The most anticipated movie of the year is Fox Searchlight Pictures’ Black Swan, an artsy movie lensed in 16mm film noir style that explores the dark side of ballet’s intense competition between two of a ballet company’s principal dancers.
Natalie Portman (Star Wars) plays the veteran dancer, Nina, an emotionally troubled loner who is slowly descending into madness.
Mila Kunis (Book of Eli) plays Lily, the cocky, self-assured dancer who is competing with Nina for the lead role in the classic production, Swan Lake — or is she?
In the opening scene of the movie’s trailer, Nina says:
“I had the craziest dream last night… about a girl who’s turned into a swan. But her prince falls for the wrong girl… and she kills herself”
And that, in a nutshell, is the theme of Black Swan, a psychological thriller with ballerina protagonists.
The love scene between Nina and Lilly is garnering a lot of press. But the concept of a chick turning into a swan — à la Jeff Goldblum in The Fly — is what’s most intriguing about Black Swan.
In the film’s trailer, Nina repeatedly scratches herself leaving her back covered in long, jagged scars. There is one intense scene where her mother (played by the excellent Barbara Hershey) frantically clips Nina’s nails down to the nubs.
The last scene in the trailer shows Nina plucking a black feather out of her back. The whites of her eyes glow a fiery red… just like a black swan!
Does Nina eventually turn into a black swan? I read the script online, so I know the answer, but I won’t spoil it for you.
