Black Swan: Definitely Dark

I had the wonderful opportunity to view “Black Swan” this evening.  There was absolutely no doubt I would enjoy this movie.  I would enjoy it if I was blind as the score is written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, one of my top five faves (Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Springsteen and I’ll leave the last for you to guess).   The premise of the movie is based on Tchaikovsky’s (from now on, he’s the big T), Swan Lake.  Just saying Swan Lake has the leitmotifs running through my mind.  A leitmotif is a signature "melody” allotted to a character.  It can then be intricately woven into score in many different ways and times.  It’s a device to tell the story symphonically.

But once again, I have wandered down a side path.  I have lots to say.  Before I get to the actual movie review, I thought it might be a bit helpful if we all knew the story of Swan Lake.  (Trust me, the movie is not a ballet called Swan Lake, it’s a movie about a ballerina who happens to be dancing the lead role and what is going on in her life/head.

I have boiled this down, in my mind at least, to four major characters:

Odette: a Princess, and The Swan Queen

Prince Siegfried:  The Prince (and idiot- you will see why)

Von Rothbard:  The Sorcerer

Odile:  Von Rothbard’s Daughter

Odette becomes enchanted by Von Rothbard and is a swan by day and human by night.  Therefore, she must live by a lake.  As it happens, she lives with a whole bunch of swans who happen to have the same problem and they make her Swan Queen.    The only way to release the spell is to have someone (Prince-like) pledge undying love to Odette.  One day, Prince Siegfried wanders by as Odette has changed from swan to Princess.  He falls madly in love with her due to her beauty and asks her to the ball.  On the night of the ball, Von Rothbard and Odile show up.  Now- you should know that the Evil Sorcerer’s daughter looks almost exactly (it’s uncanny!) just like Odette.  The Prince, being clueless, thinks she is Odette and pledges his undying love to the wrong person.  This has had the effect of dooming Odette to the control of Von Rothbard for life.  Odette explains to Siegfried that she must die to be free so they both throw themselves into the lake.  (Remember there was a lake?)  This destroys Von Rothbard’s powers and the “whole bunch of swans” are released from their enchantment even if it’s too late for Odette and Siegfried. 

Okay.  Back to the movie.  We have Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman)- newly appointed Prima Ballerina, Lily (Mila Kunis) new member of the Corps de Ballet and alternate for the Swan Queen, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassell) Ballet Master, Beth Macintyre (Winona Ryder) former and just (not by her desire) retired ballerina and Erica Sayers (Barbara Hershey) Nina’s mother, a former ballerina who gave it all up to have her daughter.  The first thought I’d like to point out is the ballet master’s name, Leroy.  The King.  Just saying.  Now that we know the cast of characters, let’s dish.

The movie takes place from Nina’s point of reference.  (Thanks Joanne, for pointing it out!)  The plot line concerns her appointment as the new Prima Ballerina starring as the Swan Queen, playing both the parts of Odette and Odile.  Nina needs to work hard at this as she has the White Swan down but must mature, develop, let go, feel, etc. for the part of the Black Swan.  Nina works very hard to keep this role, to fulfill the requirements of the Ballet Master.  However, conflicts enter Nina’s life:  her overbearing mother, her colleague Lily.  Nina is troubled and beset as she navigates her way to opening night.

If I write any more, I’d be giving away the movie.

Darren Aronofsky, the director, has put together a fine film.  It is gripping, interesting, and the soundtrack is simply marvelous.  The Hollywood Foreign Press apparently liked the movie,  it gave Black Swan four Golden Globe nominations this morning:  Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress  and Best Supporting Actress.  I definitely agree.

PS: Ok, #5 is Dvorak- you must absolutely listen to the New World Symphony.  He wrote it about the United States of America.  It is also the source of the theme from Jaws.  Just listen- it really is.  And okay, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Frank Zappa…….