Salome's Last Dance

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Salome's Last Dance
Salomeslastdance.jpg
Directed by Ken Russell
Written byKen Russell
Based on
Produced by Penny Corke
Starring
Cinematography Harvey Harrison
Edited by Timothy Gee
Distributed by Vestron Pictures
Release date
  • 6 May 1988 (1988-05-06)(New York City)
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$800,000 [1] or $1.4 million [2] [3]

Salome's Last Dance is a 1988 British film written and directed by Ken Russell. Although most of the action is a verbatim performance of Oscar Wilde's 1891 play Salome , which is itself based on a story from the New Testament, there is also a framing narrative that was written by Russell.

Contents

Plot

Wilde (Nickolas Grace) and his lover Lord Alfred Douglas (Douglas Hodge) arrive late on Guy Fawkes Day in 1892 at their friend's brothel, where they are treated to a surprise staging of Wilde's play, public performances of which have just been banned in England by the Lord Chamberlain's office.

In the play, all the roles are played by prostitutes or their clients, and each actor (except Grace) plays two roles, one in the brothel and the other in the play. King Herod (Stratford Johns) begs his young stepdaughter Salome (Imogen Millais-Scott) to dance for him, promising to give her anything she desires, much to the irritation of her mother, Herodias (Glenda Jackson). Salome ignores him, choosing instead to try to seduce John the Baptist, who is Herod's prisoner.

John responds by loudly condemning both Herod and Salome in the name of God. A spurned and vengeful Salome then agrees to dance for Herod — on the condition that she be given anything she asks for. Herod agrees, but it is only after the dance is over that Salome asks for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Herod is appalled, tries to dissuade her, but finally gives in to her request. The scenes from the play are interwoven with images of Wilde's exploits at the brothel. At the end Wilde is arrested.

Cast

Production

Ken Russell had been signed by Vestron to a three-picture deal after the success of Gothic , of which this was the first. Imogen Millais-Scott went blind three weeks before filming after contracting glandular fever but Russell insisted on still using her. [1] It has been suggested that she was too weak to perform the dance sequence and a body double was used, [4] but in any case a male of similar build performs Salome's dance and, at one point, flashes male genitals. [5]

"It's a tale that can be interpreted in many ways," said Russell. "Years ago, I wrote it into a script titled Space Gospel, which was the New Testament in science-fiction. It didn't work out. I also thought of using the opera with the dance of the seven veils for my segment in Aria ... but they wanted $3,000 a minute for the music." [3]

For dramatic effect, Russell compressed the actual arrest of Wilde in 1895 and the first performance of his play in Paris in 1896. [5] Russell said, "Although the play was never produced in London during his lifetime - even though he had Sarah Bernhardt actually in rehearsals for it before it was banned - I just made up the conceit of showing it in the brothel to give a flavor of what his life at the time was like, and at the same time give a hint of the homosexual relationship with Bosie that really was his downfall. All of this is interwoven with the play, which is about love and corruption and deceit anyway." [3]

Russell later claimed he made the film on a bet that he could not make a movie under $1 million. The film was made for $1.3 million [2] with filming completed in three and a half weeks. [3]

Shortly after filming Russell said "The critics haven't worn me down, so maybe I'm trying to wear them down. I'm also trying to reach a wider - and younger - audience, and make films that are more visually stimulating. It isn't easy. I've never made a film I was totally happy with. That's what keeps me going: the next one must be better." [3]

Reception

This film met with modest critical praise. The review in The New York Times called it "a perfumed, comic stunt," but noted that "Mr. Russell forces one to attend to (and to discover the odd glory in) the Wilde language, which, on the printed page, works faster than valium." [6]

The Los Angeles Times called it "languid and tedious... virtually devoid of genuine eroticism of any persuasion but also is so static that the play itself bores rather than involves." [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lord Alfred Douglas</span> English poet and journalist (1870–1945)

Lord Alfred Bruce Douglas, also known as Bosie Douglas, was an English poet and journalist, and a lover of Oscar Wilde. At Oxford he edited an undergraduate journal, The Spirit Lamp, that carried a homoerotic subtext, and met Wilde, starting a close but stormy relationship. Douglas's father, the Marquess of Queensberry, abhorred it and set out to humiliate Wilde, publicly accusing him of homosexuality. Wilde sued him for criminal libel, but some intimate notes were found and Wilde was later imprisoned. On his release, he briefly lived with Douglas in Naples, but they had separated by the time Wilde died in 1900. Douglas married a poet, Olive Custance, in 1902 and had a son, Raymond.

<i>Salomé</i> (1922 film) 1923 film by Charles Bryant

Salomé is a 1922-23 American silent drama film directed by Charles Bryant and Alla Nazimova, who also stars. It is an adaptation of the 1891 Oscar Wilde play of the same name. The play itself is a loose retelling of the biblical story of King Herod and his execution of John the Baptist at the request of Herod's stepdaughter, Salomé, whom he lusts after.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salome</span> Daughter of Herod II and Herodias

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herodias</span> 1st century AD Herodian Dynasty princess

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Salome was the daughter of Herodias, and nemesis of John the Baptist.

<i>Salome</i> (opera) Opera by Richard Strauss

Salome, Op. 54, is an opera in one act by Richard Strauss. The libretto is Hedwig Lachmann's German translation of the 1891 French play Salomé by Oscar Wilde, edited by the composer. Strauss dedicated the opera to his friend Sir Edgar Speyer.

