The Film
Over the past week, Black Swan has received more press than it probably has since its inception. Did Natalie Portman dance or didn't she? It doesn't really matter. Black Swan is really about Natalie as an actress, not a dancer.
Black Swan is the story of Nina (Natalie Portman), a New York City ballerina who seems perfect in every way. She even lands the perfect role as the Swan Queen in the perfect production of Swan Lake. It's the role of a lifetime, and the role that drives her completely batshit crazy.
Of course, there is dancing in there -- plenty of it. However, the movie probably could have been shot from the waist up and it still would have been an Oscar-winning performance. Portman makes you believe that she is a psychotic, paranoid dancer, but not because of her dancing. It's the acting, people, and it's darn good.
In fact, Portman, along with extremely notable performances by Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel and Barbara Hershey, elevate the film to another level. It's not the story that reels you in, but the acting, the music, and the mad visuals. Darren Aronofsky sure knows how to get that madness across. The director seems to have a flare for the dramatically twisted. Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain and The Wrestler; the man goes with what he knows, and it couldn't have paid off more with Black Swan.
Want to dance a bit more with the details of the movie? Check out Joe Lozito's theatrical review of Black Swan.
The Picture
It may seem hard to believe, but Black Swan is a modest thriller with a modest $13 million budget. While those could be signs of how this film's image is presented, it's more of a testament to Aronofsky's style and the film's subject matter. This film is dark, and so is its image. Most of the Black Swan was shot with Super 16mm cameras, giving this 2.40:1 transfer a super grainy, often soft image. Detail isn't great and the color palette is pretty dim. However, the film has impressive close-ups and standout black levels. While some may pooh-pooh the film's image, it is what the filmmaker intended and it works well here.
The Sound
There may be mixed reactions on the image, but there is no denying that Black Swan excels on the audio side. This is a mesmerizing, melodic movie, and the DTS-HD Master Audio track should have your heart pounding for a good portion of the film's 108-minute runtime. Sound is extremely important to this movie. There are plenty of surround noises, such as the shuffling of feet, heavy breathing, trains, nightclub noises, and such. However, the music is painfully beautiful and given a gorgeous treatment here. Every instrument and every note is bold, and sings wonderfully through every speaker -- and not just during the dancing portions of the film.
The Extras
Fox's hearty selection of extras looks really good on paper. However, most of the many extras are fleeting, with EPK shorts and quickie interviews with the cast and Aronofsky. Everyone basically gets a few minutes to talk about an incredibly complex movie. Notably absent is a piece with Mila Kunis, who is extremely captivating and underrated here.
However, the real girth is located in "Black Swan Metamorphosis," a 49-minute documentary that features Aronofsky, the cast and a lot of the crew as well. Broken up into three chapters, this featurette covers the story, casting, locations, special effects, dance training, and a lot of other interesting elements of the production.
Final Thoughts
One of the best performances of 2010 certainly commands your attention, as well as a few encores, making it a must-have purchase. While the film's image may rub some people the wrong way, it is a beautiful looking film with harrowing sound and performances to match. Black Swan is a creepy, psychotic tale, and you will love every minute of it.
Product Details
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