Bolshoi Babylon in UK cinemas as of Jan 8

[FLOSS]

Anyone who missed yesterday's screening and would still like to see this film can find the cinemas where it is being screened from now until Thursday by going to www.londonnet.co.uk/films/ or just googling films in London.Select the film and the site will give you information about the cinemas in which it is being shown in London,Great Britain and Dublin and the time of the screenings.

[trog]

I saw this yesterday in Dudley. In Kirsty Warks introduction she said how it was in theatres across the Uk, "many of which are full". I had a bit of a giggle as I was the only one in the cinema, although three others turned up just as the film was about to start. These people scarpered during the closing credits. The live Q&A was marred by not showing the first five minutes or so - it finally came on with Deborah Bull just finishing explaining the difference between British and Russion ballet. I'd like to have heard all that she said. Did anyone else in a cinema beyond the M25, experience a similar technical fault?

 

I enjoyed the film, although as others have said, it really only needs one viewing. I think the bits in the rehearsal rooms were the best - I'd like to have seen much more of that. I thought the questions in the Q&A were predicable and I suspect those chosen from the audience may have been pre-empted.

 

One question for the panel. Which ballet is the baby in the oven from? Am I correct in thinking it's Matt Ek's "The Appartment"?

[John Mallinson]

Anyone who missed yesterday's screening and would still like to see this film can find the cinemas where it is being screened from now until Thursday by going to www.londonnet.co.uk/films/ or just googling films in London.Select the film and the site will give you information about the cinemas in which it is being shown in London,Great Britain and Dublin and the time of the screenings.

 

 

It can also be rented from the BFI.

[Ian Macmillan]

Trog:  I don't think there was a M25 Force Field in action and the Q&A session had no breaks in Cambridge.

[John Mallinson]

…

 

One question for the panel. Which ballet is the baby in the oven from? Am I correct in thinking it's Matt Ek's "The Appartment"?

 

Yes.

[trog]

Thanks John and Ian. I suspect the problem in Dudley was caused by the projectionist forgetting to switch back to the live feed.

[Jodie]

I was in Bloomsbury for the screening, they did seem to have a couple of technical hitches, mikes not working etc. The questions were not pre selected, the audience was just asked to stick their hands up during the interview with Meskova.

[northstar]

I saw Bolshoi Babylonn at the cinema too (without live Q&A). Despite the fact I wasn't that interested in the exposé elements of the documentary, I enjoyed it, some captivating shots of rehearsal and performance, and interesting, frank interviews.

 

The brief clips of the Swan Lake Spanish variation, with Meskova flying across the stage in her huge leaps, alone made the film worth seeing for me. I've never seen that particular choreography before on video or in the theatre. And it looked fantastic in the cinema on the big screen (last time I went to see ballet at the cinema, RB Nutcracker, I wasn't convinced by the experience)

 

Alexandrova speaking of her injury and return was also revealing and interesting to me, as I was ignorant of that.

 

I would say the film enhanced my interest in, and admiration for, the Bolshoi Ballet, depsite all the acid attack stuff.

[Pulcinella]

I saw this yesterday in Dudley. In Kirsty Warks introduction she said how it was in theatres across the Uk, "many of which are full". I had a bit of a giggle as I was the only one in the cinema, although three others turned up just as the film was about to start. These people scarpered during the closing credits. The live Q&A was marred by not showing the first five minutes or so - it finally came on with Deborah Bull just finishing explaining the difference between British and Russion ballet. I'd like to have heard all that she said. Did anyone else in a cinema beyond the M25, experience a similar technical fault?

I saw this at the Cineworld in Solihull where there was a total of 11, including me and my husband. This had gone down to 5 by the end of the Q & A session. We also came into this at the same point. I put this down to the fact that we had a series of adverts after Kirsty Wark said "Let's see the film" when I think they may have gone straight into it at the cinema where the Q & A was coming from.

[SwissBalletFan]

Tonight the Bolshoi's new production of Taming of the Shrew is being shown in Cinemas. 

 

Here is the information http://www.pathelive.com/the-taming-of-the-shrew

[Don Q Fan]

I saw Bolshoi Babylon is now available on BFI whatever that is but it was among the iPlayer type things according to Weekend Mag in the Daily Mail.

[nycitybird]

Bolshoi Babylon is now available to rent on Sky.

[RMM1]

 Scheduled on BBC4 for Sunday 28th February at 9pm.

[alison]

Bump!

[Lisa O`Brien]

Very interesting and enjoyable documentary. Did anyone else pick up near the beginning of it when someone said about everybody being ambitious but that there were dancers in the company who were not very talented? Like yeah,right.!

[Sim]

I agree Lisa. Yes, I said to my hubby that anyone who isn't talented wouldn't be in the Bolshoi!

 

I also picked up from the subtitles that the dancers 'practice at the bar' every morning....must be a company of lushes!

[Jacqueline]

I rather enjoyed this documentary. It was a good mix of talking heads, some great dance footage and some fascinating body language, sometimes more interesting for what was left unspoken as much as what was actually said. I can't say it told me much I didn't already know from the press and discussion on here but it did give a fresh perspective as it is interesting to see these people in action, dancers or not. 

One can only feel desperately sorry for Sergei Filin and what happened to him. As he said himself, for one human being to inflict that sort of injury on another, they forfeit the right to be called human. I could understand his irritation at the reporters who were fixated on his injury and kept asking him how did he feel? One asked him two seconds after he had answered exactly the same question from another. 

 I can't get too excited about the 'intrigues' at the Bolshoi. To me it all came across, with the exception of the acid attack on Filin, as typical 'office' politics. Backstabbing, petty jealousies, people falling out, not getting their way, being in favour one minute and out the next, moaning about not having enough work then moaning about having too much, not getting the recognition they feel they deserve and so on. Could be the same anywhere the world over, these people just happen to be dancers.

I don't profess to know much about him but I must say I quite liked Mr Urin. He was kind of inscrutable but made it clear his relationship with  Filin was strictly business and they clearly loathed each other. Urin's comment about Filin continuing in his job if he performed adequately left you in no doubt as to how that was going to turn out. But Urin seemed realistic about the tenuousness of his own position as well. At one point as I recall, he commented on whether he might still be there in so many months time and laughed. That scene at the meeting with Urin repeatedly telling Filin to sit down and Filin finally capitulating, was an excrutiating and riveting power struggle.

I am glad I live a quiet, talentless life.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Jacqueline

[Bleaden94]

Bolshoi Babylon is actually on BBC iplayer at the moment!