The Piano Teacher Film Analysis

Pornography and Society in the film The Piano Teacher by Michael Haneke

In 2001, Michael Haneke directed a film called, The Piano Teacher based on a book by Elfriede Jelinek. Haneke portrays to the viewer as not railing against pornography, per se, but railing against its impact as generated by men or, moreover, by a capitalist-patriarchal society. This similar modality of thinking was introduced by Linda Williams in 1989, in which she “...moves beyond the impasse of the anti-porn/anti-censorship debate to analyze what hard-core film pornography is and does…” (Slade 656). Haneke diverges from mainstream Hollywood cinema in which films depict violence as the “norm” and sexuality as a taboo. Haneke a man shows a seemingly feminist approach to the way that ponography as a fetish/consumer object which is grossly consumed by a capitalist-patriarchal society affects the way in which women view themselves sexually and behave in society in accordance with it which may be …show more content…
Walter then punishes Erika by re-enacting the pornographic letter she gave him in full view for the spectator. Haneke gives the viewer the only scene in which intercourse is played out but it is so obscene and debasing to women we see how hardcore pornography can be used in a different light. Haneke like Linda Williams wants to define pornography on his own terms

Haneke shows throughout these scenes that the power struggle in relationships is dynamic. Yet, through a capitalist-patriarchal society in which pornography is treated as a fetish/commodity can skew the realities of how we should behave towards one another. That if we are to alter the way in which violence and sex are portrayed, society might be able to overcome the repressive states in which violence is the status quo and sexuality the taboo. if the sense that it does not promote the stability of a healthy relationship or