Lady Chatterly (Ken Russell/British TV Mini-Series)
Picture: C+
Sound: B- Extras: C+ Episodes: B
When I kept telling people I was going to watch Ken
Russell’s version of D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterly, everyone
immediately asked if it was X-rated, NC-17 rated or “how” could he do it. Few remembered he had already done a
controversial film called Whore (1991) with the daring Theresa Russell,
which did get an NC-17. When I
continued that this adaptation would be a British mini-series, the shock caused
no answer. The tale of the title lady,
whose husband cannot make love to her, and goes to find another man to have sex
with at his behest is still a shocker to many to this day. It is also a literary classic.
Had any other filmmaker approached this for TV, it would
have been a disaster, but Russell’s 1992 version runs four hour-long episodes
(50 minutes average each for commercials, co-written by Russell with Michael
Haggiag) and is a remarkable work that manages to show and evoke strong erotic
content without being sleazy or a spoof of itself. There is serious suggested sex and nudity, but Russell is a
master filmmaker and takes advantage of the length a feature film would not
afford him to expound upon the literary classic in way that proves he may have
been Stanley Kubrick’s only true peer in filming such works.
Joely Richardson is in great form as the title character,
a woman who loves her husband (James Wilby, underplaying his role perfectly)
and scoffs at his proposal. He wants
her to be happy and maybe hear about her “adventures” as a sad substitute for
what they no longer have. In her
search, she meets gamekeeper Mellors (Sean Bean) whom she feels she could go
with that would be safe and suitable.
However, the chemistry between the two turns out to be much stronger and
her choice more dead-on than she ever expected. A very hot, erotic connection instantly develops that throws all
properness and Britishness right out the window.
Bean and Richardson are truly electric in their scenes together
and everyone is totally convincing, as Russell keeps a consistent tone that
makes you fell you are there. The
costume design, production design and locations are as dense as any filmmaker
could bring together and deliver. This
is a difficult, tricky work to bring to life, especially now with so much
sexuality out in the open, but Russell knows the body images in advertising and
media are more of a shallow fashion statement than about anybody being free and
human. His Lady Chatterly proves
how and why, while remaining strongly faithful to the original source
material. Russell is one of those elder
filmmakers who has simply kept his touch.
The full frame image was shot on film by Robin Vidgeon,
B.S.C., and the work looks very good.
The DVD offers more image quality than a TV broadcast at the time ever
could and is only limited by the format itself. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has some good Pro Logic surround
information and classical-like pieces composed by Jean Claude Petit. That makes for a good combination. Extras include a TV preview, behind the
scenes stills, text on author D.H. Lawrence, cast/crew filmography text and
2/19/03 interview with Russell on tape in 16 X 9 letterboxed video running
about 24 minutes. It is insightful and
shows one of the world’s most neglected directors speaking wisely
throughout. Acorn Media has released
this as a double DVD set definitely worth your time.
- Nicholas Sheffo