- Actors: Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman, Pamela Hart, Stephen Pearlman
- Directors: Darren Aronofsky
- Writers: Sean Gullette, Darren Aronofsky, Eric Watson
- Producers: David Godbout, Eric Watson, Jonah Smith, Katie King
- Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dolby, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
- Language English
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.66:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: R (Restricted) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Lions Gate
- DVD Release Date: 12 Jan 1999
- Run Time: 84 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
- ASIN: 078401213X
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 28,741 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
Patterns exist everywhere: in nature, in science, in religion, in business. Max Cohen (played hauntingly by Sean Gullette) is a mathematician searching for these patterns in everything. Yet, he's not the only one, and everyone from Wall Street investors, looking to break the market, to Hasidic Jews, searching for the 216-digit number that reveals the true name of God, are trying to get their hands on Max. This dark, low-budget film was shot in black and white by director Darren Aronofsky. With eerie music, voice-overs, and overt symbolism enhancing the somber mood, Aronofsky has created a disturbing look at the world. Max is deeply paranoid, holed up in his apartment with his computer Euclid, obsessively studying chaos theory. Blinding headaches and hallucinogenic visions only feed his paranoia as he attempts to remain aloof from the world, venturing out only to meet his mentor, Sol Robeson (Mark Margolis), who for some mysterious reason feels Max should take a break from his research. Pi is complex--occasionally toocomplex--but the psychological drama and the loose sci-fi elements make this a worthwhile, albeit consuming, watch. Pi won the Director's Award at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. --Jenny Brown
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
"Pi" is a remarkable film in many ways. I don't think I've ever seen a film that manages to make mathematics so chic and paranoid reclusivity so cool. "Pi" is shot in grainy monochrome, and is directed pacily by Darren Aronofsky ,using innovative camerawork and an intense techno soundtrack to convey the obsessive-compulsive behaviour of the central character, mathematical genius Max Cohen (Sean Gullette). The storyline is based on Cohen's belief that mathematics underlies every part of existence and that the universe is effectively a large scale computer programme which can be graphed and amended if the correct mathematical formula or numerical sequence is identified. A 216 digit number appears to hold the key to this discovery and Cohen's research into this leads him into a disturbing world of blinding headaches, hallucinogenic visions and harrassment by Kabbalists and Wall Street sharks. "Pi" is a fascinating , intelligent movie that manages to link maths, philosophy, religion and economics into a stylish and exciting thriller. The film is a little on the short side at 70 minutes however. After watching "Pi" , you'll probably wish you'd taken Additional Maths at school when you had the chance.
25 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
"Pi" is an outstanding and complex thriller with brains and structure. For such a low budget film, this great movie shows you that greatness doesn't have to only come out of big budget films with well-known stars. It is a film that gets in your head and stays with you long after it is over.
This dark and quiet thriller is about Maximilian Cohen, a brilliant mathematician who believes that everything in life revolves around patterns and numbers. For years he has been trying to find this pattern that could unlock everything we see and know. He starts with the stock market, the ultimate system of ordered chaos. The deeper he digs, the more insane he becomes. And the more he finds out, the more danger he is thrown into. The pattern itself proves to be just as deadly as the people who are after him. The twists and complexity will leave you in awe.
While this movie may be confusing at times, it still does its job and keeps us intrigued throughout the duration of the film. The acting and writing is really remarkable. Sean Gullette is very convincing as Max. I don't think there is anybody else who could've gotten the job done. Everybody else was also great in it as well. The film is also a debut from Darren Aronofsky; and a powerful one at that. Very well written and directed. Some of the camera techniques are really great and allow you to get inside of the main character's head.
"Pi" is a movie that requires you to think throughout the film and after. It's a film that will mostly appeal to those who like quiet and unique thrillers. There's no non-stop shootings or explosions in this movie. And it's not a film that everyone is going to like. However, seeing that the movie is only 85 minutes long, why not give it a shot? If you want something new and different, "Pi" is the film for you. A very outstanding picture.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Pi is stylishly shot, pacey and has a fantastic soundtrack by Clint Mansell, but it felt like a long 80 minutes for me.
It seems heavily influenced by Eraserhead but lacks the dream / nightmare quality of that film.
It sets up some interesting ideas about mathematical patterns but then doesn't know what to do with them. First 40 minutes or so were great, I was bored before the end. It all seemed a bit derivative.
Not bad, certainly not easy watching, but not great either.
It seems heavily influenced by Eraserhead but lacks the dream / nightmare quality of that film.
It sets up some interesting ideas about mathematical patterns but then doesn't know what to do with them. First 40 minutes or so were great, I was bored before the end. It all seemed a bit derivative.
Not bad, certainly not easy watching, but not great either.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
restate your assumptions
Pi is the first feature length film from director Darren Aronofsky, he of Black Swan fame. If you thought Black Swan was 'a bit weird' i would give this a miss. Read more
Published 11 days ago by Mr. J. Cooper
Staring at the Sun
Darren Aronofsky's debut as director is an intellectual thriller - there is a little action in it but most of the tension is on a much more psychological level. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Shrewlord
Challenging, inventive, surreal American film made on a shoestring
I don't know if this is as good as my rating, but it's so odd, brave,
idiosyncratic and haunting, that I want to forgive it it's flaws. Read more
idiosyncratic and haunting, that I want to forgive it it's flaws. Read more
Published 13 months ago by K. Gordon
A work of chaotic genius.
With most films, I read the bad reviews more carefully than the good, because, well I'm pessimistic. And with 'Pi' i noticed the bad reviews are both harsh and numerous. Read more
Published on 25 Aug 2009 by P. J. Hanson-Eastland
Very left-field
Great, original DVD, loved every minute of it. It has the depth of Tarkovsky's Solaris, a rare feat for a western film.
Published on 4 April 2009 by O. MADLOM
5 star offbeat movie - but not a crowd pleaser
I recently bought the Pi DVD set - which also includes Requiem - from a seller on Amazon for just £6, which included postage from the USA! Read more
Published on 16 Nov 2008 by Mr_MeAgain .
This film does an outstanding little mathematical constant a...
I waited and waited for the mystery and originality to crop up in this film and then the end credits came up. Read more
Published on 24 Sep 2008 by Worm-Sign
Disappointing
Having recently read Hofstadter's excellent book "Godel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid", I was looking forward to watching PI. Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2008 by M. Eesa
Okay if you like being bored, terrible if you like being jolly.
I unfortunately missed the first 10 minutes of this film fiddling with my colour knob. As it happens, the whole film is in black and white and grey which seems like a waste of time... Read more
Published on 18 Aug 2008 by Ramsey Tupper - Raven's Foot
OMG! This will give you a headache!
For £5 this film is a bargain, cheaper then a cinema ticket. Is worth the DVD if u didn't see it!
This film is in black and white and i thought it might be dull.... Read more
This film is in black and white and i thought it might be dull.... Read more
Published on 12 April 2008 by Mr. S. Ogrady
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