In answer to the previous post I think ‘worst’ in this context is a Russell film with a genuine feeling or lack of insight into its characters or situations (which is why Tommy works more than Lisztomania, despite sharing some common elements and similar-ish approach; Women in Love v. The Rainbow to a lesser extent). Also I think it’s any film of his without that ability to visually distil the truth (or truths) of a situation, if that makes sense e.g. The piano concerto sequence in The Music Lovers conveys so, so much, without saying a word. I guess it's a fusion of 'truth' interpreted in a visually dynamic manner (to me anyway).
A really hard task and not set in stone (Top three changes month-to-month), but here’s mine of the moment:
Top Three:
The Devils.
What more can be said? A triumphant collision of serious political drama and deliciously camp, black humour (“What’s that?”, “A Carrot!”) that pulls the rug out from under you at nearly every turn (camp musical masque into plague drama, then theological debate undercut by fevered sexual fantasies). Visually one of the finest films ever made – no mean statement - it still reveals something new to me every time I watch it.
Delius: Song of Summer.
Taut, economical and moving. One of the finest visual insights into the musical creative process I’ve ever seen. Crisp scripting and the exhilarating juxtaposition of location – you can almost smell the lakes and woodland – and music. Whoever said Ken was not an actor’s director, should review this film, as the three central performances are some of the most truthful I’ve seen.
Tommy.
This one comes and goes from my list of favourites. At the moment it’s in there. A visually blistering attack of sound, colour, image and movement. Its invention, scene-after-scene, is hard to top and is easier to think of scenes that don’t work, because the list of those that do, far outweighs them. It’s hard not to feel elated after this one.
Bottom Three:
Lisztomania
Despite some gloriously sexual pop-art sensibilities on display, this is let down by being a little too much tub-thumpingly metaphorical e.g.
Liszt as pop star, Wagner as Frankenstein’s Monster, etc. Although having said that, who else would have dared to go down that route? A film of great scenes (phallic musical number gets my vote) but no whole.
Whore.
Passable but all too static for me. It really could have been made by anyone and has few ‘Russellisms’ to lift the fairly banal story). I don’t much care for Crimes of Passion, but at least that had a more vivid viewpoint.
Valentino.
Why don’t I like this film more? It’s got dazzling visuals, some great use of camera and wonderfully chosen music, yet it doesn’t quite hang together. Nureyev is probably the main problem, but I’m not sure whether the script liked the man or not and meanders off a bit in the second half. Maybe it should have gone for a darker, pitch-black take on him. Mind you, I’d have this film any day of the week compared to the banal dross of much modern cinema.
