LA DANSE: LE BALLET DE L'OPERA DE PARIS — ★★1/2 — Documentary feature about the Paris Opera Ballet dance company; with English subtitles (French dialects); not rated, probable PG-13 (profanity, violence, brief gore, vulgarity, slurs); Tower Theatre

The ad campaigns for a camera company once touted a product as being so simple that you "just point and shoot."

That's pretty much the strategy employed by the documentary feature "La Danse: Le Ballet de l'Opera de Paris."

Director/editor Frederick Wiseman simply set up cameras in practice spaces, offices and other rooms and then filmed what went on there.

That means there is no narration whatsoever in the film — and no indication given as to who is whom, though you can figure most of that out.

It's an interesting concept, though watching 2½ hours of that is a tremendous undertaking. As a result, this fly-on-the-wall documentary is for fans of nonfiction filmmaking or for ballet/dance aficionados only.

"La Danse" follows members of the Paris Opera Ballet, who are in the process of planning, practicing and seven different ballets for its upcoming season.

Among the various sights seen in the film are:

Costumers designing and constructing outfits for the different performances and performers.

Choreographers working out routines with primary and supporting dancers.

Lighting and sound technicians working out cues and timing for their contributions to the performances.

A rooftop apiary that supplies honey to the dance company's cafeteria.

View Comments

And speaking of that fully stocked cafeteria, a sequence filmed in there helps dispel the myth that ballet dancers don't eat.

Veteran documentarian Wiseman (1997's "Public Housing") and his camera crew capture some beautiful images. The lack of a narrative story flow does become a little frustrating, and the running time is cumbersome, though.

"La Danse: Le Ballet de l'Opera de Paris" is not rated but would probably receive a PG-13 for scattered strong profanity, some violent and gory imagery (a gruesome opera performance involving the slaughter of children), some crude language (slurs) and suggestive dance moves, and derogatory language and slurs. Running time: 158 minutes.

e-mail: jeff@desnews.com

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.