jeffhaller

There is some truly stunning things in this. But then, as he always does, Ken Russell goes overboard. Anyone who sees it can spot the truly horrible parts in the fantasy sequences. So why didn't they just cut them. This movie really has a chance of being tremendously beloved if they would only snip the trash. There is a lot of hilarious stuff in the backstage story. Twiggy is perfect and that Charleston number is BRILLIANT!

Starts out rather standard with an extremely sexy and slutt.y Shelley. Just too many coincidents happen and I was ready to give up. The plot is so overstufffed and I expected it to end with Powell waking up from a terrifying dream. When I thought of it like this, I started to realize how well made it is Powell had a sense of class unlike any other. Winters role is essential but she disappears after her first great scenes. It is sort of noir in the Powell keeps getting in deeper and deeper. The plot is very convoluted and there is no way the action could take place in such a limited time. The ending suggests that it was a comedy and they have fooled us.

I avoided this for years. It came on today and I gave it a chance. It is wonderful. Just look at that cast. No one can make you forget Peter Lorre who created the role. But David Wayne's own creative approach is brilliant. He was always thought of as a comedian; he proves here he could do anything. The German version horrified me as a young person. As an adult, this version is pretty intense but plays more like a 1950s American noir. San Francisco is always a great movie backdrop (all those stairs). And that wonderful black and white photography that in shadows is richer than any Technicolor epic. Great surprise.