Here are 12 of the best ballet movies ever.
Best ballet movies
1. The RedShoes(1948)
The gold standard of ballet pictures. Widely regarded as one of the best British films ever, Michael Powell’s impressionistic masterpiece stars Moira Shearer as a ballerina torn between love and the demands of her art. Powell was one of the most respected filmmakers of his time, his career tragically derailed following 1960’s Peeping Tom, an early slasher that was simply too shocking for audiences of the time (it’s now regarded as an all-timer, like The Red Shoes).
2. Black Swan(2010)
One of the few horror pictures ever to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, Darren Aronofsky’s supernatural ballet freakout garnered Natalie Portman an awards season sweep in the Best Actress category. Black Swan is a parable about the dangers of obsession and perfectionism. Perfection is not a human trait.
3. The Company (2003)
The penultimate film of American master Robert Altman stars Malcolm McDowell and the always-great frankly underrated Neve Campbell, who also produced the project and co-wrote its story. Critics were mostly very kind to The Company, noting that Altman’s masterfully light, fly-on-the-wall perceptive touch was still very much intact.
4. Limelight (1952)
W.C. Fields famously called early cinema auteur Charlie Chaplin “the greatest ballet dancer who ever lived,” and in his last great picture, a perfect blend of comedy and pathos, Chaplin plays a depressed, once-great stage clown rescued from suicidal tendencies by a dancer (Claire Bloom). Chaplin was a master, and today Limelight is often considered his most deeply personal work.
5. The Turning Point (1977)
Screen greats Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft star opposite real-life dance legends Leslie Brown and Mikhail Baryshnikov in Herbert Ross’s juicy, soapy melodrama set in the ballet world of New York City. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
6. BillyElliot (2000)
Jamie Bell became an international star (and the youngest-ever BAFTA Best Actor winner) thanks to Stephen Daldry‘s charming and emotional drama about a boy becoming a professional ballet dancer in northeastern England during the 1984-85 coal miners’ strike. Sometimes Billy Elliot feels like heightened reality, but witty writing and great acting (Julie Walters plays Billy’s dance teacher) keep us fully invested. You’ll laugh; you’ll cry.
7. Suspiria(1977)
Somehow stunningly sumptuous and trashy at the same time, Dario Argento‘s gore-fest is gobsmacking audio-visually, if lightweight thematically. It’s just about a bunch of ballet students getting slaughtered by supernatural forces; there’s mystery but not much below the surface. The ravishing visuals, spectacular kills and Goblin score make this an international fan favorite.
8. Suspiria(2018)
Luca Guadagnino’s wildly divisive remake starring Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton is far more dance-heavy than its predecessor (it certainly has time to be, with a full hour added to the runtime), with some seriously icky, even sexualized body horror. Some critics said the reimagining was bold and brilliant; others called it a pretentious slog. You be the judge.
9. First Position (2011)
Bess Kargman’s well-reviewed documentary follows six young dancers as they prepare for the opportunity to enter the world of professional ballet via the Youth America Grand Prix.
10. CenterStage(2000)
Nicholas Hytner’s ripe teen drama centers on diverse young dancers at a fictional NYC ballet academy. A modest hit in its time, Center Stage has a substantial fanbase to this day. Center Stage also marked the feature debut of now-megastar Zoe Saldana.
11. ABallerina’s Tale(2015)
The life and rise of Misty Copeland, the first African-American woman promoted to principle dancer in American Ballet Theatre’s 75-year history, is explored in this acclaimed if reductive documentary. Prince (who died a year after the film’s release) contributed heavily to the production’s Kickstarter campaign. An hourlong cut of the film has aired on PBS’ Independent Lens, and on the PBS website.
12. Leap!(2017)
Jarringly anachronistic and ungraceful at times, but simply sweet enough in its messages about friendship, teamwork and determination, this CGI adventure comedy follows an aspiring child ballerina in 19th-century France. It’s currently streaming on Netflix. Next, check out the 65 best movies based on true events.
