The Music Lovers (1971) User Reviews

A Tribute to a Composer Genius

[jk_thompson · 7/10 · 6 November 2004]

I've always enjoyed watching this movie, so much because the music alone stands out for its exhilarating beauty. ( Possible Spoilers! ) Though not historically accurate, it captures the psychological emotions and passions, especially during the seven minute portion when the composer is playing the piano and imagining what the complete second movement of his Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23 "visually" represents to himself, and what Antonina's amorous delusions would of wished it meant! In totality, the performance of this concerto and the visual interactions between Tchaikovsky, Sasha, Antonina, Madame von Meck, and the others in the concert hall are extremely intense concerning one of Russia's most famous composers. The director Ken Russell does an excellent job at directing his actors and actresses to portray the required emotional intensity, though somewhat comical over exaggerated script of the story based on the book, "Beloved Friend" The Story of Tchaikovsky and Nadejda von Meck. But, even so the excellent acting by the leading and supporting actors and actresses move this film into its "pathetique" or tragic climax. The acting by the wonderful actress Glenda Jackson is superb in her interpretation of the unbalanced Antonina Milyukova. Her performance is an effective counterbalance to Richard Chamberlain's extraordinarily complicated portrayal of Peter Tchaikovsky with all of his emotional energies concentrated on his musical compositions and his private personal torments controlling his "fate" of never having what society would deem a "normal" life! So much said that this excellent movie is a tribute to a composer genius, especially on the anniversary ( 6th November 1893 ) of the one-hundred-eleventh year of his unfortunate mysterious death by his own hands. My rating for this movie is a 3 out of 4.

Over the Top and not altogether accurate - what else would you expect!

[hoggaglust-1 · 8/10 · 21 August 2007]

As startling and entertaining a piece of cinema The Music Lovers is, on the whole it will disappoint those who (not unreasonably) may be expecting an accurate (if typically melodramatic) biopic.

Rife with inaccuracies, The Music Lovers however occasionally elicits tantalising moments of truth which will be familiar to those who might have studied the great man and his music. The moment of madness during the composition of the violin concerto, Tchaikovsk'y mixing fact and fiction during the composition of Eugene Onegin; (resulting in his disastrous marriage), the brief glimpse of his benefactress during a stay at her apartments, the failed suicide attempt etc etc. However, these fascinating glimpses into well documented occurrences are undeveloped, and in their place we are left with a pastiche either of overly romanticised or histrionic scenes of theatrical fantasy.

The real strength here lies in the actor's performances, even Richard Chaimberlain's stuffy and occasionally irritating performance has its moments and Glenda Jackson is wonderful as the vulnerable, unloved wife. The cinematography too is wonderful, evocative and colourful - perfectly in tune with the music of Tchaikovsk'y which also is used to great effect.

If you can take Ken Russel's notorious penchant for the ridiculous (and at times, distasteful) and are not expecting the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, then The Music Lovers is worth watching if only for its being so gloriously over the top!

I need more Ken Russell in my life.

[matthewssilverhammer · 8/10 · 7 September 2020]

His films are weird, unique, cool, regal, purposeful, wild, modern, obnoxious, empathetic, uncomfortable, hilarious...there's never a dull moment. The heart this film has for closeted gay people is so far ahead of it time, showing the danger of pretending to be who you think people want you to be. It furthers the argument many storytellers make about composers, that they could be nightmares to those closest to them. Just wish there was more music composing / performing.

A Visceral Punch

[ceichler · 31 March 2001]

"Music Lovers" has long been labored over as another of Ken Russell extravagant excess baggages. Seeing it again has made me realize that the film is rather brilliant--not in cinema style but in conception. From the very start it seems to capture the schizoid world of Tsaichovsky and the social milleau he was forced to grip with. The point of view shots and the subsequent dream sequences in the early portion of the film capture this in brilliant colors and sharp editing. As the musician falls into his double life the scnes build to the scarring climax. Performances are excellent. The film may not be totally accurate, but who cares?

Peculiar and oddball Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky biography in Ken Russell style

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 2 November 2015]

