Arts Movie Reviews

Dennis Miller is a rare breed of entertainer. He talks to you, not at you. He doesn't espouse slogans and chants, he speaks with clarity, reason and incredible wit. Even when he's not particularly funny, he speaks with the mind of someone who; at the very least, is incredibly observant. He completely brushes aside the agendas of the whiny left and the argumentative right and breaks it all down the middle with common sense. He leans in neither direction but instead steps back and views the world from an objective stand point and even when you disagree with him, you still hang on every word because he speaks like someone who thinks constructively and free of the sheepishness of a good number of people. And, to top it all off, he is very funny.

What can I say... I'm sold.

Advance to 1989. The European Mediascope company announces a filmed version using the digital recording on Argo conducted by Charles Mackerras as its soundtrack. The film is released on LaserDisc, NOT a format that I had the economic ability or desire to invest in. I take an interest in Mackerras recording, but still prefer the Davies reading which EMI finally unearths on CD. A few years pass and LaserDisc dissolves into oblivion as does the opportunity to see the film.

At long last, enter DVD and Decca's release of the opera on that format. I eagerly purchase the package and rush home to see it. You cannot imagine my disappointment.

Well, look at it this way - better a cracked cookie than no cookie at all. The visual images, sets, location shots and period costumes by director Petr Weigl and others are attractive and make sense. The direction takes things too literally and some of the staging is awkward (Sali's dispatching of Marti is totally unconvincing. No stunt doubles?) There are instances where abstract or symbolic imagery would have been welcome (Walk to the Paradise Garden, in particular). But what really ruins things is the lip-synching. Dana Maravkova and Michal Dlouhy are attractive in a chilly sort of way, but no one is going to believe the voices of Helen Field and Arthur Davies coming from the mouths of these babes. Thomas Hampson plays and sings the part of the Dark Fiddler here, but he is deprived of making a bigger impact of his role by the indifferent direction.

The Petr Weigl film fills a void, but not completely.

Unfortunately, the material is just not as strong as on the first two specials. A lot of the topical stuff is of course dated (the show was taped in early 1993, but the even older material on the earlier shows (1990 and 1987) are just plain funnier. Also, it must be noted that there are NO worthwhile extras on this DVD, despite its relatively high cost. Since all three of Dennis's HBO specials coauld easily fit on one DVD, this one feels a bit like a cheat. Don't get me wrong, I love Dennis Miller, I just don't love this DVD.

Beyond the opportunity to listen to Delibes'score, this production proves its indestructability. I don't necessarily believe that choreographers cannot choreograph known music to their whim........ provided it works. In this case very little does. There is hardly any dancing.... even of the modern variety.... The conceit of a dream sequence showing multiple Coppelias all in red with blonde wigs, some of them in travesti, could have been fun if they were given something interesting to do or to dance. There is neither wit nor arresting movement to this longish sequence. Amazingly, this production has toured all over the world. I don't see it, hence I do not recommend it. If you buy it close your eyes and listen to the music.

Even though I consider myself an open-minded fan of modern dance, I'd say this version of Coppelia (by Opera National de Lyon) is a major disappointment for one BIG reason: very little dancing. I wasn't bothered by the run-down, urban setting, nor did I find the dancers in street clothes to be revolting. Rather interesting, actually. Also, the fact that Leo Delibes' score was cut down drastically was only mildly upsetting. It's just that, with a run time of about an hour, I'd be shocked if there were more than twenty minutes of dance choreography on this disc. Too bad.

I'll give credit where I believe it is due. The music is sensational: clear and moving. Also, the camera work and editing, while not A+ quality, are worthy of honorable mention (check out the activity in Coppelius' room while the projector is running). The lighting for the nighttime outdoor scenes is first-rate.

As for the dancers ... I can't say. They were more actors than anything else, and not so believable at that. The story is purported to have an "edgy new twist," but it was only the cinematography aspect that kept my attention. As a ballet troupe, the artists are rendered virtually inert.

If it's theater you're after, you'll probably stay interested all the way through. From a dance standpoint, I doubt you'll want to watch this more than once.