I like this movie because it shows what life is really like backstage at a live show. Many of the other reviewers seem to think that it SHOULD be about something else, like stagehand basics or the history of opera. Those would be great ideas for other documentaries, but it's just not what this one is about. I've been a professional stagehand for many years and love the way this film captures backstage dynamics. A bell rings and everyone springs into frenzied action for five minutes. Then back to waiting. You have a choice between solitary pursuits like crocheting a smock, or you can bore your fellow stagehands with stories. The lighting and costumes are really beautiful in this production, so you get a dose of that as well if that is is your focus. And it's really interesting how desperate the performers are to impress stage managers before going on stage. I've always thought that must be their way of boosting confidence before facing the audience directly. The woman playing Brunhilde just won't leave the cue caller alone, and he is obviously about to come completely apart from anxiety! In a nutshell, the movie is about people and how they interact in a work environment that is alternately boring and terrifying.
