Lisztomania

 

Written and directed by Ken Russell, Lisztomania is the story of the famed composer and pianist Franz Liszt who tries to break from his decadent lifestyle while dealing with the women in his life who keeps trying to get him back to that world as well as his rivalry with composer Richard Wagner. Based partially on the book Nelida by Marie d’Aglout that is about her affair with Listz, the film is an unconventional study on Listz and his need to be great as he is portrayed by Roger Daltrey of the Who. Also starring Paul Nicholas, Sara Kestelman, Rick Wakeman, and Ringo Starr as the Pope. Lisztomania is an extravagant yet exhilarating film from Ken Russell.

The film is about the life of the 19th Century composer/pianist Franz Liszt as he deals with his decadent lifestyle that include infidelities, putting his work over his family, and such just as he is dealing with a tumultuous rivalry with Richard Wagner (Paul Nicholas). It is a film that doesn’t have much of a plot as it is more of a character study of a man trying to do wonders with his music but also deal with his fame and family life where he tends to create trouble around him. Ken Russell’s screenplay is straightforward in its narrative though it contains a lot of surrealistic sequences and flashbacks that play into Liszt’s friendship with Wagner that eventually became this toxic rivalry that has the latter embracing elements of the occult and later Nazism. Russell definitely brings in a lot of anachronisms into the film in order to play up the idea that Liszt was a rock star like many other composers back in the 18th and 19th Century that had adoration from many with fangirls screaming over them.

Russell’s direction is definitely outrageous in terms of its presentation where it opens with Listz having sex and kissing a woman’s breast to the timing of a metronome until that woman’s husband arrives for a duel with sabre swords as it displays the kind of film that Russell is presenting. Shot on various locations in Britain including various studios in Britain, Russell play into this world of decadence that Listz is a part of where his concerts are extravagant events as he is playing to screaming fangirls with lovers and groupies are backstage waiting for him. While Russell does maintain some straightforward imagery in some of the wide and medium shots to get a scope of the world that Listz lives in as well as these intimate moments where Russell would use close-ups for some of the conversations including a scene where Listz talks to the Pope about his impending marriage to Princess Carolyn (Sara Kestelman) whom he had been in a relationship with for a time in his attempt to reach greatness.

Russell also play up this extravagance in the sequence where Listz meets Princess Carolyn as their meeting features these lavish set pieces including large penises, images of icons, and moments that are off the wall including Listz sliding backwards into Princess Carolyn’s vagina. It is then followed by Listz riding a gigantic penis where Princess Carolyn and his lovers all take a ride on it as it play into the decadence that Listz enjoys yet it becomes fleeting by this air of political turmoil that Wagner is coping with. It would play into events in the third act where Listz learns that his daughter Cosima (Veronica Quilligan) has associated herself with Wagner as he is this representation of Nazism believing his music will change the world as Russell portrays Wagner as an evil rock star with a machine-gun like guitar with his minions dressed up like Superman. It would lead this clash of ideals but also force Listz to deal with his own faults and his need for redemption as it would be told in an anachronistic yet lavish form. Overall, Russell crafts a surreal yet wondrous film about the vices and desires of an 18th Century composer who is presented as a rock star.

Cinematographer Peter Suschitzky does brilliant work with the film’s colorful cinematography as it help add to the film’s extravagant visuals with its unique approach to lighting along with some straightforward lighting for some of the daytime exterior scenes. Editor Stuart Baird does excellent work with the editing as it is stylized in its approach to montages, jump-cuts, and other rhythmic cutting to play into the insanity of the film. Production designer Philip Harrison does incredible work with the set designs for some of the places that Liszt goes to including some of the rooms that he lives in as it is a major highlight of the film. Costume designer Shirley Russell does fantastic work with the design of the lavish clothing that Liszt wears as well as the costumes that the women wear along with the clothes that Wagner’s followers wear.

Hairstylist Colin Jamison and makeup supervisor Wally Schneiderman do terrific work with the look of the characters including the many looks of Princess Carolyn and some of Liszt’s mistresses. The special effects work of Colin Chilvers is wonderful for the design of some of the things in the set as it help play into the decadence that Listz is a part of. Sound editor Terry Rawlings does superb work with the sound in capturing the way music is presented live as well as sound effects including some scenes in the film’s third act. The film’s music consists of pieces from Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner with additional pieces by Rick Wakeman who does much of the music as its mixture of rock bombast and orchestral music is a highlight of the film as it is a major character of the film as it showcases of how the music of those times would influence pop and rock n’ roll with songs sung by some of the cast including Daltrey as it adds to the decadent world of Liszt.

