The Great McGonagall DVD, 1974

A divine piece of pink string and ceiling wax cinema from the post something or other (but mostly the other) school of filmmaking. It is at times perplexing, Godardian... more >

A divine piece of pink string and ceiling wax cinema from the post something or other (but mostly the other) school of filmmaking. It is at times perplexing, Godardian but always hilarious. Dare I suggest 'The Great McGonagall' also evokes tragic beauty? Yes I do. Because of the biopic's eccentricity sympathy and empathy for the poet comes to the fore. Amongst other things (in one moment the film stops for retake after retake and we get to hear director Joe McGrath at work) there is a scene where Spike Milligan plays Macbeth in a Japanese Samurai outfit. Macbeth in a Samurai outfit? Hmmm. Now that sounds like a good idea for a Kurosawa film. An anarchic work of genius. < less

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