Weird , bizarre story of Tchaikovsky's life . Based partially on facts , as Tchaikovsky lived as a bachelor for most of his life . As piano teacher Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky (Richard Chamberlain) is an emotionally insecure man who struggles against his homosexuality . In 1868 he met Belgian soprano Désirée Artôt . They became infatuated with each other and were engaged to be married but due to Artôt's refusal to give up the stage or settle in Russia , the relationship ended . Tchaikovsky later claimed she was the only woman he ever loved . In 1877, at the age of 37 , he wed a former but depressed student , Antonina Miliukova (Glenda Jackson) . The marriage was a disaster . Mismatched psychologically and sexually , the couple lived together for only two and a half months before Tchaikovsky left , overwrought emotionally and suffering from an acute writer's block . Tchaikovsky's marital debacle may have forced him to face the full truth about his sexuality and he never blamed Antonina for the failure of their marriage . Tchaikovsky's family remained supportive of him during this crisis and throughout his life . He was also aided by Nadezhda Von Meck (Izabella Telezynska) , the widow of a railway magnate who had begun contact with him not long before the marriage . As The support of a wealthy widow as a patron gives him the artistic support he needs . As well as an important friend and emotional support , she also became his patroness for the next 13 years , which allowed him to focus exclusively on composition . Tchaikovsky remained abroad for a year after the disintegration of his marriage. During this time, he completed Eugene Onegin , orchestrated his Fourth Symphony and composed the Violin Concerto . The formal Western-oriented teaching he received there set him apart from composers of the contemporary nationalist movement embodied by the Russian composers of The Five (it refers to a circle of composers who met in Saint Petersburg, in the years 1856–1870 : Mily Balakirev , César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Borodin), with whom his professional relationship was mixed . He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally, bolstered by his appearances as a guest conductor in Europe and the United States . Tchaikovsky was honored in 1884 by Emperor Alexander III, and awarded a lifetime pension .

This is an intense and thoughtful tale about a thunderous relationship proceeded in a Russel's style . As the film displays his trademarks , extreme angle cameras , excessive facial close-ups, utilization of numerous camera shots with primary colors and overblown visuals . Dealing with the tortuous struggles to have his music accepted as well as Pyotr attempts to suppress his homosexuality , experiencing serious psychological damage . In Ken Russell's own words: ¨It's the story of the marriage between a homosexual and a nymphomaniac that proved to be disastrous¨ . It's a convincing picture though relies heavily on the stormy relationship between Tchaikovsky/Richard Chamberlain and Nina/Glenda Jackson . Magnificent acting with exaggerated but convincing performances . Russell offered Alan Bates the lead role of Tchaikovsky during the filming of Women in love (1969) ; although Bates admired the script he turned the role down . Excellent main cast and secondary actors , such as Kenneth Colley , Bruce Robinson and Max Adrian as Nicholas Rubinstein , among others .

Glamorous cinematography with exceptional attention to detail and captivating images by Douglas Slocombe . Spectacular musical score by Andre Previn conducting famous parts as Romeo and Juliet , overture 1812 , miniature march , dance of the clowns , Scherzo burlesque , Manfred Symphony , 6th Symphony , String Quartet No. 3 , Polovtsian Dances from "Prince Igor" by Borodin . The motion picture was well directed with flamboyance style by Ken Rusell . He's an expert director , whose greatest success was in the 70s with an offbeat musical biographies , such as 'Mahler , Lizstomania , Music lovers' , besides he directed another hits , as ¨Women in love¨ , ¨Valentino¨ and ¨The Devils¨. This outlandish biographic chronicle will appeal to Ken Russell fans.

The Music Lovers (1970)

[Hamilton1781 · 10/10 · 21 October 2005]

Ken Russell's "The Music Lovers" might be one of the, if not the best film ever made on the subject of classical music. I emphasize this, because as a historical biography it could be described as merely sensational.

Russell portrays Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky (Richard Chamberlain) as a closet homosexual who is haunted by the past and present. In order to obtain social acceptance, he marries a sexually ravenous young woman (Glenda Jackson). Their marriage, of course, proves to be disastrous, and Peter flees from his wife, isolating himself in the countryside to compose music for Madame Von Meck (Isabella Telezynska), a rich aristocrat and widow. But Tchaikovsky's past comes back to haunt him several times before the film's manic and grotesque conclusion.

Russell has constructed images that are beautiful and disgusting (often in the same scene) and the film is a perfect accompaniment to the inspiration and ambiance felt in the composer's music.

The best scenes involve the seamless meld between sound and image. A concert at the beginning of the film beautifully transposes images of audience members listening to Tchaikovsky's latest piece, with the fantasies that the music inspires in them. Numerous fantasy sequences throughout the film teeter on the edge of insanity, highlighting the composer's feelings and fears.

Which brings us to the film's astonishing and loony climax: an excessive montage set to the "War of 1812 Overture" that must rival any other sequence in the history of film for its inappropriateness. The piece is no doubt Tchaikovsky's most well known work, which brought him wealth and fame. But Russell presents his transition from composer to "star" entirely in fantasy. I could try to describe this sequence for you, but it would be futile. It must be seen to be believed. Let's just say that the climatic cannons from the "Overture" are put to violent and hilarious use.

The components of the film come together perfectly. Everyone seems to have been in their element while filming. The cinematography by Douglas Slocombe is absolutely beautiful, and proves to be the best feature of the film. This is possibly the best "looking" Russell film. Glenda Jackson's performance as the nymphomaniac wife is perfectly in tune with Russell's histrionic presentation. And though Richard Chamberlain does not fair as well, he shows some emotional depth that has hardly been seen in his other work.

