I was just wondering, has anyone seen the new movie "Billy Elliot"? It's supposed to be about a coal miner's son or something like that who takes up ballet, I guess his father doesn't like it or something. I'm pretty sure it's set in England, but then again, I could be misinformed. I was supposed to see a sneak preview but my mom thought it was rated R and wouldn't let me go, plus I had a lot of homework. If you've seen it, what did you think of it? I'm wondering if it has a lot of ballet, and also why it's rated R, if it even is--our newspaper lists it as PG-13. Thanks!

PS. I hope this is an OK topic for over here and it doesn't have to be moved to the Buddy Board. I'm just hoping to find out about it and not many people have been posting on the Buddy Board lately. [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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Keep Dancing!
~Katie~

i heard that its set in england too. i thought it was pg-13, but i don't know. I read some reviews, and they said it was bad, but i never believe reviews [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]HTH!
Jusse

hey, i was just in the anything goes forum, and they had a post on Billy Elliot with some info...
jusse

Katie, it's had mixed reviews, but many of them were very good, some almost raving about it.

We can leave this topic here for a bit, but do also check out the BB, as it has come alive again [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

The film is still in limited release at only 10 theaters in the entire country! It will be in general release everywhere in early November.

I saw the preview when I went to see Centre Stage and it looked prety good. It's rated M down here. There's a really cute paragraph in today's paper's review that I really want to share with everyone, but I don't think I an do that. Or can I?

attitude, I think posting just a paragraph is legal. There's a part of the law called "fair use" that allows someone to use up to 250 words of copyrighted material to make a point, like in a review, or preview article, and I think that covers web sites too. Thanks for being cautious! [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

katie,
hi,today i went and saw "Billy Elliot" and i thought it was great although not as good as Centre Stage or Bootmen.
kenz

On Rosie O'Donnel they were talking to the guy who plays Billy Elliot (now he's 14 and a cutie too) and they showed a few minutes and it seemed pretty good. The scene they showed was when he showed his father what he learned and it looked more like irish step then ballet, but everyone says it's supposed to be about ballet.

Yes it is set in England by the way

It's been out in the UK for a few weeks, maybe a month and I've seen it twice and I think it's pretty fab! It's a 15 here, only for language really! I'd definately recomend you ga and see it. I also knew someone in it and it was so cool seeing their name at the end, very exciting!
BIG thumbs up!

As was asked above, can any of you that have seen this movie tell me why it is rated R?? (bad language, sex, violence, etc....)

It is primarily for strong language. Which is really a laugh considering what you hear if you walk down the hall of most high schools these days.

Thanks so much everyone for your replies! Yes, I have been to the Buddy Board, I posted a ton over there last night. [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Well, if it's only at ten theaters, I guess it's at one near me because in our newspaper it's listed as out already, for a while. Attitude and Angelina, can you maybe explain what your "M" and "15" ratings are? Actually, that's just because I'm curious... [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img] I'm guessing "M" could be for mature but I don't know. And Attitude, it would be great if you could post that paragraph! I agree that language shouldn't be that big of a deal. Actually, I was talking to a friend last night and she told me a lot of critics were upset because it received an R rating. They said many PG-13 movies are just as 'bad', if you will, and it's the kind of movie that would be OK for a 13 year old but not for say a 10 year old. So I guess it's supposedly R, but didn't deserve it according to some people. I've heard there's a not-too-nice term that's used in the place of "gay" in the movie because the father thinks the son is gay or something like that, and some people have a problem with that language especially. (Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be rude or disrespectful or anything by saying that!) Although, as Mel said, anyone around here who isn't homeschooled has probably heard it all and stuff a lot worse! I hope to go and see it, or rent it when it's out on video, maybe. Kenz, could you give us a more detailed review, maybe? [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

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Keep Dancing!
~Katie~

Actually, I've done a bit of nosing around the Web and found that the movie is still in "limited release", which was initially only 10 theaters in the US, and now is in "pre-general release previews" at a larger, but still-limited number of theaters. It looks like it could be a contender for some awards besides the ones it's already taken in Europe. Regarding the Rating system, the US ratings are variable. The Hollywood rating system calls it "R", under 17 not admitted without parent or adult guardian. However, some local jurisdictions have their own ratings systems which may be more stringent or less stringent than the national one.

That movie opened in San Diego about a week ago and I saw it.

Mel - after having taught in a performing arts high school - you are absolutely right about the language - I learned - and then unlearned a lot! LOL Basheva

15 means you must be 15 or over, and as I said the only major reason is for the language!

I went to see Billy Elliot yesterday, its been out here (UK) for absolutely ages. Its a BBC film, set near Newcastle (which is in the northeast of the UK for those who don't know!). Also, background info for those who want to see it, its set during the 1980s which is when a lot of the coal mines in the NE were closed down for good. I guess people who aren't from the UK might not get the context of the film. In the 1980s, miners went on strike about their pay and such, because coal was becoming too expensive to mine. There were riots and union arguemtns and so on, it was all very political. Not that you need to understand the politics to enjoy the film, but Billy's dad and brother are miners on strike and it helps to know what on earth is going on.
Anyway. It's an absolutely lovely film, I thought. It made me laugh and cry. It is about ballet but don't expect too much in the way of choreographed stuff a la Fame! as it's more about triumph over adversity, doing the thing you love even if everyone is against it, and that you don't have to have money or a posh background to be able to succeed in what you want to do. I heartily recommend it. Oh, you might find some of the dialect a bit unusual. The Newcastle (Geordie) accent is quite strong and there's some colloquial language and a fair bit of swearing. Over here its rated 15 which means anyone under that age can't go and see it.

