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Black Swan (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

12K views 54 replies 34 participants last post by  gwsat 
#1 ·


The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )

Film:


Extras:


Audio/Video total rating:

( Max score: 100 )

88






Studio and Year: 20th Century Fox - 2010
MPAA Rating: R
Feature running time: 108 minutes
Genre: Drama/Thriller

Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24


Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, Spanish/French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Starring: Natalie Portman, Milo Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Music by: Clint Mansell
Written by: Mark Heyman, Andrew Heinz, John J. McLaughlin
Region Code: A,B

Blu-ray Disc release Date: March 29, 2011







"Perfect"



Film Synopsis:


Black Swan is directed by Darren Aronofsky and stars Academy Award winner Natalie Portman as Nina, a stunningly talented but dangerously unstable ballerina on the verge of stardom. Pushed to the breaking point by her driven artistic director (Vincent Cassel) and the threat posed by a seductive rival dancer (Mila Kunis), Nina's tenuous grip on reality starts to slip away - plunging her into a waking nightmare.



My Take:


BLACK SWAN follows the story of Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina in the New York City Ballet trying to make it to the top. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), also impresses Leroy and becomes Nina's competition. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly with her innocence and grace, but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan with her fiery personality. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

I saw Black Swan when it was in theaters earlier this year. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it initially. The trailer left me with the impression that it was a supernatural thriller with elements of horror. As I watched I realized that it was psychological thriller with elements of drama and horror. This a darkly engaging, character driven film that is told from a singular viewpoint, that being of the main character, Nina. She is an A type personality with an already fragile psyche that has been developed by being raised by an overbearing mother and working in a physically demanding and highly competitive profession. Add to that an obsessive desire for perfection and you have the setup for a psychotic break. Nina is already a complex individual but when she gets the opportunity to become the Swan Queen and star of the show her delicate sensibilities and quiet nature take a back seat to wanton desire for the part which will require her to leave her comfort zone of perfection. Her transformation is built upon a series schizophrenic episodes that are driven by the presence of newcomer Lily, the pressure to conceptualize perfection versus imperfection and the unending fear of failure. This is an intriguing character study that probably holds some truths not just for people in this profession. Natalie Portman's performance serves as the catalyst which makes this an incredibly compelling film to watch. Her Academy Award win is justly deserved. Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder and Vincent Cassel are all very strong in support. Darren Aronofsky is a visionary filmmaker whose films are thematically and visually organic and you get that in spades with Black Swan. I enjoyed it the first time I saw it but even more during this second viewing where I was able to glean a bit more nuance from the performances, visuals and narrative. A truly wonderful film experience.




Parental Guide:


The rating is for strong sexual content, disturbing violent images, language and some drug use.





AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**


(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)


Audio: 88


  • Dynamics:

  • Low frequency extension:

  • Surround Sound presentation:

  • Clarity/Detail:

  • Dialogue Reproduction:





Video: 88


(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)

  • Resolution/Clarity:

  • Black level/Shadow detail:

  • Color reproduction:

  • Fleshtones:

  • Compression:

Black Swan comes to Blu-ray from Fox featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 33 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.5 Mbps.

This film's visual style doesn't lend itself to the crisp, high gloss, three dimensional look of most new release films released on Blu-ray but this is a creative decision that doesn't reflect negatively on its presentation. The video has an overtly grainy texture that gives it a gritty, filmlike quality that mirrors its theatrical presentation. Resolution is excellent as images are clearly rendered with appreciable detail and discerning nuance during close ups. The filtered chromatic range is purposefully limited to muted primary colors and softer secondary hues. That coupled with the drab lighting schemes and dark cinematography makes for a visually pallid but thematically affecting look. Skin tones among the cast vary and range from Rosy to pale while appearing textural and lifelike. Blacks are deep but a bit flat and shadow detail was crushed slightly which left some of the darker segments appearing less dimensional. I didn't see any signs of compression related artifacts or extraneous video noise.

The high resolution DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack features Dialogue that is presented with crystal clear intonation, full bodied vocal texture, and deep room penetration. Imaging across the front of the room is excellent as the mixture of sounds, dialogue and music is integrated with precision. The films orchestrated music is distributed through the main speakers and surrounds which accents presence. There are moments where the track springs to life with the power of the music or the snap of a jump inducing effect. Each is charged with dynamic energy and tactile bass response. The musical set pieces have an enriching dynamism, clarity and sweet sounding mid range that draw from the film's quieter moments and define the passion/bombast contained in the source material. This is an excellent audio presentation that successfully transitions from being very raucous to very subtle while positively reinforcing acoustic presence and aural dimension. It perfectly suits the thematic tone of the film and sounds great.



