Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bit of a giggle, 29 Feb 2004
By A Customer
Bit of an old one, some quite good imagery including a graphic nun and roman gladiator sequence and a dream sequence involving Hugh Grant’s girlfriend and Amanda Donohoe dressed up as Air Stewardesses rolling round on the floor while he sits there watching and getting a tad hot under the collar. Well worth the money. The end sequence is hilarious with the dispatching of the said white worm.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
'A Finished Madman' ?, 23 Nov 2007
It's hard to imagine in these days of stomach-turning gore and mega-violence, just how contentious and controversial Ken Russell films were, back in the day.
He's stated in interviews that all his films are comedies, and you can take him at his word on that, but critics just don't get it. He hit one with a rolled up newspaper on a tv show, which prompted the self-same critic (and renowned Russell-basher) to famously proclaim in print "Get me an elephant gun, this man must be stopped!"
It's easy to see why these people detest Russell. He's been goading them for decades. Taking money from the ever-so-worthy British film industry and making mad tragi-comic films about VERY serious and highbrow composers and artists, taking drugs, getting drunk, taking their clothes off and running around beautifully lit country houses, sweating like pigs, with their eyes bulging.
Russell doesn't like factual bi-opics and faithful adaptations, he likes making it up as he goes along, believing the spirit of the person, or work in question is far more important than insignificant details, ie; facts. Your standard intellectual and particularly the classical world cognoscenti don't see the funny side of this AT ALL.
If you're in on the joke though, you're in for a treat, 'LOTWW' is seen as a 'lesser' Russell work, but I think it's one of his best. Based on a story by Bram Stoker, it's a hoary old tale of vampires/reptiles/pagan gods etc, but you've never seen it done like this before.
The cast are obviously in on the joke, particularly dishy Amanda Donahoe as the chief villainess. Slinky and seductive (with a wardrobe to match!) she slithers her way magnificently through scene and scenery in her characters admirable quest to resurrect an age-old pagan snake god by means of human sacrifice.
Hugh Grant (in a fantastic coat) gives his best performance as the playboy lord of the manor, who's ancestor originally slew the titular beast, and see's himself as similarly responsible to 'scotch the bugger' again.
Jokes/homage/pastiches come thick and fast. There's a `Citizen Kane' reference, a `Tommy' joke involving Grant and a drum kit, Hammer Films, David Lean, `Cleopatra' etc etc, in fact, like most of Russells' films, it's a movie-buffs dream, and, like the man himself, a complete one-off.
And yes, there's gore and shocks as well. Mass impaling (involving nuns) Roman pillaging (involving nuns) some sadistic dialogue paraphrasing 'the Devils' (about nuns!)a brilliantly low-budget eye-gouging (no nuns in that bit), and a dream sequence on a plane, with Donohoe and Catherine Oxenberg dressed as air-hostesses who..well, you'll have to see that for yourselves, suffice to say, Russell's on home turf here and doesn't disappoint.
Also starring the excellent Sammi Davis, brave heart Peter Capaldi, a startlingly good cameo from the late Stratford Johns as a snarky butler, as well as a smattering of Russell stock regulars from his 70's heyday snaked in for good measure. All superb.
It's a shame Russell didn't do more stuff like this, and it does show what can be achieved on a low budget if you have some-one with vision and imagination at the helm. 'LOTWW' makes a great double-bill with the same directors 'Gothic', another gem, damned by faint-praise, but a rattling good ride despite it all.
Stoker could never have envisaged his creation being presented like this, but secretly, in his starched-collar, stoic Victorian way, I think he would've approved.
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8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Can we stop for a bite?, 25 Jul 2005
Angus Flint (Peter Capaldi), archaeologist is rooting around an old convent when he finds a rather toothy skull of a supposedly unrecorded beastie. He may have uncovered a lot more.Some times legend is based on more than facts. And what you don't know may bite you. I have to admit I did not read the book. I have seen other Ken Russell movies; but I do not recognize his style. However wyrmen works as well if not better than bats in that part of the world. This movie has everything that makes up a good horror film. There are victims, unaware good guys and even a few "stay in the car" scenes. There is even a song and a tune to go with the story. As with most good DVD's the goodies are almost as good as the film is.
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