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Flesh and Bone
Starz / Anchor Bay // Unrated // January 5, 2016
List Price: $49.99 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Miniseries:
Comparisons to Black Swan are all but certain for someone watching Starz new ballet miniseries, Flesh and Bone, though this new creation from Breaking Bad writer/producer Moira Walley-Beckett isn't interested in that kind of overt horror for the tense new drama. The competitive passion, the escalating psychosis, and the dangerous boundaries pushed for one's craft all spin and sweat throughout this vivid portrayal of a cutthroat New York dance company, which takes an embellished but aware glimpse at the struggles of performers across the development of a high-profile
show. That becomes its own kind of horror: the creeping feeling of doubt, of uncertainty, and of transient importance that these dedicated dancers battle with on an almost daily basis while extending their bodies beyond their limits. Populated with real, surprisingly talented ballet dancers and exhibiting an incredible amount of polish and clever storytelling, Flesh and Bone exhibits all that's needed for a quality show about this physically and mentally brutal environment, only stumbling when it becomes too unjustifiably dark and wicked for its own good.
Flesh and Bone focuses on Pittsburg-native Claire (Sarah Hay), a striking young dancer who breaks free from her small-town constraints and damaging home life to pursue her career in professional ballet. After arriving in New York with little to her name, she fights through an open audition for the ABC ballet company -- led by intimidating company owner/director and ex-dancer Paul Grayson (Ben Daniels) -- and lands a coveted spot that garners attention towards both her beauty and her talent. Claire enters what's colloquially called the "shark tank" shortly thereafter: a cold, often spiteful collective of both male and female ballet dancers, many whom have been clawing their way up the ranks at ABC for a while. Some, such as aging veteran and prima starlet Kiira (Irina Dvorovenko) and bitter support player Mia (Emily Tyra), are more abrasive towards Claire; others, such as wealthy alternative dancer Daphne (Raychel Diane Weiner), welcome her into the fold in their own ways. What soon comes to light is that a brand new performance has been designed specifically around Claire, creating more friction and pressure on all involved for it to become a success.
From toenails falling off and behind-the-back insults to the brutal repetition demanded by an overly harsh instructor, Flesh and Bone initially hits a sweet spot between the realities and elevated realities of the ballet scene, crafting an overstated but engaging culture stirring around Claire. An unexpectedly subtle tempo drives the activities throughout the company, provoking the dramatic tension to build while surrounded by the blue-tinged, mirrored walls and shuffling of bodies. The show confidently lets the stillness of this atmosphere -- frequently assisted by
piano strokes in the studio and the thump of club music at locations outside the company -- encompass the demanding everyday activities that maneuver the dancers into positions of power or surrender to their instructors, forming into a convincing tone without any pretense beyond what the characters themselves project. The emotions that emerge aren't artificially generated by amplified melodramatic aesthetics, but by the raw sensations felt by everyone involved, to which we also feel their endless pains and brief pleasures.
These characters expose themselves -- both figuratively and literally; there's no shortage of skin here -- in flawed and cerebral ways that offer a compelling portrait of different personality types involved with the ballet scene. While the relative ease of Claire's ascent up the ladder at ABC might raise a red flag about the show's legitimacy, the portrait that forms around her meteoric success, her responses to the competitive atmosphere, and the obstacles she conquers over her past and her sexual history effortlessly justifies that. Her sex appeal is, in fact, a central and intelligent facet of Flesh and Bone, and her slight shifts in poise as she branches out with her personality are absorbing to behold, largely due to Sarah Hay's intentional rigidity and reflection of her character's evolving psychosis. Other supporting characters explore the other boundaries of metropolitan performing arts: Kiira's struggle to stay relevant as her aging body works against her taps into a frank, haunting reality of the craft, as does Mia's battle with malnourishment just to maintain her perpetual second-fiddle position.
Those brushes with reality are precisely why someone might get frustrated with Flesh and Bone whenever it pushes the envelope too far with the events that transpire, crossing boundaries it cannot uncross with certain characters' histories and with the villainy surrounding how the company keeps their production afloat. Clouds hang over the series involving incest, involvement with the mafia, and with the obsessive and volatile attitude of Claire's ex-Marine brother, Bryan (Josh Helman, X-Men: Days of Future Past); these all seem designed to shock the audience in ways that extend beyond the effective
psychological and physical tension already present in the livewire maneuverings within the ballet company. Despite the steady-handed, polished construction surrounding these subplots, these facets of the characters linger in the mind with every subsequent action they take. That goes double for Paul Grayson, despite the electricity of Ben Daniels' performance: his fervent enthusiasm for the company and for his dancers' abilities teeters between justifiable, demanding flaws and vile destructiveness that works against his ambitions.
