TCM showed this remarkable film yesterday 05/08/2010. I happen to check their schedule and saw it listed. Since I love all musicals and have quite of few of them on VCR. Very happy I taped it. This rendition 1966 - 1hr31 mins. - was truly delightful and not to be missed by ballet lovers. Color, Sets, music orchestrations and especially the dancing! As you can tell I really enjoyed this film - would appreciate your comments. Tks
shareThere is a lot of great talent in the original unedited film "Dr. Coppelius" (1968). Jo Anna Kneeland, the famous dance teacher at New York's Harkness Ballet, choreographed the movie. Legendary English ballerina and choreographer Alicia Markova was the artistic consultant. Claudia Corday of The Harkness Ballet is amazing in her dual role of Swanhilda-Coppelia. Caj Selling, star of the Royal Swedish Ballet, portrays Franz. Milorad Miskovitch, the great Serbian ballet dancer and choreographer, plays the Hungarian dance champion.
Dr. Coppelius is played by Walter Slezak, the famous Viennese character actor who starred in many Broadway musicals, acted in more than 100 films, and was on many television shows, including the 1960s Batman show (he was the Clock King). Please vote at the Turner Classic Movies website for a DVD of "Dr. Coppelius" (1968).
I dislike 99% of musicals and was going to keep flipping channels when I saw this, but something about it arrested me and I couldn't stop watching it. Of course, it's actually a ballet rather than a musical, which helps, but also the performances, costumes and sets are wonderful. I also have a lifelong love of automata and an interest in the "Uncanny Valley" so that is enjoyable as well. The lead dancers are stunning and the music is charming.
shareI agree that automata are very interesting. Here is a link to a photo of an antique automaton in the Swiss Museum CIMA that reminds me of the Coppelia automaton in the “Dr. Coppelius” (1968) movie. This automaton can write a letter!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CIMA_mg_8332.jpg
Thanks! Beautiful example. There's a similar one of a man writing a letter on Youtube. There's actually an amazing Youtube channel called 69mechanik with hundreds of videos of the automata that they repair and build in their shop.
shareThe 69mechanik videos on YouTube are great! The automata of the Pierrot writing, and Cleopatra with the snake, are exquisite. These automata are an amazing combination of artistry and engineering. Thank you!
You're welcome! I've been a fan of theirs for ages. I was considering visiting them when they were still in London next time I went to the UK, but then they moved to somewhere in a remote part of Scotland, so it's a bit more daunting. I will get there someday, however!
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