Lisztomania
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VHS Movie Reviews of Lisztomania
Movie Review: Cult Film: For freaks who know their Classical music history
Summary: 4 Stars
I had the rare and unexpected pleasure of seeing this film in a theater in college and, fortunately not while on drugs. Knowledge of (classical) music history, particularily from the late Romantic period (and if you know about Franz Liszt's life, all the better) helps one to appreciate all the little "in-jokes." An appreciation of mid-70's "stadium-rock" culture also helps. Casting Roger Daltrey as Liszt seems about perfect as he adds that modern rock-star's charm to the salacious fellow. It certainly takes liberties with interpretation of historic events (as Russell's "biographies" tend to do) but there is a lot of outrageous humor. Witness the scene when exiled in the Countessa's castle, Liszt has this fantasy sequence where she comes riding in on top of a 10-foot penis. Bizarre as it may seem, it's not entirely unrealistic; Liszt was a known philanderer and let's face it, he loved the ladies and they adored him. Wagner, who spends the whole film chasing Liszt down, emerges at the end of the film as a proto-Nitzschean-cum-Nazi-Hitler "ubermensch." It's bizarre, and I guess you'd have to understand the Wagner-Nitszche-Hitler connections. (Though meant as humor, some people, understandably, walked out of the film at this point. I was surprised that more didn't earlier but perhaps they sat at the back of the theater.) Wagner comes across as something of a juvenile wuss and, of course later marrys Liszt's daughter.
This is definitely not a film for a lot of people. Non-traditional or "deviant" classical music buffs would best appreciate this film... I have yet to see "Mahler" but I hear it is of the same vein. The cinematography looks a little cheap at times but the production is consistent and there is a lot of great costuming and "methodical" bad acting which really is part of the whole schtick. It's not as tasteless/shocking as a John Waters' film or "Return to the Valley of the Dolls," which is good because it does show and require some sense of intelligence and understanding of historical events/references so I would certainly not categorize it as deconstructionist. It's a lot more (intentionally) weird than "Amadeus" but not a full-out freakshow. Go to a Marilyn Manson concert of Karen Finley performance for one of those.
Movie Review: Not enough Nell
Summary: 3 Stars
This fim is ok...a little slow at times but amusing, If your looking for movies that feature Little Nell, "Nell Campbell" she's only in it for a spit second and barely even speaks. Try Jubilee for a better Nell fim!