CLICK HERE FOR A PREVIEW REVIEW OF TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

THE IDEA

An exploration of the behind the scenes world of - ballet?

Well, kind of. The drama of the story centers on rival dancers vying for the role of White/Black Swan in Swan Lake. See, the White Swan is innocent, while the Black Swan, is kinda slutty. The catch: one performer plays both parts.

Nina (Portman), obsessed with succeeding, explores her dark side with the help of Lily (Kunis) and transforms...litteraly! Yeah, she starts to turn into a Black Swan. WTF?

THE “MOVIE HOOK UP” PITCH

All About Eve + The Red Shoes + The Wrestler + Carrie

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT/BETTER?

It has a spiritual connection to The Wrestler in that they’re both movies about physical performers that push themselves towards success that ultimately ends in self destruction, or, depending on the viewpoint, a willing sacrifice on the colosseum altar to the masses, the crowd, demanding art, or at the very least, entertainment.

David Cronenberg-ish element of psychological and body horror. David Lynch-ian surreal reality and eroticism.

Nataile Portman and Mila Kunis kiss...(buying ticket now).

WARNING SIGNS

THE PEDIGREE

 THE TITLE MAKES ME THINK...

As in Swan Lake?

Why does it have to be black! Why you gotta be like that Darren?

THE TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC

Natalie Portman wank nation.

Mila Kunis wank nation.

Darren Aronofsky fans. Adults 20-40.

Ballet community. People hungry for Oscar Season.

THE PEOPLE TO THANK FOR THIS

ACT I - I wanna be the star!

From the director of The Wrestler means expect a similar structure, at least here in Act I.

We meet Nina Sayers (Portman) as an obsessed with making it ballet artist. This also includes glimpses of her home life and the revelation that she’s controlled by a domineering mother (this will create psychic pressure leading her physical metamorphosis later much the same way it happened in Carrie) who used to be a ballet star. Unfortunately for her, she’s too old to work anymore, and now, must live through her daughter (a variation on the dad who pushes his son to be the football star he once was).

At first this seems like a shot of ballet practice. At a deeper level it’s a snapshot of yin/yang balance and reinforces dual-rality reflected in mirrors.

Expect somber, slice of life reality glimpses of her rigorous, body abusing practice routines and the unfriendly atmosphere of other dancers battling for lead roles.

Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) is the director of Swan Lake and he announces auditions. Nina obviously auditions and gets...half the part.

The ballet requires one dancer to play two roles. The White Swan is innocent, something Nina fits perfectly for. The Black Swan however, has a darker side, something Nina is repressing and too scared to explore. Lily another dancer, is perfect for THAT role. By the end of Act I, these are the finalists for the role.

ACT II - Fight! Fight! Fight!

Nina has to fight her comfort zone and face this malnourished facet of her being.

LIly is the perfect person to help her tap into this “shadow self.” In obvious ways this is a Yin/Yang representation of good/evil, light/dark, virgin/whore.

We have to wonder if Lily is a figment of Nina’s imagination? If her repression has caused her psyche to create an imaginary character in order to process these frustrated energies.

Dreams of being a star.

Hmmm...I wonder what this means?

Is Lily Nina’s Tyler Durden?

Most likely, that’s too obvious of a “what’s the twist?” audience question, so Aronofsky probably won’t go there.

Also, in the preview, Thomas tells Nina to pay attention to how Lily reacts to the touch of her dance partner. It’s unlikely that Thomas is part of Nina’s hallucination/break with reality, which would mean the entire movie is in her head - that would be a cheap ending. Up until the middle of the movie there hasn’t been a reason to break with reality...that is unitl...Nina gets the part!

ACT II - MIDPOINT - Success!

Towards the end of the first half of Act II Nina has been moving towards her darker side with the help of Lily. It helps her get the part.

Thomas announces Nina as the new swan and life is good, until...Nina starts having strange experiences. It seems unleashing this suppressed side of her is having side effects manifesting in her perception of reality.

Maybe it’s the stress of getting the part, maybe it’s inner guilt for selling her virginity (in body and/or spirit) to have the role, whatever it is, her mind is not at peace.

Nina starts to blend the un with the real.

Add to this that her physical body beings changing and Nina turns into an emotional wreck. Unable to focus, on the edge of her nerves she is demoted to understudy and Lily takes over the role.

ACT III - Depression, delusion, desperation.

Here, the line separating reality and fantasy disappears ad Nina’s world falls apart.

She must tell her mom the news, who, reacts critically. This pisses Nina off, she can’t take it anymore so she attacks her mom. Maybe her “inner black swan” starts to take control more and more and it unleashes on her mother.

