Black Swan

THE 101

House Painter
Joined
May 9, 2012
Messages
14,455
Reputation
3,487
Daps
70,605
This seemed to be a real love or hate film.

But I have to say I liked it a lot.

The thing I like is how Aronofski just throws everything at it. If you want a subtle, nuanced psychological horror then you're in the wrong place. It's just a complete OTT insane fever dream.

Cheap shocks. Melodramatic acting. Themes and symbols that are shoved down your throat. Lesbian fantasies. It's just full of ridiculous moments that I find as funny as scary. But that's why I like it. It's like a crazy cocktail of Polanski, Argento, Cronenberg and The Red Shoes.

I think if you just go along for the ride and accept it as a fairly ridiculous film and not The Shining or some shyt, you appreciate it for what it is. But I can understand why people had problems with it.

I actually think it's arguably Aronofski's best film. I mean.....techically Reqiuem is better but I never wanna watch that shyt again :merchant:
 

Dr.HannibalLecter

Tha Realest
Joined
May 1, 2012
Messages
1,974
Reputation
30
Daps
4,133
Well it's a trash movie no doubt. The question is if this was Aronofsky's intention or if he just lets the hype of one movie get to his head (Requiem, The Wrestler) and then drops a hilariously pretentious movie next (The Fountain, Black Swan).
 

VladTheImpaler

The Sensational Prince
Joined
May 10, 2012
Messages
8,118
Reputation
705
Daps
9,563
Reppin
The Palace of Eternal Sun
This seemed to be a real love or hate film.

But I have to say I liked it a lot.

The thing I like is how Aronofski just throws everything at it. If you want a subtle, nuanced psychological horror then you're in the wrong place. It's just a complete OTT insane fever dream.

Cheap shocks. Melodramatic acting. Themes and symbols that are shoved down your throat. Lesbian fantasies. It's just full of ridiculous moments that I find as funny as scary. But that's why I like it. It's like a crazy cocktail of Polanski, Argento, Cronenberg and The Red Shoes.

I think if you just go along for the ride and accept it as a fairly ridiculous film and not The Shining or some shyt, you appreciate it for what it is. But I can understand why people had problems with it.

I actually think it's arguably Aronofski's best film. I mean.....techically Reqiuem is better but I never wanna watch that shyt again :merchant:

:noah:
 

Tetris v2.0

Superstar
Supporter
Joined
May 7, 2012
Messages
13,173
Reputation
3,205
Daps
44,630
Ya I liked for that reason too. It was borderline cheesy at times, on some Jennifers Body type of shyt, but it still employed a lot of those cheesy cinema tropes (hyper-edited hallucination sequences, dream vs reality, eerie pacing and score, lesbian experimentation, femme fatales etc) in a professional non-derivative way that felt very artistic without being pretentious IMO

He basically left the door open for the viewers to take what they want from it
 

Dr.HannibalLecter

Tha Realest
Joined
May 1, 2012
Messages
1,974
Reputation
30
Daps
4,133
Why is Black Swan pretentious?

Because it's a trash movie set in the world of ballet that takes itself seriously as a psychological drama. The definition of pretentious is "making claim to importance, especially undeservedly", if that's not Black Swan then I don't know.

If the world was fair, the movie would have ended up a disaster like Showgirls, there isn't much difference :jawalrus: But Aronofsky is lucky that people fell for it because he's a technically gifted director and most of em can't tell the difference between good acting and overacting (Portman).
 

THE 101

House Painter
Joined
May 9, 2012
Messages
14,455
Reputation
3,487
Daps
70,605
But it doesn't really take itself seriously though, does it?

It's roots are in the horror films of Argento and Cronenberg. At no point is it trying to portray itself as high art (the fact that the film's subject is ballet is irrelevant). The film has a trashy quality which is why I like it.

I can accept The Fountain being called pretentious, but not Black Swan.
 

re'up

Veteran
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
19,949
Reputation
6,046
Daps
62,678
Reppin
San Diego
I loved it....in a not enjoyable way, it had me crawling in my skin and seat the whole time, so much tension and discomfort. I may not watch that shyt for another few years, but I thought it was ill, and one of the best movies I saw in 2010.
 

Danie84

Veteran
Supporter
Joined
May 1, 2012
Messages
71,810
Reputation
13,116
Daps
130,328
A wonderful psychological gem.

On multiple viewings, you notice ALL the layers of the Black Swan's depiction with the color, lighting, and mirrors.

I just recently noticed Natalie's always in white and Milia's always in black; to depict the Black Swan personality transformation.

Also, I love Aronofsky signature of shooting character's from the back. It's like the audience becomes the eys of the character.
 
Top