Product Details

• Actors: Alicia Alonso
• Directors: Enrique Pineda Barnet
• Format: Black & White, Classical, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Kultur Video
• VHS Release Date: August 22, 1995
• Run Time: 99 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303632645
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #345,935 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an amazing Giselle, September 7, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Giselle [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is a wonderful and fascinating film of Giselle. In contrast to another reviewer, I thought Alonso's performance was beautiful. I also thought the black & white production was very appropriate, and added another dimension to the ballet. The production is certainly melodramatic, but then so is the ballet. Ballet is a live art, I have never seen a recorded version of a 19th century classic that didn't look dated & overwrought - that's what happens when you take an art that depends on individual nuance & projection in live performance and transfer it to a close up medium.

I'd always heard Alonso referred to as one of the legendary interpreters of Giselle along with Spessivtzeva, Ulanova, and Markova, but I'd never seen more than a few short clips of her portrayal (mostly from the first act). For me, this film is a treasured record of a great Giselle that illustrates Alonso's artistry and justifies her inclusion among the legendary ballerinas of the 20th century. I've been lucky enough to have seen most of the great Giselles of our age perform live (Fonteyn, Fracci, Makarova, Semenyaka, Kirkland,Ferri) and this film held me spellbound from beginning to end. It's definately not appropriate as an introduction to the ballet but I would recommend it highly for lovers of Giselle or for anyone who wants to see the artistry of one of the great ballerinas of the 20th century in her most famous role.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Giselle ever, April 8, 2004

By 

C. Gonzalez "carlosmiguelgg" (Ottawa, ON, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Giselle [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is one of the most beautiful and touching performances of Giselle. This record is a jewel of the History of Ballet. It shows the artistry, strength and creative talent of this first Lady of the Classic Ballet that was and still is Alicia Alonso. No classic ballerina has been ever so perfect and histrionic at the same time. She is the only Giselle, none has ever been close to her interpretation and expressive dance so far. Her hands, her arms, her shoulders, a position of her head, each detail of her dance are a deep demonstration of perfection. Her technique is now day a myth. Many ballerinas from main ballet companies cannot dance her choreography for this ballet, which, by the way, is very close to the original by Correli, just look for some record of Alicia Markova in Giselle and you will discover the origins of Alonso's Giselle. Certainly, a ballet lover, knowledgeable and intelligent, will realize that what this record represents for the History of the Classic Ballet. Personally, I think that the black and white production is the result of the decade in which this production was recorded as well as a fortunate detail to represent and distinguish the two main moments of this ballet. The white moment which is a symbol of the joy and hopes of a naive Giselle and the black moment that symbolizes the sinister initiation of Giselle in the universe of the spirits. Let's be honest, Alicia Alonso has been and still is the best Giselle ever!

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This Giselle is a document for the history, July 18, 2005

By 

Evelio "E. Sierra" (Miami, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Giselle [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This ballet was filmed in 1964 or 1965, when the great prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso was in her early forties. That is something to be taken into consideration. Her interpretation of this rol has always been a great success since 1943, when she substituted Alicia Markova in a very short notice. Azari Plisetsky gives a relative good prince Albretch and the ballet corps looks impeccable especially in the second act (the Willis). It gives some effects of the supernatural in the second act well done. The ballet has several moments of great emotion. Miss Alonso is very convincing since the begining with her innocence, later when she discovers that the person she loves was deceiving her, and in the mad scene to her death is very moving. In the second act, all details are captivating with the misterious atmosphere in the darkness of the wood and the ghostly aparition of the Willis. The music is very well played by the Cuban Philarmonic Orchestra and followed with precision by all the dancers. The final moment when Giselle, now a Willy, saves the life of her lover and after a dramatic scene, she starts descending down to the tomb until she vanishes.