Black Swan

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.

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 Filmmakers

Portman, 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 movie

It 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 Response

Natalie 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" Dancing

so 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 Double

Lane 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 Dancing

and 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]

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