THE RED SHOES [1948 / 2018] [SteelBook Collection’s Edition] [Blu-ray]
A Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger Classic British Film!
‘THE RED SHOES’ is the singular fantasia from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and is cinema’s quintessential backstage drama, as well as one of the most glorious Technicolor feasts ever concocted for the screen. Moira Shearer is a rising star ballerina torn between an idealistic composer and a ruthless impresario intent on perfection. Featuring outstanding performances, blazingly beautiful cinematography by Jack Cardiff, Oscar-winning sets and music, and an unforgettable, hallucinatory central dance sequence, this beloved classic, now dazzlingly restored, and stands as an enthralling tribute to the life of the artist. Also starring Royal Ballet star Robert Helpmann, who also choreographed “The Ballet of The Red Shoes,” and the music for the film was conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham. Director Martine Scorsese quotes, “Truly the most beautiful Technicolor film ever made.”
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1948 National Board of Review, USA: Win: Top Ten Fims. 1948 Venice Film Festival: Nomination: Grand International Award for Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. 1949 Academy Awards®: Win: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration in Color for Arthur Lawson and Hein Heckroth. Win: Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture for Brian Easdale. Nomination: Best Picture. Nomination: Best Writing, Motion Picture Story for Emeric Pressburger. Nomination: Best Film Editing for Reginald Mills. 1949 Golden Globes: Win: Best Original Score. 1949 BAFTA Awards: Nomination: Best British Film. 2018 Online Film & Television Association: OFTA Film Hall of Fame Award for Motion Picture.
FILM FACT No.2: The role of Boris Lermontov, played by Anton Walbrook, was inspired in part by Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev, the impresario who founded the Ballets Russes, although there are also aspects about him drawn from the personalities of producer J. Arthur Rank and even director Michael Powell himself. The particular episode in Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev's life that is said to have inspired the characterisation is his seeing the 14-year-old Diana Gould partnering Frederick Ashton in the premiere of his first ballet, “Leda and the Swan.” On the basis of this, Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev invited her to join his company, but he died before that plan could come about. Emeric Pressburger originally wrote the screenplay for Alexander Korda as a vehicle for Alexander Korda's future wife Merle Oberon. After some years had passed without the film being made, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger rewrote the screenplay, including more emphasis on dancing, and produced it themselves.
Cast: Marius Goring, Jean Short, Gordon Littmann, Julia Lang, Bill Shine, Léonide Massine, Anton Walbrook, Austin Trevor, Esmond Knight, Eric Berry, Irene Browne, Moira Shearer, Ludmilla Tchérina, Jerry Verno, Robert Helpmann, Albert Bassermann, Derek Elphinstone, Marie Rambert, Joy Rawlins, Marcel Poncin, Michel Bazalgette, Yvonne Andre, Hay Petrie, Alan Carter (Solo Dancer), Joan Harris (Solo Dancer), Joan Sheldon (Dancer), Paula Dunning (Dancer), Brian Ashbridge (Dancer), Denis Carey (Dancer), Lynne Dorval (Dancer), Helen Ffrance (Dancer), Robert Dorning (Dancer), Eddie Gaillard (Dancer), Paul Hammond (Dancer), Tommy Linden (Dancer), Trisha Linova (Dancer), Anna Marinova (Dancer), Guy Massey (Dancer), John Regan (Dancer), Peggy Sager (Dancer), Ruth Sendler (Dancer), Jane Fischer (Dancer), Hilda Gaunt (Accompanist), Neville Astor (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Edmond Audran (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Mark Baring (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Michael Bayston (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Leonard Boucher (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Anne Byatt (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Joy Camden (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Jack Carter (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Elizabeth Christie (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Peter Fisk (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Gladys Forrester (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Donato Forte (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Greta Grayson (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Audrey Harman (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Pamela Harrington (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Suzanne Jemmett (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Barry Klare (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Joan Lehman (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Joyce Linden (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Charles Lisner (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Graham MacCormack (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Enid Martin (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Denise Merrum (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Helene Mladova (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Patricia Norman (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Yvonne Olena (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Collin Patrick (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Philippe Perrottet (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Jackie Smithers (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Saxon Stobart (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Margaret Tate (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Meta Thomas (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), John Tore (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Gladys Walton (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Anne Woolliams (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Marnia Zarina (Corps de Ballet) (uncredited), Peter Bayliss (uncredited), Michelle de Lys (uncredited), Richard George (uncredited), Jean Hébey (uncredited), Leslie Phillips (uncredited), Emeric Pressburger (uncredited), Patrick Troughton (BBC Radio Announcer) (uncredited), Elizabeth West (uncredited) and George Woodbridge (uncredited)
Directors: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
Producers: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger and George R. Busby
Screenplay: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, Keith Winter (additional dialogue) and Hans Christian Andersen (fairy tale)
Composer: Brian Easdale
Conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham
Cinematography: Jack Cardiff, A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio: English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
English: 2.0 LPCM Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English SDH
Running Time: 135 minutes
Region: Region B/2
Number of discs: 1
Studio: The Rank Organisation / ITV Studios Home Entertainment
Andrew's Blu-ray Review: ‘THE RED SHOES’ is a 1948 classic British film directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and is an influential musical tragedy that has the stage set for the climactic dance ballet that became the staple genre of the 1940s era. Derived from the Hans Christian Andersen's tragic fairy tale, that forms the basis of this film about betrayal, love and art.
The story begins as struggling composer Julian Craster [Marius Goring] attends a performance of the Boris Lermontov Ballet Company and recognises his own score in the production of "Hearts of Fire." Julian Craster protests to the ballet company director Boris Lermontov [Anton Walbrook] about the unauthorized use of his music. Impressed by Julian Craster's talent, Boris Lermontov hires him to compose the score for his next ballet, a dance version of "The Red Shoes."
Boris Lermontov also hires an attractive young dancer, Victoria Page [Moira Shearer], to perform in the ballet. When the lead ballerina announces that she plans to get married, Boris, in a pique over being abandoned, casts Victoria Page in the starring role. As Julian Craster works on the score and Victoria Page struggles to perfect her dance technique, the two falls in love.
When "The Red Shoes" ballet is premiered, seen in a stunning and glorious fifteen-minute sequence, it becomes a runaway success and it makes Victoria Page a star. But when Boris Lermontov learns that Julian Craster and Victoria Page have fallen in love, but unfortunately Boris Lermontov, is secretly in love with Victoria Page, and in a fit of rage, forces Julian Craster to leave the Ballet Company and so Victoria Page leaves with Julian Craster.
Since Boris Lermontov owns the rights to "The Red Shoes" ballet, Boris Lermontov forbids Victoria Page to perform the dance and sadly Victoria Page becomes unemployable. Time passes and Julian Craster and Victoria Page are now happily married. Julian Craster's compositions have made him an international success. One day, with Victoria Page disembarking from a train in Paris, she meets Boris Lermontov, who implores her to do one performance of "The Red Shoes" in Monaco. Victoria Page agrees as Julian cancels an engagement in London to travel to Monte Carlo in order to convince his wife not to perform the ballet. But Victoria Page goes on with the performance, but sadly with tragic results.
‘THE RED SHOES’ directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, is considered one of their finest collaborations. The film’s powerful depth of feeling is reflected in some of the most vibrant colour cinematography courtesy of Jack Cardiff) in cinema history. A look beneath its lushly romantic surface reveals a dark, complex sensibility, and that surface, rendered in the sombre tones of British Technicolor, reflects a fantastically rich cinematic inventiveness.
Today, ‘THE RED SHOES’ remains not just a visually stunning and complex film about art, ambition and libidinous desires. The ultimate accomplishment of ‘THE RED SHOES’ is the way it combines the dream world of a ballet performance and the spiritual dedication to art, with the actual backbreaking work of the artist and the life sacrifices that ballet demands.
