The Piper

I didn't think too much about watching this one especially after I saw the late great Julian Sands name on the poster. It is a classic horror story with a twist and a few Lovecraftian overtones that will please the fans of the king of cosmic horror. The movie starts at a steady pace by laying down the story and various players, quite atmospheric at times and tries to keep the mystery in check for as long as possible. After a while, the plot becomes apparent but this does not hurt the pace and there are a few surprises in store. The ending was a bit too "happy" and convenient for its own good, but overall this was a good movie that tries to honor older horror movies while keeping in touch with the present. Not a masterpiece but a solid effort that makes up an entertaining watch for horror fans.

A passable supernatural and chilling thriller with terror , intrigue , twists , turns and lots of imaginative special effects. When a musician, Mel (Charlotte Hope), is tasked by his musical conductor (Julian Sands) with finishing her late mentor's concerto, she soon discovers that playing the music summons deadly consequences, leading her to uncover the disturbing origins of the melody and an evil that has awakened. At first, she assumes her assignment but soon discovers fateful consequences. In one moment, she experiences the incredible wonder imagination, and in the next, the horrific nature of her night terrors. To save her daughter Zoe (Aoibhe O'Flanagan) Mel embarks on a dangerous hunt to uncover the truth behind the terrible nightmares and a monstrous being that is followed by absorbed children. This is beyond you wildest nightmare ! .

¨The Piper¨ is a journey through the terror, possession, dreams and fears of a young classical music performer in which our starring discovers a deadly tune. It results to be a mix of horror, fantasy and drama. The creepy goods are delivered by ¨The Piper¨ who's projected into reality and often materializes in a horrible and deadly monster.

Charlotte Hope (The Nun) and Julian Sands (A Room With a View) star in this horror film that subverts the fable of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Charlotte Hope gives an agreeable acting as the young composer who is commissioned to complete the third movement of her late mentor's score left unfinished and discovers that playing those musical notes carries deadly repercussions . While Julian Sands -in his posthumous film- plays overacting, a demanding and cruel composer who will stop at nothing to get the aforementioned score. It contains adequate cinematography with plenty of darkness by Daniel Katz. As well as thrilling, frightening and suspenseful musical score by composer Christopher Young who's an expert on sinister atmosphere as proved in: The Tall Man, Drag Me to Hell, Sinister , Untraceable, The Uninvited, The Ghost Maker, Dominion and several others , The motion picture was uneven but professionally directed by Erlingur Thoroddsen. This Icelandic filmmaker has made other terror films, such as: Kuldi, Rökkur, Child Eater, Patient Seven. Rating: 5.5/10. The Piper is a creepy, claustrophobic and scary low- budget horror movie that will satisfy the not very demanding lovers of the genre.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin (also known as the Pan Piper or the Rat-Catcher of Hamelin) is the title character of a legend from the town of Hamelin (Hameln), Lower Saxony, Germany. When a medieval town overwhelmed by rats, the citizens hire a magical piper who can rid the town of the pest in exchange for gold but the crooked mayor has no intention of honoring the deal . The Pied Piper uses his musical talents to lure the pesky rodents away from a small German town. The legend dates back to the Middle Ages, the earliest references describing a piper, dressed in multicolored ("pied") clothing, who was a rat catcher hired by the town to lure rats away with his magic pipe. When the citizens refuse to pay for this service as promised, he retaliates by using his instrument's magical power on their children, leading them away as he had the rats. This version of the story spread as folklore and has appeared in the writings of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the Brothers Grimm, and Robert Browning, among others. The phrase "pied piper" has become a metaphor for a person who attracts a following through charisma or false promises. There are many contradictory theories about the Pied Piper. Some suggest he was a symbol of hope to the people of Hamelin, which had been attacked by plague; he drove the rats from Hamelin, saving the people from the epidemic. A number of theories suggest that children died of some natural causes such as disease or starvation, and that the Piper was a symbolic figure of Death. Analogous themes which are associated with this theory include the Dance of Death, Totentanz or Danse Macabre, a common medieval trope.

This film promises an intriguing blend of horror and music but fails to strike the right chords to create a memorable melody. Directed by Erlingur Thoroddsen, this adaptation of the German legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin gets lost in predictable passages and clichés, missing the opportunity to build true tension and emotional engagement. At the heart of the story is Melanie, a young composer played by Charlotte Hope, who strives to fulfil her dream in the orchestral world while worrying about her deaf daughter, Zoe. However, when Melanie stumbles upon a mysterious score from a deceased colleague, a chain of dark events unfolds, jeopardising not only her career but also her daughter's life. One of the main challenges of the film is its predictability. From the opening scenes, the direction in which the plot is heading becomes apparent, depriving audiences of the suspense and unexpected twists that characterise great horror works. The dynamics of the characters, though well-performed by actors like Julian Sands and Charlotte Hope, fail to lift the film from its conventional plotlines. Moreover, despite the title suggesting a strong connection between music and horror, this synergy is not fully utilised. While Christopher Young's soundtrack is well-executed and contributes to creating a tense atmosphere, the deep and sinister link between music and evil that could have elevated the film to new heights of terror is missing. Another critical point is the lack of development of the proposed themes. Although the concept of using music as a vehicle for forbidden ideas is intriguing, the film fails to fully explore this possibility, limiting itself to superficial hints that are never fully realised. However, not all is lost in "The Piper". Some visual sequences are well-crafted, with cinematography that creates a dark and unsettling atmosphere. In particular, the design of the Piper himself is fairly successful, although his on-screen moments are too limited to fully appreciate the impact. "The Piper" is a film that promises much but delivers little. While it has some positive elements, such as the performances of the actors and the visual atmosphere, it fails to overcome its fundamental flaws: a predictable plot, underdeveloped characters, and a superficial use of the proposed themes. For more discerning horror enthusiasts, it may be a disappointment.

Erlingur Óttar Thoroddsen must be commended, for he has written and directed a most intriguing adaptation of "Rattenfänger von Hameln."

The detail that affected me most while watching the film was the death of Julian Sands, who was in fact British and lived in England, while hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains in the United States, where he was for the filming of this film... The film is not to blame, of course, but Sands was an actor I was most fond of.

I learned of the film thanks to a list by my dear Brett Petersel, I suspect its global promotion was poor, which is why it is so underrated.

Yes, it is not a cult classic, but it is an undeniable truth that it is a production that will satisfy horror lovers.

An uninspired horror film and the last screen appearance of the late Julian Sands, that explores the concept of music as a tool of evil through a reinterpretation of the popular story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Unfortunately, it lacks the suspense or imagination necessary to overcome its outdated visual style -unequivocally inspired by the typical mannerisms of 1990s Italian horror- and an alarming lack of effective scares. Furthermore, the Pied Piper's main appearance comes too late and is poorly justified. The most notable aspect, however, is Christopher Young's eerie and omnipresent score.