Let’s talk about music today. And about emotional conflict. Black Swan is a story about a young heroine’s journey, a dancer in the ultra-competitive yet fragile world of top-level ballet, as she struggles to control her internal issues, her personal demons. The film is set in this distinctive world – a world where music and dance pulsate through every movement, every scene. And as it happens, our heroine’s dance company is in financial trouble and the director has chosen the Russian classic Swan Lake (????????? ?????), by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, to triumphantly open their make-or-break season. I would like to discuss the music played in that well-known ballet, and its central importance to the film Black Swan (note 1), and how it impacts Nina’s emotional conflict. In my opinion, director Darren Aronofsky uses Tchaikovsky’s music, combined with the powerful score from British composer Clint Mansell, brilliantly - both to set the tone of the film and also serve as a character in the film. On p. 8 of the screenplay, Michael Brennan, the director of the fictional New York ballet company, announces to his company of highly-trained professional dancers: “We open our season with Swan Lake. Done to death, I know. But not like this . . . “ Good point. So then - why do we see so many productions of Swan Lake (first performed in 1877)? (True story: the touring Beijing ballet has their version playing in Moscow, for 4 nights, as I write this). Why will New Yorkers be excited about this director’s interpretation? Q = Do people really rally around and understand the story of this ballet? * On p. 5, one of the ballerinas, named “Soloist 1”, says: “No one comes to see ballet, period.” * On p. 68, in the bar scene, the dude Andrew says to our conflicted Protagonist (and solo ballerina) Nina Sayers: “Swan Lake? No, no, don’t know it. Heard of it, though. What’s it about?” Nina then provides the “executive summary” for him: “It’s about a girl who’s been turned into a swan. She needs love to break the spell”. Andrew: “Okay”. Save the ballet company’s season? Get real. This guy can’t even impress a ballerina in a bar! Q = Maybe it’s the dancing that brings them in? Other than the wealthy socialites (who were busy drinking champagne and being seen and having their hands [and buttocks] kissed by director Michael Brennan, yes, but never once discussed actual ballet) at the downtown gala (p. 28-30), these are the only representatives we see of the audience for Nina’s incredible efforts and dedication. And these two guys in the bar were offered comped tickets, so they almost don’t count. But really, now. I don’t think that either Andrew or his drinking buddy Tom really appreciate the intricacies of ballet dancing, never mind appreciating the difference between the White Swan (innocence and grace) and the Black Swan (passion and seductiveness) roles and what they involve artistically. Or how one artist must be able to dance both parts. These two guys are more apt to visit Yankee Stadium or Madison Square Garden on their cultural outings (which is perfectly fine, however . . .). Q = Maybe it’s the unforgettable, riveting music. This classic, powerful, haunting symphony is famous the world over. Now, Black Swan musical composer Clint Mansell could have subjected us to yet another John Willams-esque score, but he and Aronofsky apparently held a different vision, one that employed the lyrical melodies of Pyotr Tchaikovsky in a subtle, understated pattern woven throughout the movie. Approximately half of the musical numbers in Black Swan use elements of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Their treatment and respect for the underlying classical music, in my opinion, is outstanding. It is blended into the fabric of the movie so well that you almost don’t even notice its recurring presence, it is so smoothly intergrated (eg. when Lily introduces drugs to Nina – in a nightclub - the underlying musical track was a stylized Swan Lake. Then Nina goes into the ladies room to try on the sexy top Lily gave her. Her cell phone rings. The ring tone? Swan Lake. Same with the tinny music coming out of the music box in her bedroom). The music seems to bind and guide the films’ characters along, building momentum just at the moments when their personal journeys evolve: - Beth’s to destruction (Swan Lake-elements are playing in her hospital room – scene 21 @ 81:10); - Lily’s journey to her fast-track advancement in the company: - Nina’s journey to personal discovery (eg. @ 85:00 at her first discovery of the emerging black feathers) and, eventually, to “perfection”. This musical accompanyment parallels the film’s characters’ journeys to their respective characters in the ballet Swan Lake itself: - Odette (Nina), the innocent, yet cursed White Swan; - Odile (Lily), the temptress, the plotting, evil twin, Black Swan; - and Prince Ziegfried (David), the doomed lover. The music during what should be the happy, show-stopping “Dance of the Four Swans” moment (p. 95, referred therein as the “Pas de Quatre”) spins Nina’s terror to an even deeper level. In what should be an uplifting, successful moment in the ballet for her, Nina instead witnesses Lily’s erotic caressing of Nina’s dance partner David offstage, then when a shocked Nina returns her focus to the idyllic Four Swans onstage, each one of them wears a mask - that of her double! Nina has no peace. So she freaks. Returning onstage with David – she quickly falls in a heap. Black Swan evokes another excellent Hollywood movie, Gorky Park, in which musical director James Horner (note 2) also borrowed from Tchaikovsky’s classical ballets (in particular the 1812 Overture; Swan Lake; and 3 other pieces; plus one piece from Beethoven). Set in early 1980’s Moscow, Gorky Park used music as a character to transport the Western audience into the closed Soviet society, and the music served as a familiar guide, or touchstone, making the viewer less fearful of visiting this alien, “dark” world. In Black Swan, the warm, familiar melodies we remember from our school productions provide a similar comfort as we pull back the curtain and venture backstage to another different world, and start to understand layers of pressure and complexity that we never imagined before. I mean, isn’t ballet dancing populated with sweet little girls in pretty costumes with feathers and special satin slippers? Both films show a similar respect for, and integration of, the music which defines them. Like Black Swan, Gorky Park used the climactic passages of the Swan Lake score in its Dénouement after Protagonist Arkady Renko (William Hurt) had just engaged in a shootout at the Nemesis’s (Lee Marvin) secret farm outside Stockholm. He then triumphantly frees the 6 smuggled Barguzinskiy Sables into the Swedish woods. Director Michael Apted used this same Tchaikovsky musical score as a character in this 1983 film, driving home a powerful point: that music can not only help set the tone of a film, but can also be a character as well. In the Dénouement of Black Swan, Protagonist Nina Sayers’ fate mirrors exactly that of her ballet character Odette: she is doomed to die. I believe the rising, brooding music builds and then thrusts her to that fate. Nina and the music travel completely wrapped together in that journey. Just my opinion. John A Notes: #1: industry recognition for the musical score’s quality in Black Swan: * BAFTA Awards – nominated for Best Sound 2011 * Grammy Awards – nominated for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media * Motion Picture Sound Editors (USA) – nominated for Best Sound Editing – Music in a Feature Film * World Soundtrack Awards – nominated for Best Original Soundtrack of the Year 2011 #2: a quick search shows that Gorky Park composer James Horner would go on to a great career, scoring for movies such as Field of Dreams, Braveheart, Titanic, Avatar, and . . . . Cocoon.