As understated documentary-esque camerawork captures the eclectic atmosphere of New York -- cramped apartments, busy clubs, and a partially crazy homeless artist-writer, Romeo (a fine Damon Herriman) -- Flesh and Bone maintains a melancholy, on-edge attitude leading up to the lavish presentation of the show's grand opening: a phenomenal display of talent taking up nearly half of the finale. Despite the craftsmanship, there's a lack of concrete enjoyment in observing how these people and the ballet company itself crank and sputter through the physical demands of their craft. The approach towards this dazzling climax hinges on curiosity over who'll come out on top and how the final product will appear, both the dance itself and the troubled anti-heroine. Yet, the persistent cheerlessness surrounding the performance goes above and beyond with psychological tension, without the right grasp on how this darkness should inform the culmination of Claire's turmoil. Thus, while the drama of Flesh and Bone remains taut from start to finish, it ends on a gripping but complicated attitude that lands on its own twisted outlook on perfection.
The Blu-ray:
Video and Audio:
Flesh and Bone walks classically onto Blu-ray in a sequence of 1080p AVC treatments for all eight episodes, with four appearing on each of the pair of discs and framed at the broadcast ratio of 1.78:1. This is a deceptively beautiful show that relishes the frigidity of its blues and the bloom of its lights through cathedral panes in the company's studio, as well as the neon lights of local clubs and the deep shadows covering personal offices and restaurants. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray brilliantly replicates the gradations of vivid color and supple skin tones, the fine details of facial imperfections, tattoos and strands of hair, and the balance of bright light sources in moderately dim areas. Contrast remains comfortably balanced and never intrudes on details within,, while the depth of the image -- especially when focused on intense conversations and vigorous training sessions -- can be impressively lifelike. The slightly shaky movement of the camera remains fluid, capturing the nuance of impressively-sculpted bodies as they gracefully move across the visible stage. Impressive.
There are a lot of surround-stage subtleties to be found in the 5.1 Dolby TrueHD tracks accompanying Flesh and Bone, where the objective remains to keep the audience as locked into the atmosphere as they possibly can. Shuffling of dance shoes, the twang of piano strokes, even the huffs of breathing locks one onto the raw energy of the studio. Outside of the ballet company, surround effects also encapsulate the hollow thump and stirring of a strip club's empty space and the strumming of instruments on the floor of a yacht, touching on rather immersive levels of clarity and bass response wherever needed across all channels. The clank of wine bottles and the scribbling on paper offer strong but understated effects, while the clarity of the dialogue remains razor-sharp and responsive to mid-level bass at the center of the stage. The atmospheric usage of organic music sprawls across the channels throughout, maintaining a deft balance with the effects and emphasizing the right caliber of near-silence.
Special Features:
The only extra we're working with her is Creating the World of Flesh and Bone (6:37, 16x9 HD), which features delightful interviews with Moira Walley-Beckett and her crew as they discuss the usage of real dancers in the environment, the organic usage of New York City, and the emotional complexity of the material.
Final Thoughts:
Flesh and Bone takes a bleak, stimulating, emotionally taxing journey through an elevated reality version of New York's ballet culture, one that's daringly focused on provoking the senses through the evolution of a tumultuous, determined dancer thrown into the cutthroat demands of a new production. Impeccably crafted and dazzlingly performed by its dancer-actor hybrid cast, the show takes its emotional tempo to the threshold of psychological tension -- and, to its detriment, beyond that threshold -- while navigating amplified archetypes of flawed, unique personalities one might find within the company. A lack of prudence tends to be its flaw, though, as the storyline leads the harrowing drama in unsettling directions that it cannot shake off with time. The end result, both of Claire's tribulations and of the company's production itself, is still certainly worth following through to the grand finale, even if the austere temperament that it adopts makes the trip less pleasurable or rewarding than it likely could've been. Both Anchor Bay's Blu-ray and the season come Recommended.
