5 Best Ballet Films of All Time!

[Jan McNulty]

I've put a link to a featurette in Today's links:

 

MarieClaire

 

I thought people might like to discuss!

 

 

Of course I am biased but I would have included Mao's Last Dancer.

 

Another film I would have included is White Nights.

 

Over to you.........

[taxi4ballet]

There's one on the list that I think has already been consigned to Room 101...?

[mart]

I'm giving you my list

The red shoes

Mao's last dancer (Chi Cao is magnificent )

White nights

Turning pointe

Billy Elliot

Disney' Fantasia (The Ostriches /Hippos and the Crocodile Hippo Pas de deux Genius)

[Jan McNulty]

Oh, good list Mart!

 

Yes Chi is good isn't he!

 

I dont actually like The Red Shoes but it is a good film.

[zxDaveM]

The Red Shoes (in the cinema)

The Red Shoes (on dvd)

The Red Shoes (on vhs video)

and, er.......

[DavidW]

I'd have to include my guilty pleasure ballet movie - Center Stage! Not least for the glimpses of Ethen Stiefel and Julie Kent in Stars and Stripes and the R&J Balcony Pas de Deux... Agree that I'd include Mao's Last Dancer too. Definitely need to watch White Nights, Red Shoes and Turning point!

 

(I always forget that Center Stage was directed by Nicholas Hytner...)

[mart]

Janet the red Shoes  to see Massine in the cancan and Helpmann being outrageous !!!!

[Jan McNulty]

And not to see because it depresses me!

[Aruna S]

Any list which includes Black Swan - let alone putting it at the top - is garbage-bin worthy IMO. However it does include three of my all time faves, Red Shoes, Turning Point and Billy Elliot so it redeems itself. I would also have included Centre Stage and Waterloo Bridge. 

 

Ashamed to admit I haven't seen either White Nights or Mao's Last Dancer but they're on my to do list.

Edited December 5, 2013 by afds

[Fonty]

I'm giving you my list

The red shoes

Mao's last dancer (Chi Cao is magnificent )

White nights

Turning pointe

Billy Elliot

Disney' Fantasia (The Ostriches /Hippos and the Crocodile Hippo Pas de deux Genius)

 

Absolutely!

 

I 've only seen Red Shoes (about 50 times) and Billy Elliot, although I do have Black Swan recorded and intend to watch it at some point. Not having seen them, i can't say how much ballet is actually in included.

 

However, can I extend the list with films that contain ballet sequences?

 

1.  What's Opera Doc?  Bugs Bunny does a lovely pas de deux with Elmer.

 

2. Flashdance - well, the heroine does want to get into ballet school, doesn't she?

 

3.  Fame - some fabulous dancing,  and there is some ballet in there.  

[taxi4ballet]

Any list which includes Black Swan - let alone putting it at the top - is garbage-bin worthy IMO. 

I'll second that!

 

It's not a ballet film, it's a film about someone losing their marbles - who just happens to be a ballerina!

[zxDaveM]

 

However, can I extend the list with films that contain ballet sequences?

 

1.  What's Opera Doc?  Bugs Bunny does a lovely pas de deux with Elmer.

 

2. Flashdance - well, the heroine does want to get into ballet school, doesn't she?

 

  

 

 

That's my fave Bugs Bunny cartoon - top choice! And love flashdance!

 

also sequences in American in Paris (Gene Kelly) and in Carousel (the movie) which is one of my favourite films

[Ian Macmillan]

Dave:  I agree absolutely on the long Gene Kelly/Leslie Caron dance sequence in American in Paris.  And I'd add the barn-raising sequence in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers - though neither was strictly a 'ballet film.'

[Fonty]

Dave:  I agree absolutely on the long Gene Kelly/Leslie Caron dance sequence in American in Paris.  And I'd add the barn-raising sequence in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers - though neither was strictly a 'ballet film.'

 

Seven Brides was a cracking dance sequence. 

[zxDaveM]

...an so was the 'June is Bustin' Out All Over' in Carousel. I think i'll have to watch that tonight now...

[Anna C]

Yes, a vote here for the dancing in Seven Brides - dd's favourite film - and Carousel.

 

I'm with Janet on The Red Shoes - I find it incredibly depressing!

[Anjuli_Bai]

If we are keeping it to ballet as being the center of the story, not peripheral, and not including musicals -  mine would be:

 

Turning Pointe - for the inclusion of the many great stars of the day (which was a stated purpose of the producers)

 

Mao's Last Dancer

 

Centre Stage

 

If we include in the list ballet as a well done but a peripheral element, I would have to add "Limelight,." 

 

If we include musicals, I would have to add:  "West Side Story", "Fiddler on the Roof (Wedding Dance)", everything by Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.

 

If we include a movie in which dance occurs:  everything by Charlie Chaplin

 

Moira Shearer does dance beautifully  in The Red Shoes, but I agree, I don't like the movie.

[Aruna S]

I did hesitate over Flashdance, but decided it wasn't strictly speaking a ballet film.

If it's to be widened to dance in general, apart from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers I think almost anything with Fred Astaire would count including the one in which he danced with a hatstand. Was it Royal Wedding? 

There's no way I can keep this down to 5!

[Anjuli_Bai]

If we have a catagory in which a dance scene adds splendidly to a movie:

 

The tango dance scene in Scent of a Woman.

