This wonderful but exasperating documentary film celebrating the art of Rudolf Nureyev almost succeeds both as a work of art in its own right, and as a discussion of the role of dance in mid-twentieth century European history. Although it suffers from too much material and too many ideas for its thematic structure to accommodate, the mode of presentation, which includes the use of dance to embody meaning, is highly original in a documentary format. Magnificent montages of archive film and newly created dance footage overlaid one upon another provide a depth of experience that is sometimes exhausting: watching Russell Maliphant’s choreography, accompanied by Alex Baranowski’s score, while listening to a Russian language interview translated by subtitles is almost overwhelming. (more…)
October 9, 2018
Nureyev: documentary directed by Jacqui Morris & David Morris, Phoenix Picturehouse, 1st October 2018 – Maggie Watson reviews
Posted by susiecrow under reviews | Tags: Alex Baranowski, Alla Osipenko, Antoinette Sibley, Clement Crisp, dance documentary film, David Morris, Evan Mawdsley, Ghislaine Thesmar, Jacqui Morris, Maggie Watson, Nureyev, Rudolf Nureyev, Russell Maliphant, Siân Phillips, The Nureyev Foundation |Leave a Comment