Russell's pyrotechnic camera-work is so breathtaking that it is a wonder why the man cannot find work these days. "The Music Lovers" is an exercise in the pure joy of film-making and the emotions it can invoke within us. Perhaps Russell's career slipped through his fingers in the late 1970's (along with his budget), but this film, like Tchaikovsky's greatest compositions, is a work of genius.

A few boring moments, many terrific ones.

[gridoon · 7/10 · 26 August 2002]

Although this film is difficult to follow at times (and, reportedly, historically inaccurate, too; I wouldn't know), there are still several reasons to see it:

1) Glenda Jackson's outstanding performance (you won't believe that the actress we see at the final stages of the film is the same one who played Tchaikovsky's wife early on, but it is - her transformation is amazing).

2) Some truly impressive sequences; be sure to watch this movie on tape, so you can rewind it and watch them again.

3) Tchaikovsky's music, of course.

4) Lush sets and costumes.

Ken Russell is a very unpredictable director; just when you think the film is about to start boring you, he'll give you a wonderful moment out of nowhere.

Ken Russell at full tilt.

[ags123 · 10/10 · 18 July 2007]

"The Music Lovers" captures the Ken Russell style at its best. It's a full blown expression of his romanticized, shocking, exaggerated biographies, previously seen in black and white, low-budget BBC productions (more adequately financed here thanks to the success of "Women In Love"). Russell's excessive style contrasts the supreme beauty of Tchaikovsky's music with the turbulent, tormented, messy life from which it arose. The visual flights of fancy succeed in conveying the musical transcendence. Performances go way over the top, but the treatment calls for it. Richard Chamberlain bravely goes where few actors would in 1970. Glenda Jackson is absolutely fearless. She'll do whatever it takes, from writhing around nude to shaving her head. There's no denying the film is a deliberate assault on the senses, but thoughtful viewers will leave with much to contemplate and digest. I should not omit the fact that it's highly entertaining as well.

Music and madness

[tomsview · 7/10 · 12 April 2016]

I remember vividly when this movie came to Sydney's Paris Theatre in 1971. I used to work for a cinema chain and received complimentary tickets each week. My mother liked musicals so I took her and my sister to see it. It was rated Suitable Only for Adults, which was fine - we were all adults.

After about the first half hour, my brow furrowed with concern; my mother's favourite movie was "Waterloo Bridge", and this movie was a long way from "Waterloo Bridge". By the time of Glenda Jackson's final encounter with her 'lovers' in the asylum, we were all a bit punch drunk. As we left the theatre, we were probably suffering from a mild form of PTSD. After all, critic Pauline Kael said that the man who made the movie should have had a stake driven through his heart.

However the movie left an impression. Not long after seeing it I read the book it was based on, "Beloved Friend"; the book is fact; the film is fireworks.

As the story begins, Tchaikovsky (Richard Chamberlain), struggles to have his music accepted. He seems comfortable with his homosexuality, but is haunted by past events. However, through convention, and an exaggerated sense of the romantic, he ends up married to Antonina Miliukova (Glenda Jackson) who is so supercharged sexually that his rejection of her sends her over the edge into nymphomania. Hey, a guy had to be able to create great music with that much emotional disturbance in his life.

He finds the perfect relationship with a woman - a platonic one - in his patron, Nadezhda von Meck (Izabella Telezynska). However, unhappiness pushes Tchaikovsky and Antonina on a downward spiral; he to suicide; she to an insane asylum.

Although it's hard to be totally objective about a movie where you are constantly steeling yourself for the next assault on your senses, the film does connect with Tchaikovsky's music whether it's Richard Chamberlain at the piano or sequences where the music is interpreted visually in dreams or flashbacks. Andre Previn arranged Tchaikovsky's work into a cohesive and powerful score.

Richard Chamberlain gives a passionate performance - at once conflicted and sometimes cruel. He dug deep, especially in light of the fact that he 'came out' 30 years later - he was also pretty convincing on that grand piano.

As for Glenda Jackson? Her performance is a showstopper; she ventures where few actresses have gone before - and most probably wouldn't want to. But Antonina's agony, self-delusion, and humiliation gets to us. One scene that wasn't filmed, which would have made illuminating viewing is where director Ken Russell explained to Glenda exactly what he wanted her to do on that grate in the asylum.

"The Music Lovers" is an experience, possibly an unpleasant one for some, however in between the jarring scenes, it's actually a stylish piece of filmmaking.

Of course, the challenging scenes in "The Music Lovers" were just a warm up for what was to come in Russell's "The Devils" a year later. And no, I didn't take 'the fam' to see that one.