Bonus Features:

  • (HD) Black Swan Metamorphosis (3 segments totaling approximate 48 minutes) :

    1. Chapter 1 - NY City
    2. Chapter 2 - Purchase New York
    3. Chapter 3 - The FX of Black Swan
  • (HD) Theatrical trailer

  • (HD) Ballet - 2 minute featurette

  • (HD) Production design - 4 minute featurette

  • (HD) Costume design - 4 minute featutette

  • (HD) Profile: Natalie Portman - 3 minutes

  • (HD) Profile: Darren Aronofsky - 2 minutes

  • (HD) A conversation: Preparing for the role/Dancing with the camera - Natalie Portman and Darren Aronosfky (5 minutes)

  • Fox Movie Channel Presents (6 segments totaling 21 minutes) :

    1. In character with Natalie Portman, Winona Ryder, Barbara Hershey, Vincent Cassel
    2. Direct Effect - Darren Aronofsky
  • BD-Live: Live Extras - Go behind the scenes clip

  • Pocket BLU - with Wi-Fi download option

  • Digital Copy




Final Thoughts:


Black Swan is a compelling psychological thriller set in the world of New York City Ballet. It's an engaging fiilm that features an alluring sense of the surreal, staunch direction and a dazzling performance from Oscar winner Natalie Portman. It comes to Blu-ray Disc from 20th Century Fox featuring faithful high definition video, rewarding lossless sound and an above average offering of bonus supplements that include interviews of the cast/crew, and a look behind the scenes at the production. For all that it is, Black Swan is a must see and comes highly recommended.















Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews





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14
#3 ·
Ralph -- I share your enthusiasm for Black Swan. It is a wonderful film and it moved me. I thought the closing ballet sequence was as beautiful as anything I have seem and heard on film. I would not have thought a film whose central themes were obsession and delusion could have been turned into something so lovely but Aronofsky pulled it off, with a lot of help from the talented Natalie Portman, a terrific ensemble cast, and the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
 
#4 ·
Having seen this theatrically (4K sony SXRD), I have a different take on the material. I have a difficult time getting engaged in Darren Afronsky's work, and Black Swan is not my favorite of his films. I find his films very pretentious, relying on overbearing narrative structures and ideas that are too self indulgent. Black Swan is one of his less pretentious films, but there is much of it I cannot take seriously, such as her psychotic breakdowns are pretty comical, even sections involving her sexuality I might compare to softcore. I would like to say it is a very entertaining film because of this. He really pushes his self indulgent vision that you can just savor the action and insanity. I think this is why it did very well at the box office. I never found Natalie Portman to be a believable actress, but she did a very entertaining job in her role. I found it was worth a look though.


If you enjoyed Black Swan, you should watch The Red Shoes (1948; not the play; also on Blu ray). It has a similar premise and story to Black Swan, but it doesn't go to the self indulgent real-n-gritty feel accompanied in too many films these days. It's a visual fantasia, with a filmed recreation of the actual play of "The Red Shoes" is one of the greatest cinematic achievements I have seen.
 
#5 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Trogdor2010 /forum/post/20252837


I find his films very pretentious

I so agree with you, very pretentious and narcissistic director. 'Black Swan' is his most commercial work to date. It's not art by any means but the film is interesting to some degree. Somewhat disappointed in Vincent Cassel's performance though, expected more from this great French actor.


R
 
#6 ·
I saw this film a few days ago, and even though I have little to no interest in ballet, this film really affected me. Like gwsat said, the final performance in this film was absolutely brilliant. I was completely captivated by the final 20 min of the film in particular, but it was well done from start to finish. This was easily the best performance of Natalie Portman's career, and she portrayed her struggle with the dark, delusional side of her psyche to near perfection. This film was very deserving of every ounce of praise it has received....excellent film.
 
#7 ·
I've love just about Darren Aronofsky film (except Pi), and Black Swan is no different. Aronofsky seems to have a way with his actors and always gets the career best performances out of them (Mickey Rourke in the Wrestler, Natalie here, Hugh Jackman in The Fountain, hell, the whole cast from Requiem). Overall, this is probably my second favorite film from him (Fountain is my #1).

For anyone put off by the "ballet movie" nonsense...don't be. Amazing movie!



as for the transfer, it definitely replicates what I saw in the theater. Meaning a slightly gritty look with a lot of film grain. While it's not as "documentary" looking as the Wrestler, it's close.
 
#9 ·
I actually loved Darren Aronofsky's earlier works Pi and Requiem for a Dream, they are in my favorite movies. However I was disappointed with The Fountain and couldn't get through The Wrestler. Will check out Black Swan though, your review sounds good.
 
