There are two films I’m most looking forward to in 2010: the Coen brothers’ “True Grit” and Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan.” The trailer for the latter has just hit the web courtesy of Apple and it looks like an absolute stunner. I’m hearing, awards wise, that it’s probably more of a Best Actress play for Natalie Portman than a Best Picture possibility, but we’ll know all of that sooner or later. The trailer certainly reveals the film as a showcase for Portman, but Barbara Hershey also could be someone to watch for in supporting. Check out the trailer by clicking the image below or watch the embed on the jump.
Comments
100 responses to “‘Black Swan’ trailer”
Considering this is Aronofsky, I doubt he’ll subject us to some bland male-driven fantasy.
Would be nice, Speaking English. Perhaps this is something only we are capable of tackling though.
How about a taut psychological, homoerotic thriller featuring Chris Evans as a taxicab driver, and Chris Pine encroaching upon his territory (and up on his fiiiiiine self)?
“8-17-2010 at 6:12 pm
ninja said…
Awesome year for young actresses in leading role -Natalie, Jennifer Lawrence, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams. I`m looking at BA prediction on the sidelines and I hope Young Hollywood trumps at least Swank (ewww, too many Oscars already, get out!) and Benning (I don`t get why is she so popular with Oscar watchers – such an overactor and obnoxious on and off screen persona).”
Oh yeah because no one above the age of 30 is allowed to give an acclaimed performance that is popular with Oscar watchers!
Hooray for the self absorbed shallow youth culture of today!!
This looks STUNNING! Can’t wait to see it – I would love something supernatural and beautiful like this get oscar recognition! To tell you the truth Kunis impressed me more than Portman in the trailer.
“male- driven fantasies of woman on woman action in movies”
I think Aronofsky is a smart filmmaker, and I think there is much more going on beneath the surface of this film than this dime store skepticism.
Aaron: Actually, the look of Aronofsky’s films of late is inspired more by the work of the Dardenne brothers. That’s what “Wrestler” DP Maryse Alberti conveyed to me when we chatted for the annual top 10 shots column in 2008:
http://incontention.com/?p=3843
I’m catching that vibe on this one as well.
Harmonica: Astute. It certainly is a potential perspective on what’s happening here. And when you consider the Yin/Yang vibe of the marketing materials, the stark contrasting, etc…I think you’re on to something.
this is going to be AMAZING!!!!
I wonder if the makeup is as prevalent in the film as it is in the trailer… because it looks pretty darn good from just the trailer alone. Looks pretty awards-worthy to me.
And Hershey is back! It’s been too long since Lantana. She seems to be in fine form, even only from looking at this trailer.
i predict natalie portman will win the best actress oscar. i’m getting into the predicting game.
I have great respect for Aronofsky…even when he disappoints (“Pi,” “The Fountain”), he makes interesting cinema. Considering that “Requiem for a Dream” has become a modern classic and “The Wrestler” was my #1 of 2008, I’ve been eagerly anticipating this for a while now. Glad that a trailer finally dropped, and it looks absolutely stunning. Guy, I’m jealous you get to see this so soon!!!! Make sure to drop in with a short review when you see it. It would be much appreciated :)
I love how anti-Oscar this film feels, actually. It’s just so hypnotic to watch over & over again. Beautiful & haunting; even the odd angle of Portman on the staircase when Cassell is introducing her as Nina.
And it looks like the best we could possibly expect (Oscar-wise) would be Pic, Actress, S. Actress, OS, Ed, Cin, Make-up, Score. And that’s in a perfect Oscar world, haha. Director, not so sure about.
And really, I hope the movie actually halfway lives up to the trailer’s brilliance. This trailer is the first one since Australia that got me jazzed about wanting to see a movie; and though I liked Australia, we all know how that turned out (as pure Oscar bait).
@The Dude: Don’t worry, I’ll definitely afford it a full-length review.
Best trailer of the year so far, hands down.
But as for awards traction, I don’t know. It has a lot of things going against it – female-driven, horror, homosexual themes… not exactly the Academy’s typical cuppa. The critics will have to really champion the film.
Am I the only one who things Showgirls when they watch this? Showgirls 2: Black Swan!
Who the hell cares if this is Oscar-friendly or not? I mean, really. I rather hope it isn’t.
I agree. Just sharing the opinion on whether it will be “incontention”.
It seems as if the female version of Fight Club …. with Portman inflicting injuries on herself .. again I guess … it’s going to be difficult … for her to get nominated ….. bcoz of the genre of the film !!
I think this is kind of performance that really fits in Leading Actress Category
truly female leading roles this year:
Natalie Portman/Black Swan
Nicole Kidman/Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence/Winter´s Bone
Helen Mirren/The Tempest
Michelle Williams/Blue Valentine
Carey Mulligan/Never Let Me Go
Jennifer Connelly/What´s Wrong with Virginia
Tilda Swinton/I am Love
truly supporting roles:
Annette Bening/The Kids Are Alright
Anne Hathaway/Love and Other Drugs
Leslie Manville/Another Year
Hiam Abbas/Miral
Hailee Steinfeld/True Grit
Helena Bonham Carter/The King´s Speech
Cher/Burlesque
“truly female leading roles this year”
As opposed to “falsely female?”
Also, assuming you’ve seen the films, I’m intrigued to know what argument you can make for Lesley Manville and Annette Bening being “truly supporting” in their respective vehicles.
