10 Ways Darren Aronofsky Basically Remade The Wrestler In Black Swan

Are The Wrestler and Black Swan really just one and the same?

The Wrestler Black Swan Comedy favourite, Anchorman, opened with the following quote:
"The following is based on actual events. Only the names, locations, and events have been changed."
It seems strange to start an article on a revered director like Darren Aronofsky in such a way, but it is justified. Some say he is an auteur; meaning his films have a rich vein of stylistic and thematic similarities. Yet if we look at his oeuvre, in particular his last two pictures Black Swan and The Wrestler, they bare a striking number of "coincidental" parallels. We can draw comparisons between the protagonists; themes; camera style; and encompassing story arcs of the two films. While both were critical and financial successes, the similarities cannot go unnoticed, regardless of perceived quality. With films under his belt like Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain, Aronofsky has been coupled with originality and defined himself as a true master of his craft - but is he slipping into a pattern of laziness with his recent run of form? In anticipation for the release of his latest movie, the biblical epic Noah, we propose the following question to you: is Aronofsky an auteur? Or is he a cut-and-paste conman, rehashing his previous body of work? As always, leave your thoughts and opinions below...
Contributor
Contributor

I love all things imaginative, from the page to the screen, and nurture a soft spot for Donald Sutherland and Daniel Bryan.