#10 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Trogdor2010 /forum/post/20252837


Having seen this theatrically (4K sony SXRD), I have a different take on the material. I have a difficult time getting engaged in Darren Afronsky's work, and Black Swan is not my favorite of his films. I find his films very pretentious, relying on overbearing narrative structures and ideas that are too self indulgent. Black Swan is one of his less pretentious films, but there is much of it I cannot take seriously, such as her psychotic breakdowns are pretty comical, even sections involving her sexuality I might compare to softcore. I would like to say it is a very entertaining film because of this. He really pushes his self indulgent vision that you can just savor the action and insanity. I think this is why it did very well at the box office. I never found Natalie Portman to be a believable actress, but she did a very entertaining job in her role. I found it was worth a look though.


If you enjoyed Black Swan, you should watch The Red Shoes (1948; not the play; also on Blu ray). It has a similar premise and story to Black Swan, but it doesn't go to the self indulgent real-n-gritty feel accompanied in too many films these days. It's a visual fantasia, with a filmed recreation of the actual play of "The Red Shoes" is one of the greatest cinematic achievements I have seen.

Like you, I have reservations about Aronofsky's work. I wouldn't call it pretentious but its view of the human condition is so bleak and pessimistic it sometimes becomes hard to watch. I thought Black Swan was saved, though, by Portman's luminous performance as the deeply disturbed Nina and by the sheer beauty of the ballet. In my estimation it is the best thing Aronofsky has done, although The Wrestler was close.


I also agree that there are remarkable similarities between Black Swan and The Red Shoes, which is also a film about obsession and delusion set in the ballet world. It has long been one of my favorite films. I saw The Criterion Collection BD of The Red Shoes a couple of months ago and was reminded why I had so loved The Red Shoes when I saw it in the theater. It has the finest transfer of film to disc I have ever seen. Finally the young and beautiful prima ballerina heroine there was played by Moira Shearer, who really was a young and beautiful prima ballerina.


It's far too early to say whether The Black Swan will stand the test of time as The Red Shoes has done but it has a chance, it seems to me.
 
#12 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ohotos /forum/post/20253591


I actually loved Darren Aronofsky's earlier works Pi and Requiem for a Dream, they are in my favorite movies. However I was disappointed with The Fountain and couldn't get through The Wrestler. Will check out Black Swan though, your review sounds good.

Try The Wrestler again, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I saw it in the theater and hated, hated, hated it. I posted my negative impressions in The Wrestler thread in the DVD Movies Forum. So many posters there whose opinions I respected felt otherwise, they convinced me to give it another chance. I really liked The Wrestler when I saw it the second time on BD, so you might, too. At least browse the linked thread and then make up your mind.
 
#13 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwsat /forum/post/0


Try The Wrestler again, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I saw it in the theater and hated, hated, hated it. I posted my negative impressions in The Wrestler thread in the DVD Movies Forum. So many posters there whose opinions I respected felt otherwise, they convinced me to give it another chance. I really liked The Wrestler when I saw it the second time on BD, so you might, too. At least browse the linked thread and then make up your mind.

I think I only watched 15-20 minutes of The Wrestler, might try it again. The Fountain was just too slow, I only appreciated the special effects because they are done in a very different way than usually, I had read an article in Wired magazine ( http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/outsider.html )about how the effects were done, very interesting. I have Black Swan at home, guess I wasn't in the mood to watch it yet.
 
#14 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ohotos /forum/post/20254021


I think I only watched 15-20 minutes of The Wrestler, might try it again. The Fountain was just too slow, I only appreciated the special effects because they are done in a very different way than usually, I had read an article in Wired magazine about how the effects were done, very interesting. I have Black Swan at home, guess I wasn't in the mood to watch it yet.

The Fountain BD in in my BB queue. I finally decided to add it after seeing that its runtime is only 94 minutes. Also, I like Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. I hope I don't end up regretting it. Because of the gorgeous music and dancing in Black Swan, it had me at hello. As the the song in A Chorus Line puts it, Everything Was Beautiful at the Ballet.
 
#15 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwsat /forum/post/20254203


The Fountain BD in in my BB queue. I finally decided to add it after seeing that its runtime is only 94 minutes. Also, I like Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. I hope I don't end up regretting it. Because of the gorgeous music and dancing in Black Swan, it had me at hello. As the the song in A Chorus Line puts it, Everything Was Beautiful at the Ballet.

While it is by far my favorite movie from him (and in my top 10 of all time), I do admit that it's not for everyone. It's also the kind of movie that you can spend years arguing with people what it was all about, which I love. The best thing about The Fountain overall for me would be the music...without a doubt one of my favorite film scores of all time.

