Ken Russell at the BBC DVD with Kirsty Wark, Ginger Baker, Stephen Fry (NR) +Movie Reviews

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Ken Russell at the BBC
Actors: Kirsty Wark, Ginger Baker, Stephen Fry, Jack Bruce, David Collings
Director: Ken Russell
Genres: Television, Documentary, Mystery & Suspense

NR 2008 6hr 49min

Many American fans, like myself, who have seen most of Ken Russell's films, probably don't even know these biopics he did for the BBC prior to his feature film career exist. And these six hour-long documentaries collected ... more »on Ken Russell at the BBC may be his finest works. Russell is well known for narrative features with revolutionary undertow such as Women in Love, The Devils, and Tommy, a rock opera about the Who. The films included on this three-disc set, all shot in black and white, are clearly those in which Russell established his affinity for portraying iconoclastic eccentrics, and each has its own experimental merit, stylistically and conceptually. Though it is unfortunate that there is a proliferation of cheesy re-enactments in today's film and television, one will be surprised to see how brilliantly this pioneer did it. Each documentary, here, enlists actors to portray the artistic luminaries of various historical periods. But the films so keenly observe their characters' behaviors, factually and poetically, that one learns about Russell's subjects on the sly, being entertained all the while. Occasionally narrators tease their subjects by pointing out absurd moments, reminding the viewer of documentary's subjective nature, and of the humorous potential in many historical tales. The documentaries heighten their subjects' flair for drama, and take interpretive liberties to recount the lives of those on screen. Impassioned explosions, nervous breakdowns, and tragic calamities are the norm. Always on Sunday (1965) studies how genius is manifest at great cost in Henri Rousseau, after the death of his wife and a friendship with Surrealist colleague, Alfred Jarry. Dante's Inferno (1967) depicts the Pre-Raphaelite set, focusing on Dante Rosetti's fiery persona and its negative effects on his muse, Elizabeth Siddal. In Isadora Duncan: Biggest Dancer in the World (1966), the arts and crafts-era mistress of movement maniacally travels the world in search of funding for her dancing schools. Though the characters depicted are wildly different, they share blinding passions and melodramatic means of achieving their ambitions. Many of these films are narrated in the third person, but occasionally their subjects share dialogue, elaborating the dramatic sense. Song of Summer (1968) is the breakthrough, starring young composer, Eric Fenby (Christopher Gable), who moves in with blind, paralyzed elder musician, Frederick Delius, to help finish his scores. Third-person narration fizzles out early on to allow the characters to speak about the need to create, even when handicapped. Delius and Fenby's relationship strengthens as the two develop their music together, and gorgeous landscape scenes, or scenes depicting high human emotions, roll as soundtrack to the composer's works as the film progresses. Heavily dramatized, the only documentary aspect to this film seems to be Russell's dedication to tying film to music, by showing how Delius visualized his music. Ken Russell at the BBC says as much about the quality of BBC programming during the era as the director's unhinged imagination, and it's a wonder to view these films as precedents to what the BBC also pioneered a decade later in the 1970s, namely the much more fact-based documentaries, hosted by scientists and scholars like nature man, David Attenborough. Trinie Dalton

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Movie Details

Actors: Kirsty Wark, Ginger Baker, Stephen Fry, Jack Bruce, David Collings
Director: Ken Russell
Creators: Humphrey Burton, Eric Fenby, Huw Wheldon, Melvyn Bragg, Sewell Stokes
Genres: Television, Documentary, Mystery & Suspense
Sub-Genres: Drama, Documentary, Mystery & Suspense
Studio: BBC Warner
Format: DVD - Color - Subtitled
DVD Release Date: 09/23/2008
Original Release Date: 01/01/2008
Theatrical Release Date: 00/00/2008
Release Year: 2008
Run Time: 6hr 49min
Screens: Color
Number of Discs: 3
SwapaDVD Credits: 3
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 5
Edition: Box set
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Languages: English
Subtitles: English

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Movie Reviews

Finally! Russell's Dante's Inferno and Isadora Duncan on DVD

C. Biegel | Chicago Metro-area, IL United States | 04/19/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have always loved the "Dante's Inferno" but had forgotten about the Isadora Duncan film. Both these are included. I wish the Richard Wagner bio was included. Never had a chance to see that.

When I was a college student, some professor showed us "Dante's Inferno" and I have never forgotten it. I loved the PreRaphaelites, and was familiar with both Dante's and Christina Rossetti's poems. The movie is about Dante's very private hell of regret and guilt, and the imaginative style of acting and symbolism really adds a lot to the story. It also provides an excellent intro to 19th century bohemian life. Oliver Reed's brooding style fit the character perfectly.

The Isadora Duncan: the Biggest Dancer in the World story is also excellent, providing both information, and conveying personality, and something of the mood of the era. I had forgotten the movie, but immediately remembered Vivian Pickles, who was excellent as Isadora.

Elgar was a bit of a disappointment, but the Rousseau Bio was excellent, and one I had never seen. Debussy was interesting as well, but not as successful, as some of the other films.

Still, for the price, I am pleased to have found Inferno and Isadora again. Russell is underrated and forgotten."

Marvellous Stuff - but what happened to the start of "Song o

Mr. Peter M. Donnelly | West Hobart, Tasmania, Australia | 09/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a wonderful set! The superb Elgar and Delius films have long been favourites of mine and are undoubted television classics. I had missed the Debussy film previously but it was worth the wait; Oliver Reed is superb as the composer.

The visual quality is generally fine while the sound is adequate though obviously limited as far as the music is concerned. There is one major irritant. Why on earth was the decision taken to remove the charming Laurel and Hardy introduction to "Song of Summer"? This sequence, very typical of Russell, features Eric Fenby improvising on the cinema organ to a silent film of the comedians doing a dance routine!"