Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: BLACK SWAN (2010)

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Community » Film Handlers' Movie Reviews » BLACK SWAN (2010) (Page 1)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Author

Topic: BLACK SWAN (2010)

Jim Bedford
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 597
From: Telluride, CO, USA (733 mi. WNW of Rockwall, TX but it seems much, much longer)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-03-2010 11:21 PM

The BLUE VELVET of dance movies (with a bit of MOMMY DEAREST tossed in.) Almost a Gothic horror film. It grabbed me from the first and wouldn't let me go. It was a fun and often a surprising ride through a world I didn't know. Compelling and sexy too.

| IP: Logged

Tom Petrov
Five Guys Lover

Posts: 1121
From: El Paso, TX
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 12-13-2010 09:29 PM

****

Black Swan is a very good movie or film. Kind of reminds me of Jacob's Ladder (from memory, not for content but kind of for style) and Stanley Kubrick would love this movie. Also, Wes Craven would probably like this movie too.

This movie really grabs a hold of you. There is a scene midway through where Portman goes to a bar with a friend and the scene starts off at the bar, then dancing then back to Portman's bed. The scene is 20 minutes and its filmaking at its finest.

The film is kind of like art. I look at the poster of Portman and just can't get my thoughts out of my head on how the movie made me feel. The film really stays with you.

The three main actors are outstanding and the directing of these actors is very, very good. This is Portmans, Mila Kunis and Aronofsky's best work to date. I have not seen Requiem for a Dream. Mila Kunis really stands out. The score, editing and story are very good. I would have to say that there will be multiple Oscar noms for Black Swan.

I am not sure if this based on a book, but the screenplay is excellent. Finally a horror/thriller geared towards women.

The movie/film is a borderline thriller/horror and when you really think the director is going to let you go, he keeps grabbing at you.

I was going to say that "Never Let Me Go" was IMO the best film of the year, but "Black Swan" is now at the top of my top 10 list.

| IP: Logged

Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-15-2010 06:05 PM

Black Swan was a bit of a bore for me. Nothing by Natalie Portman with a knit brow looking worried for two hours. She starts out crazy and stays crazy, not much of a character arc.

| IP: Logged

Stu Jamieson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 524
From: Buccan, Qld, Australia
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 12-20-2010 09:11 PM

Can't wait for this one. Love the new 'cracked china doll' poster.

| IP: Logged

Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 12-24-2010 09:29 PM

I haven't figured out if I like this movie or not yet. I liked what it was trying to do. And the story definitely had potential to make a great movie. I'm just not sure if I like how this movie tried to tell the story or if it succeeded in my mind.

I think the cameraman must have had one leg shorter than the other or something. And the combination of ultra-close ups and shots from across the room made me wonder what was up. It didn't help that the theater we were in had it framed too high. How this was possible on a scope movie is beyond me unless they're using the wrong lens for that throw distance.

At some point, I may decided if I liked this movie or not. But those technical details are definitely hurting my opinion of it. It certainly wasn't "beautifully shot".

| IP: Logged

Tom Petrov
Five Guys Lover

Posts: 1121
From: El Paso, TX
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 12-24-2010 10:44 PM

quote: Mark J. Marshall
I haven't figured out if I like this movie or not yet. I liked what it was trying to do. And the story definitely had potential to make a great movie. I'm just not sure if I like how this movie tried to tell the story or if it succeeded in my mind.

Well thats actually good that you are not sure, that means it left some sort of impression on you (good or bad) which you have to think about, great movies make you think about them afterward. I liked it, but I am not sure if this is the best movie of the year. Top 5 for sure, just not sure if it is #1.

quote: Mark J. Marshall
I think the cameraman must have had one leg shorter than the other or something. And the combination of ultra-close ups and shots from across the room made me wonder what was up. It didn't help that the theater we were in had it framed too high. How this was possible on a scope movie is beyond me unless they're using the wrong lens for that throw distance.

Movie was shot on 16mm. This should explain it. Also, the were a lot of extreme close ups, I have never seen so many, but it worked.

| IP: Logged

Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 12-25-2010 04:40 AM

I agree that a good movie can make you think about it afterward. That doesn't mean that every movie that I have to think about is a good one. Some movies end up being worse in my mind the more I think about them. But I am leaning towards liking this movie though.

Seizure-Cam isn't exclusive to 16mm - it's terrible in any format. I wish film makers would knock it the hell off. As a story telling device it's so over used that it doesn't add anything except a distraction. I imagine one day we'll all look back on this period of film-making and marvel about how many potentially great films (and TV shows for that matter) were completely destroyed by the over use of that cinematic technique.

Extreme close ups can work. But when they're used so much that you start to notice them then it takes you out of the story. That definitely happened here. A lot of the movie just felt "in your face" to me. "In your face" is not the same as "intimate" which is what this story felt like it called for. To me it kind of looked like it was composed and shot for flat but was then cropped for scope.

| IP: Logged

Tom Petrov
Five Guys Lover

Posts: 1121
From: El Paso, TX
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 12-25-2010 05:10 AM

quote: Mark J. Marshall
I agree that a good movie can make you think about it afterward. That doesn't mean that every movie that I have to think about is a good one. Some movies end up being worse in my mind the more I think about them. But I am leaning towards liking this movie though.

