Cell phones are the new binoculars.
Somewhere in the back of my mind (probably left over from an elementary school field trip to a museum) is the image of “theater goggles”. They were binoculars that were specifically made for use in a performance hall. I didn’t see any of those on display but I did see plenty of people unabashedly using their cell phones to zoom in on the performers. It was odd. I mean, movie theaters actively campaign against that distracting light shouldn’t these snobbier theater goers feel the same way? Apparently not. I wanted to do it too but I just couldn’t bring myself to get my phone out.
It’s a little boring.
We saw Tchaikovksy’s Swan Lake. I’ve read that its not the “best” ballet but it continues to be one of the best attended. It was 2 hours and 40 minutes. There was one intermission. I’m not gonna lie that’s kind of a long time to just watch people dance. They were really losing me around the 70 minute mark but once we hit the intermission I’m happy to say that the second “half” was more interesting.
Special FX vs Story.
I’m a huge sci-fi and fantasy nerd so the movies I love are loaded with visual effects. Lots of reviews and articles written about those kinds of movies will argue about whether they are just large effects extravaganzas or if there is enough story and character development to make us care about those big scenes. I’d love to see an article about that on ballet. Is there enough story and character development to make us care about all those dance numbers? In a word: no. You’re there to watch excessive dancing.
I kept wanting someone, anyone, to speak up. No, no. No talking. No singing. Just dancing.
The story is just there to make excuses for more dancing. It’s not wrong. I’d just like to see more science fiction done this way: more space ships, less talking.
Details matter.
Ballet clearly moves more slowly than film which means you have more time to pay attention to the little things and those little things matter. Watch where the ballerina puts her feet. See how that guy’s arms are moving when he jumps. When you set your ADHD down and focus a bit, there are amazing feats of athleticism and grace on display.
Also, the story is there if you pay attention. No, it can’t be conveyed in quite the complicated nuances we’ve become accustomed to in the age of streaming but you also won’t see Bobba Fett do anything this impressive without spending a week in the bacta tank.
The music ain’t too shabby.
The thing that I kept thinking while watching the ballet is that modern cinema really owes a debt to Tchaikovsky. I kept hearing hints of music that were the precursor to John Williams (look him up). The way that themes played out subtly and the relationship between the images and the music… WOW. Again, it rewarded you for paying attention to the details.
Will I go back?
I had a great time and felt like I learned a few things but when the curtains came down I was ready for it to be over. I’d recommend heading out to get a bit of culture and to challenge your sensibilities a bit. It gives you a chance to grow and appreciate some things that are outside your box. Will I go back? Absolutely… just not this week. 🙂
How could you say that ballet is boring its beautiful 😡
Your comment about sci-fi, “…more science fiction done this way: more space ships, less talking…”, made me think of the movie, ‘Silent Running’. Trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p69lEMn0I8k
More spaceships, less talking could also cover Dune, both the recent version and the 1984 one.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Running