Black Swan

Horrorphile

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Black Swan

January 14th 2011 04:05

Superlatives come easy when praising this movie. It’s a hard film to fault. It’s a tour-de-force from director Darren Aronofsky, an operatic opal and onyx, as beautiful and poetic as it is seething and ferocious. It is Aronofsky’s Raging Bull; he’s thrown everything he knows about the art and technique of movie storytelling, film grammar and mise-en-scene, but kept himself restrained, even minimal, a sly masterwork. Black Swan (2010) is a gorgeous creature reflecting a malevolent nemesis. It is the sensual loneliness and psychological fragility of the pursuit for the perfect lead performance. It is a tenebrous nightmare with white feathers and a lilting melody.

Natalie Portman as Nina

Nina (Natalie Portman) is the Swan Queen, her nemesis comes in the form of Lily (Mila Kunis), the Black Swan. Vincent Cassel is the Gentleman, Thomas Leroy, the head of the ballet company, and their mentor. The Queen is Nina’s controlling mother Erica (Barbara Hershey), and the dying Swan is bitter, aging Beth (Winona Ryder). It is Swan Lake and beyond as seen, studied, filtered, and delivered through the chimera vision of Darren Arofonsky, one of America’s truly great contemporary directors. The fracturing of the paranoid mind as one struggles with obsessive behaviour, repression, identity, the fear of losing control … and the performance, both unconsciously and deliberately.

Mila Kunis as Lily

The original story by Andres Heinz was first penned more than a decade ago, as The Understudy, and set within the world of New York theatre. Darren Aronosky decided to transplant it the world of ballet, and Mark Heyman and John J. McLaughlin adapted the screenplay with Heinz. It is one of the most dramatic and affecting portraits of the tortuous rigueur of ballet, but it is also a fine horror-thriller that grapples with a supernatural undertone, a kind of black magick, a succubus guise, yet works on the surface as a tragic tale, even a fable (be careful for what you wish for), of a troubled princess and her elusive prince.

Vincent Cassel as Thomas

Natalie Portman embraces a career performance; she is the delicate, transgressive Nina Sayer. But equally strong is Mila Kunis in an equally alluring, complex role. Vincent Cassel is excellent as the chauvinistic, charismatic rook. Barbara Hershey plays the best domineering and intimidating mother since Piper Laurie played Sissy Spacek’s. Aronofsky is a consummate filmmaker who isn’t afraid to wear his influences from other cinema masters on his sleeves, yet confidently etches and carves his own piece of art. High praise, I know, but you can feel the inspiration within Black Swan from such visionaries as Roman Polanksi, David Lynch, Dario Argento, Donald Cammell, Krysztof Kieslowski, Andrzej Zulawski, Lars Von Trier, Martin Scorsese, and yet Black Swan doesn’t feel derivative, it bristles and flaps, glides and soars with originality.

Barbara Hershey as Erica

Matthew Libatique, Aronofksy’s long-time cinematographer captures extraordinary imagery, the visual narrative, especially the floating camerawork during the ballet sequences. Never has ballet performances seemed so intoxicating. But it is also composer Clint Mansell’s amazing work, turning the score of Swan Lake back to front, and re-interpreting it. Like Libatique, Mansell has worked with Aronofsky since Pi (1998), and like David Cronenberg, Aronofsky appreciates how some key creative relationships can become quite harmonious and concise having worked closely together on numerous movies.

Winona Ryder as Beth

Black Swan is a horror movie. I’m championing that one. Other media might not want to label it that for fear of it attracting an unappreciative audience. Even imdb has it categorised as a “drama” and “thriller”. Yes, it is definitely psychologically bent, but there is an ominous, foreboding tone that stretches the length of the tale, a dark spine that twists and curves, and there are several moments of visceral, unbridled horror (and some great special effects), and a couple of classic shocks that lift Black Swan high above its “romantic” veneer and thrust it into pure nightmare territory.

There is a dark sexual undercurrent within Black Swan; with a clutch of scenes that throb with a genuine erotic energy. On the stage and behind the curtain Black Swan seduces and conspires; siren and muse, confidant and betrayer.