Hey Mark, Usually I where the film stands or how much I like. With Black Swan I am still debating with myself whether it is the Best Picture of the year. I still have two more movies to go before I decide.

And you are right, sometimes movies become worse the more I think about them. Buried is one I can think of, as well as Sean Penn in Fair Game. For the most part, I usually know right away.

quote: Mark J. Marshall
Seizure-Cam isn't exclusive to 16mm - it's terrible in any format. I wish film makers would knock it the hell off. As a story telling device it's so over used that it doesn't add anything except a distraction. I imagine one day we'll all look back on this period of film-making and marvel about how many potentially great films (and TV shows for that matter) were completely destroyed by the over use of that cinematic technique.

Extreme close ups can work. But when they're used so much that you start to notice them then it takes you out of the story. That definitely happened here. A lot of the movie just felt "in your face" to me. "In your face" is not the same as "intimate" which is what this story felt like it called for. To me it kind of looked like it was composed and shot for flat but was then cropped for scope.

Here is a quote by the cinematographer.

"We used a Canon 7D or 1D Mark IV for all the subway scenes; I could just carry a 7D and shoot on the subway all day with a very small crew"

They were filming gorilla style which is pretty cool.

It was a single-camera shoot except for maybe one day, and our main camera was an Arri 416, which we used with Arri Ultra Prime 16 lenses. We used a Canon 7D or 1D Mark IV for all the subway scenes; I could just carry a 7D and shoot on the subway all day with a very small crew. I did some tests with my wife beforehand to figure out my ASA, my stop, and how I was going to deal with the focus. I didn’t use any rigs with it because I wasn’t trying to shoot in the traditional way. I tested a bunch of different exposures and then brought the footage to Charlie Hertzfeld at Technicolor, who put it in the system so I could look at the highlights, the moiré and the resolution. Then I went back to the drawing board to do more tests. The 7D has more depth of field than the 5D, but I needed that because I didn’t have a follow-focus unit and needed to work really fast. I shot everything documentary-style. I did all the focus pulls by hand, and we’d just look at it on the camera’s monitor. I ended up shooting on a Canon 24mm lens at 1,600 ASA to get as much depth of field as possible at a stop of T8.

BlackSwan

Check out this link. This is some cool feature filmaking.

Subway shooting and interview

And it is clear as to why he uses 16mm, the setups are so much shorter as he says.

| IP: Logged

Stu Jamieson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 524
From: Buccan, Qld, Australia
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 12-25-2010 11:54 AM

quote: Tom Petrov

I did some tests with my wife.....

I'd like to hear more about that. [Razz]

| IP: Logged

Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 12-25-2010 08:00 PM

Wo, for a second there I thought that Tom was talking about his wife.

| IP: Logged

Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 12-28-2010 08:16 PM

This is one weird movie. I agree with Jim Bedford that it feels like BLUE VELVET. I also agree with Mark Marshall in that I can't decide whether I liked it or not.

The movie has a very cold feel to it...very few bright colors, except for one important one near the end.

Probable OSCAR nominations for

Best Actress -- Natalie Portman
Best Supporting Actress -- Barbara Hershey
Best Director -- Darren Aronofsky
Best Movie -- Black Swan

There is a terrific special effects sequence as she dances the final Black Swan ballet. Very subtle and very effective.

And, that shakiness was more than a little annoying at times!

| IP: Logged

Tom Petrov
Five Guys Lover

Posts: 1121
From: El Paso, TX
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 12-28-2010 08:19 PM

quote: Mark Lensenmayer
Best Actress -- Natalie Portman
Best Supporting Actress -- Barbara Hershey
Best Director -- Darren Aronofsky
Best Movie -- Black Swan

Vincent Cassel and Mila Kunis as well.

I think Kunis is going to get the Oscar this year.

| IP: Logged

Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-28-2010 10:28 PM

quote: Tom Petrov
filming gorilla style

Not sure what that means, but I keep thinking about the Late Night Monkey Cam®, from the old NBC Letterman show.

| IP: Logged

Tom Petrov
Five Guys Lover

Posts: 1121
From: El Paso, TX
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 12-28-2010 10:37 PM

quote: Mike Blakesley
Not sure what that means, but I keep thinking about the Late Night Monkey Cam®, from the old NBC Letterman show.

What it mean is. The filmakers used 7D digital cameras to film inside the New York Subway system without elaborate camera, set ups and lighting.

The real definition is, "lack of permits" while filming. Which usually mean no real setup or sets.

| IP: Logged

Kurt Zupin
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 989
From: Maricopa, Arizona
Registered: Oct 2004

posted 12-28-2010 11:05 PM

I'm sorry but Kunis did nothing to deserve an Oscar nod in this movie let alone an Oscar. She was fine in her role, but she did nothing to be deserving of that praise.

I saw this when it was released in Limited runs at the start of the month. I haven't felt compelled to write about it, and still don't. Since I was typing to say that Kunis didn't earn an Oscar nom I figured I should do my review as well.

I'm a fan of Aronofsky, Wrestler is still one of my fav's from the past couple years. This film just felt boring, just like Ian said. She started Crazy and ends Crazy, no character Arc. I'm glad people enjoyed it, it just wasn't for me.

2/5 [thumbsup]

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.