Friday 4 February 2011

Thriller analysis: Black Swan.

After going to see the movie thriller 'Black Swan' I felt the need to write about it as it was such an amazing yet skin crawling film. Having watched the trailer i decided i had to go and see it as i have a passion for dance, but didn't predict all the physiological things that would happen. The story is based on a New York City ballet company which is preparing for the production of Swan Lake, choosing to cast a new lead to replace current star "Beth MacIntyre" as the Swan Queen. However, the lead must maintain an adequate portrayal of both the White (innocent and sweet) and Black (dark and seductive) Swans. Nina Sayers, Natalie Portman, a dancer, is picked to compete for the part alongside several other young dancers. Nina lives with her caring but overbearing mother Erica, a failed dancer turned amateur artist who tries to control much of Nina's life.







 

The ballet director Thomas Leroy, is reluctant to cast Nina; he claims that she is the perfect White Swan, with perfect technique, but that she lacks the passion of the darkly sensual Black Swan. During a confrontation over the role, Thomas kisses her, and she bites his lip, surprising and exhilarating him; directly after, he casts her in the lead, even though he had claimed Veronica, another girl competing for the part, was getting the part. He presents her as his new star during a benefit gala. Over time Nina gets stressed and vulnerable as her dream of becoming the main lead could come true.

Nina displays a number of pshycotic symptoms, including strong delusions and elaborate visual hallucinations. She begins to feel paranoid that Lily, her understudy, is determined to take the lead away from her. She becomes wrapped up in the obsession of getting the part. Thomas meanwhile, becomes increasingly critical of Nina's frigid dancing as the Black Swan, and tells her that she should stop being so perfect and simply lose herself in the Black Swan role.

One night, Lily appears at Nina's door and invites Nina to go out on the town with her. Nina is at first reluctant, but after her mother's pushiness to get rid of Lily, she quickly leaves to escape her controlling mother. During the night out, she takes drugs and becomes more interested in Lily than the men at the bar. Upon returning to Nina's apartment with Lily, the two become intimate and Nina and her mother have an heated argument. Nina wakes up alone the next morning, and rushes to make it on time to rehearsal, finding Lily dancing as the Swan Queen in her absence. Furious Nina confronts Lily and asks her why she did not wake her up in the morning, Lily states that she spent the night with a man whom she met at the club, and teases Nina for fantasizing about her, playing with her head Natalie Portman no longer sees sense.

This film included many different emotions from warmth and excitment to anger and betrayal, it made me feel awkward and disturbed as well as emotional and tense. Her obsession clearly goes to far and in the end takes Ninas life away. The number of different angle shots when they dance is beautiful capturing each movement from a different angle. Their costumes played an important part in establishing the characters and their commitment to their roles was believable. I enjoyed this film alot even though at times it made me feel strange but at the same time i wanted to find out more. I recommend this film to any thriller, drama fans out there.

Here is a music video for 'Black Swan' also a slight trailer type video. It includes all the ups and downs that occur, all the emotions and dangers that happen. Natalie Portman played an incredible dancer/actress and portrayed all emotions and all her different state of minds amazingly.

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