AllMovie

This is not an excessively well-received film of the famous ballet Swan Lake. It stars Yelena Yavteyeva as Odette/Odile, and John Markovsky as Siegfried. Despite poor reviews for the leading dancers, the excellence of the Kirov's corps de ballet sustains the film's value. One highlight is the stylish athleticism of dancer Valeri Panov's performance in his expanded role as Jester. This version of the ballet is adapted for film with parts such as the pantomime (which is in the longer stage version) being cut by choreographer/director Konstantin Sergeyev. He has also filled in some transitions in the story with his own original choreography.