As for the bluray rental, what's there to regret? It's just a rental!
 
#16 ·
I'm trying to wrap my head around how Aronofsky's films are "self-indulgent" and "narcissistic", "pretentious" I can understand, but it doesn't seem to me that the guy is in love with himself or thinks his movies are far better than everyone else's. He's not Shamalama-ding-dong and putting himself in his movies every chance he gets.


Anyhoo, I think Black Swan is an outstanding movie. It and The Wrestler may appear to be depressing movies that focus on the dark side of the human condition (and perhaps they are), but they are also, in a way, beautiful. It's like when Portman's character is describing the plot of Swan Lake to the guy in the bar. He says it's sad; she says it's beautiful. That's pretty much these two movies in a nut shell.


I know some people take issue with the more fantastical elements of this film, chiding them as silly and whatnot, but I, for one, was exceeding grateful for them. While I say that this and The Wrestler are similar movies, Black Swan was FAR more entertaining. The Wrestler was a dry piece of toast in comparison.
 
#17 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwsat /forum/post/20254203


The Fountain BD in in my BB queue. I finally decided to add it after seeing that its runtime is only 94 minutes. Also, I like Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. I hope I don't end up regretting it. Because of the gorgeous music and dancing in Black Swan, it had me at hello. As the the song in A Chorus Line puts it, Everything Was Beautiful at the Ballet.

Fountain is one of my all time favorites. Great score and visuals. I have the UK version with DTS-HD Master audio just amazing.
 
#18 ·
Loved this film and Ralph's review is spot on.


Portman was at her best here. Became a fan of her after watching V for Vendetta and she continues to impress.



Not sure why Aronofsky is getting some hate here as he is one of the few directors that deliver time and time again. At least for me. I usually only really like about 10 movies a year and each time he puts one out, it's usually in my list
 
#19 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by bryn987 /forum/post/20254794


Portman was at her best here. Became a fan of her after watching V for Vendetta and she continues to impress.


Not sure why Aronofsky is getting some hate here as he is one of the few directors that deliver time and time again. At least for me. I usually only really like about 10 movies a year and each time he puts one out, it's usually in my list

Natalie Portman is a great young actress. She blew my doors off with her performance in Leon: The Professional when she was only 12 years old; she has continued to impress ever since. V for Vendetta is one of my grandson's favorite movies. His mother gave him the BD for Christmas.


I have always thought that Aronofsky's work was a mixed bag but I greatly admire both The Wrestler and Black Swan and am looking forward to getting The Fountain BD from BB -- if there still is a BB when it's time to ship it.
 
#20 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwsat /forum/post/20254949


Natalie Portman is a great young actress. She blew my doors off with her performance in Leon: The Professional when she was only 12 years old; she has continued to impress ever since. V for Vendetta is one of my grandson's favorite movies. His mother gave him the BD for Christmas.


I have always thought that Aronofsky's work was a mixed bag but I greatly admire both The Wrestler and Black Swan and am looking forward to getting The Fountain BD from BB -- if there still is a BB when it's time to ship it.


Greetings,


My appreciation for Natalie P. began with Leon as well. I think that Black Swan is her crowning achievement although I have enjoyed her in nearly everything I have seen her in. Garden State and V for Vendetta are among my favs...


Regards,
 
#22 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Potts /forum/post/20255152


My appreciation for Natalie P. began with Leon as well. I think that Black Swan is her crowning achievement although I have enjoyed her in nearly everything I have seen her in. Garden State and V for Vendetta are among my favs...

Ralph -- Until I saw your post I had not thought of the bittersweet Garden State in years. Not only was Portman wonderful in Garden State, I thought it was the best thing Zach Braff has done. Alas, there appears to be no BD edition. If there were, I would watch it again.
 
#24 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by zakdaripper /forum/post/20256236


I watched the Blu-ray over the weekend and thoroughly enjoyed the film. Unfortunately I was very underwhelmed by the picture quality. I realize the film is very grainy by design but I felt it was way too soft.

That was 100% by design I'm assuming. I haven't seen the blu-ray, but in theaters colors were distorted to say the least.
 
#25 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by zakdaripper /forum/post/20256236


Unfortunately I was very underwhelmed by the picture quality. I realize the film is very grainy by design but I felt it was way too soft.

From IMDb:

Quote:
Camera

Arriflex 16 SR3, Zeiss Ultra 16 Lenses

Arriflex 416, Zeiss Ultra 16 Lenses

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon L-Series Lenses

Canon EOS 7D, Canon L-Series Lenses

Film negative format (mm/video inches)

16 mm (Fuji Eterna Vivid 160T 8643, Eterna Vivid 500T 8647)

Digital
 
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