Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Valentino Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 7, 2016

To put Ken Russell in charge of anyone’s life story is asking for trouble. The notoriously mischievous director, a man who asked Ann-Margret to roll around in a pile of baked beans for “Tommy,” takes on the legend of silent movie star Rudolph Valentino, trying to remain somewhat respectful for as long as possible, easing mass consumption of the 1977 picture. However, it doesn’t take long before Russell’s instincts are unleashed, transforming an admittedly odd viewing experience into a fantasia of elaborate sets, costumes, and old Hollywood personalities. “Valentino,” which isn’t entirely rooted in truth, is difficult to digest, with terrible performances and general storytelling indecision hobbling the extravaganza, but with a mute button handy, Russell’s visuals do stand out, permitting viewers a chance to explore his unique creative approach, even when it’s all wrong for the project.

An Italian immigrant with hopes to conquer the world, Rudolph Valentino (Rudolf Nureyev) arrives in New York City, exploiting his good looks and dancing ability with various women, becoming a gigolo to help make money. Romancing forbidden lovers and tasting scandal while making his way to Los Angeles, Valentino eventually bewitches screenwriter June Mathis (Felicity Kendal), who pushes him to greater heights in the film business, where he soon becomes entangled with actress Alla Nazimova (Leslie Caron) and settles in with industry player Natacha Rambova (Michelle Phillips). With carefully selected roles that accentuate his overflowing sensuality, Valentino quickly becomes a box office sensation with roles in “The Sheik” and “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” though Rambova helps to define his stardom, turning the man into an icon. Facing questions of masculinity and popularity, Valentino becomes consumed with outside opinion, with his impulsive manner threatening to destroy him.

“Valentino” doesn’t start at the introduction of a life. Instead, Russell and co-screenwriter Mardik Martin (adapting the book, “Valentino: An Intimate Expose of The Sheik”) work backwards, opening the picture with Valentino’s funeral, which attracted mass hysteria from female fans looking to collect a piece of the screen star. The subject’s fame is the first piece of this iffy puzzle, which quickly establishes flashbacks as its method of storytelling, tracking memories from various women who reflect on their tumultuous time with the actor in front of predatory members of the press.

Period details dominate “Valentino,” finding Russell more interested in how the film looks than how the film plays. Teeming with glorious costumes and heavily ornamented sets, the feature establishes a visual personality immediately, which ends up being the sole reason to sit through the effort. Russell is game here, trying to whip up excitement about Valentino’s early years as a seductive force of nature, using his natural skills with dance to help warm up partners. Characterizations are highly theatrical, trying to match the material’s silent movie mood with broad displays of emotion. “Valentino” often plays to the back row, smothering nuance required to inspect a few obsessions in the star’s life, including a nagging question of sexuality, with most industry players assuming Valentino is gay. The screenplay doesn’t crack the code, but it remains fixated on homosexuality and Valentino’s determination to become as American as possible, only lacking precision when it comes time to solve a few of these puzzles. Russell would rather tend to feather placement on costumes than really dig into provocative concepts of shame and denial that appear to drive Valentino into excess and flashes of red-hot anger.

“Valentino” is colored brightly by a lively supporting cast, but it’s killed by overacting, including William Hootkins, who portrays a particularly crazed, cheek-quaking version of Fatty Arbuckle. It’s difficult to tell what Russell is aiming for with this particularly abrasive performance. However, sinking the whole endeavor is Nureyev, an iconic Russian ballet dancer portraying an Italian film star, who doesn’t have the seasoning required to project the sophisticated feelings churning within Valentino. It’s a stiff, awkward performance, downright robotic at times, but it does come alive when opportunities arrive for Valentino to prove himself on the dance floor, giving Nureyev a chance to showcase the real reason why he was cast. Valentino is supposed to a glowing light of sexuality and desire, but Nureyev doesn’t have the training to make critical moments count, always more mindful of his wavering accent than his screen presence.

Valentino Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation has the benefit of bright cinematography, with Russell setting out to blast the frame with ornate production achievements and significant light. Delineation doesn't have to put up much of a fight, with evening encounters and dense fabrics surviving. A softer sense of detail is protected throughout the viewing experience, exploring adequate facial particulars, including sweaty close-ups and broad make-up choices. Costumes and sets are also textured, permitting examination. Colors are secure, handling period hues well, while ample skintones are natural. Source encounters some pockets of debris and mild scratches, but no overt damage is detected.

Valentino Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is a little on the quiet side, requiring a boost of volume to bring it up to comfort. Dialogue exchanges are acceptable, preserving intelligibility, through a few lines are threatened by wonky looping efforts and hectic group scenes. Scoring is secure and supportive, while more identifiable selections on the soundtrack register with clarity and muscle, adding to the picture's mood. Atmospherics are lively, with party scenes and visits to various film sets and studios alive with distant activity.

Valentino Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Tim Lucas.

• "Trailers from Hell" (3:21, HD) takes on "Valentino," with director Bernard Rose ("Candyman") sharing his fondness for the feature's wild visual style and Nureyev's maligned lead performance.

• "Silent Years: Films from the Collection of Paul Killiam" (17:08, SD) is an undated television program featuring Orson Welles, who introduces various movies from the era, sharing anecdotes and personal history along the way. Welles never met Valentino, but there's respect for the screen legend's work, walking through his filmography while sucking on a cigar and discussing what the "young people" think. Clips from Valentino efforts are also included.

• "Valentino's Funeral Procession" (3:03, SD) observes the controlled chaos of the 1926 event, where 100,000 mourners arrived to pay their respects, with visitation lines stretching as far as the eye can see. A coffin transfer to the west coast via train and shots of noted attendees at a second funeral are also included.

• Trailer (2:02, SD) for 1922's "Blood and Sand" is offered.

• Animated Montage (1:08) collects a handful of behind-the-scenes pictures that showcase Ken Russell in command of the production.

• And Trailer A (1:42, SD) and Trailer B (3:04, SD) are included.

Valentino Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Russell teases ideas on the deconstruction of fame, the manufacturing of myth, and the prison of expectation facing the famous (depicted, but cringingly so, in a scene where Valentino is humiliated during a stint in jail). However, "Valentino" rarely follows through on anything provocative or insightful, primarily keeping to surface details. Of course, such screen bustle is precisely where Russell excels, but his touch is numbed here, unable to create a living portrait of a man known primarily through silent images.