A disturbing psychedelic gangster movie filmed in 1968 and released in cinemas in 1970 - two dizzying hippy years to say the least. NME's Don Watson wrote that this was in his words -'..the best British film ever made..' as it explored themes of 'class and British style violence'. Rich in voluptuous erotic psychedelism and 'Eastern promise'; the cinematographer Roeg shows flair with 'time, space and truth' which he later showed with The Man who fell to Earth (1975) starring David Bowie. Mick Jagger is 'Turner' - a rock singer who has lost his 'duende' and plays mind games with an enforcer called 'Chas' -(tall,sandyhaired Old Harrovian actor James Fox) on the run from the London mafia who hides out in Turner's Chelsea lair. Some of the imagery is fascinating - Jagger strutting with flair while brandishing a long fluorescent light-strip; a sensual naked menage-a-trois between Jagger, Pherber (Anita Pallenberg) and Lucy (thin chestnuthaired French actress Michelle Breton) in a bath; images of comely blonde German-Italian sex-pot Pallenberg; oriental props and patchouli atmosphere etc. London actor Johnny Shannon who plays gangster boss, Harry Flowers, starred in Slade in Flame in 1974 playing the agent Mr Harding. Donald Cammell had invited Brando to play the part of the gangster but the American star preferred to be involved with Burn! (Queimada!);'..everything with Marlon takes forever', Cammell was quoted as saying.
Review of Performance