Thomas Spurlin, Staff Reviewer -- DVDTalk Reviews | Personal Blog/Site
 |
Comparisons to Black Swan are all but certain for someone watching Starz new ballet miniseries, Flesh and Bone, though this new creation from Breaking Bad writer/producer Moira Walley-Beckett isn't interested in that kind of overt horror for the tense new drama. The competitive passion, the escalating psychosis, and the dangerous boundaries pushed for one's craft all spin and sweat throughout this vivid portrayal of a cutthroat New York dance company, which takes an embellished but aware glimpse at the struggles of performers across the development of a high-profile
show. That becomes its own kind of horror: the creeping feeling of doubt, of uncertainty, and of transient importance that these dedicated dancers battle with on an almost daily basis while extending their bodies beyond their limits. Populated with real, surprisingly talented ballet dancers and exhibiting an incredible amount of polish and clever storytelling, Flesh and Bone exhibits all that's needed for a quality show about this physically and mentally brutal environment, only stumbling when it becomes too unjustifiably dark and wicked for its own good. Flesh and Bone focuses on Pittsburg-native Claire (Sarah Hay), a striking young dancer who breaks free from her small-town constraints and damaging home life to pursue her career in professional ballet. After arriving in New York with little to her name, she fights through an open audition for the ABC ballet company -- led by intimidating company owner/director and ex-dancer Paul Grayson (Ben Daniels) -- and lands a coveted spot that garners attention towards both her beauty and her talent. Claire enters what's colloquially called the "shark tank" shortly thereafter: a cold, often spiteful collective of both male and female ballet dancers, many whom have been clawing their way up the ranks at ABC for a while. Some, such as aging veteran and prima starlet Kiira (Irina Dvorovenko) and bitter support player Mia (Emily Tyra), are more abrasive towards Claire; others, such as wealthy alternative dancer Daphne (Raychel Diane Weiner), welcome her into the fold in their own ways. What soon comes to light is that a brand new performance has been designed specifically around Claire, creating more friction and pressure on all involved for it to become a success.
From toenails falling off and behind-the-back insults to the brutal repetition demanded by an overly harsh instructor, Flesh and Bone initially hits a sweet spot between the realities and elevated realities of the ballet scene, crafting an overstated but engaging culture stirring around Claire. An unexpectedly subtle tempo drives the activities throughout the company, provoking the dramatic tension to build while surrounded by the blue-tinged, mirrored walls and shuffling of bodies. The show confidently lets the stillness of this atmosphere -- frequently assisted by
piano strokes in the studio and the thump of club music at locations outside the company -- encompass the demanding everyday activities that maneuver the dancers into positions of power or surrender to their instructors, forming into a convincing tone without any pretense beyond what the characters themselves project. The emotions that emerge aren't artificially generated by amplified melodramatic aesthetics, but by the raw sensations felt by everyone involved, to which we also feel their endless pains and brief pleasures. These characters expose themselves -- both figuratively and literally; there's no shortage of skin here -- in flawed and cerebral ways that offer a compelling portrait of different personality types involved with the ballet scene. While the relative ease of Claire's ascent up the ladder at ABC might raise a red flag about the show's legitimacy, the portrait that forms around her meteoric success, her responses to the competitive atmosphere, and the obstacles she conquers over her past and her sexual history effortlessly justifies that. Her sex appeal is, in fact, a central and intelligent facet of Flesh and Bone, and her slight shifts in poise as she branches out with her personality are absorbing to behold, largely due to Sarah Hay's intentional rigidity and reflection of her character's evolving psychosis. Other supporting characters explore the other boundaries of metropolitan performing arts: Kiira's struggle to stay relevant as her aging body works against her taps into a frank, haunting reality of the craft, as does Mia's battle with malnourishment just to maintain her perpetual second-fiddle position.
