Black Swan

**yoco** · 18.08.10, 09:46

Release Date: December 1, 2010 (limited)
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Screenwriter: Mark Heyman, John McLaughlin
Starring: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: R (for strong sexual content, disturbing violent images, language and some drug use)

"Black Swan" follows the story of Nina (Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter's professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

**slikrapid** · 18.08.10, 10:40

portman/kunis/ryder as ballerinas is laughable, as prima ballerinas its just ridiculous, for the famous swan lake no less

obviously all of their on-stage performance will be either doubled or severely edited and at the rehearsals they will look as utter noobs for anyone who has some ballet insight, also seems like high-level ballerinas just 'grow on trees' in NY and they seem to be very unprofessional, furthermore they all compete for the same role like children who were promised a candy, but still aren't good enough to get it and last but not least, for all actresses, their age is verging on ballet retirement

**Nobody** · 20.08.10, 00:39

Originally Posted by slikrapid

portman/kunis/ryder as ballerinas is laughable, as prima ballerinas its just ridiculous, for the famous swan lake no less

obviously all of their on-stage performance will be either doubled or severely edited and at the rehearsals they will look as utter noobs for anyone who has some ballet insight, also seems like high-level ballerinas just 'grow on trees' in NY and they seem to be very unprofessional, furthermore they all compete for the same role like children who were promised a candy, but still aren't good enough to get it and last but not least, for all actresses, their age is verging on ballet retirement

So if memory serves me correctly, Portman has taken ballet for quite some time. Since she was a kid/teenager. I also remember reading and interview with Aronofsky wherein he stated that all the shots of Portman performing ballet are of her, except for the scenes when her character is en point for extended periods of time.

And I'm pretty sure mid/late twenties would put them in their prime from an age standpoint. Retirement in my mind was always somewhere around thirty-five. So a few years before that would be the time when they'd be taking lead roles and at their peak. Though I'm far from an expert there though.

Kunis though? Meh. Never liked her as an actor, or as a person for that matter. Let alone anything remotely artistic. If her interviews are any indication as to the type of person she is, she always struck me as vain and immature. She might surprise me, but I'm not holding my breath.

**slikrapid** · 20.08.10, 16:52

So if memory serves me correctly, Portman has taken ballet for quite some time. ...he stated that all the shots of Portman performing ballet are of her, except for the scenes when her character is en point for extended periods of time.

not that it will matter much, imo their real goal here is to create a psychological thriller (the usual good vs evil within), whereas the ballet setting is merely an unusual perk that will draw attention/discussion/hype, whereas the director will do his best to focus on the actresses (whose acting skills are rather weak in this case), document their emotions and magnify it towards surreal levels - the actual ballet performance will take a back seat, mostly due to its irrelevance to the underlying goals and partially because of the actresses ballet dancing lack of competence

And I'm pretty sure mid/late twenties would put them in their prime from an age standpoint. Retirement in my mind was always somewhere around thirty-five.

that was so in the 80's, the average retirement age has been sinking ever since, in the 90's it was around 29, so today it would be even less - also, the prime comes somewhat before the veteran/retirement age

If her interviews are any indication as to the type of person she is, she always struck me as vain and immature. She might surprise me, but I'm not holding my breath.

i'd say they mostly act/overact during interviews too (unless the manager thinks their public image could benefit from being 'themselves', which is usually the case with eccentric personalities), which might explain the overall blandness/insipidness concerning the majority of interviews