Summer Glau tying on her pointes
The Next Victoria Page: Aside from Cyd Charisse and Leslie Caron both of whom went in to films in the 1940s and 50s when the movie star system was still at its height young ballet dancers chosen to star in dance films have not done particularly well with a career in dance. Summer Glau is certainly attractive but the role of the heroine in The Red Shoes, Vicky Page, requires a young and extremely talented dancer. Summer Glau while a talented actress is not Victoria Page! Moira Shearer was 21 y/o when filming began on The Red Shoes in 1947. Summer Glau was born in 1981, is 28, and in my opinion is too old and lacks the talent for the part of an extremely talented ingénue. Shearer had the look, Glau doesn’t! I think it would be a mistake to remake The Red Shoes, but if someone did they should choose a young, talented, professional dancer. Whoever got the part would be forever typecast, which I think would stop a lot of intensely focused women who are serious about making classical ballet a career from accepting the part. Though, competitiveness being what it is in ballet many would kill for the role. Several women who made ballet films in the last few years (in no particular order) are:
1) Leslie Browne – an ABT Soloist - as Emilia Rodgers in The Turning Point (1977)
And, Dancers (1987) Leslie Browne as Nadine
2) Amanda Schull – a SFB corps member - as Jody Sawyer in Center stage (2000)
3) Neve Campbell as Loretta 'Ry' Ryan in The Company (2004) about the Joffrey in Chicago
A wish: I hope no one does a remake of The Red Shoes. You just can’t improve on perfection! And if they do they should choose someone in her early 20s with real talent and a romantic style rather than blazingly fast Balanchine footwork. Now, they could make a Red Shoes like film focusing on a young woman’s obsession with a career on pointe and finding the perfect shoes, while dealing with the typical career trials; eating disorders, STI and pregnancy scares, injuries and competition for roles she had to overcome as she works her way to a principal position with an international company.
The Next Victoria Page: Aside from Cyd Charisse and Leslie Caron both of whom went in to films in the 1940s and 50s when the movie star system was still at its height young ballet dancers chosen to star in dance films have not done particularly well with a career in dance. Summer Glau is certainly attractive but the role of the heroine in The Red Shoes, Vicky Page, requires a young and extremely talented dancer. Summer Glau while a talented actress is not Victoria Page! Moira Shearer was 21 y/o when filming began on The Red Shoes in 1947. Summer Glau was born in 1981, is 28, and in my opinion is too old and lacks the talent for the part of an extremely talented ingénue. Shearer had the look, Glau doesn’t! I think it would be a mistake to remake The Red Shoes, but if someone did they should choose a young, talented, professional dancer. Whoever got the part would be forever typecast, which I think would stop a lot of intensely focused women who are serious about making classical ballet a career from accepting the part. Though, competitiveness being what it is in ballet many would kill for the role. Several women who made ballet films in the last few years (in no particular order) are:
1) Leslie Browne – an ABT Soloist - as Emilia Rodgers in The Turning Point (1977)
And, Dancers (1987) Leslie Browne as Nadine
2) Amanda Schull – a SFB corps member - as Jody Sawyer in Center stage (2000)
3) Neve Campbell as Loretta 'Ry' Ryan in The Company (2004) about the Joffrey in Chicago
A wish: I hope no one does a remake of The Red Shoes. You just can’t improve on perfection! And if they do they should choose someone in her early 20s with real talent and a romantic style rather than blazingly fast Balanchine footwork. Now, they could make a Red Shoes like film focusing on a young woman’s obsession with a career on pointe and finding the perfect shoes, while dealing with the typical career trials; eating disorders, STI and pregnancy scares, injuries and competition for roles she had to overcome as she works her way to a principal position with an international company.
I think your wish is sort of what I was thinking about if they were to re-envision The Red Shoes. Put a more modern spin on the story. However, I don't think they would focus too much on the sexuality and not get an NC-17 rating.
ReplyDeleteSummer Glau was my idea for a Vicki-like character because of her background and she has the star name.