Film based on the ballet Coppelia from libretto Coppelia by Charles Nuitter and text based on ballet written by Arthur Saint-Leon . Dealing with a sinister inventor called Doctor Coppelius : Walter Slezak who is terrifying the population to keep his dark secret . He is making strange living dolls created in his fantastic mansion . While a young named Franz is interested in a doll of the Coppelius' creation and then his fiancee : Claudia Corday and her friends break into the doctor's house to investigate . This is "entertainment" !
This is rhapsody of colour expressionism, reaching delirious heights in the ballet scenes , but never becoming too brass and smothering its own nuances. Much better now that it's restored including impressive classy dances and superb Flamenco dancing, being embellished thanks to its chronatic aesthetic and high-caliber score . And being made in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger style as The Red Shoes , Tales of Hoffman , Honeymoon , though in Dr Coppelius is completely music and dance . Stars Walter Slezak as the weird doctor Coppelius, giving a sympathetic but silent acting by mime and gestures , and a lot of dancers and expert ballerinas and brief appearance by some actors as Luis Prendes playing the Mayor and voice by Terry Thomas .
Here stands out the splendorous Art direction from Gil Parrondo who won Academy Awards for Patton and Nicholas and Alexandra . As well as the picturesque and brilliant cinematography in Technicolor/Techniscope by Cecilio Paniagua who photographed international co-productions , such as : Treasure Island , 100 Rifles , Island of the Doomed , Commando, Sonatas and several others .The motion picture was professionally written/produced/directed by Ted Kneeland , aided by his wife Jo Anna Kneeland . Being shot in Madrid, in Samuel Bronston Studios . And it won several Awards , as it obtained Winner Prize of the National Syndicate of Spectacle : Best Set Decorator Gil Parrondo, among others . Rating 7/10 for the general public and 9/10 for the classic ballet enthusiasts . Worthwhile watching .