I’m curious, too, especially considering I’ve seen a lot of predictions list Manville in supporting except here yet I don’t know why. (But I am hoping so, as it would strengthen that category.)
Also, Sawyer, the Academy isn’t privvy to homosexual content? Bitchplease. Maybe you mean lesbianic content, as it’s mostly been gay male fare up till this year.
Kris: Thanks for the link. I had forgotten about that post.
I still haven’t been able to find out what kind of camera Aronofsky used for THE WRESTLER or for BLACK SWAN. I know he used hand-held. I guess the biggest part of the look is the more natural lighting. It’s a very interesting look for a film of this scope. I like it.
OMFG I hate being at work and not being able to watch the trailer with sound on! Even with it being silent I am so stoked to see this movie. I agree with Kris above about The Fountain – that is a true underrated masterpiece in my book. I will sometimes just watch the trailer on repeat and go into a daze but the movie is a complete mindtrip and I love it (but I understand it is NOT for everyone…)
I love everyone involved in this film based on their previous work and although I haven’t “heard” the trailer yet, based on what I saw I am stoked. Any awards that this film was nominated or received would be totally fine with me. What a relief to finally have a good genre film to look forward to.
I don’t think this looks good at all. Sigh.
Whether or not you actually like the film THE FOUNTAIN, one must always be humbly grateful that the film exists because thanks to the movie, we have one of the greatest, transcendental scores of all-time
@ Chad Hartigan
I hope that was a tongue-in-cheek post. I really do.
Nope
Disappointing to hear, between this and your take on Shutter Island that maybe you aren’t a fan of thrillers in general.
*that it could be said you aren’t a fan of thrillers in general.
@ Speak English
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Kris: I agreed with one of your picks for the best film of 2006 (“Inland Empire,” which was a staggering masterpiece of cinema and possibly the best film I saw during the entirety of last decade). But we do not agree on “The Fountain,” which I found to be visually off-the-fucking-wall amazing, but also completely clouded in a pall of overbearing sadness that was just far too over-the-top. Aronofsky’s only disappointed me with that one, though. “Pi” was uneven but successful and “Requiem for a Dream” and “The Wrestler” knocked my socks off.
That “overbearing sadness” generated more real emotion from me than just about any film I’ve seen in years.
This film could be another main influence for Darren Aronofsky,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9x6LZ9YIo8
The shot that follows Portman about 40 seconds in is almost identical to how the camera followed Rourke in “The Wrestler.”
By the way, the final image is creepy.
Thank you Chad.
And I forget who it was who posted this, but I also rolled my eyes. I’m sure it’s very “artistic.”
After seeing this phenomenal trailer i cross my fingers that Natalie Portman will win the Oscar for Best Leading Actress! She looks amazing! I think that Anette Bening, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Julianne Moore, Anne Hathaway, Lasley Manville… has no Chances to win! Natalie Portman is an incredible Actress! Her best Performances in my opinion were in Closer and in The Professional! Amazing Performances! So Natalie, i think you can start writing an accaptence speech!
I never trust people who only type with exclamation points!
“I’m sure it’s very “artistic.””
Heaven forbid.
Seriously, what a pointless comment.
Now, Kris, no reason to be mean. Obviously if I like this blog enough to read it and post comments, I have no problem with artistic movies. Obviously no one can know until the movie is seen how necessary this aspect of the Portman/Kunis relationship really is, but you know as well as I do that a lot happens in movies that some will call “artistic” that’s actually just gratuitous.
And I’ve thought more about what I find troublesome with the trailer since I first posted. I think the kiss is one symptom of several that there’s something just a little too much. There can’t just be tension, there has to be women making out. Dramatic makeup isn’t enough, it has to be over the top. Her eyes can’t be red, she has to have the worst case of conjunctivitis ever. This may appeal to some, but it’s not my cup of tea.
Oh. That again.
What’s that supposed to mean?
I think statements like:
“I think the kiss is one symptom of several that there’s something just a little too much. ”
Are unfair and betray a lack of faith in what a filmmaker like Aronofsky would be looking to achievement with such an instance.
In a nutshell, I’m basically just appalled that you have such a definitive opinion of the film based on a trailer.
And the bit about “conjunctivitis,” I mean truly, does a film have to be literal for you to be on board or something? I get the vibe from your comments that symbolism might be a foreign concept for you.
The trailer didn’t appeal to me. There’s no reason to insult my intelligence. I get that Aronofsky is something of a sacred cow to you. I certainly have my own filmmakers whose work I take very personally, so I understand. I apologize.
He’s not a sacred cow to me. He’s made a film I like (Pi) a film I loathe (Requiem for a Dream) a film I love (The Fountain) and a film I liked a lot (The Wrestler). And I’m not insulting your intelligence. I’m responding to what you’ve chosen to write in a public forum, and what you’ve written is, in my view, questionable or seemingly ill-informed skepticism.
I will admit to being skeptical. You may call it “ill-informed,” but all I have to go by is what I get from the trailer. I’m skeptical of trailers as a general rule.
And I’m glad to see you didn’t mean to insult my intelligence. I guess I took “symbolism might be a foreign concept to you” a bit more personally than you meant it.
Based on what you wrote, yes, I gathered that it might be. Sorry.
It’s all good. This is still my favorite movie blog.
And who knows, maybe I’ll love the movie. I promise to report back once I’ve seen it.
I love the Fountain and consider it to be superior to The Wrestler.
^^^
Second that. My favorite film of the decade.