Woefully miscast by Ken Russell as the composer’s wife in his horror movie Mahler (1974), Georgina Hale – who has died aged 80 – made the best of a very bad flick and came out with a serious reputation. All Ken had wanted was her sexiness.
Their next film together was Lisztomania.
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My humble opinion is that Norman is wrong about Ken Russell’s “Mahler”. I find it a wonderfully creative and engrossing film that successfully cogitates on the nature of the composer and his relationship with the awful Alma. The image of Mahler buried alive while Alma dances in flagrante on his coffin is unforgettable for all the right reasons.
For those interested, I also recommend Russell’s “The Secret Life of Arnold Bax”, and “The Strange Affliction of Anton Bruckner”. There is still much more in Ken Russell’s oeuvre that is worthy.
I saw three films first time around and thought they looked like the product of a group of 6th form media students trying to provoke their elders.
I decided to revisit them a short while ago and haven’t changed my mind. Infantile stuff, directed with a sledgehammer.
“ Ken Russell’s “Mahler”…. a wonderfully creative and engrossing film”
Agreed. All of Russell’s films about music are insightful – he clearly knew his subject matter very well. It’s a pity, but not surprising, that his depictions of sexuality provoked knee-jerk reactions from some sensationalist and ill-informed critics.
After “Mahler” had languished in obscurity for many years, the Goethe Institute in South Kensington arranged a screening introduced by Ken, which I attended. Unfortunately, the Institute’s projection equipment was scarcely adequate, and soon after the start of the film, Ken shouted out “it’s not loud enough!”
I wonder whether the BBC still possesses a recording of his radio dramatisation of the life of Scriabin, including his interest in the black arts? The opening line, spoken by Mrs Scriabin, was “how much longer am I going to have to hold this cock?”
Yes, Ken was a naughty boy, but he was a genius too.
I very much enjoyed “The Strange Affliction of Anton Bruckner”. I taped it off TV in the early ‘90’s and sadly have never found it on DVD. I hope that this situation is remedied someday.