I found The Piano a completely emotionally draining experience and nearly had to leave the cinema at the finger cutting stage, at that point all the running themes seemed to collapse into a shared experience, because she couldn't/wouldn't scream you were there with her, of her, the silent viewer and only moments before I had been laughing my head off at the way the little girl came out with the line about - I thought it was better I brought this to you - on top of the fenced hill. This was filmic experience beyond words. Enough said. Cheers Paul