Ken Russell At The Bbc

In this 1966 docudrama, expressionist film director Ken Russell probes dancer Isadora Duncan's character and work, relying on old movie footage, dramatic re-creations, and interviews to piece together a portrait revealing Duncan as a capricious free spirit who made her own rules in her personal as well as her artistic life. The camera captures the revolutionary body whirls and arm upsweeps of Duncan's dance style as she animates the ebb and flow of her inner energies. (Among the cinematographers is legendary filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl.) Through sequences both real and staged, Russell uncovers a Duncan whose personal life is not unlike her dance style: It does what it wants and goes where it wants, without regard for the conventions of culture and morality. In the dramatic sequences, Vivian Pickles portrays Duncan; in archival documentary sequences, Duncan displays her own wild whimsicality. However, whether the audience sees Pickles or Duncan, director Russell delivers historical accuracy. "Isadora Duncan" was one of five "biodramas" Russell made for the BBC between 1965 and 1970. ~ Mike Cummings, Rovi

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