Black Swan is not a particularly original movie. We have seen its themes of cultural obsession, mental illness and the fight for artistic perfection many times before in such movies as The Red Shoes, Amadeus, Repulsion and Magic and I must admit that the movie's use of such iconic and to many, hackneyed ballet movie stereotypes ( the faded star, the young ingenue battling for the prima ballerina role, the predatory director and The Swan Lake ballet itself) could have failed miserably in their repetition......but in Black Swan, for the most part, all of these stereotypes work (including the old face in the mirror), thanks primarily to some great performances and dazzlingly creative cinematography.
The story centres around Nina (Natalie Portman), an emotionally fragile and sexually immature ballerina who coverts the role of Swan Queen in a new production of Swan Lake. When she is finally given the role over aging prima ballerina Beth (Winona Ryder) the stresses of the new production, coupled with the worries of her role being stolen by a more vivacious and sexually confident Lily (Mila Kunis ) and separation issues with her delicate mother (Barbara Hershey ), Nina descends into madness.
Portman is rather impressive in the very difficult role of Nina. Her character is unsympathetic, abrasive and rather unlikable, but she holds the audience' attention throughout, and perfectly captures Nina's brittleness, fear and latent destructive streak. Hershey is fine as her intense and delicate mom, and the cameo by Ryder reminds a new movie going audience just why she was a big BIG name in the 1990s. However, the real star of the movie is the stunning cinematic treat that is the ballet sequences. With the camera never really leaving Portman's angst face, we are totally immersed in the innovative new ballet production, with it's artistic swoops, and turns and all at the same time we are witnessing the devastating disintegration of a delicate, and flawed personality
Black Swan is not a easy watch, the subject matter is too uneven for that, but I gave the whole thing a compulsive, slightly campy and enjoyable 8/10
The trailers for this movie are frightening! I always liked Wynonna Rider...she used to play such gentle characters and her features are so soft.
ReplyDeleteapologies for the re post, I wanted this to be posted on sunday and got my times wrong!
ReplyDeleteI thought I had spotted it last night through an alcoholic haze. After a friend described some of the scenes in the film, I decided it wasn't a 'feel good' movie, so didn't go. (It was the fingernail clipping description that did it for me)
ReplyDeleteyes some scenes are very......shall we say visceral
ReplyDeleteThanks John I want to see it. Whatever happened to Winona Rider - glad to hear she's back ( Totally loved her in Beetlejuice ! )
ReplyDeleteJust found your great blog. Will visit often. Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteLove the new header! I`ve never seen that movie, may have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you about Winona R. She just grabs my attention and holds it whenever I see her in a film. Unfortunately, now though, I keep picturing her shoplifting when I see her too!
ReplyDeleteI liked "Black Swan" but I thought that "Winter's Bone" was a better movie. It won't win, though. Those little indie movies never do....
Heard, and read, so much about this film now, but thanks for more insight and opinion.
ReplyDeleteNow it's just got to hurry up and get to Dumfries!
Well I never even knew about this movie...talk about being isolated out here in the country...even with a television! It's hard to picture Natalie Portman in a role like this but I like her acting so would go just to see her and also Winona Ryder. Thanks for the movie report!
ReplyDeleteMaura :)
maura
ReplyDeleteits not a brill film but in a campy silly sort of way it works very well!