Great post, John. I'm going to have to give this a second reading to drill down into more. I know this: Horner is one of my son Will's favorite music composers [Will is studying music composition at the New England Conservatory]. Thanks for your thoughts. More later.

Possibly my favorite movie of the last 5 years. I like the movie a little better than the script, partly because it was so well done (acting, mood, music, etc.), partly because it made some tweaks that I liked better (ex. her Mon giving her a cake instead of a teddy bear works a lot better for me lot better for me, not really sure why). I'm not going to try to compete with the previous post. Briefly, I loved the four main characters. Each was a unique version of more common characters. I also loved how the mood and train of events didn't really lead to a logical conclusion. Normally you know your hero is going to win the game, get the girl, or defeat the bad guy in the end. I didn't have any expected ending with this.

You're welcome. This film is so well done, on so many levels, that it's really a pleasure to watch. John A ps: By the way, Scott, in your Core VIII: Time class, you discuss "Visual-to-Visual Transitions". There's a really good one in Black Swan. This is the "Role of a Lifetime" for a ballerina. And Nina wants it. But at the end, her mom Erica allows Nina to oversleep, and she even calls in sick for her daughter. Then Nina wakes up. Big fight. Here's the transition: @ 86:00 Nina fights and disables her mom (by striking her on her bandaged hand). She grabs her coat and storms out of their NYC flat. The camera POV is behind her, following. @ 86:30 Nina hits the concourse of the Lincoln Center. POV behind her. Patrons are arriving for the opening performance. @ 86:36 Nina strides into the backstage hallways and dressing rooms, past a shocked company of dancers. Camera still behind her - providing the sensation of trying to keep up - until Nina gets to her makeup station, that of the Prima Ballerina. Then Michael Brennan, company director, has to deal with her. The message = She has taken control. Really effective.

