DVD/150: VERTIGO (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)

VERTIGO had mixed reviews but since the 1980s it has been acclaimed, currently topping Sight and Sound's '100 Greatest Films' list - it is pure cinema.

Scottie, retired from the San Francisco police when his acrophobia resulted in another officer's death, is asked by an acquaintance to follow his wife who is acting strangely.

Scottie follows Madeleine who seems haunted by an ancestor Carlotta Valdes, visiting her grave, sitting transfixed by Carlotta's portrait and copying her hairstyle.

Scottie saves Madeleine when she attempts drowning but she cannot remember her actions; Scottie is now obsessed with her as they grow closer.

They visit a Mission where Carlotta had lived, but when Madeleine impulsively runs up the spire staircase, Scottie cannot follow due to his acrophobia. He hears a scream and Madeleine plunges to her death.

A year on, Scottie meets Judy Barton who resembles Madeleine but trying to replicate Madeleine brings tragedy...

Shelf or charity shop? On a (not too high) shelf as befits one of my favourite films.  Hitchcock's sublime vision of 'amour fou' was based on Boileau and Narcejac's D'ENTRE LES MORTES but he ditched it's WWII setting and the villain's come-uppence to create a masterpiece of longing and deception, helped immeasurably by Bernard Herrmann's sweeping score and Robert Burks' misty dream-like cinematography.  A film that cries out to be seen more than once for Hitchcock's marvellous storytelling, James Stewart's subtle performance of a man lost to his obsession and Kim Novak's under-appreciated dual role as the ethereal and haunting Madeleine, and the hard-edged, increasingly desperate Judy Barton; it's a performance that is best appreciated seen twice (or more).  A special mention too for the supporting performance of Henry Jones as a snide coroner.  Timeless and haunting...

DVD/150: PSYCHO (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)

I envy anyone seeing PSYCHO for the first time, but countless viewings of it only draw me deeper into it's chilling spell.

Paramount refused Hitchcock's wish to film Robert Bloch's novel as they had already rejected the film rights and even claimed there was no space on the lot to film it.

But Hitchcock offered to film it at Universal using his ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS... television crew and taking 60% of the takings rather than his standard fee.  Paramount, sure it would flop, agreed to just distribute it.

What Hitchcock delivered was a disquieting masterpiece but it was met with mixed reviews and the 'Observer' film critic resigned rather than review it!

But audiences made it a huge hit, forcing most critics to re-review it favourably.

Hitchcock's orchestrating the viewer's sympathies makes PSYCHO a masterclass in storytelling and the performances of Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins remain timeless pleasures.

Shelf or charity shop? Mrs Bates has been moved to the DVD equivalent of the fruit-cellar - my plastic storage box - but PSYCHO will be revisited again and again; of course a special mention must be made of Bernard Herrmann's extraordinary score; not just the iconic 'stab' theme but his under-scoring that bonds the viewer to the character of Marion during her guilt-ridden car drive and, more importantly, the hesitant, suspense music played as 'helpless' Norman cleans up after Marion's murder, subliminally connecting the viewer to him.

 

  

 

THE RED SHOES at Sadler's Wells - Dancing Over the Edge...

Three years on, Matthew Bourne's THE RED SHOES is still a masterclass in dance story-telling at Sadler's Wells. It was particularly great to see again after what I felt was an under-par ROMEO & JULIET this year. 

This was my third time seeing Bourne's Olivier Award-winning ballet and, while I have never been a particular fan of the Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger film, I love this version of it; not even two hours long it rattles through the plot with no pause to the shattering climax.  If I do have a criticism, it's that in his rush to tell the story, Bourne has skated over the internal relationships between ballerina Victoria Page and the men in her life: Svengali-ish impresario Boris Lermontov and composer Julian Craster.  Lermontov hovers scowling in the background and as soon as Victoria and Julian throw in their lot together they seem to be splitting up.  It all still works but it would be good to have just a little more depth.

After seeing her dance at a private party, imperious impresario Lermontov gives Victoria Page an audition for his ballet company which wins her a place in the ensemble.  When his star ballerina Irina is injured onstage, Lermontov gives Victoria the lead role in a new ballet THE RED SHOES which has music by composer Julian Craster.  Victoria is a huge success in the title role of a young girl who after donning a pair of magical red ballet shoes dances herself to death, but Lermontov loses her affections to Craster and, when the composer is sacked by Lermontov, Victoria leaves the company.  But when her and Craster's relationship founders, she returns fatefully to The Red Shoes...

What struck me again was the wonderful range of dance that Bourne includes - from classical ballet to post-war contemporary, from stiff social dancing to madcap party dances, from showgirl parading to Egyptian sand-dances.  The action is fluid and truly cinematic helped immeasurably by Lez Brotherston's wonderful settings and costumes and Paule Constable providing lush lighting.

Unlike in other Bourne productions, he doesn't flood the stage with business for his ensemble and minor characters - yes there are minor characters such as the two ballet stars and the choreographer - but they are integrated into the whole without their 'business' holding up the plot.  Bernard Herrmann's glorious film music is made into a whole new score by longtime Bourne collaborator Terry Davies.