Every now and again a movie comes along that I know early on will be something special, so I choose to avoid trailers (if I can) and reviews, and when I go to the screening I strive for optimum cinema surroundings. Black Swan was one of those movies. It’s immediately one of my movie’s of the year, no doubt about that, but I’m also confidant that Black Swan will grace as a high favourite of all time for many other viewers. Black Swan is a magnificent creature indeed.

Here is the trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

15 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by MelG

January 14th 2011 04:27

I saw this on New Year's Eve. What a way to bring in the new year! The dance scenes at the end were mesmerising, especially the one when she's transformed into the Black Swan on stage. I loved that I walked away from this with lots of questions. It was intriguing and complex and I'm looking forward to seeing it again to unravel some of my thoughts and ideas on the themes running through it.

Comment by Bryn

January 14th 2011 04:40

Horrorphile

Yes, it's rich with thematic weight isn't it! yet it never feels cluttered or forced.

Comment by The wonderful Peter Yang

January 14th 2011 06:25

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One way or another Natalie Portman is hot. Natalie Portman playing a lesbian, even hotter

Comment by David O'Connell

January 15th 2011 05:28

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Effusive praise from you Bryn and a great review. Are we to assume you really were ripped before going in?

It's certainly a rare treat to have the level of expectations you had going in and to then have them surpassed. I wouldn't have a problem with Portman winning the Oscar, I think it's a near-tie between her and Jernnifer Lawrence. Hopefully one of the two will win.

Comment by Bryn

January 15th 2011 06:46

Horrorphile

David, thanks man. Yes, it was one of those movies where it never seemed to put a foot wrong, and I quietly knew it wouldn't. My only gripe was I preempted the very end, and I wanted to be surprised, but it was still incredibly satisfying. And yes to your question (some movies just demand it). What movie is Jennifer Lawrence in? A friend of mine described Black Swan as being directed by Dario Argento and Roman Polanski's lovechild. Bang on!

Comment by MelG

January 16th 2011 03:34

Jennifer Lawrence was in Winter's Bone. I'd also be happy for either Natalie or Jennifer to be awarded for their performances. Lawrence is certainly a remarkable actress and a real star in the making. I have to admit to a girl crush on Natalie. She's spectacular in this. I just saw her receive an award for Black Swan were she thanks Aronofsky for firstly making her so skinny for her role, and now making her so fat! - she's pregnant and engaged to Black Swan's choreographer Benjamin Mellepied.

Comment by anish

January 16th 2011 06:47

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Sorry. I can not agree. The suspense is great but nowhere near as good as The Others.

Comment by Bryn

January 16th 2011 10:58

Horrorphile

MelG, thanks for that! I hope Natalie gets an Oscar!
anish, each to their own, of course. The Others had some effective atmospheric moments, but I wasn't overly impressed with it. You're comparing to quite different movies.

Comment by JohnDoe

January 16th 2011 22:47

Film & TV on DVD

Can't talk or read, going in blind tonight!

Comment by Matt Shea

January 18th 2011 07:47

Nice write-up Bryn, but I wasn't feeling this in the end. I liked a lot of the smaller aspects, but felt it lacked depth - both in plot and in character - and was fairly predictable in the end. For me it was a step down from The Wrestler - not bad, but not great either, and unintentionally funny in a couple of bits.

Comment by Bryn

January 18th 2011 21:46

Horrorphile

Matt, oh well. Can't have 'em all. I loved every minute of it, even the very end which I predicted. It satisfied me on so many cinematic levels. I like The Wrestler also, an excellent movie, but Black Swan tapped into elements far more compelling and exhilarating for me.

Comment by ShaunK

January 28th 2011 00:46

Screen Adventure

Hey Bryn,

Liked this one alot, although it didn't reach my oh so high expectations.

Funnily enough I found the eroticism of the film a bit clumsy actually, but everything else I loved. A hard film to flaw indeed, and it's clear that you loved this film, which is great to read. I cant wait to see it again, hopefully with curbed expectations this time. A review to come soon.

Comment by JohnDoe

February 2nd 2011 19:39

Film & TV on DVD

We agree Bryn!

Black Swan was a dazzling yet raw act of voyeurism that delivered melodramatic thrills and kinky psychology.

My review is on the way.

Comment by Anonymous

February 3rd 2011 14:18

beautifully described. you couldn't have said it better than I have in critically writing about the movie. i'm quoting some of which you said on my tumblr, well the more liberal parts about it. thank you for making existence of your blog.