Besides appealing to all dance aficionados, the film owes its popularity to the inspired 15 minute dance sequence depicting the choreographed “The Ballet of The Red Shoes,” a feat of total extraordinary cinema that brings together the film's themes and draws on all other art forms for its unique spectacle.
One of the few successful films about ballet, this classic British film was helped by the striking design and ravishing Technicolor process, with the result that it was a wonderful delight to the eye. Many a ballet-mad schoolgirl went crazy about the film in general and the 20-year-old red-haired star Moira Shearer in particular. The extended highlight of it all was “The Red Shoes Ballet,” perhaps the most effective and captivating experience of its kind ever to be put on film, and the music for the film which was especially composed by Brian Easdale and conducted by the brilliant Sir Thomas Beecham. Dramatically, at the release of the film it was not a great success, but over time it became a firm favourite with the cinema going public. Writers and Directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger gave it with elegance and style. Beyond that, ‘THE RED SHOES’ singularly achieves a primary objective of any moving picture: the integration of physical and emotional expression of cinematic genius.
‘THE RED SHOES’ 1948 film was notable for having an ensemble cast of actual ballet performers and choreographers, including famous veterans of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballet Russes, namely Leonide Massine and Ludmilla Tcherina, as well as Moira Shearer, who had made a name for herself at the Royal Ballet School. Though not immediately acclaimed on its release, the film slowly grew in stature, and today it is widely considered as one of the best film made about the world of dance and especially of ballet.
THE RED SHOES MUSIC TRACK LIST
THE BALLET OF THE RED SHOES (Music by Brian Easdale) [Performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra] [Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham]
BOUGAINVILLA (Dance Music) (uncredited) (Music by Brian Easdale) [Performed by Ted Heath's Kenny Baker Swing Group]
ARIA (uncredited) [Sung by Margherita Grandi]
SWAN LAKE (uncredited) (Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky) [Played by an uncredited symphony orchestra]
LES SYLPHIDES (uncredited) (Music by Franz Liszt) (Arranged by Gordon Jacob) [Played by an uncredited symphony orchestra]
LA BOUTIQUE FANTASQUE (uncredited) (Music by Ottorino Respighi) (Based on the music of Gioachino Rossini) (Arranged by Malcolm Sargent) [Played by an uncredited symphony orchestra]
GISELLE (uncredited) (Music by Adolphe Adam) (Arranged by Gordon Jacob) [Played by rehearsal pianist]
DANSE DE LA POUPÉE (uncredited) (from "Coppelia") (Music by Léo Delibes) [Played by an uncredited symphony orchestra]
Blu-ray Image Quality – The Rank Organisation and ITV Studios Home Entertainment presents a stunning remastered 1080p Technicolor image and the 1.37:1 aspect ratio helps to present the film as it should be viewed. The Technicolor colours of the restored ‘THE RED SHOES’ film absolutely leaps from the screen. Moira Shearer shows off her icy skin and stunning makeup, that looks miraculous and her hair is like red-gold of fire. As Moira Shearer walks towards the Royal Opera House in an early scene, we see a vivid shade of a bunch of amber chrysanthemums from the flower market. Then with the dramatically backlit during the extended and surrealistic scene in which Moira Shearer dances the ballet “The Red Shoes,” you suddenly get flames of shocking scarlet colours. There are a couple of scenes on the railway station at Monte Carlo, and the restoration shows us just how carefully they were made with a woman in a crimson coat and a burst of purest blue delphinium. When we see Moira Shearer dressed in a cloud of tulle, that has a shade somewhere between peacock and ocean green, mounts the steps of a Monte Carlo villa looks stunning, and goes with the Mediterranean sea, makes her look like a transformed kind of sea goddess. Imagine you possess a faded, tattered photograph of someone you love, and then, quite unexpectedly, you see them again, totally solid, living and breathing, this is what you experience with this glorious film remastered in 4K and that is what it is like watching this brilliant restored ‘THE RED SHOES’ film, especially in the awesome stunning Technicolor process. Please Note: Playback Region B/2: This will not play on most Blu-ray players sold in North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Learn more about Blu-ray region specifications.