Wonderful, one of Ken Russell's best

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 24 November 2013]

Ken Russell has always been an interesting director, imaginative, eccentric and his composer biographies are quite unique. Some of his touches can come across as distasteful and bizarre(Lisztomania being one of his worst culprits) but The Music Lovers is an example of the ideas being outrageously surreal but rather beautiful but with an equally beautiful story to tell. Along with his Elgar and Delius biographies-where he shows a restrained and more accessible touch- and Mahler also The Music Lovers is one of his best films. The ending is rather rushed, other than that it is a wonderful film regardless of the lack of historical accuracy. Visually, it is both colourful and beautiful with lush costumes and sets and clever camera work that is very distinctive of Russell's style, though it doesn't feel too much of a music video. Tchaikovsky composed some of the best and most emotionally impactful music ever known to man, the music displayed is phenomenal and beautifully performed. As well as being very well-respected, and The Music Lovers really does have some of the best ever meshing of visuals and music in a biographical drama and maybe even with film in general. This couldn't be more apparent in the 1812 Overture scene, where the very striking images create a haunting and hilarious effect(see the cannons for a prime example). The Music Lovers is a very well-written film too, funny and touching, and with a story that engrosses and moves. Russell's direction does show some eccentricity but there is evidence of him also reigning in and showing some subtle(something that wasn't there in Lisztomania for example). Richard Chamberlain really makes you believe that Tchaikovsky was a tormented genius with the many complicated nuances nailed, Tchaikovsky in my mind has only been played better in the Russian film version of his life where the actor also bared an uncanny resemblance to the composer. Glenda Jackson is unforgettable as Nina, not as big or as pivotal a role but is about equal in the memorability factor. All the acting ranges from solid to very good. In conclusion, wonderful film. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Russell goes over the top as usual

[PeachesIR · 7/10 · 17 February 2021]

"The Music Lovers" is one of British director Ken Russell's most memorable and widely viewed films. Known for lurid, flamboyant and unabashedly over-the-top productions, Russell brought the life stories of several famous composers to the screen.

"The Music Lovers" is a condensed version of Tchaikovsky's career and personal life in mid-19th century Russia. Melvyn Bragg's script takes a lot of liberties with the composer's life, and includes some fictional characters and elements. Richard Chamberlain (who was a competent pianist in real life) is in the title role, and he comes across as deeply sensitive, possibly depressed, and somewhat incapable of forming deep emotional attachments to anyone other than his late mother and siblings. He has a short-lived, disastrous marriage with Nina (Glenda Jackson), who is sexually obsessed with him as a celebrity composer/genius, and also attracts the obsessive devotion of a wealthy patroness, Nadezhda von Meck.

Russell focuses a bit too much on Tchaikovsky's homosexuality in the film and creates a fake aristocratic lover for him (played by Christopher Gable). The message that comes across to today's viewer that he was repressed sexually, and that's why he is miserable. However, I came away thinking that, like many creative geniuses, Tchaikovsky may have just cared more about his art than his personal life.

"The Music Lovers" feels like a ballet or music video in many scenes, which are without dialogue. Just wild fantasies in the composer's mind as he creates sumptuous, sweeping symphonies that we have all come to know and love. Like many of Russell's other films, "The Music Lovers" delves into the darkest sides of human sexuality and emotion, with characters who grieve, lust, love and hate with destructive intensity.

"The Music Lovers" is not for everyone; many viewers will turn away in disgust or just think this is lurid, exploitative trash. However, there is beauty and horror in this raw portrayal of a man who deeply loves music, is devoted to his art, and struggles with loss and personal relationships. It's more of a sketch of Tchaikovsky's life and career than a biography, and Russell tries to tap into the sweeping passion in those unforgettable notes. You'll never forget some of the scenes with Glenda Jackson as her character grapples with rejection and madness. She is raw and fearless here--few actresses could achieve the level of passion and anguish that she does in "The Music Lovers."

Tragic drama of ill-fated heroes.

[Autonome · 9/10 · 9 August 1999]

One of Richard Chamberlain's most memorable and fringe roles. Glenda Jackson is brilliant. The romance, passion, melodrama, and ultimate tragic fate of the main characters are all intensely portrayed with rich cinematography and the most lavish sets Russell ever used. The film carries that subtle yet omnipresent surreality which is a trademark of Russell's films, and which some find so annoying, and others so seductive and heightening of the experience. A truly wonderful but sad film.