Now, Black Swan musical composer Clint Mansell could have subjected us to yet another John Willams-esque score, but he and Aronofsky apparently held a different vision, one that employed the lyrical melodies of Pyotr Tchaikovsky in a subtle, understated pattern woven throughout the movie. I don't think you actually mean that Clint Mansell would write “ yet another John Willams-esque score”. You probably mean that you're glad that the music wasn't in the vein of the traditional Hollywood sound that John Williams is a master of. Clint Mansell's style couldn't be further away from that traditional sound and he has had a long and successful collaboration with Aronofsky, scoring all five of his feature films, always with his own unique style and never derivative of other composers, especially not John Williams. Was there ever a risk of not having a score that didn't incorporate Tchaikovsky's original music? I think any filmmaker and composer would have made the same choice. How could you not? The film IS Swan Lake. The ballet is integral to the film. So, the fact that Mansell and Aronofsky “employed the lyrical melodies of Pyotr Tchaikovsky in a subtle, understated pattern woven throughout the movie.” was really to be expected, no? You make it sound like it was an unorthodox choice.

Hey there, Teddy, It's a pleasure to finally be sharing opinions and debating creative issues with you. I've been reading Scott's blog for a little over 2 years now, and I usually scan for a few names - and their viewpoints - in the comments sections. Yours is always one of those names. I've learned a lot from you. Thanks. Now, you asked me 2 seperate questions here: 1.) re: Clint Mansell's style: sorry I wasn't absolutely clear on that. Yes, yes - I certainly meant the second meaning - that I was glad that the music wasn't in the vein of the traditional Hollywood sound. I am well aware of Mansell's style, and acknowledge that it is totally unique and of the highest caliber. 2.) re: "I think any filmmaker would have made the same choice". So, the fact that Mansell and Aronofsky "employed the lyrical melodies of Pyotr Tchaikovsky in a subtle, understated pattern woven throughout the movie" was really to be expected, no? Actually - no. I don't expect that. I am always interested in which option was chosen, and which was not. That makes art great. And in this case - exactly how much of the Swan Lake music do you lay in there, and exactly where? In my subjective world view, there are three groups of movies: * TOP LEVEL - "The Award Winner". The highest quality. Unbelievable stuff. * MIDDLE LEVEL - "The Nominees", if you will. A very good group of movies. * LOWER LEVEL - "The Rest". For whatever reason, just not as good. So. What would I expect from a movie which was based on a well known ballet? And where? * Let's start at the LOWER LEVEL: I would expect: - the music from the ballet most likely OPENS the film, maybe under the title page - the music probably plays during a group rehearsal scene - the music most likely builds during the ON THE OFFENSIVE plot point - the music absolutely soars during the FINAL STRUGGLE (most likely the performance scene) I think we have all seen these movies. Kind of "touching the bases" to get it in there. Everything cool, but nothing extraordinary. * Next level up - MIDDLE LEVEL: - everything from the lower level is also present here - in addition, some music is quietly snuck into one or two interesting places - like the tune in her music box; or maybe her cell phone ringtone - we also hear it during a scene with a great conflict - very likely the ALL IS LOST moment * The best films - the TOP LEVEL: - everything from the lower and middle levels is also present here - and here's the big addition: the music is subtly woven into places where you never expected it to be, in places that totally surprise you and make you realize that everything is tied together. Maybe only a few notes are heard - but that's all you need. Examples of unexpected musical placements in Black Swan are: 1.) @ 39:45 - 40:30 - the "homework" scene in her bedroom. When Nina sees her mom curled up in the guest chair, sleeping in her room, the scene is punctuated by short staccato strains from Swan Lake (I never recall any of the swans doing that type of homework). 2.) @ 59:50 - 60:45 - the bar scene where Lily introduces drugs to a still innocent Nina. The music here was a surprise to me, and reminded me that even though these adults were out on the town, they are still professional dancers. Drugs - especially Nina's first experience with them - would probably hinder her performance the next day. And Nina relies on her body for her career. (side note: the bars that I frequent sure don't play Swan Lake in the background :-) 3.) @ 81:40 - 82:45 - the (2nd) scene in Beth's hospital room. Two dancers, each going in the opposite direction in life. Not a happy meeting. It ends when Beth stabs herself in the face with the nail file. And they're running elements of Swan Lake underneath? Brilliant. Swan Lake is like the Bible - there is tons of conflict in it. Use those musical passages to underscore the troubles she is facing. Aronofsky could have easily selected other music for these spots. But he used music with Swan Lake elements - its theme - in all three, which to me was totally unexpected - and wonderful. Finally, Black Swan has some moments in it that might creep out some people, or be taken as just freaky (eg. Beth stabbing herself repeatedly in the face. Or was that Nina who really stabbed her? After we see Nina escaping in the elevator, it could go either way . . .). Kind of like The Silence of the Lambs, another great film that one could argue is a borderline slasher film. But neither film, in my opinion, became that, probably because of subtle items that were either included, or left out, consciously. So yes - I do think it was an unorthodox choice. And an excellent one by Aronofsky. John A

