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Great Performances: Dance in America (1976)
more "Choreography by Balanchine" episodes/films
search for episode title "choreography by Balanchine"; click the title search improvement link there for more details.
OR, specifically search for:
"Great Performances: Dance in America: Choreography by Balanchine: Part 1 (#3.1)" (1977)
"Great Performances: Dance in America: Choreography by Balanchine: Part 2 (#3.2)" (1977)
"Great Performances: Dance in America: Choreography by George Balanchine: Part 3" (????)
"Great Performances: Dance in America: Choreography by Balanchine: Part IV" (1979)
This title represents both episodes of the TV series and films sold in VHS and DVD formats (NONESUCH).
Great Performances: Dance in America: Choreography by Balanchine: Part 1 (1977)
with members of New York City Ballet
George Balanchine did not think much of capturing ballet performances before live audiences on film. He thought even less well of doing it with TV cameras. When he agreed to do work for PBS Dance In America series back in the 1970s, he insisted that they be produced as movies, with an adequate stage. Opryland in Nashville TN was chosen. He adapted the dances for his current performers and also adjusted them for the aspect of camera. There was no audience, so he could concentrate on looking good for the lenses.
After the shows were aired, they were available from the PBS store in VHS format. Then, in the mid-1990s, ten years after Balanchine's passing, the original movies were released as a series in VHS format. Finally in 2004, the centenary of Balanchine's birth-date, they were rolled onto DVDs and released again. Parts 1 and 2 are on one DVD and parts 3 and 4 are on another DVD.
Movie fans will probably find these movies too primitive and scenically static for their taste. That is because the dance is the thing. If one lacks much interest in the dances and choreographs, then one is apt to be bored. The close second thing is the music. The sound quality is a bit less glorious than movie fans demand today. The orchestra strings get strident. That is too bad, because Balanchine insisted that the music be played correctly, and even the dancers had to learn it along with the steps and counts. A viewer simply has to adjust the sound down to a comfortable level. But, I repeat, that isn't because the music is a small detail.
Great Performances: Dance in America: Choreography by Balanchine: Part 2 (1977)
and members of New York City Ballet
George Balanchine did not think much of capturing ballet performances before live audiences on film. He thought even less well of doing it with TV cameras. When he agreed to do work for PBS Dance In America series back in the 1970s, he insisted that they be produced as movies, with an adequate stage. Opryland in Nashville TN was chosen. He adapted the dances for his current performers and also adjusted them for the aspect of camera. There was no audience, so he could concentrate on looking good for the lenses.
After the shows were aired, they were available from the PBS store in VHS format. Then, in the mid-1990s, ten years after Balanchine's passing, the original movies were released as a series in VHS format. Finally in 2004, the centenary of Balanchine's birth-date, they were rolled onto DVDs and released again. Parts 1 and 2 are on one DVD and parts 3 and 4 are on another DVD.
Movie fans will probably find these movies too primitive and scenically static for their taste. That is because the dance is the thing. If one lacks much interest in the dances and choreographs, then one is apt to be bored. The close second thing is the music. The sound quality is a bit less glorious than movie fans demand today. The orchestra strings get strident. That is too bad, because Balanchine insisted that the music be played correctly, and even the dancers had to learn it along with the steps and counts. A viewer simply has to adjust the sound down to a comfortable level. But, I repeat, that isn't because the music is a small detail.
Great Performances: Dance in America: Choreography by Balanchine: Part IV (1979)
and members of New York City Ballet
George Balanchine did not think much of capturing ballet performances before live audiences on film. He thought even less well of doing it with TV cameras. When he agreed to do work for PBS Dance In America series back in the 1970s, he insisted that they be produced as movies, with an adequate stage. Opryland in Nashville TN was chosen. He adapted the dances for his current performers and also adjusted them for the aspect of camera. There was no audience, so he could concentrate on looking good for the lenses.
After the shows were aired, they were available from the PBS store in VHS format. Then, in the mid-1990s, ten years after Balanchine's passing, the original movies were released as a series in VHS format. Finally in 2004, the centenary of Balanchine's birth-date, they were rolled onto DVDs and released again. Parts 1 and 2 are on one DVD and parts 3 and 4 are on another DVD.