The Music Lovers Extravaganza

[gazebo350 · 6/10 · 4 February 2007]

I saw this movie several times when it first came out. And tho it is a free fantasy on the the composers life, still there were some stirring scenes in it where Tchaikovsky's vehement dramatic music accompanies the narrative. well there is a lot thats brilliant about this errant film and is enjoyable in spite of its many foibles. those of us who have followed Tchaikovsky's life will see much in this film that is purely ridiculous. by the way Tchaikovsky did not take his own life. (i recommend poznansky's "the last days of Tchaikovsky" to put that canard to rest.) the fictionalized biography "beloved friend" on which this is based is not a reliable source. it also came out in the 1930's when so much about the man was still hidden. however this might be its a much better effort than "Tchaikovsky" the movie that came out the same year from Russia. indeed "the music lovers" is a cinematic masterpiece next to that offering. so those of us who are Tchaikovsky lovers still await a rendering that would do the subject justice. (the earlier effusion "song of my heart" 1947 was an even greater travesty.)

lavish garish surreal disturbed extravaganza

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 10 February 2015]

It's 19th century Tsarist Russia. Piano teacher Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky (Richard Chamberlain) struggles against his homosexuality by marrying Antonina Miliukova (Glenda Jackson) whom he can never truly satisfy.

It's a lavish garish production taking advantage of the London Symphony Orchestra. It's also a rambling affair of long takes and obscure style. Sometimes it's masterful but more often than not, it is over-the-top crazy. The camera moves are all over the place with some very close up work. The music is a constant which gives a surreal dreamlike quality to the viewing. Chamberlain and Jackson have some crazy ridiculous attempted sex scenes. It's all over the top and considering Chamberlain's own secret homosexuality, it's all very poignant camp surrealism. They both leave it all on the screen. As with most biopics, I leave its authenticity to somebody more qualified although I don't accuracy is the main objective in this movie. I do have to admit that I have trouble getting through the whole two hours straight. It's a lot outlandish set pieces to endure.

Dramatic, yet fun.

[nobita · 6 February 1999]

This film is one of Ken Russell's best dramatic romps. He dashes through late 19th Century Russian history without a care to whether it is all in the correct place or not. But that doesn't matter. It's your typical Russell film: Overstated dramatic acting, madness, mental institutions, frilly frocks and women with low-cut dresses and big boobs. As this film recounts the life of 19th Century Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Russell manages to capture a feeling this is essentially Russian. You could almost swear that the story was straight out of a Checkov play, it has that Russian warmth to it. Far more interesting than a long, drawn-out serious biography, The Music Lovers is fun and entertaining in a dramatic way, worth watching. However, keep to the encyclopaedia if you want a proper history of Tchaikovsky's life.

Not for Film Lovers

[kenjha · 6/10 · 29 December 2010]

The only reason for watching this biopic is to listen to Tchaikovsky's music. There are extended music videos set to the First Piano Concerto and the "1812" Overture. It could have used more of the composer's music. Instead we get embarrassing melodrama. Living down to his reputation, Russell wallows in tastelessness. While the events are based on known facts, the film includes such silly scenes as Mrs. Tchaikovsky having affairs with Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin to make her husband jealous. Jackson is alluring but she's too good of an actress for such camp. Chamberlain plays Tchaikovsky as such a ninny that it's hard to believe he could have composed such magnificent music.

'Over the top!'

[philip-davies31 · 10/10 · 13 April 2020]

I cannot agree with the refrain of 'gratuitous' and 'sensational' and 'vulgar' that sounds depressingly throughout too many reviews of Ken Russell films; at his best there is a great deal of organising and artful design and discipline in Russell's films. His choice to externalise inner states is a pure and brilliantly conceived aesthetic strategy that begs for more of cinema to exploit such possibilities; Russell is one of those real filmmakers who have broken away from the dramatic structure of the live stage, in order to liberate the kinetic energy of pure cinematic art. I have never understood why Russell's vivid and persuasive 'dreams' - perhaps more helpfully viewed as psychotomimetic episodes - are not as aesthetically acceptable as Fellini's, say, or the kind of radical creative deconstruction practiced by Godard.

In 'The Music Lovers' the world is turned inside-out to show character's inner mental workings - not in the narrative manner of the traditional stage, but by using to the maximum the too-often neglected potential of cinema. This is a radical application of the artistic necessity of ensuring that 'form follows function' and as such is unexceptionable, and indeed praiseworthy. The film is thereby brilliantly enabled to involve us directly with the inner turmoil which is the dynamic of the persons in the film.

Is it true to life? Better ask, Is it a biography of the man who was the composer Tchaikovsky? The answer is then obviously: No. But that conclusion only serves to avoid discovering what the film is actually trying to do. It is of course a journey into the loneliness of a man set apart by the burden of genius, and by the haunting childhood tragedy of his mother's death from an incurable disease. This is an important aspect of the great composer's life, and as such Russell gets as close to such intimate detail as - I venture to suggest - would be possible even for any scholarly study; perhaps closer, in terms of our imaginative and emotional identification. And, one should add, the lonely martyrdom of the unfortunate Nina, locked in a loveless marriage as the mere social convenience of an homosexual forced into denial by an intolerant society, is equally effectively and movingly evoked as an intimate part of the composer's tragedy. That tragedy ultimately also involves inflicting deep harm on his sister and his sensitive aristocratic Muse through his moral dishonesty - not to mention his cruelty towards his real lover, the sad and sincere Count Anton Chiluvsky, who had a right to expect better.

