The Music Lovers (1971) by Ken Russell - Printable Version +- Forums (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum) +-- Forum: Doom Arts (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/forumdisplay.php?fid=6) +--- Forum: Doom Streaming (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/forumdisplay.php?fid=21) +---- Forum: Criterion (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/forumdisplay.php?fid=37) +---- Thread: The Music Lovers (1971) by Ken Russell (/showthread.php?tid=6686)

The Music Lovers (1971) by Ken Russell - cranefly - 12-04-2021 (seen on Criterion) The full title: Ken Russell’s Film of Tchaikovsky and The Music Lovers. Yes, this is another of Russell's composer biopics; this time around Tchaikovsky gets the treatment.  Musically, it's wall-to-wall Tchaikovsky.  The background music is Tchaikovsky.  The depicted symphony performances are Tchaikovsky.  Everything is Tchaikovsky.  (And might I interject, it makes for a nice break from porn music.)  It's all masterfully synced to whatever is happening.  There's festivities in the snow, sledding recklessly down a ramp, then a woman seen trotting up a staircase, and as she strolls along the balcony, she playfully brushes snow off the railing -- all gloriously timed to the music. And the critics hate it.  They all hate Russell's work.  They hate Russell. Why?  Well, he plays loose with the facts, or puts emphasis on the more lurid parts of a person's life.  For instance, Russell's own description of this movie is, ""It's the story of the marriage between a homosexual and a nymphomaniac." Is that true?  I don't know.  I don't know what parts of this film are based on fact and what is pure fiction.  (As one reviewer commented, "If you want to find out about Tchaikovsky's life, read wikipedia.  If you want to feel the inspiration behind his work, watch this.")  To my mind, the whole symphonic syncing of Tchaikovsky's music to the activities that likely inspired him ought to count for something. You'd think. But the critics won't allow for anything outside their narrow paint-by-number conception of composer biopics.  To hell with Russell's efforts to recapture the look and feel of events giving rise to these great symphonies. Actually, I found this film one of Russell's tamer efforts.  I'll even venture to call it "restrained."  Well, through most of the proceedings.  Near the end, when the 1812 Overture commences, the reins are dropped, and Russell's wild imagination runs rampant. The "nymphomaniac" wife is played with gusto by Glenda Jackson.  What a treasure she is.  I need to see more of her.  As for Tchaikovsky himself, well, there's a puzzler.  Throughout the movie I thought I knew who he was, but his curly beard made it hard to pin down for certain, and his boisterousness seemed too great.  And the fact that he was often seen at a piano, attacking it, playing very difficult and fast-tempo'd numbers, made me conclude that no, this couldn't possibly be Richard Chamberlain. Well, it was Richard Chamberlain. When Russell first heard that Chamberlain was interested in the part, he was horrified by the idea, because he couldn't see Chamberlain as anyone but Dr. Kildare.  But his tune changed upon learning that Chamberlain was a skilled pianist. I'm not saying that Chamberlain was actually playing what was being heard during those piano-playing close-ups.  I suspect he was hitting some wrong keys.  But his dramatic hand motions, so powerful and so fast and over the whole breadth of the piano, had to be very close to correct, and perfectly timed to what you are hearing.  I cannot emphasize enough how difficult these numbers were, and lots of them. Chamberlain later called the role "easily the biggest challenge of my career." My favorite of Russell's composer biopics is Mahler (1974).  Tchaikovsky (The Music Lovers) comes in a close second.  There's films I'm still hunting for, and for whatever reason they're hard to find.  Listzomania (1975), Elgar (1962), The Debussy Film (1965), The Boy Friend (1971). There's non-composer films I've sought too.  Recently I tracked down The Devils (1971) [condemn me to hell for not reviewing it here], long censored for its negative depictions of Catholicism.  It stars Oliver Reed in what he called his favorite role, as well as Vanessa Redgrave as a rather messed up nun. But back to The Music Lovers. Ken Russell is long overdue for a reassessment by his critics.