I was intrigued by the character of Salomé from 1961's King of Kings (played with witchy brilliance by Brigid Bazlen). I started searching for films that might have her as a main character, as there's potential anti-heroine material there. And lo, I find Ken Russell did one! He directed one of my all-time favourites in Altered States, and also the very good Gothic. The Devils I haven't seen yet but will do soon.
...unfortunately, turns out his Salomé movie isn't a movie at all. It's a filmed play...very theatrical, silly and utterly camp. Not what I was looking for. There's a single set, and over-the-top performances and costumes. Salomé herself is played enthusiastically by the vixenesque Imogen Millais-Scott but her performance (as well as all the performances from the cast) lack that realistic historical-bite of a King of Kings type of production. That's not really a criticism as Salome's Last Dance is intended to play like that...it's just not for me.
Interesting aside: both actresses who played Salomé (this & King of Kings) barely did anything else and retired from the acting game soon after. A cursed role?
As it is, I can't rate Salome's Last Dance as I ended up skipping forward. Unwatchable burlesque high-camp theatre, not even particularly erotic. Maybe interesting for those who enjoy things like Rocky Horror Picture Show. Or for fans of Ken Russell's more campy stuff, or Wilde readers looking for off-beat interpretations.
...unfortunately, turns out his Salomé movie isn't a movie at all. It's a filmed play...very theatrical, silly and utterly camp. Not what I was looking for. There's a single set, and over-the-top performances and costumes. Salomé herself is played enthusiastically by the vixenesque Imogen Millais-Scott but her performance (as well as all the performances from the cast) lack that realistic historical-bite of a King of Kings type of production. That's not really a criticism as Salome's Last Dance is intended to play like that...it's just not for me.
Interesting aside: both actresses who played Salomé (this & King of Kings) barely did anything else and retired from the acting game soon after. A cursed role?
As it is, I can't rate Salome's Last Dance as I ended up skipping forward. Unwatchable burlesque high-camp theatre, not even particularly erotic. Maybe interesting for those who enjoy things like Rocky Horror Picture Show. Or for fans of Ken Russell's more campy stuff, or Wilde readers looking for off-beat interpretations.