Furthermore, although not a mere plodding hagiography of secular sainthood, the film is nevertheless beautifully dressed, designed and photographed, and frankly manages to appear as lavish and sweeping a romance as David Lean's honestly - i.m.h.o. - rather grandiose and pompous epics 'Lawrence of Arabia' or 'Doctor Zhivago.' Indeed Ken's brilliant evocation of 'Old Russia on-the-cheap' is a masterclass in effective mise-en-scene, and reveals a grasp of the essence of filmmaking that is not dependent on an obscenely big budget or empty epic gestures: everything on screen has an irresistible presence and force.

I'd even dare to suggest that the scenes with Madame Nadedja von Meck at times reach the sort of understated grandeur of Visconti.

The clever script by novelist Melvyn Bragg also provides a strong narrative spine that supports Ken Russell's unconventional interpretation well. The same is true of the care with which the actual music of Tchaikovsky is chosen and employed as a setting to authenticate the achievement of the composer, the spectacle of whose dysfunctional and tragic life only convinces us the more of his heroism, rising as it does like a glorious musical monument above all the misery and disaster.

The final 'Borodino cannon' bloodbath is generally derided, even by those who otherwise praise the film. That much maligned cannon scene, accompanied on soundtrack by the rackety 1812 Festival Overture, is surely an obvious reproach to the composer for trivialising the tragedy and horror of Napoleon's military invasion of Russia, in a piece of popular rabble-rousing generally adjudged (while undeniably rousing) as unworthy of the sensitive and subtle musician Tchaikovsky truly was. It was just another of the disastrous poses of macho virility he resorted to in order to mask his true nature. It seems appropriate, then, to show all the heads being blown off in this surreal finale, since that was the sort of shocking reality faced by those who fought at the Battle of Borodino, the bloodiest battle of all Napoleon's campaigns; moreover, this - very stylised and not the least bit gratuitous - massacre is meant to represent the very real hurt and insult done to, and sometimes by, those who variously encouraged or were appalled by this vulgar showmanship. The shallowness, hypocrisy and crude triumphalism of the piece was entirely unworthy of the composer, and therefore this parodic cannonade is entirely fitting as a final cinematic comment by Russell, who's film is after all about the importance of honesty and integrity. The major fact of Tchaikovsky's personal life was his tragic failure to reconcile his nature and his life: that failure to be true to himself killed him; in this interpretation, killed him more certainly than any scandal of his homosexuality. He himself loathed the Overture, writing to his friend and patron Madame Nadedja von Meck that it was '- - - very loud and noisy and completely without artistic merit, obviously written without warmth or love.'

Everyone with taste views the 1812 as just a guilty pleasure, to be enjoyed in all its noisy, vulgar splendour. For poor Tchaikovsky himself, in stark contrast, the bombastic military virility of that circus-like spectacle - it has been mocked, parodied and further debased many times since - became merely a further torment racking his conflicted soul.

Russel reveals that soul in searing images of naked emotion. Perhaps that is what is unforgiveable to the modern critical mind - not physical nakedness, which they see as a cultural liberation; but it is the spiritual and emotional nakedness of human beings that offends their prim intellectualism. Russell is firmly in the anti-intellectual camp of D.H. Lawrence - which of course is why his Lawrence adaptations work so well. Russell, like Lawrence, is serious about sex. How he ever came to be called prurient and vulgar can only be explained by the bourgeoise vulgarity of his carping critics.

Russell's honesty in presenting so forcefully and uncompromisingly the horror and incipient madness roiling beneath Tchaikovsky's polite society pose, as the premier Court Composer to the Tsar, is in marked and refreshing contrast to the sort of typical film biography that is only a kind of secular hagiography drained of all life and passion. The film's final petrification of Tchaikovsky, posed in action as the showman conductor of the '1812' sets a stiff memorial effigy upon a plinth and thus pointedly contrasts this sudden stasis with the previous living dynamism; indeed it parodies the traditional 'apotheosis' of traditional bio-pics. The frail mortal Russell has given us does great honour to the composer, who earned his legacy through hard work - and the daily grind of composing, contrary to what most critics have claimed, is realistically shown - and that terrible personal angst which made his life so unhappy, and very likely drove him to seek the same death by cholera of the mother whom the traumatised child he remained yearned for all the rest of his life.

That Russell should be pilloried for so effectively and profoundly evoking the sacrifice upon which the composer's achievements were built, is a great injustice. Russell's critics remind me of the mediocre but successful Rubinstein's vicious parody of the young Tchaikovsky's 1st Piano Concerto, as presented by the director - perhaps as a conscious riposte to his own detractors? Even the late and much-respected Roger Ebert in a very negative review notoriously dismissed Ken Russell's 'The Music Lovers' in a peevish and ill-considered manner not befitting the serious critic he was.

