Review of Salome's Last Dance (1988) by Rock Y — 30 Aug 2007

This is easily the best version of Oscar Wilde's play out there, if only because it's a comedy. All other versions of Salome act as though the overly loquacious protestations of love and ridiculous tragedy are meant to be taken seriously and not tongue-in-cheek. Wilde wrote the play not as the supposed love poem that some "scholars" suggest, but instead as a parody of the melodrama popular at the time. Salome was the first camp classic and now Ken Russel allows us to experience as it was meant to be seen.

Later Richard Strauss would turn Wilde's work into the odd sort of psychological drama of his opera. And if that's what you want to see buy a version of the opera, don't try to force the play to become it. Allow for the play to be what it is.

Please Re-Release!