The film’s marvelous cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Georgiana Hale reprising her role as Alma Mahler from Mahler, Izabella Telezynska as Madame Nadezhda von Meck from The Music Lovers, Oliver Reed as Princess Caroline’s servant, Murray Melvin as Hector Berlioz, Andrew Faulds as Johann Strauss II, Kenneth Colley as Frederic Chopin, Otto Diamant as Felix Mendelssohn, Ken Parry as Gioachino Rossini, Nell Campbell as one of Liszt’s lovers in Olga Janina, John Justin as Count d’Agoult who challenges Listz to a duel in the film’s opening scenes, and Rick Wakeman in a small yet hilarious performance as a Frankenstein-like monster that Wagner created who looks like the Nordic icon Thor. Ringo Starr’s two-scene appearance as the Pope is a highlight of the film as he just brings a low-key sense of humor to the role while just being someone who is willing to help Liszt. Fiona Lewis is fantastic as one of Liszt’s lovers in Countess Marie d’Agoult whom Liszt is first seen having sex with as she becomes upset by his attention towards his music. Veronica Quilligan is excellent as Liszt’s eldest daughter Cosima who is supportive at first of her father’s quest for brilliance only to later associate herself with Wagner as she becomes angry over her father’s obsession and neglect.

Paul Nicholas is amazing as Richard Wagner as he’s portrayed as a fan of Liszt who feels slighted by his idol as he later turns to politics and then blend both music and politics to become this megalomaniacal vampire of sorts who embraces Nazism as it is this dazzling and fun performance from Nicholas. Sara Kestelman is incredible as Princess Carolyn as the Polish noblewoman who wants to grant Liszt his search for greatness while hoping to marry him as she is also over-the-top and so fun to watch. Finally, there’s Roger Daltrey in a phenomenal performance as Franz Liszt as this brilliant composer who is trying to reach greatness despite the fame and adulation he’s already attained while also trying to find meaning in his music as well as hoping to change the world where Daltrey brings a lot of charisma and energy to the character.

Lisztomania is a spectacular film from Ken Russell that features a great performance from Roger Daltrey as well as incredible supporting performances from Sara Kestelman, Paul Nicholas, Fiona Lewis, and Ringo Starr. Along with its outlandish presentation, outrageous set pieces, gorgeous visuals, themes of ambition, and a whimsical music soundtrack from Rick Wakeman. It’s a film that doesn’t play by the rules in its study of a revered music composer who is trying to find meaning through his music while dealing with his own faults and vices. In the end, Lisztomania is a tremendous film from Ken Russell.

Ken Russell Films: (Peep Show (1956 short film) – (Amelia and the Angel) - (John Betjeman: A Poet in London) – (Gordon Jacob) – (A House in Bayswater) – (Pop Goes the Easel) – (Elgar) – (Watch the Birdie) – (Bartok) – (French Dressing) – (The Dotty World of James Lloyd) – (The Debussy Films) – (Always on Sunday) – (Don’t Shoot the Composer) – (Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World) – (Billion Dollar Brain) – (Dante’s Inferno) – (Song of Summer) – (Women in Love) – (Dance of the Seven Veils) – (The Music Lovers) – (The Devils (1971 film)) – (The Boy Friend) – (Savage Messiah) – Mahler - (Tommy) – (William and Dorothy) – (Valentino) – (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner) – (Altered States) – (The Planets (1983 film)) – (Vaughn Williams: A Symphonic Portrait) - (Crimes of Passion) – (Gothic (1986 film)) – (Aria-Nessun Dorma) – (Ken Russell’s ABC of British Music) – (Salome’s Last Dance) – (The Lair of the White Worm) – (The Rainbow (1989 film)) – (Women & Men: Stories of Seduction) – (The Strange Affliction of Anton Bruckner) – (Whore (1991 film)) – (Prisoner of Honor (1991 TV film)) – (The Mystery of Dr. Martinu) – (The Secret Life of Arnold Bax) – (The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch) – (Lady Chatterley (1993 TV film)) – (Alice in Russialand) – (Mindbender) – (Ken Russell’s Treasure Island) – (Dogboys (1998 TV film)) – (The Lion’s Mouth) – (Elgar: Fantasy of a Composer on a Bicycle) – (The Fall of the Louse of Usher) – (Trapped Ashes) – (A Kitten for Hitler)

