101 Movies in 2011 - Movie #5 - Black Swan (2010)
I saw this the day that it was announced that Anne Hathaway would be Selina Kyle and Tom Hardy would be Bane in 'The Dark Knight Rises' .
Well, I actually read it on Twitter as I was waiting for the film to start. As you can well imagine, for a good few minutes I was sat there muttering "Bane?!" every so often.
My reason for mentioning this anecdote? One should be open to being thrown off one's beam everso often. In a good way, mind. Also, it's a damn good ice breaker (why, yes, I am using these entries as much as a diary as reviews;)
Does it show?)
Because for me, a really *great* film knocks you off your beam for a while. Sure you get back on, but for a moment, you are in a daze...
'Inception' , '127 Hours' both had this effect. As does 'The Black Swan'.
In short - I loved this movie. So much so that by the time the credits rolled, I was already planning my second viewing. That's always a good sign;).
So plot - Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman, in possibly the performance of her life) is a ballet dancer. To the point that it consumes her life. She lives with her (overbearing) mother in a tiny, claustrophobic flat in NY. At the beginning of the new season, the company director announces that their first production will be a 'new' take on 'Swan Lake' (though, let it be said - nothing as radical as the Bourne version). There will be a new 'Swan Queen' to play the dual role of the white and black swans as the previous company principal was decided to be too old.
He chooses Nina. However, there is a catch. Nina is 'technically' perfect as the White Swan, but she doesn't have the 'sensuality' to be the Black Swan. The company's newest dancer, Lily, does. Which instantly puts Nina on edge as she is sure that Lily is gunning for her spot as the Swan Queen... And then there are all these weird things happening to Nina... Strange dreams, reflections moving out of turn...
Is she going crazy or is there a more supernatural bent to all of this?
***
Before I saw the film, I read a couple of articles where the journos had asked real ballet dancers to review the film and give their verdict. The consensus was that the film was good but ‘proper’ ballet was nothing like that. Not that crazy and (back)stabbity for a start.
Well, *duh*!
To quote the most awesome Danny Boyle (and can someone make this quote into an icon for me please?) ‘It’s Not A Documentary!’
It’s as much about ballet as 127 Hours is about rock climbing. It’s about people in extreme situations (either by their own making or the making of others) and how they deal (or don’t) in those situations.
One thing I can point out - the Black Swan is not very sensual. Unless you’re talking about the Matthew Bourne version (with the gorgeous half naked male corps de ballet in slashed silk trousers) where it is. All black leather trousers and riding crop if you please. Tom Hardy would *excel* in that role...
BUT THAT’S A STORY FOR ANOTHER TIME!
But that’s me just pointing stuff out. On the whole - it’s a superb film that keeps you guessing right up to the very end as to whether someone needs to call for a priest or for the psych ward. If you want to know which way it goes - go see it for yourself. I’m not going to spoil it for you;)
The cast is superb. Natalie Portman deserves every award that’s going to come her way for this performance. It’s the best I think she’s ever been. Vincent Cassell is suitably skeevy as the company director who may or may not be complicit in many of the goings on in the film.
Kudos to Barbra Hershey as Nina’s mom who treads a very fine line between loving and hating her own child.
I especially have to highlight Darren Aronofsky, who directed the film. I’ve only ever seen The Fountain of his before this and while I liked the film, I didn’t ‘grok’ it. Not as much as I did this. Everything was ‘right’ about this film and given that his next film is Wolverine with Hugh Jackman (yes, THAT Wolverine) which is going to be something else. I’m looking forward to it as much as I am The Dark Knight Rises - which is... *a lot*!
Also, need to mention that the (ballet) costumes and make up were beautiful too. As is Clint Mansell’s music, which I can best describe as ‘ Pop Will Eat Itself cover Tchaikovsky’ and I mean that in the best way possible. I’m not surprised that it’s not Oscar eligible (as there is *huge* chunks of the original music for Swan Lake in it) but it’s still a corking soundtrack and well worth a listen.
So in short? Go! See!