The Tales of Hoffmann

The Tales of Hoffmann is not only a story of dance, but is Jacques Offencach's one true great opera, a very superior work of tremendous singing in every voice 'fach', while most of Offenbach's other works are basically operettas, with the exception of a few other varied works. I wanted to clarify this and then speak of Michael Powell's and Emeric Pressburgur whose take is mainly dance. If it is a better film than THE RED SHOES, it is lost on me as the extremes in colour and technical effects in terms of what we now do makes the film so ancient, so antique in idea and technique that I could hardly watch it. What I will state categorically is that Moira's amazing dancing is is even better than in the above-mentioned THE RED SHOES, but neither film is to my taste for the above reasons.