The Red Shoes [Film Review]

★★★★

     This is really one of the unseen greats. Sure, it's well-watched and loved among devoted film fans, cinephiles like myself and what not (though this is the first time I've seen it). But if you look at IMDb's page for the film, it has a high rating but has not made it onto the Top 250 films because of how few people have seen it. This is hugely unfortunate, because it is really an incredible and absorbing work of art, with absolutely magnificent acting, music, and writing. 

     Moira Shearer and Anton Walbrook, easily the two best performers of the film, bring the film a lot of life and energy. Moira Shearer's dancing... indescribably perfect. She must have put as much focus and devotion into the role as her character in the film. And Anton Walbrook is powerful and says each line with attitude and clarity. 

     Both the original music and the music used from other plays are stupendous. The original music gives reason to the phrase Lermontov repeats, "It's all about the music."(or something like that). In the famous, long, beautiful dance scene, the music carries on excellently through several tremendous parts and sequences, with several tones and moods. 

     The screenplay is very energetic and intelligent. It's far more lively than most screenplays of its time, and the intelligence that went into it is very evident with loads of brilliant conversations. Just about every bit of dialogue is thought provoking in some way.  

     This film was almost certainly an inspiration for Darren Aronofsky's The Black Swan. From it's dark tone to its focus on devotion and absorption in performance, one can easily draw comparisons between the two. Though this is far better, and has the 'classic' label going for it (honestly, I don't care what you say, that label affects everyone who watches a film with the label). The fact is, this film is absolutely incredible. There's not much I can say on it that hasn't been said (frankly, there's really not much more I can say, I'm not that talented when it comes to writing about older films. They evade me more often). But it really is a poetic, artistic, and entertaining pleasure to watch, with all its performances and energy. It's surprising to me when I find an old film that truly entertains.