[Lisa O`Brien]

If we`re not talking about just ballet ; the "Surprise" dance [and song] the guy does in the film A Chorus Line. He is extraordinary.

[chrischris]

I'll second that!

 

It's not a ballet film, it's a film about someone losing their marbles - who just happens to be a ballerina!

 

Exactly. It's a stunning, stunning film. Don't think any film has shown that kind of obsessive paranoia so effectively. The fact that she was a ballerina was pretty irrelevant.

[Jan McNulty]

Stunning dance in film - well you've got to include Strictly Ballroom. Apart from all the other dance sequences shown, the paso doble at the end is just stunning.

[Anna C]

I love that film - as you can probably tell by my signature. ;-)

[Aruna S]

Another nomination for stunning dance in film: All That Jazz

[Anjuli_Bai]

Janet - I just watched that Paso Doble on Youtube - it is marvelous.

 

It has a lot in common with the Tango scene in Scent of a Woman.

 

It's not about flinging the body about - it's about skill and passion that comes with ....well....age.

 

In Scent of a Woman, the entire set up for that scene is wonderful.

 

The young guy sees a pretty woman but he has no idea how to approach her.  The older man - Al  Pacino - with years of  practice, shows the younger dude how to do it.   He's older, he's blind - she couldn't possibly be interested and yet he captures her attention.  His entire aspect changes, softens - hides the steely resolve. He sits down with her, and then with the wisdom of age, gets her to dance with him.  The dance is all about the subtlely of possession - while the younger man watches "the technique" and learns.

 

Dance is the medium - but the intent is much deeper.

 

 

There are also three marvelous Flamenco films - I have all three - by and with Antonio Geddes:

 

 

 

Blood Wedding with Geddes and Cristina Hoyos,  

 

  Carmen, Geddes,  Laura Del Sol, Christina Hoyos, 

 

 El Amor Brujo,  with Geddes,  Laura  Del Sol,  Cristina  Hoyos.

 

While Laura Del Sol is young beautiful and a wonderful dancer - it is the older Cristina Hoyos who brings down the house.

[Jan McNulty]

How could I forget that wonderful trio of Antonio Gades films - absolutely glorious.

[Fiz]

You are all a bad influence on me, I hope you know! So I had to buy Strictly Ballroom after watching that mesmeric paso doble! The copy we had moved up to Lincoln with our eldest.

[mimi66]

Well if you are including Antonio Gadez/Saura films (Carmen etc), then I must add "Tango" -1999 film directed by Carlos Saura about Tango Argentina.

 

Julio Bocca plays himself in that film and dances beautifully. Also his company, Ballet Argentina shows off some contemprary-ish dances about the dictatorship era of 1970s.  On top of a lot of truely beautiful Tango Argentino (NOT the stuff you see on Strictly - those are as ballroom argentine tango, really).

 

I also love Gene Kelly films - very impressive!

[trog]

In no particular order

• Black Tights (Cyd Charisse, Zizi Jeanmaire, Moira Shearer - what's not to like!)
• The Red Shoes
• Suspiria (tenuous I know, but it's a great film)
• White Nights
• Fantaia

[Pas de Quatre]

Sorry Trog can't agree with you over Suspiria.  I have to admit I couldn't watch it all the way through as I thought it was sick (in the true meaning of the word not the modern kids way of approval).   In fact I thought it had the same merits as Black Swan, i.e. none!

[loveclassics]

Does anyone else remember Michael Powell's 1959 film "Honeymoon"?  More of a travelogue than a drama it featured the Spanish dancer Antonio, with appearances by Massine & Ludmilla Tcherina.  Worth watching for Antonio's performance in an excerpt from Massine's El Amor Brujo (conducted by Beecham).  Rather kitschy but I loved it nevertheless.

 

And if we can include musicals, a must-see is Kiss Me Kate for that wonderful dance sequence with Bob Fosse & Carol Haney ('From This Moment On') and any Fosse fan must see 'Who's got the pain (when they do the mambo)' from Damn Yankees with the stunning Gwen Verdon.

 

Still back in the 50s, the film version of On the Town includes a little ballet dancing from Vera-Ellen but only the music from the original Coney Island ballet scene is included.  The John Wilson Orchestra played this lovely piece in a Prom several years ago and just listening to it made me wish I had been around to have seen the original stage show.  I'm a bit surprised no one has used this music for a new work - it is perfect for a ballet.

[Fonty]

Still back in the 50s, the film version of On the Town includes a little ballet dancing from Vera-Ellen but only the music from the original Coney Island ballet scene is included.  The John Wilson Orchestra played this lovely piece in a Prom several years ago and just listening to it made me wish I had been around to have seen the original stage show.  I'm a bit surprised no one has used this music for a new work - it is perfect for a ballet.

 

And On the Town also includes the wonderful Ann Miller tap dancing too!

[Ann Williams]

Has anyone suggested the superb Herbert Ross-directed 'Nijinsky' (1980)?  I found it an absorbing and beautifully made film.  It was as much about Diaghilev as about Nijinsky himself (Alan Bates was Diaghilev and George de la Pena played (and danced) Nijinsky).  Everybody but everybody in ballet at the time seemed to be in it (check the IMBb listing http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081235/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm).

 

Sigh.  They don't make 'em like that anymore.