Ken Russell always has been a controversial film-maker, interesting and unique certainly but did have a tendency to resort to excess that could cheapen things. If we exclude his composer documentaries on Elgar, Delius and Debussy(wasn't crazy about the one on Richard Strauss),which are even better than any of his feature films, Savage Messiah is an underrated film. Maybe it could have had more time to breathe in places, while the deliberate pace was very effective there was a tendency to have a restless vibe, and more could have been done with Gaudier's war-time experiences, it was still affecting but compared to the love relationship it did seem on the brief side. However, it does rank alongside Women in Love, The Devils, The Music Lovers and Mahler as one of his better films(of his feature films the only one that I'm iffy about is Lisztomania). It is opulently and atmospherically filmed- if not as much as Valentino or The Music Lovers- and the production values are just as much and even more so. The classical music doesn't feel too much of a hodge-podge and is placed remarkably well, not feeling misplaced. Debussy is the most frequently used, and the impressionist style of his music is beautiful and powerful and judging from how many times his music has been used in his films Russell seems to think so as well. The script is dialogue-heavy and that it was very articulate and had genuine bite too is most admirable with a healthy balance of comedy and tragedy, while the story always engages and the platonic love relationship is told with emotion, while not exactly warm it's hardly hollow, and a sense of fun. Russell's direction is ideal for the subject matter and the story that's been told, like with Valentino for example you can tell he was having fun directing but he also does so with restraint, especially when being compared to Tommy or Lisztomania. There are some great touches here, those who say Helen Mirren's staircase scene is unforgettable are absolutely right, matching Leslie Caron's funeral scene entrance in Valentino in sensuality. The vegetable chopping scene is just as savage as the dialogue and you cannot fail to be moved by the final tragic 10 minutes. The performances while theatrical are fine, Scott Anthony does overact at times but carries the film excellently. Dorothy Tutin is superb as is Helen Mirren(one of those women who still does look amazing, always a standout at awards ceremonies). Overall, one of Russell's better films and deserving of more recognition, it is nice to see though that there are people who remember it very fondly. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This is an impressive story about the outlandish affair between the Polish Sophie Brzeska (Dorothy Tutin) and sculptor Henry Gaudier (Scott Anthony). Meanwhile , he falls in love with a rebel suffragist (Helen Mirren) . At the ending , Gaudier died in action during WWI at 10 p.m , near of Neaville(France) at 23 years old.

This is an intense and thoughtful tale about the platonic relationship proceeded in a Russel's style . It's a convincing picture though relies heavily on the stormy relationship between the great artist Henry Gaudier and Sophie Brzeska . As the film displays Russel trademarks , extreme angle cameras , excessive facial close-ups , utilization of numerous camera shots with primary colors and overblown visuals . Excellent cast with deliberately theatrical performances . Magnificent main players and secondary actors , such as : Helen Mirren , John Justin , Lindsay Kemp , Michael Gough and Peter Vaughn , among others . Glamorous cinematography with exceptional attention to period detail and captivating images by Dick Bush , Hammer's usual cameraman . The motion picture was well directed in flamboyance style by Ken Rusell . He's an expert director , whose greatest success was in the 70s making offbeat musical biographies , such as : 'Mahler' , 'Lizstomania' , 'Music lovers'(Tchaikovsky) ; besides , he directed other hits , as 'Women in love' , 'Valentino' and 'The Devils' , and today still directing , as 'Moll Flanders' in production . This oddball biographic chronicle will appeal to Ken Russell aficionados .

Among the best of Ken Russell's films, this work probes, again, the nature of artistic genius, the mores of artists during the last 150 years and, especially, the proximity of this form of genius to psycho-pathology. During this period-- 1968 to 1975-- the period of Russell's greatest popularity, infamy and exposure coincided with a formative period of my life. He was ' a god of my adolescence.' This is a powerful and important film, based on Ede's book. If you have the opportunity to go to England, visit Ede's house, now a museum, in Cambridge city. The Kettle's Yard.