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Ballet's Dark Side Hits Venice

By Cindy Davis | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (24)

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Aronofsky, psychological thriller, aggressive sex, Vincent Cassel…what more could we ask for? Girl on girl action? There’s that too. After opening the Venice Film Festival last year with The Wrestler, director Darren Aronofsky will again debut a new film this year. Black Swan stars Natalie Portman as a prima ballerina who wins the lead role in a New York City production of Swan Lake. Vincent Cassel (holy hotness) is Portman’s “dance master” (uh yeah, I need him as my whatever-master) and Mila Kunis, another dancer who naturally possesses the sultry and seductive demeanor that Cassel wants Portman to develop. Apparently Portman’s character becomes obsessed with Kunis, and the psychological twisting takes off from there.

You know you’re going (except maybe BSlim).

Here’s the first image of Portman in character:

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Comments

That picture is... huh....

what I, um... mean to say... is...

The way that... the skirt...


... Excuse me.

Posted by: JohnnyVonAwesome at July 23, 2010 5:20 PM

There hasn't been a good ballet bitchfest with hot ballet dancer guy since The Turning Point. I'll be seeing this. At least, I will if there is some good dancing in it.

Posted by: BWeaves at July 23, 2010 5:37 PM

Natalie Portman I will buy as a ballet dancer. Mila Kunis? Not so much.

Also, if that were a real ballet costume it would have flesh toned straps and possibly illusion netting.

And I hate seeing ballet films where the actors have dance doubles, because I can always tell.

I'm going to see this movie and I'm going to love the shit out of it.

Posted by: That Girl at July 23, 2010 5:39 PM

"Black Swan stars Natalie Portman as a prima ballerina who wins the lead role in a New York City production of Swan Lake. . . . and Mila Kunis, another dancer who naturally possesses the sultry and seductive demeanor that Cassel wants Portman to develop."

So why doesn't Cassel hire Mila Kunis for the lead role? Anyone else confused by this?

Posted by: BWeaves at July 23, 2010 5:49 PM

Ok. Could be good... and odd. I'll be there for pretty ladies, fancy
costumes and beautiful dancing.

In the meanwhile. Any explaination for the skin condition look of
her arm there?

Posted by: Ms MoMo at July 23, 2010 5:53 PM

I imagine that one day there will be a dance film that chooses to compose the cast of actual dancers, but I guess in a world where Shyamalan couldn't even be bothered to find himself some East Asians for The Last Airbender, it's probably not surprising.

Unless this is going to be light on the dancing and heavy on the actressin'. In which case - Mila Kunis?

Posted by: Amanda6 at July 23, 2010 5:58 PM

Mila Kunis can act quite well. She's just rarely challenged to go outside the hot funny girl mold. She's capable of so much more and I hope this film gives her a bit more recognition that way.

For those wondering why the director wouldn't just cast Kunis' character, there are many possible reasons. For one, Kunis might have the atittude but not be the type for the role. She could be too short, or too heavy, or completely screw up a callback against Portman's character. Meanwhile, Portman could be the exact look for the part but fall just short on the acting at the auditions. Talent doesn't always win out over looks. It's how the whole entertainment industry works.

Posted by: Robert at July 23, 2010 6:07 PM

I imagine that one day there will be a dance film that chooses to compose the cast of actual dancers

There is. Mao's last dancer, in which Chi Chao plays the lead. Unfortunately he can't act, so that's no good either...

Posted by: AlwaysConfused at July 23, 2010 6:53 PM

Meg from The Family Guy as a ballet dancer. I can see that. And that image of Natalie Portman ...

I'll be back in a few.

Posted by: The Wanderer at July 23, 2010 6:54 PM

/robot voice

OH MY GOD I TRY TO STAY CLASSY AND SOPHISTIMICATED BUT WHEN DO I GET TO SEE NATALIE AND JACKIE BURKHART MAKE SWEET SWEET LOVE DOWN BY THE FIRE I DON'T CARE IF THIS MOVIE IS STOCK FOOTAGE OF THE FOLSOM STREET FESTIVAL THEY HAD ME AT BRUNETTE SMOKING HOT JEWLESBIANS I CANNOT HELP THIS MY PENIS IS THE SWAAAAAAAAAAN.

Posted by: D-Day at July 23, 2010 8:23 PM

p.s. seriously, Aranofsky's a smart dude (I mean c'mon he's married to DROOLWeiss), that trailer is gonna be *ballet shot--ballet shot--Portman tight clothes--city shot--ballet shot--Kunis shot--Portman shot--makeout shot--ballet shot--something breaking shot--fade out on creepy music.

p.p.s. Natalie blinded me. The SWAAAAAAN is my penis. I'm spent.

Posted by: D-Day at July 23, 2010 8:28 PM

You gonna be okay D-Day?

If people are unaware, Natalie Portman studied ballet until she was 13, and then did further training for the movie - so she's not without background.

Posted by: Cindy at July 23, 2010 9:23 PM

Pretty girls, and pretty dancing(hopefully),YEAH!

Posted by: Ri at July 23, 2010 9:33 PM

Portman's overrated. Beyond thunderdome overrated. Finally she finds a role where she's actually SUPPOSED to have the body of a 12 year old boy.

Posted by: CiCi at July 23, 2010 11:48 PM

I imagine that one day there will be a dance film that chooses to compose the cast of actual dancers

There is. Mao's last dancer, in which Chi Chao plays the lead. Unfortunately he can't act, so that's no good either...

You might also want to check out The Company. I guess it all depends on how you feel about Neve Campbell, but it's about as real as American movies about dance get. Plus, James Franco!

Posted by: Captain Tuttle at July 24, 2010 12:14 AM

MEH.

Netflix

Posted by: logan at July 24, 2010 12:34 AM

I'm glad to see my #1 freebie getting so many releases lately! Vincent Cassel doing ballet? YES PLEASE!!

Posted by: Dorothy Snarker at July 24, 2010 12:57 AM

"I imagine that one day there will be a dance film that chooses to compose the cast of actual dancers"

That would be Center Stage.

Aronofsky is enough to get my ass in the theater seat. But Portman and dancing? I'm going TWICE.

Posted by: Scully at July 24, 2010 7:42 AM

MY PENIS IS THE SWAAAAAAAAAAN.
The SWAAAAAAN is my penis. I'm spent.

OMG D-Day you made me pee just a teeny bit.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverdouche at July 24, 2010 12:00 PM

I love Aronofsky, and get excited about a new project, but that excitement drowns with the mention of portman.

Great, a little starlet who can't act, and who makes a career on people's nearly pedophilic elevation of tiny skinny china doll actresses who don't act so much as loll around the screen to generate crushes from subversive masses

good christ, it would be better if some of these directors had never made any money and were stuck crafting their visions in basement studios with unknowns.

Posted by: idleprimate at July 24, 2010 1:51 PM

Scully- I first thought of Center Stage as well, but AlwaysConfused has a very good point. While the movie is one of my favorite guilty pleasures, unfortunately none of them can act, so that's no good either...

Posted by: randomlurker at July 24, 2010 5:29 PM

i've heard from some industry types that aronofsky wanted mia wasikoska for the part that eventually went to natalie portman.

i guess mia studied ballet pretty intensely for a while before getting into acting but she wasn't a big enough name so they had to go with NP.

Posted by: arr matey at July 24, 2010 6:11 PM

*wasikowska

Posted by: arr matey at July 24, 2010 6:13 PM

*wasikowska

Mike Wazowski? Well that would've been a different direction...

Posted by: D-Day at July 25, 2010 1:07 PM