Women In Love

Bluesky

The BFI are releasing Ken Russell's adaptation of the DH Lawrence novel Women In Love, restored and in 4K. Alongside the film, the UHD disc contains several hours of special features.

Throughout Women In Love, Russell make use of intricately detailed sets, often gorgeously cluttered. Whether these are interior or exterior they never overshadow the actors. The film is shot in a naturalistic way that accentuates the performances of the actors. There are no outlandish cinematic expressions. It's not that Ken Russell can't do the outlandish - watch The Devils or Altered States. He is framing the skill and subtlety of the cast. Being able to see Women In Love in 4K means that the viewer can experience the nuances of those performances in a way that has not been possible for most people since the first prints were shown in 1969. They all deserve to be seen, especially Glenda Jackson's portrayal of Gudrun Brangwen, which won her the Oscar for Best Actress.

The disk comes with an array of special features. For the most part these are made up of archival material. There are two audio commentaries, one by Ken Russell and the other by Larry Kramer, the writer and producer of Women In Love. They both have a lot to say about the film and both of them have a style of delivery that is both amicable and entertaining.

There are a few interviews including a new one with Ken Russell's son, Alexander Verney-Elliott. Three old TV programs are also included. The segment from ATV Today on the set of Women In Love and the episode of The Pacemakers profiling Glenda Jackson place the film in the context of the late Sixties and early Seventies. The third is a documentary that Ken Russell made about himself for the South Bank Show. He has a lot of fun treating himself with less reverence than most documentary-makers could get away with.

Apart from the usual trailer and stills gallery there is one more feature of note, A short film featuring Alan Bates who costarred as Rupert Birkin in Women In Love. Second Best is a half hour adaptation of a DH Lawrence short story. It is the only film by Stephen Dartnell. It's not a particularly remarkable film and it has suffered from the ravages of time. Overall the BFI release is a very nice package. The restoration is good, and it packs special features that are worth watching. Its aesthetically in keeping with the film's original promotional material. The artwork for some re-releases that I have seen recently has been quite jarringly inappropriate. Here it is from the same artistic milieu as the film.