Through the Opera Glasses - 71 - Black Swan

Black Swan opened in theatres over a month ago, yet I only saw it this past weekend due to scheduling challenges - because I simply had to see it with my co-ballet-freak sister.









I adored this film on multiple levels - but really, there's no other way to experience Black Swan.

The story in a nutshell: Soloist Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) takes on the notorious ballet roles of Odette, the White Swan and Odile, the Black Swan - a cavernous dramatic stretch for the same dancer to pull off both roles convincingly. Nina attempts to find the darker, seductive side to herself in a make-or-break grasp at the principal role brass ring. In a career that is brutally short, Nina has to fend off the expectations of her mother, the competition of her company members, and the unrelenting efforts of the artistic director who senses her untapped greatness. Can fragile Nina handle the considerable pressure?














In an inspired casting move, Barbara Hershey plays Natalie Portman's mom, a former dancer who now appears to devote herself to her daughter's career. They have a strong storyline centered on a delayed detachment between mother and daughter.














Vincent Cassel is a perfect choice for the artistic director of the New York ballet company staging a fresh version of Swan Lake. He's all slash-and-burn business when it comes to retiring the prima ballerina and courting funds for his company. He resorts to mind games without blinking if it will give him the performances he not only wants but needs, in order to woo new audiences to a rarified art form.











Another soloist in the company with just as much to win or lose as Nina, Lily (Mila Kunis) has the passion and easy seduction of the Black Swan but none of the purity of technique required of the White Swan. She's also one of the only company members willing to remain friends with Nina after her promotion, yet her casting as the alternate for Nina's role puts a strain on their relationship.











For obsessive perfectionists like dancers, the prospect of deconstructing their painstakingly-crafted signature dance styles in order to transform into something uncontrolled like the Black Swan character is a recipe for psychological disaster.

There are many, many real dancers in companies all over the world who possess all of the aspects of Odette and none of the untidy brilliance of Odile. To take on the challenge really does require these women to confront and wrestle with their Ballerina Princess identities. I'm certain there is a long history of mental anguish associated with dancing the Black Swan.

That is also why the role is not handed over lightly.







For me personally, as a lifelong devotee of dance, the sequences of transformation from dancer into Black Swan gave me incredible chills. It's a private moment that happens for every dancer as she stands in the wings, whether she is Odette or whether she's in the corps.

And the sequences where the steadicam brings us directly into the rehearsal movements and onstage during the performance bring me as close to the dancer's POV as I will ever get.







However, this film - often billed as a psychological thriller or even an art house horror film - also takes us along the disturbing descent into mental illness. Aronofsky's use of fractured mirror imagery, through-the-rabbit-hole mirror-upon-mirror imagery, and the donning and removal of identities via ballet roles makes the realization that we may be in the point of view of an unwell narrator sneak up on us.

Read clinical psychologist Dr. Villarreal's review of Black Swan as a journey through a mental health crisis HERE.

I have to say that Natalie Portman's courage in taking on a role where it was clearly herself dancing a difficult role for a professional dancer - let alone an actor portraying one - is nothing short of mindblowing.

*insert my standing ovation here*

She executes really impressive lifts, displays very respectable arms, and does honest-to-God fouettés. She's been a huge favorite of mine for years, but now...

Wow.

Check her out:

"The Fountain"

Last September, my cousin and her husband went to a screening of "The Fountain" at the Atlantic Film Festival. I stayed at their place overnight to look after my little cousin, and once they got home they told me about the film. From the sounds of it, "The Fountain" was just my cup of tea. I couldn't wait until November for it to come out in wide release.

As often happens, both my schedule and my finances didn't co-operate when the film came out. I'd just returned from a dream-come-true trip to Toronto to see the gala opening of the ballet in their new theatre, so any money I had left was routed towards Christmas. Once Christmas came and I'd received movie passes, "The Fountain" was gone from theatres.

So I waited. Waited and waited. Not really patiently for me, and I'm known as very patient. When it comes to waiting for film releases, either first run or DVD release, I'm not patient by any means. I'd started to ask Brad if he would be bringing it home from work soon (he works at Blockbuster, and takes home films one week before they're released to the public so he can give an informed opinion to customers. This is encouraged by Blockbuster, but Brad takes this solemn duty very seriously. He pretty much brings home 10 films per week - the limit. The other Blockbuster coworkers are not nearly so devoted. But if you want to know anything about any film, ever, just ask Brad. By the way, this is an open invitation to anyone who has a film question. If you have one, leave it in my comments section regardless of the day's blog subject, and I'll find out for you.)

Last night Brad was at work and I settled onto the couch to finally watch "The Fountain" at long last. Hugh Jackman is a big fave and he did not disappoint. I knew from talking to my cousin that there would be lots of emotional scenes in it for him, and I love those! And Rachel Weisz is one of my favorite actresses, so we're into the win-win situation.

Plus, it's super-philosphical, highly spiritual, filled with gorgeous cinematography, has a haunting musical score and doesn't follow conventional Hollywood structure. Just the way I like 'em. Here's a few review comments:

"Some people hate this movie. It happens these days when the ambitions of a filmmaker, in this case Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream), rise above the level of Big Mama's House 2." - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone magazine

"Hippy trippy space odyssey-meets-contempo-weepy-meets-conquistador caper starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. Greeted by booing at its first press unspooling. Audiences can parse which is going on when by paying attention to how much hair Jackman is sporting at any given time." - Lesie Felperin, Variety.com

"The Fountain isn't "this year's Eternal Sunshine". It isn't the "next Space Odyssey", although I can assure you, if you enjoyed either of these two films (and preferably both), you should find much in The Fountain that will appeal to you. It's a movie that many people will not like, perhaps even hate. But I was profoundly affected by it. See it. Decide for yourself. It's definitely one incredible film experience." - Monotreme02, IMDb User Comments

"Film is an artform and Aronofsky is a Picasso" - : Erica von Essen (Flagrant-Baronessa), IMDb User Comments

"After hearing that this movie got booed by critics and hailed by the public audience in Venice, I knew it had to be good. A movie that could split crowds just had to be." - dj sam r i, IMDb User Comments

"There is a certain amusement ride feel to some of the cinematography and Special Effects. But, these shots are not gimmicks. They're premonitions and echoes of action in other sequences. They are crazy bold, like Van Gogh's brushstrokes tracing out a landscape. A new transcendental film" - warren-10, IMDb User Comments

I'm about to sit down for my second viewing of the film, now that Brad is home. He watched it earlier today. It's definitely a two-viewing sort of movie. It comes out this Tuesday for rental. All who dare, have a look.