Notes on the Transfer: ‘THE RED SHOES’ was restored in 4K via a Restoration Funding system and was provided by The Hollywood Foreign Press Association [US-based non-profit organization of journalists and photographers], The Louis B. Mayer Foundation [US-based non-profit organization in New York City, New York] and The Film Foundation [US-based non-profit organization dedicated to film preservation].
Blu-ray Audio Quality – The Rank Organisation and ITV Studios Home Entertainment presents us with a 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio and 2.0 LPCM Stereo Audio experience that reflects the 1948 film. The dialogue is crisp, clean, clear and very stable. The composed music score by Brian Easdale sounded really good and is very dramatic and is helped by the conductor Sir Thomas Beecham. The sound effects and other embellishments really sparkle as well. But the real asset of the audio track is how CLEAN everything sounds; and there isn't any hint of hiss, pops, crackle or anything you are likely to hear with the audio track of a 1948 film. With the 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio and 2.0 LPCM Stereo Audio experience, the first audio track has a slight edge over the latter audio track. For those of you who have previously bought other Blu-ray disc releases, will notice a very big improvement over the previous edition; things just sound so much richer and more dynamic.
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special feature: A Profile of ‘THE RED SHOES’ [2000] [1080i] [1.33:1] [24:14] The Carlton Film Collection presents us with a really nice and interesting documentary on the making of ‘THE RED SHOES’ film and the highly documentary features different interviews with people involved with the film and family members of the film's original production team who discuss the making of the film, the various troubles that were faced and why the film turned out to be what many consider one of the greatest ever made. We find out that the J. Arthur Rank Organisation hated the film and would not allow the film to have a London premiere or even design a poster for the film, but there was a man called William Hyman, who ran a small cinema in New York, whose whole family adored ‘THE RED SHOES’ film, and they got permission from J. Arthur Rank Organisation to take the film back to New York to be shown at the Bijou Cinema in New York, where it ran for two years and of course it was an enormous success. We get lots of rare black-and-white photographs of behind-the-scenes and also lots of clips from the film. If you are fan of ‘THE RED SHOES,’ then you will certainly enjoy this fascinating and interesting documentary. The short running time might make some think that there is not going to be much here, but thankfully a lot of ground is covered. Narrated by Jane Hardstaff. Contributors include: Kevin MacDonald [Grandson and Biographer of Emeric Pressburger], Ian Christie [Professor of Film History and Birbeck College], Jack Cardiff O.B.E. [Director of Photography], Christopher Challis [Camera Operator], Christian Routh [Grandson of Hein Heckroth] and Darcey Bussell O.B.E. [Principal Dancer at The Royal Ballet].
Special Feature: Ballet of ‘THE RED SHOES’ [1948] [1080i] [1.37:1 [15:23] Here we are presented with a special Technicolor film on The Ballet of ‘THE RED SHOES’ where we get to view an animated film of Hein Heckroth’s beautiful colourful hand painted storyboards, showing us the concept for “The Red Shoes Ballet” that is entitled Planning The Ballet, and in the background we hear the composed music by Brian Easdale and was conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham.
Special Feature: Cannes 2009: Martin Scorsese [2009] [1080i] [1.78:1] [3:33] Director Martin Scorsese is up on the stage at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival where we see him talking to the audience just before he introduces the restored version of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's ‘THE RED SHOES.’ Martin Scorsese is honorary president of the Cannes Film Festival organisation and usually showcase rediscovered classic films and Martin Scorsese feels the ‘THE RED SHOES’ film is a tour de force of the ground-breaking Technicolor work of cinematographer Jack Cardiff O.B.E., who sadly passed away in the week of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival. Martin Scorsese was a huge admirer of Jack Cardiff O.B.E., who he once described as being able to "paint with the camera" and the extended ballet sequence in ‘THE RED SHOES’ as "a moving painting." Martin Scorsese also comments that he praises people involved with the restoration endeavours, and especially with his very good and loyal friend Thelma Colbert Schoonmaker [Film Editor] who appears on the stage and greeted by Martin Scorsese.
