Movies: Harp Dreams

Ah, PBS. It's long been a lightning rod for libertarian and conservative types (understandably so, since the American taxpayer is forced to supply around 20% of its operating budget). There's also a thinly-veiled lefty bias that seems to permeate the news and political programs (especially anything with Bill Moyers).

If you can put all that aside for a moment, though, I'd like to talk to you about the 2007 USA International Harp Competition:



"Harp Dreams" is a documentary that chronicles three talented harpists as they battle for harp glory. Watch as their fingers fly along the strings! Thrill to exciting renditions of Pierné’s Concertstück for Harp and Orchestra, Op. 39!

Okay, I realize the subject is esoteric, but I've always been a sucker for this kind of music competition documentary. "Harp Dreams" takes an incredibly expressive art form and mixes it with all the brutal, white-knuckle competitive pressure of professional sports. If watching three young women duke it out with skills they've spent most of their waking lives perfecting isn't entertaining, what is?

Rating: 7/10