Truly an epic film biography, WAGNER took two years to complete and has a running time of nine hours. It opens in 1883 with the death of German composer Richard Wagner and, in flashback, chronicles every major aspect of the composer's life from his operas to his personal relationships. Whether this European mini-series feels satisfyingly exhaustive or exhausting probably depends on the individual viewer's interest in his life and musical accomplishments, but despite static direction and a surfeit of establishing shots, this warts-and-all biography is
de rigeur for connoisseurs of classical music.
Resentful of the handouts that came with royal posts, Wagner...
Released:
1983
Rated:
NR
Length:
540 mins