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A young ballet dancer is torn between the man she loves and her pursuit to become a prima ballerina.
- VarunOctober 19, 2024God this is one of the greatest movies ever made. The 15 minute performance mid movie is hands down one of the best film experiences of my life, it is utterly breathtaking and ethereally beautiful, I felt like my soul was transported to a new dimension. In fact, throughout the film I felt like every aspect of the movie was working to sculpt my soul with various different emotions. I’m not very familiar with ballet, I’ve seen tons of contemporary dance performances but pure ballet is something out of this world. The pointed angles, the precise grace of transition between movements, each pose brimming with expression, it also stirred in me imaginations of pretty birds like the swan and flamingo. The fast paced movements of the legs reminded me of the fluttering of a bird’s wings, the frames of a moving fan, and the infinite array of dividing fractals that I’ve seen on psychedelic trips. The performances are brilliant from every single actor, the dialogues are sharp and engaging, the set pieces are truly wonderful and the script and pacing are perfect. This is a flawless mesmerising movie that everyone must see, and I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy of the 4K UHD Blu-ray restoration by Criterion.
- KahnsWrathJanuary 13, 2026Another movie by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, The Red Shoes, is the first movie del Toro grabs while in the Criterion Closet, saying it's a feature he has to talk about. Like with Black Narcissus, he emphasizes the use of color to tell a story and drive the emotional themes forward. The Red Shoes is a brilliant representative of the fusion of music, dance, and cinema, and it's widely regarded as one of the most influential films of the 20th century, inspiring generations of filmmakers—including del Toro. Its synthesis of visual spectacle and psychological drama is still unmatched. The Red Shoes follows Victoria Page (Moira Shearer), a young ballerina who joins Boris Lermontov's (Anton Walbrook) prestigious company while falling in love with composer Julian Craster (Marius Goring). Torn between her love of art and Julian, Victoria's inner conflict climaxes in a 15-minute ballet sequence that blends fantasy with obsession. Powell and Pressburger combine Technicolor brilliance, stunning choreography, and great narrative depth to create a film about the sacrifices and compulsions of artistic life; its tension between personal fulfillment and creative dedication makes it a relatable cinematic spectacle for filmmakers in particular.
- cultfilmlikerJune 12, 2025Red Swan Realized ballet is not my type of dancing! I just gave Suspiria and Black Swan passes bc they were disturbing! Unquestionably an extravagant and extraordinary production. The acting / choreography / dancing is obviously exceptional in every way! Watched with the lovely TCM intro!
- Rowan KrzysiakFebruary 12, 2025If you watch this darling of British cinema you get about 3 or 4 films in one. The chase of the promising young upstarts looking to make it in the ballet world. The performance to end all performances. Then an aftermath of passion and tragedy. They all look to evoke something different and all on the whole succeed with the performance being especially astonishing. If you have a calm afternoon with a couple of hours to fill, seek it out.
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The Red Shoes was released on September 6, 1948.
The Red Shoes was directed by Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell.
The Red Shoes has a runtime of 2h 9m.
The Red Shoes was produced by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger.
A young ballet dancer is torn between the man she loves and her pursuit to become a prima ballerina.
The key characters in The Red Shoes are Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook), Julian Craster (Marius Goring), Victoria Page (Moira Shearer).
The Red Shoes is rated Not Rated.
The Red Shoes is a Drama, Romance, Music film.
The Red Shoes has an audience rating of 9.1 out of 10.
The Red Shoes had a budget of $500K.
The Red Shoes has made $10M at the box office.