Tutus and Straitjackets
Posted in General on December 16th, 2011 by Eugene Finerman – 1 CommentImagine if The Three Stooges had been attractive women. Just substitute Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Wynona Ryder for Moe, Larry and Curly and you have the slapstick riot “The Black Swan.” True, the cream pies were omitted but the eye pokes are even more effective when using broken glass and nail files. I initially was a bit squeamish at director Darren Aronofsky’s ghoulish fantasies–Portman’s character can’t clip a nail without losing a quart of blood–but I eventually saw the humor in this Hadassah macabre. (Barbara Hershey evidently had her plastic surgery done by Josef Mengele.) During the last half hour I was laughing at the alleged drama. Judd Apatow would have been jealous.
In fact, Apatow and Aronofsky should star as the psychotic halves of “the Jewish man”. Apatow envisions a world where there are no Jewish women, only gorgeous, lovable shiksas and they all want Seth Rogen. Aronofsky’s world has only beautiful Jewish women, but they are all demented and evil. (Do you think that he had a friendly parting with Rachel Weisz?) Imagine his casting of “The Dick Van Dyke Show”: Joan Collins as Millie Helper–and she is out to destroy Rob and Laura, and turn Richie into matzoh.
So, what would we call this golem of Apatow and Aronofsky, only with more wit and depth? How about a young Woody Allen?