[This message has been edited by beckster (edited October 30, 2000).]

Anyways, over here in the US it's R, which means Restricted. I have a poster of it, and you're right, there is a picture of him running with the ballet shoes with ribbons round his neck. But then, they have a picture of him in ballet class, and he looks like he's taking a boxing lesson.

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Anybody can "dance", but only a dancer can REALLY dance.

Thanks Alexandra,

I hope you all picture this in your heads the way I did!

"Billy stands there, boxing gloves dangling, fascinated by the little girls in white, pirouetting and performing those graceful, agile moves that constitute ballet."

-Paul LePetit, The Sunday Telegraph, Oct. 29, 2000

Katie, M means recommended 15+, but you can still go in without ID, and MA is restricted to 15+.

It atrocious that a movie like this is R-rated whereas movies like "Scary Movie" (which is full of everything foul and tasteless) is only M.

It my contain coarse language but I doubt it's in the same category as "Central Park the Movie". Some people are just too sensitive (or politically correct).

lol at that review! the girls in the class he is watching are not terribly graceful, it must be said! But (aside from the tutu thing) it is just like the dance class I took when I was 7, in a church hall in a small town in the north east of england <sigh>. I think it's better that the girls were more realistic like that, than being fantastic child-prodigy type dancers.


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***The Beckster***

Thanks for the info about the R rating!

Yes, I too, have heard all the filthy language that is known to mankind in high school AND during my stint in the Army - only know that I'm a "grown-up" [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img] (hee, hee..), I choose to distance myself from it as much as possible! [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

hi everyone! i just wanted to say that i really wanted to see the movie, but it didnt come to israel yet. (this is where i live...) i saw a previw, however, and it seems really nice.

i have not seen Billy Elliot but i heard that it was really good. [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]
crazy~dancer

I'd like to see it, but I have not seen any coming attractions, or commercials of anything for it! I hope it will be out soon, from the posts I've read in the anything goes cateogry and this one, it sounds good [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img].

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It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer.
*~!~Rachel~!~*

Rachel, this movie has been out here in this country for some time now. Check your newspaper listing!

Looks like I have to wait until it comes out on video!

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It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer.
*~!~Rachel~!~*

You're probably in the same boat I am, Rachel. The local distributors around here (who actually choose what goes in the cineplexes, not the owner so much) have decided in their wisdom that a movie about a boy ballet dancer will not sell well in this market. The closest theater playing it is thirty miles away, and has it booked for three nights only - a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday! Some way to sell tickets!

I seem to have the same problem over here, with centre stage. It was meant to come out weeks ago, but I've been checking the cinema listings and so far no showings. I don't know if the release has been put back or what ...
Then again, given the choice between Billy Elliot and Centre Stage, I'm glad I did get to see Billy. I have only seen one review for Centre Stage over here, and I guess British audiences just aren't as interested in what it's like to be in an american ballet school, because I don't know anyone but me who wants to go and see it!

Let's face it - the ballet audience is discriminated against. Movies that attempt to show dancers as Normal Human Beings don't fly with the distributors, unless they're driven by starpower, as in The Turning Point. Unfortunately, Jamie Bell isn't a star...yet.

If the people who have Seen Billy Elliot will respond.... Is it rated R just for the bad language? I hear that anyway in school, so mom and dad wouldn't care. It's the "Adult Situations" That they have problems with. THANKS!

The rating will be based upon the bad language (lots of swearing) and also because there are a couple of scenes with domestic violence in, although no blood and guts or anything like that. There are no scenes with nudity or sex in - I don't think theres even a single snog in the whole film! Of course sex is mentioned but in a very innocent way, as befits a story about an 11-year old. The other thing that might increase the rating are scenes involving a young boy who is coming to terms with his own homosexuality, again done in a very tasteful and fairly innocent way.

I wasn't shocked by any of the film ... but I'm 22 and I don't have kids, so I don't know whether a parent would view it differently. I would say that if your parents don't mind the swearing and are open-minded about homosexuality, there shouldn't be a problem. But I would be interested to know if anyone has a different opinion.

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***The Beckster***

my parents saw it also, and they didn't really care. Normally they don't like me to see r movies, but w/ this one everyone said that it should have been rated pg-13. theres a lot of swearing, and a part where the dad and his son get in a fight, and there is also some fighting that you might expect, since it is sort of set in a rough mining town. thats all i'm going to say, because i don't want to spoil it for u!
jusse

I didn't know it was rated R! LOl from the name I thought it would be PG [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/tongue.gif[/img]. I hope it doesn't have as much swearing as "Good will hunting"....that movie was just annoying with the cursing! Anyway, at least it is very realistic!

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It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer.
*~!~Rachel~!~*

Thanks, guys, for the reviews! My dance friends and I are hoping to go see it this weekend...so it's nice to know from people who have already seen it. [img]http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

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Keep Dancing!
~Katie~

I read that plans are underway to produce "Billy Elliot" as a musical for the West End. Daldry will direct, again, and Elton John is to do the music.