© thevoid99 2021

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Directed by D.A. Pennebaker, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is a documentary concert film that chronicles David Bowie’s final show as Ziggy Stardust on July 3, 1973 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. Featuring footage from the show as well as backstage material where Bowie would wear different costumes throughout the entirety of the show. The film also showcases Bowie’s final performance with the band that were part of the Spiders from Mars in guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder, and drummer Woody Woodmansey. The result is a powerful and evocative concert film from D.A. Pennebaker.

On July 3, 1973 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, David Bowie would play the final show of his world tour that promoted 1972’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and 1973’s Aladdin Sane. The show was to be a triumphant moment for the British superstar who a year ago had changed the landscape of popular music in Britain by pretending to be an alien rock star from Mars. The show itself would be not just one of Bowie’s greatest concerts but also a defining moment in his career where he would kill the character of Ziggy Stardust once and for all as it would also mark the last time he would play with his backing band in the Spiders from Mars.

Shot entirely in 16mm film, D.A. Pennebaker creates a film that doesn’t just capture the concert from the view of the audience and what is happening on the stage. Pennebaker also shows footages of what is happening backstage where Bowie would change costumes between songs or during a major instrumental break. Some of the backstage footage would show Bowie not only putting makeup on with some staff but also conversing with Ringo Starr who is at the show watching backstage. Along with cinematographers Mike Davis, Jim Desmond, Nick Dobb, and Randy Franken, Pennebaker maintains a hand-held style with a lot of close-ups and medium shots to capture the performance and the audience’s reaction. While the lighting may seem a little low for what was presented in the concert as it’s largely red lights and such. It does play into something that is unlike anything that was happening in 1973.

With the aid of editor Lorry Whitehead, Pennebaker gathers a lot of footage while creating some unique cutting of Moonage Daydream being performed while it’s heard in the background while Bowie is doing another costume change. It’s among these fine moments in the editing as well as showing how the audience reacts to songs where they sing along or just be enamored with the visuals. The performances themselves are just incredible not just of what Bowie was doing on the stage with mime and other aspects in his role. It was also the interaction he had with the audience and how he would share the spotlight with his band as Mick Ronson was a guitarist that was unlike anyone at the time who was doing guitar hero poses and moments that were just amazing. The rhythm section of Trevor Bolder and Mick “Woody” Woodmansey were just as great where Pennebaker gave those three men a chance to shine. Also in the performance were additional music that featured another of Bowie’s key collaborators in keyboardist/pianist Mike Garson as well as percussionist/backing vocalist Geoff MacCormack, guitarist/vocalist John Hutchinson, and saxophonists/flutists Ken Fordham and Brian Wilshaw.

Helping to make the music sound just as big as well as providing a nice balance in the mixing with the music and audience is Bowie’s longtime producer Tony Visconti who would help supervise the mix for the film’s 2002 re-release and remastering. The look of the film would be more crisp where Pennebaker would also maintain that raw look of the 16mm film while cleaning some of the footage up a bit.

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is a phenomenal film from D.A. Pennebaker. Not only is it one of the finest concert films ever made but it’s also a fascinating document into the world of 70s glam rock as well as a period in the life and career of David Bowie where he was probably Britain’s biggest star then. In the end, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is a spectacular film from D.A. Pennebaker.

Related: Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (album)

© thevoid99 2016

George Harrison: Living in the Material World (film)

Directed by Martin Scorsese, George Harrison: Living in the Material World is a documentary about the life story of the legendary Beatles guitarist/songwriter and his amazing solo career. Featuring old interviews with Harrison from various archives, the film features interviews from surviving Beatles members Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr plus associates like Yoko Ono and Sir George Martin. Also interviewed for the film are friends like Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Harrison’s first-wife Pattie Boyd, and members of his families including his second wife Olivia and their son Dhani. The documentary is an extraordinary film from Martin Scorsese about one of popular music’s greatest figures.

