Pure DWTS – DWTS Fans, Let’s Talk “Black Swan”

Have any of you seen “Black Swan”?? If so, how did you like it? I am dying to see this movie! I keep hearing so many good reviews on it including this one which has a little mention on “Dancing With The Stars” in it from Caledoniannmercury.com.

It’s not your typical dance movieThink dance in mainstream culture since the ‘90s, and the following may well come to mind: Strictly Ballroom, Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars, Diversity on Britain’s Got Talent, Billy Elliot, various street dance movies both here and in the States, and umpteen clubbing anthems with flashy videos featuring breakdancers.

Black Swan is a drama – billed as a “psychological thriller” by producers – which touches on big themes: power, sex, control, doubt, family, discipline, sacrifice, rebellion. Ballet fans will love it, but those who think Sadlers Wells is an equestrian operation should also be hooked. Pigeonholing Black Swan as a dance movie is rather like calling The Merchant of Venice a play about giving blood.

It’s Darren Aronofsky’s best movieThe Wrestler was memorable for Mickey Rourke’s performance, and to a lesser degree Marisa Tomei’s, Requiem for a Dream displayed a flashy, original visual style, The Fountain flopped, but everything (performances, visual style, script) comes together for Aronofsky in Black Swan. He really hits his stride here.

It’s an Ensemble PieceJust as ballet requires a company, Aronofsky scores here in his casting with Hannah and Her Sisters star Barbara Hershey’s controlling mother, Winona Ryder’s fading starlet, Mila Kunis as Portman’s rival Nina and a creepy turn from Vincent Cassel as the artistic director. This film is not all about the star.

Having said that….To say it’s Natalie Portman’s best role when the competition includes playing Ashton Kutcher’s “friend with benefits” in No Strings Attached, doing the whole “Hi…You Must be Darth” chatting up as Padme in the Star Wars prequels and V for Vendetta doesn’t say that much. But all the actory cliches are true here – The Role No One Else Could Play, The Role Which Will Define Her Career, The Performance of a Lifetime etc. If Natalie Portman doesn’t walk away with the Best Actress Academy Award, it would feel like larceny. She and Aronofsky talked about the role for around ten years and the discipline, poise, preparation and change of character required for a principal ballerina in Swan Lake is all up on screen in her performance.

Cor. That soundtrack.There’s a reason Swan Lake has been shown on telly every Christmas since before the days of Morecambe and Wise, has been given the all-male treatment by Matthew Bourne, a few golf courses and an interpretation based on the marriage breakdown of the Prince and Princess of Wales and now this twist from Aronofsky. Yes, the story of the swan and the evil sorcerer is powerful, and the dancing is beautiful but Tchaikovsky’s music never loses its hold.

The ballet, Black Swan and The Wrestler all have something else in common.A very strong ending. That’s as much of a spoiler alert as you’re getting.

So, is this review true? Here is some of what the DWTS cast has tweeted on it;

If you’ve never heard on this new dance movie, you can more at IMDB. Thanks to Heidi for her help with this post!! 😉