The late, great choreographer Jerome Robbins' (1918-1998) enormous accomplishments in the worlds of both Broadway and classical ballet are celebrated in this fine entry from the acclaimed PBS-aired American Masters series. Combining archival footage and stills together with excerpts from Robbins' own journals, Judy Kinberg's documentary outlines Robbins' life from childhood up through his illustrious career, both as a supremely imaginative director of musicals on the Great White Way and as a master with the New York City Ballet. Engaging interviews with Robbins himself and many of his collaborators (including such luminaries as Mikhail Baryshnikov and Stephen Sondheim) are coupled with clips from the shows, films, and ballets Robbins choreographed, as well as rehearsal footage and behind-the-scenes material about classics such as West Side Story, Gypsy, and Fiddler on the Roof. Recollections by colleagues testify to both Robbins' genius and his personal weaknesses (including his naming of names before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in the early 1950s under threats that his bisexuality would be revealed). A well-balanced, perceptive portrait of a man of enormous talent whose drive for perfection was staggering, DVD extras include bonus interview excerpts. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About
(2009) 130 min. DVD: $29.99. Kultur International Films. ISBN: 978-0-7697-8826-5. Volume 24, Issue 3
Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About
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