Movie fans will probably find these movies too primitive and scenically static for their taste. That is because the dance is the thing. If one lacks much interest in the dances and choreographs, then one is apt to be bored. The close second thing is the music. The sound quality is a bit less glorious than movie fans demand today. The orchestra strings get strident. That is too bad, because Balanchine insisted that the music be played correctly, and even the dancers had to learn it along with the steps and counts. A viewer simply has to adjust the sound down to a comfortable level. But, I repeat, that isn't because the music is a small detail.
Great Performances: Dance in America: Choreography by George Balanchine: Part 3
and members of New York City Ballet
George Balanchine did not think much of capturing ballet performances before live audiences on film. He thought even less well of doing it with TV cameras. When he agreed to do work for PBS Dance In America series back in the 1970s, he insisted that they be produced as movies, with an adequate stage. Opryland in Nashville TN was chosen. He adapted the dances for his current performers and also adjusted them for the aspect of camera. There was no audience, so he could concentrate on looking good for the lenses.
After the shows were aired, they were available from the PBS store in VHS format. Then, in the mid-1990s, ten years after Balanchine's passing, the original movies were released as a series in VHS format. Finally in 2004, the centenary of Balanchine's birth-date, they were rolled onto DVDs and released again. Parts 1 and 2 are on one DVD and parts 3 and 4 are on another DVD.
Movie fans will probably find these movies too primitive and scenically static for their taste. That is because the dance is the thing. If one lacks much interest in the dances and choreographs, then one is apt to be bored. The close second thing is the music. The sound quality is a bit less glorious than movie fans demand today. The orchestra strings get strident. That is too bad, because Balanchine insisted that the music be played correctly, and even the dancers had to learn it along with the steps and counts. A viewer simply has to adjust the sound down to a comfortable level. But, I repeat, that isn't because the music is a small detail.
The Invisible Boy (1957)
memorable movie
This IS a kids' movie, so Timmie is there to fix the viewers' point of view and point of sympathy. Invisible Boy also fits into 1950s paranoid sf genre. So there is a secret installation, and there are army officers, and so on down the list of clichés. Unlike so many movies of this genre, the Russians aren't the enemy. The superdupercomputer is it. Its motive is independent survival. This machine is an early draft of HAL 9000.
I love Robbie too, but remember, Robbie is actually a costume. There is not much point in conflating Robbie's role in this movie with its debut role in Forbidden Planet. We are supposed to like Robbie. Robbie is a hero. Unlike most movie automatons, Robbie has built-in morals. The superdupercomputer can't break that. Robbie won't torture Timmie.
I love the climactic confrontation of the computer's maker (Timmie's dad) with his creation. The machine proceeds to hypnotize the man with its sequencing status display lights. But Robbie "knows" in its circuits what the right thing is and proceeds to destroy the learned-experience storage units.After that, the machine can only work like an ordinary computer (external intelligence). That is quite a sophisticated storyline. Sorry about the kid stuff.
The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez (1991)
I want a copy!
This is the most recent favorite example of a genre I love: coordinated film and score. Others that have moved me a great deal in the past are Fantasia (1940) out of Walt Disney and Alexander Nevsky (1938).I saw The Cabinet of Doctor Ramirez (1991) on PBS TV and loved it instantly. Fortunately, I recorded it onto VHS tape (for my own private viewing), because the film was (as I understand) never released in the USA and I have since failed to find any copy for sale.
The film was conceived principally by Peter Sellars (his first film project, I believe). The sound track is entirely made from the three parts of John Coolidge Adams orchestral work Harmonielehre, with two interpolations of Tibetan Buddhist monk chants and instruments. Obviously the film layout is timed to match the sections of the music. In a certain sense, it is the film that accompanies the music. I think it is all brilliant. Recently I have acquired a CD that includes the Harmonielehre work, and that reminded me to search again for a DVD or VHS copy of the complete film and its sound track. I will keep looking.
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music sequence:
Harmonielehre (Harmony Study) parts 1 2 3
chants and instrumental C
1 2 C 1 2 C 3
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