AllMovie

The concept of Ballet Robotique is hardly new-in fact, it wasn't new when it was explored by Rene Clair and Charlie Chaplin back in the 1930s. Still, this short filmic essay seems fresh and full of nuance. We are shown images of modern, automated assembly lines. Backing up these images are classical music passages, each selected for their appropriateness to the action. At eight minutes, Ballet Robotique makes its point quickly and leaves us satisfied long after the final image has faded.