Etoile Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Etoile Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 17, 2017

There’s something about Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” that beguiles filmmakers, and long before Darren Aronofsky nailed the biggest hit of his career with 2010’s “Black Swan,” co-writer/director Peter Del Monte used the world-famous ballet to inspired creepy events in 1989’s “Etoile.” The duality found at the heart of “Swan Lake” permits an easy transition to genre moviemaking, and Del Monte, while not heading in an overt horror direction, sparks to the potential of a ghost story of sorts, merging dance with otherworldly experiences, generating a chiller that toys with reality, identity, and the blinding power of young love. “Etoile” has its issues, but its strangeness is appealing, with Del Monte finding stillness in the growing nightmare, taking cues from stage performances to introduce a sort of artfulness to a production that’s poorly cast, and features a ridiculous ending that needs to be seen to be believed.

Arriving in Hungary for a premiere ballet audition, New Yorker Claire (Jennifer Connelly) is nervous and alone, unsure how she fits in with demanding teachers and talented students. Jason (Gary McCleery) is also in the same hotel, in town to assist his Uncle Joshua (Charles During), who’s an antique clock dealer, trying to score a few deals from various auctions in town. Jason is immediately smitten with Claire, becoming her companion as she considers leaving dance. However, the young woman is soon tempted by strange compulsions, inhabited by the spirit of Natalie, a mysterious ballet dancer who suffered under the leadership of director Marius (Laurent Terzieff) -- a dangerous figure using an empty theater to stage a version of “Swan Lake,” with plans to make Claire the star. Jason, baffled by the situation, fights to free his love from the influence of evil, also struggling with Joshua’s peculiar demands and insistence on control.

“Etoile” is a slow-burn viewing experience, following Claire into a strange land where she’s succumbs to various forms of fear and intimidation. The setting is Hungary, handing the New York native an isolating experience as she attempts to pull off an impossible audition, going in with a certain level of confidence, which is slowly erased as she grasps the enormity of the work required to best the competition. Introductory scenes play up the routine of this concern, while the setting provides a secondary layer of disorientation, giving the evil that swirls around her a chance at possession, polluting her innocence as the spirit of Natalie claims the teenager, beckoning her to an empty theater, where Marius is preparing the performance of a lifetime, in need of a perfect specimen to achieve the climatic fury of “Swan Lake.”

Jason is the love interest, and McCleery is easily the weakest element in “Etoile.” It’s an amateurish performance, turning the character into a passive figure when he really should be more active when seeking answers as to why the dewy young woman he’s fallen in love with suddenly acts like an old lady, has no clue who he is, and disappears at random. Any romantic angle Del Monte aims to achieve is ruined by McCleery’s strained thespian contributions, though Connelly should be thankful, as her sweaty co-star only makes her look more refined, despite the feature representing her third starring role. Intimacies are awkward, as is the relationship between Jason and Joshua, which peaks with a kooky showdown inside a phone booth -- a botched scene that’s one of many in “Etoile,” which is always better with balletic intrigue and enigmatic motivations. Giving Jason so much screen time destroys much of the effort’s dramatic power, but Del Monte doesn’t completely sink the work, getting back on track when plans for the evil staging of “Swan Lake” begin to take shape.

Etoile Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is billed as a "Brand new 2K scan with extensive color correction," giving "Etoile" new life on Blu-ray. The effort is noticeable, as hues emerge with precision, communicating genre interests in deep reds and blues, while Hungarian greenery is vivid, capturing the beauty of the locations. Skintones are also a highlight, with fresh appeal and pinkness. Detail is strong, best when picking up on facial particulars, which express a range of innocence and danger. Depth is preserved, and costuming showcases touchable textures. Delineation is secure. Grain is fine and filmic. Source is in decent shape, but single-frame blips of damage remain, along with mild speckling.

Etoile Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MS sound mix isn't at full attention, struggling with pronounced hiss found throughout this listening event. Granted, dialogue exchanges aren't strong to begin with, and while the dramatic power of performances aren't quite there, intelligibility isn't a major issue, with exposition needs met and emotional extremes easy to follow. Music is adequate, with "Swan Lake" scoring selections coming through with the most power, offering appealing instrumentation. Sound effects are blunt, along with atmospherics.

Etoile Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Black Swan, White Swan" (18:37, SD) is a conversation with director Peter Del Monte, who's surprisingly candid about his time on "Etoile," sharing his disappointment with a helming job he took for the money, cashing in on his success with "Julia and Julia" (starring Kathleen Turner and Sting). Del Monte discusses his clashes with the producers, who wanted a conventional ballet film, challenging him on creative decisions, helping to mangle this "dark fairy tale." There's talk of thespian achievements, with praise offered to Connelly and Durning, while McCleery's participation proved to be problematic. Del Monte isn't happy with the final product (clarifying why the bizarre ending looks terrible), claiming it's too serious, but he also defends the work as an offering of sincerity in an increasingly cynical business.

• "Little White Shoes" (9:36, SD) sits down with producer Claudio Mancini, who has little time for niceties, immediately tearing into Del Monte for his poor handling of "Etoile." It's an amusing conversation, finding Mancini willing to chat about his distaste for the director and McCleery, who tried to be a method actor and, apparently, only managed to enrage the producers. Additional cast members are discussed, and again praise is reserved for Connelly and Durning. Mancini also shares the hunt for background dancers required for performance scenes, and highlights how Del Monte showed complete disregard for their health while trying to shoot a movie he didn't care about.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:16, HD) is included.

Etoile Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Etoile" is best when capturing the mystery of "Swan Lake" and Marius's plans for Claire, giving the picture a chance to explore painterly cinematography and embrace the art of ballet, even if true technique isn't a priority for the production. Del Monte hasn't made a scary movie, but it's an involving one even without a richly defined mystery to work with. McCleery's casting aside, there's plenty to enjoy in "Etoile," from Connelly's developing acting skills (to her credit, she manages to communicate Claire's interest in Jason) to the artful presentation of "Swan Lake," which is used successfully here. The conclusion of "Etoile" is best described as "nutso," with Del Monte offering a literal interpretation of avian horror, plucking the subtlety right out of the film. It's a supremely goofball climax, adding creature feature punctuation to a psychological thriller. However, it doesn't destroy the viewing experience, it simply reduces it to laughs for a brief moment.