<i>Salome</i> (play) Tragedy by Oscar Wilde

Salome is a one-act tragedy by Oscar Wilde. The original version of the play was first published in French in 1893; an English translation was published a year later. The play depicts the attempted seduction of Jokanaan by Salome, stepdaughter of Herod Antipas; her dance of the seven veils; the execution of Jokanaan at Salome's instigation; and her death on Herod's orders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dance of the Seven Veils</span> Dance of Inanna, Salome

The Dance of the Seven Veils is the dance performed by Salome before King Herod Antipas in modern stage, literature, and visual arts. It is an elaboration on the New Testament story of the Feast of Herod and the execution of John the Baptist, which refers to Salome dancing before the king, but does not give the dance a name.

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Salomé is a 2002 Spanish film directed by Carlos Saura. The film is told from the perspective of a flamenco dance company that will mount a show devoted to the mythical and biblical figure of Salomé, as a story of love and vengeance. The movie is both about the performance and the preparation for it.

<i>Salomè</i> (1986 film) 1986 film

Salomè is a 1986 Italian-French drama film directed by Claude d'Anna and starring Jo Champa. It is an adaptation of the 1891 play of the same name by Oscar Wilde, and was entered into the 1986 Cannes Film Festival.

Oscar Wilde's life and death have generated numerous biographies.

<i>Wilde Salomé</i> 2011 film

Wilde Salomé is a 2011 American docudrama written, directed by, and starring Al Pacino. An exploration of Oscar Wilde's 1891 play Salomé, the film premiered at the 68th Venice International Film Festival. At the festival, Pacino was presented with the Glory to the Filmmaker! Award and the film won the Queer Lion award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Feast of Herod</span> Episode in the Gospels

The Feast of Herod refers to the episode in the Gospels following the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, when Salome presents his head to her parents. The account in the Book of Mark describes Herod Antipas holding a banquet on his birthday for his high officials and military commanders, and leading men of Galilee. At this banquet, Herod's daughter dances before Herod, who is pleased and offers her anything she asks for in return. The girl asks her mother what she should request, and she is told to demand the head of John the Baptist. Reluctantly, Herod orders the beheading of John, and John's head is delivered to her, at her request, "on a platter."

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<i>The Apparition</i> (Moreau, Musée dOrsay) 1876 painting by Gustave Moreau

The Apparition(French: L'Apparition) is a painting by French artist Gustave Moreau, painted between 1874 and 1876. It shows the biblical character of Salome dancing in front of Herod Antipas with a vision of John the Baptist's severed head. The 106 cm high and 72,2 cm wide watercolor held by the Musée d'Orsay in Paris elaborates on an episode told in the Matthew 14:6–11 and Mark 6:21–29. On a feast held for Herod Antipas' birthday, the princess Salome dances in front of the king and his guests. This pleased him so much he promises her anything she wished for. Incited by her mother Herodias, who was reproved by the John the Baptist for her illegitimate marriage to Herod, Salome demands John's head on a charger. Regretful but compelled to keep his word in front of everyone present, Herod complies with Salome's demand. John the Baptist is beheaded, his head brought on a charger and given to Salome, who in turn gives it to her mother.

<i>The Peacock Skirt</i> 1893 illustration by Aubrey Beardsley

The Peacock Skirt is an 1893 illustration by Aubrey Beardsley. His original pen and ink drawing was first reproduced as a wood engraving in the first English edition of Oscar Wilde's one-act play Salome in 1894. In later editions it was photo-mechanically reproduced as a lineblock for printing. The original drawing was bequeathed by Grenville Lindall Winthrop to the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University in 1943.

<i>Salome Dancing before Herod</i> 1876 oil painting by Gustave Moreau

Salome Dancing before Herod is an oil painting produced in 1876 by the French Symbolist artist Gustave Moreau. The subject matter is taken from the New Testament, depicting Salome—the daughter of Herod II and Herodias—dancing before Herod Antipas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salome (Wilde): Themes and derivatives</span>

Salome by Oscar Wilde, a play written in 1891 and first produced in 1896, has been analysed by numerous literary critics, and has prompted numerous derivatives. The play depicts the events leading to the execution of Iokanaan at the instigation of Salome, step-daughter of Herod Antipas, and her death on Herod's orders.

References

  1. 1 2 "Dan Ireland on Salome's Last Dance". Trailers from Hell. 20 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 Russell on his films Hunter, Charles. The Irish Times. 2 Nov 1987: 14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Outrageous movie director's wild about Oscar: Toronto Star 18 May 1988: D1.
  4. ↑ Lanza, Joseph (2008). Phallic Frenzy: Ken Russell and His Films. Chicago Review Press. pp. 275–76. ISBN   978-1-5565-2669-5.
  5. 1 2 Van Eecke, Christophe (2012). "Moonstruck Follies: Ken Russell's Salome's Last Dance (1988) as Baroque Performance" . Image & Narrative. 13 (2). Open Humanities Press: 5–25. ISSN   1780-678X . Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  6. ↑ Vincent Canby, "Salome's Last Dance: Review / Film; Salome and Decadence, Via Wilde via Russell". The New York Times. 6 May 1988.
  7. ↑ Movie Reviews `Salome's Last Dance' Falls Flat on Its Face: [Home Edition]. Thomas, Kevin. Los Angeles Times. 20 May 1988: 5.
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