For the third time we saw the magnificent Cordelia Braithwaite as Victoria; spiky and physical in ROMEO & JULIET earlier this year. here she was vibrant and sensual as Victoria and a wonderful showcase for her unerring ability as an actress as well as a dancer.  Adam Cooper played Lermontov and it was good to finally see this most iconic of dancers - he danced the role of The Swan in the very first production of Bourne's SWAN LAKE - and although the character is given nothing particularly taxing to do on stage, he did it with a great command and charisma.

The role of Julian was played by another favourite, Dominic North who created the role of Bourne's EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, and again brought great warmth and charisma to the part.  Two other Bourne veterans featured: Michela Meazza was at her diva-ish best as the Ballerina whose injury gives Victoria her chance, and Glenn Graham was fine as the choreographer and lead tempter in THE RED SHOES ballet.  Jackson Finch made a very convincing star dancer in Lermontov's company.

What a pleasure to be able to see this again... c'mon Matthew, release a dvd!

THE RED SHOES at Sadler's Wells - Bourne to dance...

After what has seemed an interminable wait, finally last Thursday it was time to see Matthew Bourne's new ballet, his stage adaptation of the classic ballet film, THE RED SHOES at Sadler's Wells.  It was certainly worth the wait, it is a wonderful feat of story-telling through dance to the lush music of film composer Bernard Herrmann.

I cannot say I have ever been totally sold on the film which I find rather emotionally sterile - not the first time I have felt that regarding a Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger film - but it's cinematography and music certainly create memorable moments during the central 15 minute ballet sequence.  Personally I am with Val in A CHORUS LINE who shocks the other dancers by saying "Oh, yeah, let's get one thing straight.  See,  I  never heard about "The Red Shoes",  I  never saw "The Red Shoes",  I didn't give a fuck about "The Red Shoes."

The story remains the same - imperious ballet impresario  Boris Lermontov sees young ballerina Victoria Page dancing at a party given by her aunt and is impressed enough to offer her an audition for his company based in Monte Carlo.  Lermontov discreetly follows her progress as a member of the chorus so when the star ballerina Irina is injured , he promotes Victoria to her roles and ultimately to star in the company's new production, a version of Hans Christian Andersen's THE RED SHOES.

Victoria triumphs in the role of a girl who tries on a pair of magic red shoes only to find she cannot stop dancing in them, and also starts a relationship with the composer of the ballet Julian Craster .  The jealous Lermontov sacks Craster and Victoria chooses love over her career and leaves the company.  Their relationship founders however when they return to London after Victoria can only find work dancing in a tatty music hall.   She returns to Lermontov but the red shoes will again change her fate...

The intensely cinematic story is turned by Bourne into a wonderfully vivid and fluid ballet told through many different styles of dance: from classical ballet to romantic duets, from stiff social dancing to the routines of the music hall comedians and showgirls...

THE RED SHOES provides Matthew Bourne with a fantastic opportunity to tell a story which is never less than gripping and shows all his strengths as a master of narrative through dance, there are opportunities for him to show his fondness for character work - the ballet company and backstage creative team - but the importance of keeping the focus on the three main protagonists stops any indulgences in minor characters being too distracting as in his flawed version of EDWARD SCISSORHANDS.

Bourne is reunited with his previous collaborators, designer Lez Brotherston, lighting designer Paule Constable and orchestrator Terry Davies who all contribute hugely to the show's excellence - Brotherston's  evocative and atmospheric design of a rotating proscenium arch takes us both front and backstage  within seconds and his costumes are ravishing; Constable's powerful lighting creates mood and place on the stage, while Terry Davies has woven Herrmann's scores for films as diverse as CITIZEN KANE, THE GHOST AND MRS MUIR and FAHRENHEIT 451 into a seamless whole.

As usual, Bourne uses a  rotating cast of dancers who have all had previous experience in his productions: on the night we went, the luminous Cordelia Braithwaite was quite wonderful  as Victoria while the opposing, brooding men in her life were Sam Archer as Lermentov and Chris Trenfield as Craster.

As I said, Matthew Bourne gives great opportunities for supporting performers to shine and  here Liam Mower and Michela Meazza were excellent as the star performers in Lermontov's company - their jaded Covent Garden rehearsal was great fun to watch, and Glenn Graham was very effective as the company's ballet master and featured dancer.

It was thrilling to see Matthew Bourne again delivering an absolute classic  and THE RED SHOES provides a fitting climax to the year which started with his receiving a knighthood for services to dance.  Next year is New Adventures' 30th Anniversary which will see a regional tour for THE RED SHOES after it finishes it's sold out run at Sadler's Wells, a tour of Bourne early works called EARLY ADVENTURES and the year finishes with a revival of his production of CINDERELLA at Sadler's Wells.   

If you can I urge you to see THE RED SHOES, it has remained dancing around my mind like the red shoes of the title...