Ken Russell is an underrated genius: this film is a visual feast, very funny, tensely dramatic in places, and always highly original.

Made on a shoestring budget, this play-within-a-film is deliciously decadent and amorously amoral... I think Oscar would have approved. The real shock, however, is Imogen Millais-Scott's disappearing act since the film was released.

One of Ken Russell's forgotten 80's films, a little low-budget piece set in 1892. It has Oscar Wilde (Nickolas Grace), coming a brothel owned by Alfred Taylor (Stratford Johns), to watch a production of his recently banned play, Salome, which is perf... (read more) One of Ken Russell's forgotten 80's films, a little low-budget piece set in 1892. It has Oscar Wilde (Nickolas Grace), coming a brothel owned by Alfred Taylor (Stratford Johns), to watch a production of his recently banned play, Salome, which is perf...(read more) ormed by prostitutes. It features Wilde's homosexual lover Lord Alfred Douglas (Douglas Hodge) as John The Baptist, and Lady Alice Kensington-Windsor (Glenda Jackson) as Herodias, what follows is a performance of Salome, with Wilde watching. It's structure is not a million miles away from what Russell did with The Boy Friend (1971), only this is more explicit, and it does have O.T.T. acting and imagery we have all come to expect from Russell, (midget Rabbi's and the titular dance done to Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King), an underrated film.

A definate hit in Ken Russell's very hit and miss anthology. The actress who plays Salome gives one of the finest performances that I still remember 20 years later.

Long chose from a chain of ingenious masterpieces of this hooligan, a little satirical, but infinitely serious director.
Salome, a remarkable playwright Oscar Wilde got the best. The tragic story of love and death. That is not corporal never prevail ... (read more) Long chose from a chain of ingenious masterpieces of this hooligan, a little satirical, but infinitely serious director.
Salome, a remarkable playwright Oscar Wilde got the best. The tragic story of love and death. That is not corporal never prevail over the spiritual, and if they take, the only way is through the destruction of themselves, and even then only dropped the skin.

I love "meta" movies. This is a movie about a play being performed. Oscar Wilde's play "Salome" has just been banned in England, so his favorite brothel does a show of it to celebrate! Ken Russel directs.

want to see it again. Oh yes, Ken Russell and Glenda Jackson. The costumes and theatre of it all are staged as if opera.

Oscar Wilde is a great writer and this cinematic portrayal of his play Salome being performed in a brothel is a fitting and funny way to frame Wilde's theatrical work.

I once saw this in Edinburgh at a 2am screening (I can't believe I was ever young enough to see a 2am screening of anything!). It's Ken Russell of course so it's over the top and a half but romping good fun and everyone's great, especially the wonder... (read more) I once saw this in Edinburgh at a 2am screening (I can't believe I was ever young enough to see a 2am screening of anything!). It's Ken Russell of course so it's over the top and a half but romping good fun and everyone's great, especially the wonderful Glenda Jackson being bawdy as all hell. Salome is played by the fruity Imogen Millais-Scott who delivers her lines like she can taste them. If IMDB is to be believed this was her second and final film, which is a shame really, she had something unique. Also look out for the wonderful Imogen Claire (character actress from many films including Tommy, Billy Elliot, Lair of the White Worm - she was a Transylvanian in Rocky Horror) in the small role of '2nd Nazarean'. She seems always able to grab the spotlight even in the smallest parts.