Gothic (1986) ***
As it's a Ken Russell film, Gothic (1986) is, expectedly, an exercise in excess and psychosexuality. Based on a fictionalized version of the visit by Percy (Julian Sands) and Mary Shelley (Natasha Richardson) to Lord Byron's (Gabriel Byrne) estate which led Mary Shelley to write Frankenstein (1818) and John Polidori to write The Vampyre (1819).
Again, since it's Ken Russell, the viewer must be prepared for over-the-top performances, intentional parody of tropes and trippy imagery. While the film is beautifully filmed, the production design is marvelous, the f/x wonderfully bizarre and the actors give their all, it doesn't rank with Russell's best work. Additionally, the score by Thomas Dolby is interesting on its own, but doesn't always work for the scenes, in my opinion. Still, Gothic is a fun haunted house ride from a radical visionary and a good time for those more adventurous souls.
You can find my Ken Russell Feature Films Ranked list here.
Again, since it's Ken Russell, the viewer must be prepared for over-the-top performances, intentional parody of tropes and trippy imagery. While the film is beautifully filmed, the production design is marvelous, the f/x wonderfully bizarre and the actors give their all, it doesn't rank with Russell's best work. Additionally, the score by Thomas Dolby is interesting on its own, but doesn't always work for the scenes, in my opinion. Still, Gothic is a fun haunted house ride from a radical visionary and a good time for those more adventurous souls.
You can find my Ken Russell Feature Films Ranked list here.
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