Feverish worlds such as espionage and warfare have nothing on the hothouse realm of ballet, as director Darren Aronofsky makes clear in Black Swan, his over-the-top delve into a particularly fraught production of Swan Lake. At the very moment hard-working ballerina Nina (Natalie Portman) lands the plum role of the White Swan, her company director (Vincent Cassel) informs her that she'll also play the Black Swan--and while Nina's precise, almost virginal technique will serve her well in the former role, the latter will require a looser, lustier attack. The strain of reaching within herself for these feelings, along with nattering comments from her mother (Barbara Hershey) and the perceived rivalry from a new dancer (Mila Kunis), are enough to make anybody crack… and tracing out the fault lines of Nina's breakdown is right in Aronofsky's wheelhouse. Those cracks are broad indeed, as Nina's psychological instability is telegraphed with blunt-force emphasis in this neurotic roller-coaster ride. The characters are stick figures--literally, in the case of the dancers, but also as single-note stereotypes in the horror show: witchy bad mommy, sexually intimidating male boss, wacko diva (Winona Ryder, as the prima ballerina Nina is replacing). Yet the film does work up some crazed momentum (and undeniably earned its share of critical raves), and the final sequence is one juicy curtain-dropper. A good part of the reason for this is the superbly all-or-nothing performance by Natalie Portman, who packs an enormous amount of ferocity into her small body. Kudos, too, to Tchaikovsky's incredibly durable music, which has meshed well with psychological horror at least since being excerpted for the memorably moody opening credits of the 1931 Dracula, another pirouette through the dark side. --Robert Horton Detail >>>
Darren Aronofsky defends Natalie Portman in 'Black Swan' controversy
Lane's comments came after Black Swan choreographer (and Portman fiancé) ...Responding to claims that Black Swan star Natalie Portman didn't do the majority of her on-screen dancing in...Inside Movies 'Black Swan' double claims Natalie Portman only...[more]
'Black Swan' Cover-up Denied by FilmmakersPortman, who trained hard for her 'Black Swan' role, has made no comment yet about Lane's accusation....with the American Ballet Theatre who worked on the filming of 'Black Swan' as Natalie Portman 's dance...[more]
'Black Swan' double claims Natalie Portman only did '5 percent' of full-body dance shots in the movieIt would be cool, though, if the powers that be on Black Swan gave Sarah Lane credit for the work she...a dancing double for Natalie Portman's Oscar-winnning role in Black Swan tells...Lane also says that Black Swan producer Ari Handel specifically told...[more]
Natalie Portman's 'Black Swan' Ballet Dancing War Rages With Studio ResponseNatalie Portman slammed by her Black Swan dance double - http://bit.ly/i46hWQ 1 day ago from...won an Academy Award for her portrayal of a tortured dancer in "Black Swan,...wished she`d gone to rehab after Black Swan...[more]
Natalie Portman's Stunt Double Says She Did All The "Black Swan" Dancingso that "Black Swan" producers could construct an Oscar-worthy narrative about...this bombshell seems to take some of the shine out of "Black Swan" -- but really, who is it hurting?...is nothing but good for "Black...[more]
Natalie Portman Slammed by Her Black Swan Dance DoubleLane was also apparently deleted from a DVD extra showing Black Swan 's special effects....Benjamin Millepied , "Black Swan"'s choreographer and now Portman's fiance (and father to the pregnant...[more]
'Black Swan' Dancer Slams Natalie Portman's Dancingand her fiancé and "Black Swan" choreographer Benjamin Millepied told the L.A....Natalie Portman's dancing double for "Black Swan,"...'Black Swan' double Sarah Lane claims Natalie Portman did '5 percent' of full-body dance...[more]
Other Hot Products
 | Trouty Mouth (Glee Cast Version) |
 | The Ten Commandments (Two-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray] |
| • 2-Disc Set • First time Ever on Blu-ray! • Meticulously Restored • 55th Anniversary Based on the Holy Scriptures, with additional dialogue by several other hands, The Ten Commandments was... | |
 | The Greek Seaman |
| Description to The Greek Seaman novel.What is an eighteen year old newly wed doing traveling on a massive merchant ship anyways? Hadn't she gone to Greece on tour in a ballet as a dancer? These are questions,... | |
 | Skipped Parts |
| SKIPPED PARTS - DVD MovieA gentle, oddly idealistic script and assured performances by a strong ensemble cast make this coming-of-age tale a standout. Skipped Parts is the story of Sam, a young would-be... | |
 | Dream Big, Little Pig! |
| "Follow your Dreams!" "You go, Girl!" "Dream Big, pig!" Poppy is a waddling, toddling pig with big dreams. She wants to be a star! But she soon discovers that's not as easy as it sounds. It's only when... | |
 | Do the Work |
| Could you be getting in your way of producing great work? Have you started a project but never finished? Would you like to do work that matters, but don't know where to start? The answer is Do the Work,... | |
 | Social BOOM!: How to Master Business Social Media to Brand Yourself, Sell Yourself, Sell Your Product, Dominate Your Industry Market, Save Your Butt, ... and Grind Your Competition into the Dirt |
| Social BOOM! contains every aspect of social media, including the business periphery (blog, personal website, e-zine) that you need in order to create the real law of attraction. When you create a connection,... | |
 | Your Credit Score, Your Money & What's at Stake (Updated Edition): How to Improve the 3-Digit Number that Shapes Your Financial Future |
| "A great credit score can help you finish rich! Liz Pulliam Weston gives solid, easy-to-understand advice about how to improve your credit fast. Read this book and prosper." David Bach, bestselling... | |
 | Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Screen Laptop |
