"The Pianist" tells the heartbreaking and inspiring real life story of pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman's experiences during World War 2. Through his eyes, we see the Nazi's rotten, inhuman treatment and the horrifying extermination of the Jews as well as Szpilman's journey to try and stay alive by any means necessary. As with any WW2 film, "The Pianist" is an emotionally draining, but powerful film. Having the story focus almost entirely on one man really lets viewers see the terror, fear, and desperation that people were going through during that period. Strong script aside, the real reason the film works is primarily because of star Adrien Brody's performance as he mostly carries the film. Seeing his physical and mental transformation from beginning to end, it's hard to forget that he is acting. Few actors can pull off such a complex and daunting role. It's no wonder Adrien Brody won the Oscar for best actor. I should also mention that the production design and direction by Roman Polanski are equally worthy of praise. Overall, "The Pianist" is required viewing, even though it IS tough to watch. The 1.85:1 widescreen picture quality is passable. I noticed some dirt here and there, but otherwise it's another fine effort from Universal. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 audio tracks are also solid. The dialogue and sound f/x are noticeably clear. The only extra is a 40 minute documentary titled "The Story Of Survival," which contains set footage, photos/films from the war, director Roman Polanski's own WW2 experiences, and footage of Wladyslaw Szpilman playing the piano.