We’re ringing in a Happy New Year with a movie friend, Rudolf Nureyev, who stars in the Ken Russell biopic, “Valentino” (1977). Nureyev looks smart, doesn’t he, in his tuxedo pictured (above) alongside his festooned co-star, actress Carol Kane.
But I also enjoy seeing Rudi sans tux — casbah-style — putting the iron grip on Michelle Phillips who plays Natacha Rambova in the movie.
The flick linking two Rudis, Nureyev and Valentino, ranks high on the list of our favorite film sub-genre, “Russian Ballet Dancers Go Hollywood.”
This longstanding film tradition opens the new year with some late-breaking news.
- Dancer Sergei Polunin signed to act in two upcoming films: Kenneth Branagh’s all-star adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express and the spy thriller Red Sparrow from Fox, appearing alongside Jennifer Lawrence
- A restored version of Anna Pavlova‘s single film in Hollywood, “The Dumb Girl of Portici” made at Universal Pictures, now making the festival rounds courtesy of Milestone Films
And in separate arts•meme news, we are pleased to announce that the blog, in being named one of the top ballet blogs (ranking #17 or 60) has been lauded as “a celebration of the fine arts with an accent on dance and film.”
We’ll drink to that. Happy New Year all!