Editorial Review:

Description:
Rudolf Nuryev and Robert Helpmann are thrilling in this Australian Ballet production. Also starring Lucette Aldous, Ray Powell, and Francis Croese. Shown in widescreen, and digitally restored to its' original brilliance. Includes bonus features, such as the details of the film's restoration, and a comparison of the old and new versions.

Amazon.com:
This 1973 film treatment of the ballet classic Don Quixote has a spaciousness, a freedom of movement often missing when a staged ballet production is taped for television. It captures the art of Rudolf Nureyev at the height of his powers, both as a dancer and as a choreographer. With distinguished supporting performances by Robert Helpmann and Lucette Aldous, the production balances lyric and narrative elements, wit and pathos, satire and idealism, with virtuoso solo and ensemble dancing.

Nureyev, a perfectionist, had an enormous airplane hangar in Australia transformed into a studio for the 25 days he spent dancing and shooting this episode in the crazy life of Cervantes's mock-epic hero. The routine 19th-century score by Ludwig Minkus has been modestly upgraded by conductor John Lanchbery, contributing positively to the performance's energy. --Joe McLellan

I bought this as I loved the music by Minkus and bought the CD of it last year. Because of it I bought the DVD of the ballet and it is wonderful and this is Nureyev at his best. A very colourful, fast moving and exhilarating ballet beautifully produced. All the scenery and costumes are Spanish.

Average Rating:

Rating: - A must for ballet lovers
I bought this as I loved the music by Minkus and bought the CD of it last year. Because of it I bought the DVD of the ballet and it is wonderful and this is Nureyev at his best. A very colourful, fast moving and exhilarating ballet beautifully produced. All the scenery and costumes are Spanish.

Rating: - Ballet DVD
The soundtrack on my copy was terrible with music fading in and out throughout the 2 hr + performance. I had the volume turned up as high as possible but at times the music was barely audible. The soundtrack was so bad, so irritating, so annoying that I doubt I will ever watch the DVD again.

---

Rating: - From the San Francisco Chronicle:
Essential. Often called the greatest dance film ever made, and easy to see why when witnessing Nureyev's blazing solos.
--Octavio Roca, Dance critic

---

Rating: - Buy It!
This DVD is a spectacular restoration of one of the best ballet films of all time. It has a terrific performance by Nureyev, and features the great Lucette Aldous, a perfect match for Nureyev in charisma and technique. The DVD also has numerous bonus materials, including a "making of" documentary and side-by-side before-and-after scenes to illustrate the restoration. I also have the VHS and laser disk of this movie, and they are both dark and dirty looking compared to this beautiful DVD. It's really a great improvement and well worth purchasing.

---

Rating: - A rotten tomato in a golden box.
This is a relatively well-made ballet DVD among others. However, the cheesy performance really is not worth such a luxury. Compared to the fascinating 1988 Kirov version by Tatyana Terekhova and Farouk Ruzimatov, this one is on the kindergarten level, I'd say. I really don't know why Lucette Aldous was able to get a chance to play the leading role with her flat, robot-like performance. What's more, in the final act she seems to be totally exhausted with sore legs that couldn't stretch or even stand at all. I think the only reason Kultur Video made this DVD so well is simply because it presents Nureyev, whose name is supposed to attract lots of ballet fans (although I personally don't think his performance could compete with Ruzimatov's in the Kirov version). My own suggestion is that don't pick this version, if you are not a big Nureyev fan.

see more

Related Items:

Romeo and Juliet (Royal Ballet)- Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn

Don Quixote / Baryshnikov, Harvey, American Ballet Theatre

An Evening with the Royal Ballet / Nureyev, Fonteyn

Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake

The Perfect Partnership - Fonteyn and Nureyev