Ken Russell's view of The Planets (1983)

The Planets by Gustav Holst is one of the best-loved 20th century pieces by a British composer. Ken Russell has taken a brilliant performance, with Eugene Ormandy conducting The Philadelphia Orchestra, and illustrated The Planets with passages from a mass of documentary material. Russells work in film and TV has been dazzling and controversial, though often full of charm and insights. His feature film credits include The Music Lovers, Listzomania and Mahler. In this film from 1983 he presents his visual interpretation of Holsts music. Written in 7 movements, each describes the character of a planet: Mars forceful and assertive; Venus love of all things beautiful; Mercury eloquent; Jupiter buoyant and hopeful; Saturn enduring; Uranus eccentric and unexpected; and Neptune subtle and mysterious. Russells view of The Planets is provocative, stimulating, inventive, entertaining and wonderfully watch-able, with images that are beautiful, frightful and imaginative -Daily Mail. (bron: Arthaus)