The story of the Swan Lake ballet bleeds over into reality.

Now THAT is how you convey Oscar-worthy emotion.

With her mom unconscious or dead Nina really unhinges. The only thing she has left is the ballet. She’s going to go the show, opening night, and perform the role she was meant for.

Is this really happening? Or, is this all in her mind? Nina could be rolled up in a ball, huddled on her bathroom floor imagining all of this. Kind of an easy route to take. So what if it’s real? That means, she’s going to the show to eliminate Lily.

Which she does. They have a fight, Nina, possibly unintentionally, kills her and gets into costume as the show is about to begin.

Thomas is puzzled but has no choice to go with Nina. The others in the ballet, specifically the love interest dude are suspicious, but “the show must go on” so they go with it.

It’s perfect.

Nina is great, the audience loves her, everyone forgets about Lily and as she bows for the crowd Nina turns into a Black Swan.

Does anyone notice? Do they think it’s just great makeup? Part of the show ah-la Interview with the Vampire?

It’s unlikely that a big horror-action sequence breaks out here. Nina’s not going to fly around attacking people and Van Helsing won’t show up to chase her down. It’ll be ambiguous much like the ending of King of Comedy. She’s loved by the crowd. Her dreams have come true. But, is it just that, a dream? We have to decide for ourselves.

Wait? Is this a 28 Days Later sequel? The Red Eyes? Sounds like the Rage Virus.

Nina attacks Lily before the show as the Black Swan within her is taking control. Or, simply put, bitch gets crazy!

This shot starts with Lily. Then as she turns around...

Thankfully, it has balls and originality!

How do we know? Because even after seeing the preview, the story isn’t easily figured out. The ending is unpredictable.

So let’s use this demand-originality-section of the Pre-Re to explore the potential themes the film might have and how they could be incorporated.

Being a passion project made on a small scale, Aronofsky has total control, which hopefully means he went all out creatively.

Black Swan implies immediately in title something rare, special. It’s trying to take us someplace new. And, most impressively, going there fearlessly.

There’s the story within a story structure using Swan Lake. Usually, if done well, both stories influence each other (ex. Tales of the Black Freighter within Watchmen).

What’s Swan Lake about? A princess, Odette, who is cursed by Von Rothbart, a sorcerer, to be a swan by day, human by night (sort of like that movie Ladyhawke) until a man vows eternal love and remains faithful to her.

How can that crossover into reality?

...it’s revealed to be Nina. The crown in the background maintains continuity. Are they the same person? Or, is this Nina imagining herself as Lily?

The Sorcerer casts his spell on Nina?

Is the guy in the pic the guy who can break The Sorcerer’s curse on Nina? Has he pledged eternal love and now Lily has broken that?

Facing the truth of her emerging self.

Nina’s first victim is her controlling mother. Does it happen or is it a fantasy? Does this event set her off into madness?

Well, what’s the reality?

Nina is an young would be star who gets recognized by Thomas as a possible replacement for Beth (Winona Ryder) who played the lead of the swan in previous productions. She lives with a suffocating mother and isn’t in touch with the darker sides of her self.

So, during the day Nina is innocent and at night she’s not so? Simple, but, effective.

Do we go the supernatural route and curse Nina? Is it a self curse?

There’s also something called Black Swan Theory that deals with “rare events” and their lasting impacts. A human turning into a swan is definitely such an event; definitely Aronofsky-style mixing of right/left brain sensibilities.

Finally, there’s the exploration of the artist and how far one goes for one’s calling. How affected one is by the expectations of the audience. King Kong is cute attraction as long as he’s in chains. Once scared, angered and seeking freedom, he’s dangerous if freed.

In the preview we see the wings emerging from within. Notice how she’s painted white on the outside - a contrast to what is rumbling from within, threatening eruption.

If The Wrestler is a companion piece to Black Swan then the journeys of the main characters should have a soulmate quality. For Randy “The Ram” Robinson is an easy one to plot out: one-time wrestling superstar is broke, forgotten, hanging onto the past searching for one last moment of glory.

What’s Nina’s journey? It’s the roundabout path arriving at the same destination as Ram’s. Nina is on the verge of her glory days, seeking to become a superstar. Ram’s body is what has broken down whereas Nina’s sanity has fallen apart.

With the added genre element of psychological terror, of a mind breaking down, the membrane of objective/subjective is punctured and cross contaminating is taking place. What does that do in helping her become who she wants to be?

Going reality with this and having Nina transform into a swan will take filmmaking finesse. Especially in resolving the, “Now what does she do?” after she’s turned into the swan?

