madness to Chaikovsky

Rating: 8/10 (31 January 2012)

If Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" doesn't haunt you, then nothing will. Natalie Portman plays Nina, a young woman training for a role in a production of Pyotr Chaikovsky's "Swan Lake". She gets the role of the White Swan, but the intense pressure on her, along with the presence of another ballerina (Mila Kunis) who Nina suspects is trying to usurp the role, sends Nina into complete madness.
The scenes of dancers gracefully performing ballet is the perfect contrast to intense scenes showing Nina's breakdown. Some of the scenes made me squirm (and I'm usually someone who can take anything in a movie). Much of the movie is shot with a hand-held camera, heightening the tension. Much like he did with "Pi" and "Requiem for a Dream", Aronofsky does a perfect job showing a disturbing descent into insanity.
I saw a production of "Swan Lake" in the Mariinsky Theater while I was in St. Petersburg. I recognized the theme song from somewhere else (I don't remember where). That has to be the most haunting piece of music ever written. Having watched "Black Swan", I'm now wondering what was going on behind the production that I saw! Anyway, this is definitely one that I recommend. I didn't see every movie from 2010, so I can't say for certain whether or not Natalie Portman's performance was the best from that year, but she was definitely up there.
In conclusion, be suspicious the next time that you see a member of the genus Cygnus.
Also starring Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder and Benjamin Millepied.