Russell was a brilliant film-maker - this is not often enough said - , and when smaller talents dismiss him as going 'over the top' they only remind us that, in British English, this phrase also refers to those soldiers who put themselves in the line of fire by leaving the trenches when commanded: the cry of 'Over the top!' would historically see lines of troops clamber out of their trenches and march slowly into a hail of Spandau shells. Ken was never one to flinch from critically murderous assaults or vicious sniping from his enemies. He expressed himself bravely and sincerely, so that though he eventually succumbed to his critical wounds and was forced to quit the movie field, he has left such deeds of artistic glory as are to be wondered at and admired.

Ken Russell's dance of lunacy: it employs most of the senses...but not the brain

[moonspinner55 · 7/10 · 25 August 2015]

British director and high-powered madman Ken Russell loves turning biographies on their ear, much to the concern of professional film critics (who believe the filmmaker should show more reverence to his subjects). Although this passionately intense drama about the life of Tchaikovsky begins with a linear story and fully-embodied characters, it doesn't take long for Russell to abandon what are essentially bio-pic pretenses and shoot the works visually. 19th century Russian composer Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky is warned by friends and superiors that his dallying with boys isn't respectable; the gossip gets so heated, Peter decides to marry a fervent female fan who's been writing him adoring letters. Unfortunately, their union is revealed to be a sham on the couple's honeymoon and, despite assurances that she'll be patient, wife Antonina is driven mad by unresolved sexual longing. Russell's film, full of glorious music and eye-popping spectacle, isn't all decadence and debauchery. There's genuine feeling for Glenda Jackson's girlish, naïve Nina, and Richard Chamberlain's conflicted Tchaikovsky is the actor's finest hour on the screen. The film's final reel is a fantastic cinematic rush of fever dreams--not necessarily symbolic, perhaps, and not altogether logical (Nina seems to go stark-raving mad in a short period of time). But one doesn't go to Russell for logic; he gives you food for thought in his technique, while the viewer takes in many potent images that leave a lasting impression. No, this isn't the factual story of Tchaikovsky's turbulent life. It's Ken Russell's turbulence that is on display, and that's fine for some of us. *** from ****

Tempestuous music demands a tempestuous drama.

[tim-764-291856 · 9/10 · 26 October 2011]

Wow! All the dramatics of Amadeus - and then some! That was Mozart, this is Tchaikovsky.

To say Mr Russell has a vivid imagination is an underestimation and a half. Forthright film critic Mark Kermode constantly reminds us that Ken Russell is Britain's (or England's, I can't remember which) finest, living director. Mark Kermode often divides opinion and so I assumed that he was wrong.

The Music Lovers will knock the woolly old dears off their perches - classical music being so pure and saintly and all that. BUT, it was the rock'n'roll of its day; its blood, sinew and its sex. People didn't always listen to it dressed to the nines in some chaste church or hall. People orgasmed (or would have, if they'd had a record player), argued and got drunk to it. Their protagonists were the rock stars of their time.

So, why not have exploding heads to the crescendo of the 1812 climax? Would Tchaikovsky seriously have expected us to want to fall asleep instead? Richard Chamberlaine never puts a foot wrong and I'm so glad that Alan Bates turned the role down. Chamberlaine is both elegant and troubled and cuts a dash that Bates cannot. Glenda Jackson as his fiery nymphomaniac wife is, as always superb. Her intent, to net a trophy husband is never off her radar and the film follows this theme.

Boring moments? No - I was entertained, blown away and exhilarated, often all at the same time. The sound quality (at least on my DVD) was amazing, the Andre Previn conducting the London Symphony Orchestra score having a wide stereo and dramatic range. The way Russell montages the increasingly frantic hand-held camera with the music is breathtaking. To get both Previn and the LSO as well as Melvyn Bragg's script shows the obvious cinematic clout that Russell had back then. These were all big-hitters in 1970. Now (apparently) Russell can barely get funding to make anything.

The period feel is always believable and feels authentic.

So, why not 10/10? Well, while this is as good as Amadeus, that didn't get 10/10 from me, either.

The best and worst of Ken Russell

[mkb-8 · 7/10 · 1 August 2011]

The Music Lovers is a movie which highlights the director Ken Russell's virtues and vices. The virtues include an imaginative use of the 2.35:1 wide screen, working wonders with the Holy Mother Russia studio set, complete with golden onion domes, snow and icicles, and horse drawn sleighs. There is some wonderful Douglas Slocombe cinematography and the director coaxes fine performances from Richard Chamberlain, Glenda Jackson and Kenneth Colley, to name just three of the fine cast.

