I adore 'The Red Shoes' so I'd been wanting to watch this for quite a while and had just never quite gotten around to it. I'm so glad I finally was able to!
Theatre art forms like opera and ballet (and the history of tableau and painting) should have more of an influence on cinema, and this film proves why.
Some favorite details:
☆ all the drapery!!
☆ the use of perspective, particularly with the overhead shots, the painted backdrops extending into infinity
☆ the dragonfly scene, Moira Shearer's complete control, grace and vitality (as well her unique costuming) was so spellbinding
☆ the frames in frames, via the drapery, mirrors and windows, etc
☆ the makeup!! I really want to try out Dappertutto's look!
☆ the bowing at the end!! A curtain call! Made me so incredibly happy!
And so much more!
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I will say I'm still unsure what their intentions were, and what my own takeaways are, when it comes to the themes of the story. Because of the casting, the repitition and such there's a lot to chew on, but also the source material (itself an adaptation of a collection of stories) doesn't explore topics I find particularly interesting (like the [notably antisemitic in origin] Svengali trope).
Jan 27, 2025
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oh my god. I went into this thinking yeah yeah fun pretty technicolour Powell & Pressburger postwar ballet film. and it is all of those things. but it is also PERFECT. dramatic and beautiful with queer and feminist overtones/undertones that are so exciting to identify in a 75 year old film and a plot that speaks to anyone caught between art and the conventions of love!! And it has a 17 minute hyperreal ballet sequence through the psyche! genuinely want to scream about it to everyone i’ve ever met
Feb 22, 2024
I’ve been meaning to watch this film foreverrrr and I finally did last night and WOW. absolutely spellbinding. the love story is beautiful. the ballet sequences are dazzling, and so beautifully utilize film as a medium. the color and art design is mesmerizing. what a masterpiece.
Apr 8, 2025
A woman once said “I don‘t give a fuck about The Red Shoes” and to be honest with you, I disagree! It has romance, adventure, technicolor, fairytale energy, and a dream ballet sequence. Will watch any time any day 🩰
Feb 3, 2024
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Mar 12, 2025
Feb 8, 2025
Anders Zorn is beloved for good reason. His work was so skillfully made. Zorn's sense of form in particular is really lovely (and often on display because he loved a nude).
I've seen some of his work irl, but not this piece. Zorn's paintings have a lot of presence in person, so I imagine this one is even more cozy and lively when seen in the flesh. I love the diagonal composition and the use of light, as well as her cute cheeks and socks ♡
Feb 18, 2025