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The Red Shoes (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

The Red Shoes (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

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Director: Michael Powell;Emeric Pressburger
Actors: Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring
Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
Category: DVD

List Price: $39.95
Buy New: $24.22
as of 9/7/2010 14:20 CDT details
You Save: $15.73 (39%)

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New (26) Used (4) from $24.22

Seller: DN Media
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 79 reviews
Sales Rank: 3199

Format: Color, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Unrated
Media: Blu-ray
Region: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Running Time: 137 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6

MPN: 715515059312
UPC: 715515059312
EAN: 0715515059312
ASIN: B003ICZW8C

Theatrical Release Date: 1948
Release Date: July 20, 2010
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
A rising star ballerina is torn between an idealistic composer who she loves and a perfectionist impresario to whom she owes her career.

It's been said that this 1948 classic has been responsible for the ballet lessons of more young girls than any other film. It's not hard to understand why: Michael Powell and Emerich Pressburger's dark fairy tale presents the ballet as an exquisite, magical work of art; but under the theatrics and glory is an all-consuming lifestyle with the power to destroy those who love it perhaps too much. Moira Shearer practically glows as Victoria "Vicky" Page, a young woman consumed by a will to dance who is accepted into the highly prestigious ballet company run by perfectionist Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook). Meanwhile, a gifted young composer, Julian Craster (Marius Goring), is brought on board as an orchestra coach, and later conductor and composer of the ballet that will make Vicky's name: The Red Shoes, one of the most beautiful and dramatic dances ever captured on film. Professional and personal jealousies soon pull this creative team apart, however, and Vicky is torn between her love of Julian, her responsibility to Boris, and her need to dance. Powell and Pressburger recast Hans Christian Andersen's sad story as a modern romantic melodrama, highlighted by beautiful dances and shot, not as stage ballets, but rather as expressionist cinematic dramas on impossibly grand sets awash with bold color and beautifully captured in glorious Technicolor by cinematographer Jack Cardiff. It's a brilliant melding of dance and drama as Vicky's real life mirror's the tragic story she danced in the Red Shoes ballet. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 79
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5 out of 5 stars a classic   September 2, 2010
R. Knudsen (tulare, ca)
I purchased this edition to relive the feelings of my youth when I first saw this show in the theater. I'm not disappointed!


4 out of 5 stars Confused   August 2, 2010
John R. Sherman, Jr. (North Adams, MA USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I ordered this from Barnes and Noble and the set is one disc on Blu-ray. It will not start to play easily. Is there a 2 disc set? Once I got it going, it proved to be best of VHS and the earlier Criterion.


3 out of 5 stars Faulty Disc 2   July 30, 2010
Wally Fay (New York City)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

The film itself (Disc 1) is wonderfully restored & all the extras on Disc 1
are interesting. However, on Disc 2 the documentary on the making of "The Red Shoes" could not be accessed on my DVD player, only on my computer. All the
other features could be accessed.I returned it to Amazon & they promptly sent me a replacement. Unfortunately,the problem still exists. Beware this flaw.


5 out of 5 stars Rad Shoes on Blu-ray   July 19, 2010
A Customer (L.A.)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Fantastic film about art; as a passion and business. Ballet is the stage and the film is as powerful and contemporary by way of timeless themes and production values. Tight drama frames the expressive ballet scenes and you'll gape at the visuals like a modern CGI extravaganza which this is better than.
Restoration is there to see on BD
must see


5 out of 5 stars Criterion Gives The Red Shoes Their Deluxe Treatment!   July 15, 2010
Cubist (United States)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

The Red Shoes has been painstakingly restored over the course of two-and-a-half years where it was finally unveiled at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. It's safe to say the film has never looked or sounded better. One of the true classics of cinema has been preserved for future generations to study and enjoy. For a landmark film such as The Red Shoes, the Criterion Collection has gone that extra mile in the extras department.

The first disc features a "Restoration Demonstration" as Martin Scorsese takes us briefly through the process of restoring The Red Shoes and just how challenging it was to do. He shows a clip from the damaged original and how it was restored digitally. The restorers did an amazing job on this film and the proof is in the final results.

There is an audio commentary by film historian Ian Christie and interviews with stars Marius Goring and Moira Shearer, cinematographer Jack Cardiff, composer Brian Easdale, and Scorsese. The veteran director talks about the use of colour and how it drew him to the film. Cardiff talks about how he got involved. Initially, he hated the ballet but soon grew to love it. Goring talks about the blend of fairy tale and reality in the film. Unlike Cardiff, Easdale was a long-time fan of the ballet and speaks of the origins of the music. Shearer says that she took some convincing because she was enjoying a successful run as a dancer and found the film's script dreadful. This is an excellent track that covers all aspects of The Red Shoes.

"The Red Shoes Novel" features actor Jeremy Irons reading excerpts from the 1978 novelization of the film as you're watching it. He has a great voice which really enhances the prose.

Also included is a theatrical trailer.

The second disc starts off with "Profile of The Red Shoes," a 25-minute retrospective documentary. It starts off giving some background to the genesis of the film and takes us through its production with surviving crew members sharing their memories and relatives of those who died recounting stories as well. This is an excellent look at how The Red Shoes was made.

Legendary film editor Thelma Schoonmaker is interviewed at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. She had been married to Michael Powell from 1984 until his death in 1990. She talks about the film's restoration and also comments on what the film means to her. She speaks quite eloquently and very knowledgeably.

Also included are six stills galleries covering the cast and crew, behind-the-scenes in London, Paris and Monte Carlo, deleted scenes, and production and costume designs.

"Scorsese's Memorabilia" is a gallery of items from the filmmaker's personal collection. It's quite impressive with things like the red ballet shoes worn by Shearer in the film, and posters and lobby cards from various countries.

Finally, there is "The Red Shoes Sketches," a collection of production designer Hein Heckroth's original colour storyboards animated and set to Brian Easdale's score. You can view them on their own or as a side-by-side comparison to The Red Shoes ballet as seen in the film with an optional audio track of Jeremy Irons reading excerpts of the original Hans Christian Andersen story.

Showing reviews 1-5 of 79
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