard of before. Sure enough, at about an hour and a half into the movie, there is a wedding party and two 19th century Icelandic farmers are fake-playing modern 120-bass piano accordions, one clearly marked "Scandalli" and the other "A. Guerrini & Sons, Castelfidardo, Italy". The traditional Scandanavian music they play is very nice. These are not the only musical instruments these subsistence farmers have. There is also a piano and a pump organ. One wonders how these were transported to this remote island settlement with no harbor in the days of sail. They also have an ample supply of lumber and building materials on this treeless island to construct a new post and beam church for the recently arrived priest from Denmark. Procured from the local Icelandic Home Depot?

This movie received much praise from movie critics, but there was more than the musical instruments that bothered me. In the first half of the movie, the priest sent from Denmark lands on a remote beach with heavy camera and darkroom equipment, and a large wooden cross, then proceeds with his guides on a long, harrowing journey across the wilderness landscape to reach the settlement. His guides eventually bring him to his destination passed out on a stretcher. After he recovers, his farmer host asks why he did not have the ship drop him off right at the settlement. His answer? He wanted to see the land and photograph it and its people. Makes no sense to me, as he could have done that later after getting his church established. Oh well, a lot of movie plots have things that make little sense.

 

[Big Squeezy Accordions]

In the first half of the movie, the priest sent from Denmark lands on a remote beach with heavy camera and darkroom equipment, and a large wooden cross, then proceeds with his guides on a long, harrowing journey across the wilderness landscape to reach the settlement. His guides eventually bring him to his destination passed out on a stretcher. When he recovers, his farmer host asks why he did not have the ship drop him off right at the settlement. His answer? He wanted to see the land and photograph it and its people. Makes no sense to me, as he could have done that later after getting his church established.

I will defend the movie in this regard. The point is that the priest is arrogant, vain, naive and hubristic. He has no regard for the opinions of the Icelanders, who he considers primitives, and no respect for the power of nature. It's largely a film about the colonial mentality. Also, about magical, time-traveling accordions from a distant future.

 

[SteveBox]

I will defend the movie in this regard. The point is that the priest is arrogant, vain, naive and hubristic. He has no regard for the opinions of the Icelanders, who he considers primitives, and no respect for the power of nature. It's largely a film about the colonial mentality. Also, about magical, time-traveling accordions from a distant future.

I agree this was the main theme of the movie. Also, the distrust and language barrier between the Icelanders and the more recently arrived settlers from Denmark. The film does have many good elements, thus the praise from critics. However, could anyone really be so arrogant and naive as to decide to transport a lot of heavy equipment across the wilderness when you could have been dropped off right at your destination? Maybe not realistic, but an excuse by the filmmaker for adding some high adventure to the film.

 

[Big Squeezy Accordions]

I agree this was the main theme of the movie. Also, the distrust and language barrier between the Icelanders and the more received arrived settlers from Denmark. The film does have many good elements, thus the praise from critics. However, could anyone really be so arrogant and naive to decide to transport a lot of heavy equipment across the wilderness when you could have been dropped off right at your destination? Maybe not realistic, but an excuse by the filmmaker for adding some high adventure to the film.

Perhaps it's a metaphor, like Fitzcarraldo pulling a steamship over a mountain.

 

[dak]

A rare exception is Richard Gere in Coppola's Cotton Club. Gere did all his own cornet and piano playing and singing, and sounds pretty decent.

Armin Müller-Stahl does a mean violin (for example, in "The Last Good Time").

 

[JerryPH]

After reading this post, I was curious to see this movie "Godland" that I had not heard of before. Sure enough, at about an hour and a half into the movie, there is a wedding party and two 19th century Icelandic farmers are fake-playing modern 120-bass piano accordions, one clearly marked "Scandalli" and the other "A. Guerrini & Sons, Castelfidardo, Italy".

It could have been worse, they could have pulled out a V-Accordion!