Wagner: The TV Movie -- No One is Safe!

Although this one isn't in the imdb's top 50 music movies of all time [not officially categorized as a movie; rather a "TV Series"], it was greatly lauded in its day (a bit before OC's time...back in 1983), and clocks in at a tedious nine hours.

Tony Palmer’s "Wagner", written as a biographical landscape of the life and times of the self-titled nineteenth century composer, was recently resurrected from the broadcasting dead on Italy's Classica satellite channel ::vary nice:: The film epic was orchestrated with the “Greatest Hits” of Wagner’s career, played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Sir Georg Solti.

The original nine-hour epic bio-pic has been edited and abridged by Tony Palmer into a more manageable four-hour version, but every bit still packed with cameo appearances from classic Hollywood stars. Richard Burton, in one of his last performances ev4r, nails his presentation as Richard Wagner, making him every bit egotistical and haughty as legend had it. Vanessa Redgrave plays Cosima, with Wagner-patron Ludwig II's advisers played by John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier. Filmed in authentic locations around Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, the movie was awarded for its stunning and vivid production.

The whole production (or the brief hour that I was able to stomach) seemed a little too self-congratulatory, a wank-fest of German nationalism, with no true engagement of Wagner's rabid anti-Semitism, misogyny and general d0uchebaggery. What a kitschy, tragic mess. It’s ironic that a man who wrote such long-winded operas was treated justly to an interminable marathon of a motion picture. hay im the guy everyones ♥ ♥, im wanger, worrship meeeee!

Comments

[ellie]

It does seem a bit tasteless...the very idea of dedicating this much film to such a maniac is misled. Kind of reminds of me of all the German movies about Hilter that have been surfacing--some comic, some documentary. The documentaries of course turn the Germans themselves into victims. "Oh, Germany has suffered so much..."

[La Cieca]

As I recall, the full version of this miniseries did indeed delve into the unpleasant points of Wagner's personality and career, including anti-Semitism especially. All this is put in perspective of Wagner's also being a towering musical and theatrical genius. This series is certainly no longer than the 1982 "Life of Verdi" -- a film that perpetuated the revolting notion that "Traviata" was "inspired" by the demimondaine life of Giuseppina Strepponi!

And Ellie: Godwinned!

[coccodrillo]

'Springtime for Wagner' would make one hell of a 'The Producers' sequel

[Opera Chic]

La Cieca, thanks for the elucidation. I couldn't believe the star-power cast listing for this epic, really.

If it was to be remade for this decade, I wonder who would they would cast as Wagner? Mel Gibson> oh snap!

[A.C. Douglas]

La Cieca wrote: "As I recall, the full version of this miniseries did indeed delve into the unpleasant points of Wagner's personality and career, including anti-Semitism especially."
-----------------------

As I recall, there's was little depicting Wagner's anti-Semitism in the full version of the film. But it's been years, and I wouldn't swear to that.

My brief impressions of the complete film may be read at URL:

http://www.soundsandfury.com/soundsandfury/2007/03/wagner_the_movi.html

ACD

[A.C. Douglas]

Just for the record...

I wasn't quite right about there being little depicting Wagner's anti-Semitism in the film. There was NO depicting of Wagner's anti-Semitism in the film. Details are in an update to my above linked post.

ACD