The vices are Russell's propensity to go over the top, even by his own unrestrained standards. The scene of Glenda Jackson baring all in a swaying railway compartment while her unhappy husband (Richard Chamberlain as the anguished Tchaikovsky) peers in horror at her nether regions, the whole bizarre scene accompanied by the emotionally charged music of the Pathetique Symphony is surely beyond bad taste. However, I must confess to enjoying Russell's utterly bonkers take on the 1812 Overture: those madcap images could only come from the mind of an eccentric genius.

Another favourite sequence is the performance of the piano concerto, with Chamberlain almost convincing the viewer that he is actually playing the complex score. Among the costumed extras making up the concert audience I'm sure I spotted a young Martin Amis, sitting behind Tchaikovsy's sister. (That would be another film credit, to add to 'A High Wind in Jamaica'.)

masterpiece

[zachlen48 · 10/10 · 23 January 2004]

quite possibly one of the greatest films of ALL time.also the most under rated and misunderstood bios ever made. never has a film so flawlessly combined music and image to create the telling of a mans life through his excessively romantic music combined with equally excessive visuals.its highly operatic in its telling and to some over the top. how anyone can say that after listening to the mans music is beyond me.in short this is without doubt my favorite film ever made.

While you couldn't call this a rigorous biography, it hits the high points

[smatysia · 6/10 · 16 June 2013]

This was a somewhat entertaining film for someone (me) who knew little about Tchaikovsky. I did look up a bit about him, and while you couldn't call this a rigorous biography, it hit the high points. Obviously it was convenient to have all of the music to score the film with in the public domain. The music was fantastic, but hey, it's Tchaikovsky. Outstanding acting performances by Chamberlain, and Glenda Jackson, and Izabella Telezynska. A little quibble with a previous comment. Kenjha wrote "The film includes such silly scenes as Mrs. Tchaikovsky having affairs with Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin to make her husband jealous." My view was that Nina's mother told her that the men in question were Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin, but she knew that they were not. She was taking advantage of her daughter's delusions to make money, more or less pimping her. I found the direction somewhat annoying, and it wasn't apparent at first what scenes were "reality" and which were dream/fantasy sequences. The scene about visualizing the famous 1812 Overture was particularly annoying. But overall, I ended up liking the film.

One of the Best Films .......ever

[fishtank5000 · 10/10 · 19 October 2007]

I recently bought this (rare) video. It was great watching this film again, I originally saw it in the cinema when it first came out. I think this film ranks amongst the very best ever made.

What I found particularly fascinating, and I have not seen many other comments about this, is the totally convincing way Richard Chamberlain plays the Piano Concerto in the early part of the film and continues to play like as professional pianist. Did he train to play the piano for this part, in the same way as Robert DeNiro became a boxer in 'Raging Bull' or was he just a naturally gifted pianist?

Glenda Jackson and the other main characters are just fantastic in this film. My only criticism is the 1812 sequence near the end of the film, which really doesn't really seem to come off. Also the ending sequence, when Tchaikovsky dies of cholera, seems to be completely rushed. I think the ending could have been more drawn out.

Overall I think this film was one of the best !

Definitely not for purists.

[MOscarbradley · 7/10 · 20 June 2023]

The story of a homosexual who fell in love with a nymphomaniac! At least that's how the publicity department tried to sell Ken Russell's Tchaikovsky biopic "The Music Lovers". Russell was never known for his subtlety and "The Music Lovers" certainly isn't subtle. It's a kind of 'Tchaikovsky's Greatest Hits' and since Nina, the nymphomaniac he marries, is given pride of place it more often than not verges on hysteria and purists are going to find it a hard pill to swallow but it's also hugely entertaining, even when it's terrible, and as Tchaikovsky Richard Chamberlain, previously known as the boyishly good-looking Dr. Kildare, is surprisingly good while as Nina, Glenda Jackson chews the scenery and everything else in a wildly over-the-top performance. It looks fantastic and if, in the musical sequences, Russell is playing to the gallery, (wait until you get to the 1812 Overture), it's certainly never dull. Of course, the composer deserves a lot better than this but as biographies of the great composers go, it's definitely a step up on "A Song to Remember" and the blandness of Cornel Wilde.

Unbridled Lunacy

[JasparLamarCrabb · 5/10 · 17 May 2006]

Ken Russell's film of the life of Tchaikovsky and his lunatic wife is unabashedly opulent and more than a little wacky. A woefully miscast Richard Chamberlain plays the title role and he's awful...was one of the world's great composers really THIS vapid? Glenda Jackson as his unhinged wife is a lot better..in fact she's a lot more animated than usual. She's also a lot prettier than usual donning a full head of hair and looking quite foxy in costumes that leave little to the imagination. Russell's direction is also terrific...the scenes of Jackson in an insane asylum are among the best Russell's ever done. It's certainly much better and more cerebral than Russell's later LISZTOMANIA --- that may or may not have more to do with the classy screenplay by Melvyn Bragg, but no matter, THE MUSIC LOVERS is a must see for Russell aficionados.