Those brushes with reality are precisely why someone might get frustrated with Flesh and Bone whenever it pushes the envelope too far with the events that transpire, crossing boundaries it cannot uncross with certain characters' histories and with the villainy surrounding how the company keeps their production afloat. Clouds hang over the series involving incest, involvement with the mafia, and with the obsessive and volatile attitude of Claire's ex-Marine brother, Bryan (Josh Helman, X-Men: Days of Future Past); these all seem designed to shock the audience in ways that extend beyond the effective
psychological and physical tension already present in the livewire maneuverings within the ballet company. Despite the steady-handed, polished construction surrounding these subplots, these facets of the characters linger in the mind with every subsequent action they take. That goes double for Paul Grayson, despite the electricity of Ben Daniels' performance: his fervent enthusiasm for the company and for his dancers' abilities teeters between justifiable, demanding flaws and vile destructiveness that works against his ambitions. As understated documentary-esque camerawork captures the eclectic atmosphere of New York -- cramped apartments, busy clubs, and a partially crazy homeless artist-writer, Romeo (a fine Damon Herriman) -- Flesh and Bone maintains a melancholy, on-edge attitude leading up to the lavish presentation of the show's grand opening: a phenomenal display of talent taking up nearly half of the finale. Despite the craftsmanship, there's a lack of concrete enjoyment in observing how these people and the ballet company itself crank and sputter through the physical demands of their craft. The approach towards this dazzling climax hinges on curiosity over who'll come out on top and how the final product will appear, both the dance itself and the troubled anti-heroine. Yet, the persistent cheerlessness surrounding the performance goes above and beyond with psychological tension, without the right grasp on how this darkness should inform the culmination of Claire's turmoil. Thus, while the drama of Flesh and Bone remains taut from start to finish, it ends on a gripping but complicated attitude that lands on its own twisted outlook on perfection.
The Blu-ray:
 |  |
Video and Audio:
Flesh and Bone walks classically onto Blu-ray in a sequence of 1080p AVC treatments for all eight episodes, with four appearing on each of the pair of discs and framed at the broadcast ratio of 1.78:1. This is a deceptively beautiful show that relishes the frigidity of its blues and the bloom of its lights through cathedral panes in the company's studio, as well as the neon lights of local clubs and the deep shadows covering personal offices and restaurants. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray brilliantly replicates the gradations of vivid color and supple skin tones, the fine details of facial imperfections, tattoos and strands of hair, and the balance of bright light sources in moderately dim areas. Contrast remains comfortably balanced and never intrudes on details within,, while the depth of the image -- especially when focused on intense conversations and vigorous training sessions -- can be impressively lifelike. The slightly shaky movement of the camera remains fluid, capturing the nuance of impressively-sculpted bodies as they gracefully move across the visible stage. Impressive.
There are a lot of surround-stage subtleties to be found in the 5.1 Dolby TrueHD tracks accompanying Flesh and Bone, where the objective remains to keep the audience as locked into the atmosphere as they possibly can. Shuffling of dance shoes, the twang of piano strokes, even the huffs of breathing locks one onto the raw energy of the studio. Outside of the ballet company, surround effects also encapsulate the hollow thump and stirring of a strip club's empty space and the strumming of instruments on the floor of a yacht, touching on rather immersive levels of clarity and bass response wherever needed across all channels. The clank of wine bottles and the scribbling on paper offer strong but understated effects, while the clarity of the dialogue remains razor-sharp and responsive to mid-level bass at the center of the stage. The atmospheric usage of organic music sprawls across the channels throughout, maintaining a deft balance with the effects and emphasizing the right caliber of near-silence.
Special Features:
The only extra we're working with her is Creating the World of Flesh and Bone (6:37, 16x9 HD), which features delightful interviews with Moira Walley-Beckett and her crew as they discuss the usage of real dancers in the environment, the organic usage of New York City, and the emotional complexity of the material.
Final Thoughts:
Flesh and Bone takes a bleak, stimulating, emotionally taxing journey through an elevated reality version of New York's ballet culture, one that's daringly focused on provoking the senses through the evolution of a tumultuous, determined dancer thrown into the cutthroat demands of a new production. Impeccably crafted and dazzlingly performed by its dancer-actor hybrid cast, the show takes its emotional tempo to the threshold of psychological tension -- and, to its detriment, beyond that threshold -- while navigating amplified archetypes of flawed, unique personalities one might find within the company. A lack of prudence tends to be its flaw, though, as the storyline leads the harrowing drama in unsettling directions that it cannot shake off with time. The end result, both of Claire's tribulations and of the company's production itself, is still certainly worth following through to the grand finale, even if the austere temperament that it adopts makes the trip less pleasurable or rewarding than it likely could've been. Both Anchor Bay's Blu-ray and the season come Recommended.
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