Ken Russell does Oscar Wilde's famous play - he basically films a performance of the play, in a brothel, being watched by Wilde. It's an interesting take - the photography is beautiful, and it's got Russell vulgarities like boobs and farts and dildos and what not, but it is basically filmed theatre.
Glenda Jackson is the one well known member of the cast - I wish it had more famous people... surely Oliver Reed could have used the cred? The actors who are there can act - people like Stratford Johns and Douglas Hodge. The jury is more mixed on Imogen Mallais-Scott who plays Salome. She became blind just before filming, but Russell kept her on - it's maybe not an entirely successful performance (you really want a star, or someone who became a star) but it is interesting.
Stratford Johns and Jackson are the best value. It took me a while to get into this - after Jackson came in it picked up, and Salome started to go after John the Baptist. All the set up was wonky but when the drama kicked in I went with it.
This was the second of four films Russell made for Vestron. I think maybe they were hoping he would give them class, even some Oscars, while still turning out movies with nudity.
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