It doesn’t seem like she has a father figure so that might be the Swan Lake crossover element: she wants a man who won’t leave her. But, come on, that would be lame.

As it is, the ballsiness in the preview hints at a is-this-real-or-delusion-dynamic leading to an ambiguous Taxi Driver resolution of, “Did that really happen?” No easy answers, just courageous storytelling.

 PREVIEW PROOF OF WORTHINESS

 PREVIEW PROOF OF UNWORTHINESS

Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis bring to reality the Maxim Magazine fantasies of a generation.

Mind bending wtf? psychological horror/drama.

Natalie trained for six months in preparation for the role.

Overbearing mom character has been done before.

Bad girl/good girl corruption has been done before.

Oscar try hard.

  DID YOU NOTICE DURING THE PREVIEW?

The opening image is a metaphor for the main character’s thematic journey into the darkness, alone.

Great but slightly obnoxious cues that hammer instead of hint at Nina’s journey into her dark side.

BOX OFFICE PREDICTION

Lily isn’t very good at stealing people’s wallets while they’re asleep.

The Nosferatu-like fingers in the painting on Nina’s wall move!

Yes, that’s Winona Ryder.

Edvard Munch’s The Scream is an obvious influence.

Maybe the most disturbing scene because Nina lets her stuffed animals watch...and they do! Pervs. Notice also, #2 is a black swan.

She begins to transform during her big performance. But, is it real or imagined?

Similar visuals to Sunset Boulevard, the 1950 Billy Wilder classic about the delusion creating effects of fame lost. Nina and Norma share similar fates.

What...the...f?

SEE THESE TO PREPARE

Repulsion, Jacob’s Ladder and Shine

If the Movie Hope Total happens the best case scenario is that movies will be made with more care, creative inspiration and energy. At worst, Darren will be able to make another movie.

PORN SPOOFABLE TITLE

Black Schlong

THE RATING

Totally Midnight Show worthy because it’s so not part of the Story Corp. machine.

The preview does a great job of getting us interested, but not revealing the most interesting parts.

The writer, actors and directors are definitely factors that affect our ticket-buying decision making process.

While the Hottie Factor will cast its spell on some of us, most will check this out because it Stimulates Imagination and is something risky, different and creative.

The only semi-negative vibe this gives off is that it obviously Wants An Oscar Nomination. It could be said that it’s just copying The Wrestler’s formula to critical praise and resulting modest box office success. That criticism wouldn’t be totally wrong, but, it’s also too easy. This is definitely trying to use the strengths of The Wrestler and add something new to the experience.

And for those reasons it’s Movie Hope. It’s made for all the right reasons and fueled by cinematic heart tempered by a practical yet respectful market-savvy mind.

LITTLE KNOWN FACT

The opening image of the Self Control video is of a doll in a black lingerie dress.

Laura Branigan’s 1984 hit single Self Control and resulting risque video (directed by William Friedkin, yes, The French Connection William Friedkin) have subconsciously influenced Darren Aronofsky’s vision for Black Swan.

Just like the Sorcerer character from Swan Lake sets a spell on the princess, here, this Eyes WIde Shut dude haunts the “innocent” girl, tempting her to explore her dark side.

Seriously. Okay, so Darren was 15 years old in 1984 and that song was a huge hit, the video was a big deal because it was directed by an academy award winner and it’s story was a bit too much for TV at the time. And, in the middle of puberty, Darren definitely watched it more than a few times (MTV has always been a rite of teenage softcore passage).

She follows The Sorcerer down the archetypal forbidden hallway that leads to the inner self; the shadow side. There, she sees some kind of ballet of decadence with The Sorcerer tempting her to join.

I’m not saying it’s CONSCIOUS thing. I really doubt during pre-production he declared, “Hey, everyone, this movie is influenced by Laura Branigan’s Self Control!”

Led into the new territory she is overwhelmed and gives in. Notice how in the final frame here the guy looks like The Sorcerer in costume .

It’s totally unconscious. Either it’s a forgotten memory sneaking past present moment awareness or a pluck from the collective unconscious. Either way, check out the music video, look at the evidence and render the verdict.

Similar images, similar journey.

Self Control could also play the role of movie theme song. It’s subject material has a doppelganger spirit to it. Try it. Turn the sound on the preview down and play the song. Is it deliberate or Dark Side of the Moon/Wizard of Oz synchronicity?

In the Self Control video the “haunting self” LOOKS like Nina in Black Swan with White Swan makeup. In both, the character senses their fears projected in the mirror.

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