Jean-Christophe Maillot's Lac—subtitled “After Swan Lake”—captured here in a 2013 studio production filmed at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, edits and rearranges Tchaikovsky's familiar ballet score (nicely played by the St. Louis Symphony under Leonard Slatkin) but tells a radically different story from the traditional one. Reshaped with the help of novelist Jean Rouaud, Lac begins with a dreamlike film in which the young prince, on a hunting trip with his father, watches in horror as the girl he loves is abducted by the wicked Black Queen. Years later, he is still haunted by the event but his mother pressures him to wed. Suddenly, two possible brides appear—a demure white swan and an aggressive black one—and he is torn between them while his mother and the Black Queen struggle to control his choice. Not surprisingly, all does not end happily. Maillot's choreography blends classical and modern elements, while the performance by Les Ballets de Monte Carlo is exceptional, with Stephan Bourgond superb as the prince and Anja Behrend and April Ball matching him as the white and black swans. The costumes by Philippe Guillotel—mostly in blacks, whites, and grays but with occasional snatches of color—are an important aspect of the overall visual effect, which is heightened by director Denis Caïozzi's cinematic editing. Presented in DTS. 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray release) and LPCM stereo, extras include a cast gallery. For ballet lovers with an adventurous bent, this elegant, provocative take on an old chestnut is highly recommended. (F. Swietek)
Lac
(2013) 93 min. DVD: $29.99, Blu-ray: $39.99. Opus Arte (dist. by Naxos of America). Volume 30, Issue 1
Lac
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: