Pas de deux

- Norman McLaren,
- 1968,
- 13 min 22 s

- 17,249 views
- 121 Like
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Synopsis
Point Of View
Education

Norman McLaren's short film is a cinematic study of the choreography of ballet. A bare, black set with the back-lit figures of dancers Margaret Mercier and Vincent Warren create a dream-like, hypnotic effect. This award-winning film comes complete with the visual effects one expects from this master filmmaker.

Tré Armstrong

This was done before I was even born, and yet I still find the visual effects captivating. Definitely before its time when it was produced and directed. I love the part near the end where the male dancer is spinning the ballerina by one leg and it looks like she is an open umbrella twirling round and round. How clever! Some great moments in movement, imagery and visual effects. I find the marriage between the dancer, movement and the camera hypnotizing… To make this type of film requires patient passion because this is dance made for the camera lens, not for stage, and that is choreography on another level!

From the playlist : Tré Armstrong on dance, music and passion

Grade 7 - 11

Educational purpose:

Discuss students’ impressions of the film. Have them write a review using the most descriptive terms possible to capture the performance, create poems or still-life images based on the feelings or story of the dance. Could other forms of dance/art be used in a similar way? Challenge students to experiment with an art form of their choice and mix it with film and/or lighting/staging techniques.

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Comments

Pas de deux

blaineadams@cogeco.ca

“I loved this film when I irst saw it 40 years ago. Loved seeing it again, but was distracted by the prominant NFB logo on the screen, Too bright, too large, too much in the picture. I understand the need for such things, but could it not be more discreet?”

2 Feb 2010