Special Feature: Cannes 2009: Thelma Schoonmaker [2009] [1080i] [1.37:1] [14:04] Here we get an in-depth interview with the wonderful Thelma Colbert Schoonmaker [Film Editor] at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival and talks about the urgency of restoring old classic films, and especially preserving ‘THE RED SHOES,’ because it was in a very extremely poor state of repair, and especially as it is such a classic British film, and if not preserved, it would of otherwise could of be been destroyed for future generations. Thelma Schoonmaker is an American film editor who has worked with director Martin Scorsese for over fifty years. This was a totally fascinating and interesting interview and is a definite must watch.
Theatrical Trailer [1948] [1080i] [1.37:1] [2:21] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘THE RED SHOES,’ and here they proclaim that it is “A Musical Adventure Film Making . . . A Spectacular Touched with Magic . . . A Star of Bewitching Loveliness.” The trailer shows off the film in such a way, that it makes you want to view this glorious and enchanting Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger Classic British Film.
Special Feature: Photo Galleries [2018] [1080p] [1.78:1] Here we get to view five stunning and beautiful rare behind-the-scene images and production stills for the film ‘THE RED SHOES,’ and they are as follows: Behind-The-Scenes Gallery [3:35]; Production Stills Gallery [7:43]; Poster Gallery [One image]; Promotional Material [One image] and Original Designs By Hein Heckroth [2:35]. As you view the images, you get to hear in the background the composed music of Brian Easdale and was conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham.
Special Feature: Biographies: Here you get view nine individual in-depth biographies of people who were involved with ‘THE RED SHOES’ film, and they are as follows: Michael Powell; Emeric Pressburger; Jack Cardiff; Hein Heckroth; Anton Wallbrook; Moira Shearer; Marius Goring; Robert Helpmann and Léonide Massine. As you read the biographies, you get to hear in the background the composed music of Brian Easdale and was conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham.
Special Feature: Star Profile Gallery [2018] [1080p] [1.78:1] [3:50] Here you get to view a selection of stunning black-and-white images of the actors that appeared in ‘THE RED SHOES’ film and they are as follows: Anton Wallbrook; Moira Shearer; Anton Wallbrook & Moira Shearer; Marius Goring; Robert Helpmann; Léonide Massine; Ludmilla Tchérina and Albert Bassermann. As you view the images, you get to hear in the background the composed music of Brian Easdale and was conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham.
Finally, whatever Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger sacrificed for themselves to get the film made; it seems to have been well worth it. ‘THE RED SHOES’ is a terrifying, but equally visually stunning piece of filmmaking, and its distinctive aesthetic feel for the film, and it is thanks largely to the Oscar-winning work of the brilliant German painter and theatre artist Hein Heckroth, who keeps its surrealist landscapes from seeming even the least bit dated. We experience some amazing fresh choreography by Robert Helpmann, spark impressions that are vivid and intense. Léonide Massine is wonderfully comic in a completely fantastic style, and especially with his dancing partner Ludmilla Tchérina dances and acts remarkably well together. As the leading ballerina and the romantic heroine of the film, Moira Shearer is amazingly accomplished and full of a warm and radiant charm. Much could be said of the whole décor, which is set off to brilliant effect by the proper use of the brilliant Technicolor images. Much could be said about the direction of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, but right now all I can say is that I am totally contented with repeating that the film ‘THE RED SHOES’ is the one film that is one must view, especially by purchasing this awesome Blu-ray SteelBook Collection’s Edition. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