Hi John, Thanks for the kind words and your thorough reply! Okay, I see what you mean. There were parts of the ballet music incorporated in places where you wouldn't expect it and it was handled nicely. I agree, but I think the ringtone was a bit much, however. That made me roll my eyes. Wouldn't it be cool if there actually was a bar that played Tchaikovsky? I would totally frequent that establishment :)

Just read script. Not sure what that says about me but I like the script more than the movie. I was able to see the relationships build, the tension both outside and inside the White/Black swan, pressure from her mother to remain a little girl, pressure from "Lily" to be initiated into the dark side of herself, or is it her dark side pressuring her to be freed, the ambiguity of it is what I really love, its surrealist, its jungian, its almost cocteauish and of course tragic.

Hey Teddy, The words were real. I just didn't want to sound like a GITS-groupie or anything. I mean, I've long ago moved out of my parent's basement, and I haven't stalked anyone in, oh . . . let's see . . . the police report is right here . . . 1997 it says . . . thought it was earlier than that . . . okay. Fine. Speaking of freaky people, what do you make of Erica - Nina's mother in Black Swan? A little smothering, eh? Plus, Erica seemed to spend a tremendous amount of time in her adult daughter's bedroom (no wonder that Nina's emotional, and sexual, development is stunted). And those constant phone calls to check up on her! Which brings up another point: when Nina passes by her DOUBLE in the subway at night (first @ 15:16; second @ 16:00) her phone rings. The display shows: "MOM". But Teddy - the ring tone at that point is 100% standard issue. Then later on, in the bar (first @ 61:00; second @ 63:15), the ring tone magically becomes the Swan Lake music. MMmmm . . . . do you think that one afternoon, after rehearsal (in the Off-Screen Movie), Nina stopped into the AT&T store and got it customized? Just wondering :-) John A

Interesting that the ringtone changed. I didn't notice that when I watched the movie. I've only seen it once and I haven't had a chance to read the script either. Does it mention the ringtones? I guess the switch symbolizes her obsession. Perhaps only Nina hear Swan Lake and everyone else hears a standard ringtone. I have to say I was pretty disappointed with this film. I was really looking forward to it and it just didn't do much for me. I'm actually a ballet fan and my ex-wife was a ballerina. It's a world that interests me. And man, it had Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Winona Ryder in it. I mean, wow... three of the most beautiful women on the planet. How could I not like it? Well, I thought that it had too much schlocky horror and cheap scares and not enough depth. There were scenes and situations that were just so... blunt. Nina's bedroom filled with stuffed animals comes to mind. I had no problem with that - it shows her arrested development, like you said. But later on, she takes the plush animals and stuffs them down the garbage chute. How symbolic! I don't want to be a child anymore! It was just too over-the-top and not subtle enough for my taste. I also thought that Aronofsky kept hitting the same beats over and over. How many times did we see a special FX with a mirror or paintings that talked and two Nina's at the same time? Plenty. It made me go "Alright, we get it. Now move on with the story." Maybe that's just me that thought so and maybe the script is better that the final film. I'll read it when I have the time. Not this week, unfortunately...

BUT WAIT - - THERE'S MORE! We watched a wonderful Soviet-era film this past weekend: "Kidnapping, Caucasian Style" (1971) by Director Leonid Gaidai. Great movie. In the FINAL STRUGGLE in the movie, the Heroine (Nina) confronts her tormenter, the Nemesis (Saakhov - the powerful Regional Adminstrator), as he's watching the ballet Swan Lake on the television in his house. A raven flies into the room (that's always bad). The lights go out (but the power to the television doesn't dim - weird; but convenient). The wind howls through the open window - also very bad in movies. 2 henchmen appear to help the Heroine "do the deed". And what exact passage is playing on the Bolshoi Theatre's filmed "Swan Lake" on television? Why - the Black Swan's (Odile's) Coda! Pressure! Torture! Death! (from the Black Swan script - p. 81: BRENNAN: "Only way to crush the pain is to end your life". Delicious! John A