Dance of the Seven Veils (film)

Dance of the Seven Veils is a 1970 British TV film about German composer Richard Strauss. The film, which was directed by Ken Russell, was only shown publicly once. After it was condemned for its gratuitous sex scenes and the depiction of the composer as a Nazi sympathiser, the Estate of Richard Strauss took out a legal injunction banning the use of the composer's music on the film's soundtrack. In February 2020, with the expiration of the film's copyright (meaning it enters the public domain), the film was shown at a special screening event in Cumbria, England hosted by Ken Russell's widow.

Dance of the Seven Veils
Directed byKen Russell
Produced byKen Russell
Screenplay byHenry Reed
Ken Russell
StarringChristopher Gable
Judith Paris
Kenneth Colley
Music byRichard Strauss
CinematographyPeter Hall
Edited byDave King
Production
company
BBC
Distributed byBBC
Release date
15 February 1970
Running time
59 minuntes
CountryUK

Cast

Production

The film was made on location near Russell's home at Skiddaw in the Lake District.[1]

Release

The film was only shown once by the BBC in February 1970 because of the controversy if generated.[1] The Strauss estate was so outraged by the film that an injunction was taken out, banning the use of Strauss's music on the soundtrack, effectively preventing any further broadcasts because the film can be seen but it cannot be heard.[1] With copyright expired, the film was reshown at Keswick Film Festival in Cumbria's Theatre by the Lake. The evening was hosted Russell's widow, Lisi.[1][2]

Reception

"I hated it so much" said The Observer.[3]

"There was gratuitous sex and violence of the most outlandish kind", said Mary Whitehouse.[4] "I don't deny its power," said The Guardian.[5]

Legacy

Russell said "One of the purposes of making the film was to shock complacent critics and viewers who sit in front of their sets for hours on end watching cocoa advertisements. I was simply setting out to make a film about Richard Strauss, and I felt that everything I showed was necessary for presenting my idea of this man. My intention was to paint in broad strokes," he said. "I wanted strong, hard outlines to bring out aspects of this man and his work that to my mind have been overlooked. Strauss was a self advertising, vulgar, commercial man."[4]

References
  1. "Banned Dance of the Seven Veils gets second airing". BBC NEWS. 29 February 2020.
  2. Blakely, Rhys (1 March 2020). "Banned Ken Russell film Dance of the Seven Veils screened after 50 years". Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  3. Heyworth, Peter (22 February 1970). "War between Russell and Strauss: Two views of ken Russell's contro-versial television film". The Observer. p. 31.
  4. Waymark, Peter (17 February 2001). "Russell's Seven Veils shocks critics". The Times. p. 27.
  5. Banks-Smith, Nancy (16 February 1970). "Review: DANCE OF THE SEVEN VEILS on BBC-1". The Guardian. p. 8.


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