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This is the better of the two 'Clouds of Glory' films that Ken Russell did for British television in the late 1970's. The story is about Samuel T. Coleridge and his inspiration for writing 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'. His inspiration, it seems, was a severe addiction to opium and a desire to kill his wife. David Hemmings is excellent as Coleridge and the supporting cast is fine as well. Russell has fun with Coleridge's opium binges and employs some great camera work, making the film rise above standard TV fare. Russell is, unfortunately, one of the most undisciplined directors of the 1970's. Some scenes appear awkward and it is unclear if Russell did this on purpose, or if he was merely being sloppy. This is truly disappointing because in some of his feature films, like Mahler, Altered States, or even Tommy, he displays a perfectionism much like Kubrick. Russell's knack for visuals is on display here though, and that makes 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' worthwhile.
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