With any kind of documentary on a musician as famous as George Harrison. The idea is to go into the man’s life which has to include stories about the Beatles and various solo albums. Yet, George Harrison’s life was anything but conventional as Martin Scorsese knew that a traditional yet conventional documentary on the man can’t be done like that. Though the narrative for the film is very straightforward in its presentation, it does jump back a bit to either move forward to one brief period in time and then return back to the main narrative.

Since the film largely consists of interviews with friends and family of Harrison including interviews from Beatles associates like Neil Aspinall and Billy Preston (who both died in 2008 and 2006 respectively). The film also features some rare clips and home movies from the archives as it reveals Harrison’s life as it’s really about a musician trying to find some spiritual peace in a world filled with materialism. Through these interviews from the likes of Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr plus various musicians, actors, and other people. They reveal what kind of man Harrison is though they admit, he’s not entirely a saint.

The first half of the film discusses Harrison’s early life in Liverpool with interviews from his brothers Peter and Harry that leads to the formation of the Beatles and their arrival into Hamburg where they meet Astrid Kirchherr and Klaus Voorman. Then the story goes into the world of Beatlemania and what inspired Harrison to write his first song in Don’t Bother Me and eventually to his interest in Indian music and spirituality. Harrison’s first wife Pattie Boyd revealed a lot about Harrison’s devotion to spirituality as she believe the reason he wasn’t able to go further at that time was because of the Beatles. The first half ends with the making of The White Album as Eric Clapton revealed how he was brought in to play guitar on While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

The film’s second half revolves around the dissolution of the Beatles to Harrison’s solo career though not all of his solo albums are discussed. The second half also discusses Harrison’s struggle to spiritual peace at a time when he’s a major music star where rare footage of the 1974 tour for Dark Horse is shown where Harrison sounded rough in his vocal performance. It is around that time he met his second wife Olivia as it revealed more of his emphasis to meditate and chant while he would stumble upon other interests such as Formula 1 racing and films. The latter of which, is about how Harrison formed HandMade Films that released films like Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits, The Long Good Friday, Mona Lisa, and Withnail & I all because he sold his house to fund the Monty Python film The Life of Brian.

Of course, the film does eventually lead to subjects like the Traveling Wilburys, the infamous stabbing on December of 1999, and his death in 2001. Yet, Scorsese chose to not go overly into these subjects as he is more interested in Harrison as a person and his devotion to spirituality. While it’s clear that people will feel like the film could’ve devoted more to Harrison’s music in the film’s second half. The music is part of Harrison’s world since he invests a lot of his spiritual ideas into the music he made as a solo artist while trying to prepare himself for death.

Through the editing of David Tedeschi and the camerawork of longtime Scorsese collaborator Robert Richardson, along with contributions from other cinematographers like Ellen Kuras and Harris Savides, Scorsese is able to craft a truly engrossing and fascinating documentary that really tells the story of this man’s life. While the first half of the film features some stories that people probably know since it revolves around the Beatles. It’s second half is the strongest portion as it focuses mostly on Harrison’s post-Beatles life and his solo work.

George Harrison: Living in the Material World is a phenomenal documentary film from Martin Scorsese. The film is something that both fans of Harrison and the Beatles will definitely want to watch while those who are less familiar with Harrison’s solo work will find this interesting. Even though it doesn’t cover all of the albums and plays with its narrative a bit in an unconventional manner. Yet, it features some lively interviews from the people who knew him that includes some very funny stories about Harrison. In the end, George Harrison: Living in the Material World is a sensational film from Martin Scorsese.

Martin Scorsese Films: (Who’s That Knocking on My Door?) - Boxcar Bertha - (Mean Streets) - Italianamerican - Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore - Taxi Driver - New York, New York - American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince - (The Last Waltz) - Raging Bull - The King of Comedy - After Hour - The Color of Money - The Last Temptation of Christ - New York Stories-Life Lessons - Goodfellas - Cape Fear (1991 film) - The Age of Innocence - (Casino) - (Kundun) - (My Voyage to Italy) - Bringing Out the Dead - (The Blues: Feel Like Going Home) - Gangs of New York - (The Aviator) - No Direction Home - The Departed - Shine a Light - Shutter Island - Hugo - The Wolf of Wall Street - (The Fifty Year Argument) - Silence (2016 film) - (The Irishman) - Killers of the Flower Moon - (An Afternoon with SCTV)

© thevoid99 2011