Description

From the British Film Institute   

KEN RUSSELL: The Great Composers

DVD & Blu Ray Edition

You will receive 2 discs: one will be a Blu Ray one will be a DVD.   

Year: 1962- 1968 | 3 discs  

Running time: 210 minutes

A Dual Format Edition collection bringing together the career-defining work of Ken Russell at the BBC. Russell’s work during the sixties for award-winning arts documentary series’ Monitor and Omnibus was critically acclaimed and often seen as a high point in his filmmaking.

The first of the three films, Elgar (1962), portrays in vigorous style the life of the English composer Sir Edward Elgar, with Huw Wheldon narrating his life story over beautiful mountain scenery. Cast: George McGrath, Peter Brett, Rowena Gregory. 56 mins, black and white.

The Debussy Film (1965), Russell’s penultimate film for Monitor, was an ambitious work about the composer’s life, written by Melvyn Bragg and starring Oliver Reed as Claude Debussy. Cast: Oliver Reed, Vladek Sheybal, Annette Robertson, Iza Teller, Penny Service. 82 mins, black and white.

Delius: Song of Summer (1968) is generally regarded (not least by its director) as Russell’s best television film – with many critics citing it as his finest work in any medium. The story traces the life of Eric Fenby and is based on his memoirs of being artistic assistant to the blind and paralysed composer Frederick Delius. Cast: Max Adrian, Christopher Gable, Maureen Pryor, David Collings, Geraldine Sherman. 73 mins, black and white.

Extras:

Elgar commentary by Michael Kennedy and Ken Russell.

Delius: Song of Summer commentary by Ken Russell.

Illustrated booklet with essays and full credits.

Price £25.00 with free UK postage.