# The influence of classical music on Ken Russell films



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

For Liszt month, I ended up watching on a library DVD this fascinating movie.










Definitely quite a liberal interpretation of the composer's life but it captures the essence of the various issues regarding Liszt's image . Postmodern interpretation of Liszt's reputation with the ladies as a parallel to the Beatles craze a century later.

http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/Article/281875,tribute-to-ken-russell-his-best-classical-music-films.aspx

Great list of Ken Russell flicks that are tied into classical music. I am having a tough time hunting down the Mahler film however .

Any other Ken Russell classical music fans? Personally I admit that not even Milos Forman's Mozart flick touches the creativity of what Ken Russell did with classical music biographies.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

The Delius one, Song of Summer, is the one I liked the most. I have a vague memory of thinking the Elgar was good too, but Song of Summer, because of the extraordinary relationship between the composer and his amanuensis, is unforgettable,


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Here is Russell's take on Elgar.






Apparently Russell didn't like Richard Strauss much at all .


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Lisztomania is the absolute worst Ken Russel movie! Glad you enjoyed it though. Personally I thought his version of The Who's Tommy was brilliant in his over the top way. I liked his Mahler biography, but I didn't get to see it all. (Connectivity problems at the time.)


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

Weston said:


> Lisztomania is the absolute worst Ken Russel movie! Glad you enjoyed it though. Personally I thought his version of The Who's Tommy was brilliant in his over the top way. I liked his Mahler biography, but I didn't get to see it all. (Connectivity problems at the time.)


Hear hear; can't stand 'Lisztomania' (but then I can't stand 'The Who' either). 
I think his best composer-bio movie is 'Mahler', though his view of Tchaikovsky in 'The Music Lovers' was interesting too - I thought Richard Chamberlain was good in the movie. Does anyone remember the little scene in 'Mahler' where we see a snippet from Visconti's 'Death in Venice' but from Mahler's pov? (the Tadzio character swaying around the poles at a railway station while Aschenbach looks on simpering. Mahler views this from the train carriage window as it departs the station and the Adagietto from M5 plays - I tried to find the clip on Youtube but couldn't find it).
Also, lets' not forget Russells take on Holsts' 'The Planets' where he put together a whole load of documentary footage to represent each movement.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Criterion Collection ought to collate all of his classical music films into a box set and I think that will help. Plus all those films deserve a good remastering of sound and picture quality. The Mahler DVD I heard didn't have good video quality.


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