Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (Matthew Bourne)

Rating:
Summary: The dancing could have been more sensual
Review: Firstly, although the technical side - the camerawork, editing and sound - are excellent, this isn't Swan Lake. It might have a relation to Swan Lake just as West Side Story has to Romeo and Juliet, but why call it Swan Lake when it isn't? Secondly, evidently through lack of research on my part, I bought it not realising it was a gay adaptation. That in itself is no problem - however, I found the dancing to be less sensuous than one might expect of males in modern dance (e.g, Alvin Ailey, Merce Cunningham (in particular, 'Pond Life', 'Biped' and of course, Points in Space) and the Royal Danish Ballet with works like Firebird (Stravinsky).
To that extent it was a disappointment. There were moments when I was reduced to near laughter, particularly around the Dance of the little swans (or whatever it is in this adaptation) which echoed Monty Python in my view. If one is to have little male swans, surely they can be LITTLE. One should not expect full-sized males to carry off the delicacy and airy lightness of young female ballerinas.
In short, a nice try and no doubt inspirational and appealing to those not already immersed in modern dance.

Rating:
Summary: This was just awful
Review: I bought this for a friend who loves the ballet. I never really knew the story of swan lake, but thought she would enjoy the different spin of having male swans in this rendition. Even she was bored to tears. The ballet just doesn't translate well to video or DVD...it is more moving when it is live. The dance company who is featured here is adequate, but nothing to be excited about. Watching this DVD reminded me of seeing videos of someone's children in a class play, with a camcorder taping the event in an big auditorium. While the quality of recording in this Swan Lake is obviously professional, I just couldn't get over the feeling that I was watching a tape of something that other people enjoyed live. It felt hollow and sort of pointless to me. My friend was very unimpressed by this, as was I. Only recommend this to someone who is a die-hard ballet fan, or who is a dancer him/herself. It's just not that memorable or interesting enough to bother with otherwise.

Rating:
Summary: Aren't We Special and Innovative!
Review: I don't mind the homoeroticism, I don't mind the updating, I don't mind the rethinking. What I mind is the smugness that permeates this "Swan Lake." At every step you can practically see Bourne patting himself on the back, his buttons bursting with how innovative and "new" his vision is. (His send-up of classical ballet is particularly self-congratulatory.) And is Bourne doing anything special here? Not really. Okay, the swans are male, the prince is gay blah, blah, blah. All this adds up to is a new plotline, period -- and not a very compelling one at that. The jokes, such as they are (particularly the prince's ditsy girlfriend), wear pretty thin pretty quickly. And the dancing itself is, for the most part, badly executed. The corps of swans especially lacks coordination, their arms flailing about sloppily. Some might praise Bourne for not doing the same-old-same-old, but I'd rather see a superbly executed, staid version of "Swan Lake" than a supposed rethinking that doesn't really have a thought in it's precious little head.

Rating:
Summary: life changer!!!
Review: I entered the dance world pretty late, I was 15, three years ago. I saw Bournes' SWAN LAKE on video and it changed my life... I wanted to dance and thats all I wanted to do! Its very inspirational! I know that everyone would enjoy it! It gives you a different look at a timeless classic.
In this version it shows how someone just needs to be loved, its not "man and man" its "man and animal"
We see how even a royal family can have its problems! The queen (the mother) is so cold to her son the prince, but in each act she changes her characteristics, shes a great role to pay attention to. The prince has psychological problems but feels warmth when he finds his swan, later on when you come to the last act we see the swans as their wild nature, Mathew Bourne did this thing that (he meant for this) resembles the movie BIRDS. When that woman is not paying attention to the cage and all these birds keep building up in the cage, she finally turns and realizes that its too late for her now, the swan (cooper) and the prince (ambler) get into the same situation as the swans pile on to the bed and you can only guess what happens after that! It has similar vaslav nijinsky moves, like the conecting of the arms but not really touching. Very beutiful.
This is a MUST see for all! not just fellow dancers, but for anyone who felt "alone" at any point of their life!
Please support Mathew Bournes and his Adventures in Motion Pictures and purchase did masterpiece, its worthed!

Rating:
Summary: Absolutly Breathtaking
Review: I first glimpsed this edition of Swan Lake on T.V. in Reno,Nv. It was a 2 min view.And I went crazy for two years, until I saw it on pbs. Words escape me in trying to tell you,the viewer, my emotions in watching this preformance.
Matthew Bourne"s Choreography, is nothing short of brilliant.And, if u see the movie "Billy Elliott, you will see part of the performance of Adam Cooper. The vivid colors in the DVD, are just that, VIVID and you get a three dimentional look as well.The menu is informative, with a lot of info on the cast The cast were all excellent. Adam Cooper stole the show with his virile adaptation of The Swan. This is a must see for anyone who likes the corps de ballet. And for anyone who finds it hard to sit thru a ballet. The actions and expressions of the Swans. Are magnificent. And it will take you far and away from your daily problems...ciao yaaah69

Rating:
Summary: Wow...
Review: I first heard of this production when discussing the movie Billy Elliot with a colleague. He told me that the ballet being performed at the end of the movie was an innovative staging of Swan Lake that featured men, instead of women, as the swan corps de ballet. I was intriqued and ordered it - wow, is all I can say. I've had the opportunity to see some excellent ballet performances in my life and the only one that came close to moving me as much was Spartacus by the Bolshoi. It gives a whole new meaning to a beloved classic. And Adam Cooper as the Swan - be still my beating heart!!! Incredible dancing combined with that proud, stern, smoldering sensuality. Yum, yum...

Rating:
Summary: Inventive, passionate, psychological, brilliant reinvention
Review: I have followed ballet for many years, and have long grown tired of the repetitive nature of story ballets. This Swan Lake has turned the genre upside down with a most illuminating reinvention of a classic. The video captures most of the passion and emotion, as well as the psychological aspects, as well as the beauty of the choreography. I was fortunate to see this cast dance Swan Lake live in NYC. The video does them justice. Only one question: Where is the DVD?

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Performance
Review: I loved this ballet. I first heard of Adam Cooper when he played the 25 year old Billy Elliot. I like this DVD, It has information about Adam Cooper and it says he went to Art Academy at age 11, the same age as Billy Elliot. I don't know if Billy Elliot is his life story but there was a coincidence. Anyway, He is a fantastic dancer and the rest of the company were excellent. You will not go wrong to purchase this DVD.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely stunning
Review: I picked this up idly one afternoon at my school library, having once heard vague rumors about the all-male swan corps. Little did I suspect that I would be completely spellbound by the acuity and beauty of Matthew Bourne's direction and choreography and the imcomparable performance of Adam Cooper as the Swan. I was moved to tears at more than one moment during the ballet, and watched the swan sequences twice more that day alone. I'm praying that the show will somehow miraculously do another US run; till then, I'll keep watching.

Rating:
Summary: Don't mess with a classic
Review: I saw this video after hearing a lot about it from my friends. I did not enjoy it at all. Swan Lake is a classic that will always be in the hearts of true ballet lovers. This version, which has been called the gay version of Swan Lake, with all male swans, and strong Oedipus complex overtones should not be allowed to use the name of the original, classic, and beautiful ballet. I have no problem with the homosexual element to this production, but why not just create a whole new work, rather than radically change a classic?
As a ballet dancer myself, I felt the choreography was very medicore, the music was altered in many places to become almost unrecognizable, in short, this production took away everything that I love about Swan Lake.
Don't waste your time or money on this one. Stick to the original.