Ghostlight

intense treatment of one of martha graham's last dance performances. showcases the legendary choreographer and dancer through the eyes of a young journalist who is doing a piece on martha's life - who also happens to have been a student of martha's during martha's younger years. very nice parallel between the struggles of the character martha embodies in the dance and her own struggles as an aging woman and dancer. i found the dance sequences invigorating - but the film has enough humanness and depth to keep non-dance types like me entertained and even charmed. this film is definitely worth seeing, especially for richard move's spectacular performance. he makes a very compelling martha, although i must admit that i didn't think the costume/wig people did him justice in all scenes. added bonus: cameos by blondie and isaac mizrahi.

To be honest, I was peripherally involved with this production early on. My initial reaction to the notion of a dance legend played in drag, a sumptuous life filmed on a shoestring, a crazy-quilt chronology that inexplicably shifts time and tempo, and more dance per frame than any film since The Red Shoes, was no way! This is never gonna work! Well, guess what kids? It does! And beautifully! Seeing it on the big screen with a tough, discerning New York audience dispelled all doubts. The laughs were hearty, the dance editing and music were powerful and my overall experience ran the gamut from genuine surprise to extreme satisfaction with the rich characterizations and compelling storytelling. Congratulations to all. Looking back on my initial negative prejudgement, I've never been so happy to be so wrong.

Wasn't quite sure what GHOSTLIGHT was all about when I went to see it at the Tribeca Film Festival last year and was totally blown away by the picture. Really enjoyed watching Richard Move's portrayal of Martha Graham -- and think Martha would, too. Lots of emotional moments, tears and a surprising number of belly laughs! Was very impressed with photography and photographic direction. Some "documentary" footage was so realistic that a number of viewers walked away assuming that it actually was. Am looking forward to the soundtrack CD -- the original score is absolutely beautiful. All in all, a very moving and satisfying movie experience.

This film accurately portrays Graham's life as seen by the people who knew her best. It is a first-person biography done by people who worked with her. It is also very entertaining. So, it is a must-see for anyone interested in entertainment/art history, especially for those who missed seeing Graham work while she was still alive. Don't miss it! The performance of the lead roll has been reviewed as "Camp". This could be considered a valid criticism until you begin to consider who else might have done the subject matter better justice. Madonna was mentioned as the star but the match of her persona to Martha is a bit off-key. Who better to play her than a person who has studied her and made a career of impersonating her. Hats off to Christopher Herrmann for making this work!

This film is an original and intriguing portrait of Martha Graham one of the most visionary founders of modern contemporary dance.

Featuring an extraordinary central performance by Richard Move as Martha in her later years. The film manages to convey the drive, ambition and obstinacy of this enormous creative force now challenged by age, financial difficulties and a rapidly changing world. Directed and co written by Chris Herrmann, shot on Super 16mm, the film mimics the form of a documentary profile but is beautifully shot and gives a great insight into the ongoing innate drama of this great artist's life.

The film which opened the Tribeca Film Festival was also presented at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic and will shortly be issued on DVD - A definite must for all dance aficionado's and art film audiences alike.