Dorian Gray
Dorian Gray

Movie spotlight

Dorian Gray

1970
Movie
97 min
German

London, England. Dorian Gray is a young man who somehow keeps his beauty eternally, while a mysterious portrait of himself gradually reveals his moral decay.

Insights

IMDb6.2/10
Director: Massimo DallamanoGenres: Horror, Fantasy, Drama

Plot Summary

A stunningly beautiful young man, Dorian Gray, is persuaded by the corrupt Lord Henry Wotton to sell his soul for eternal youth and beauty. As Dorian indulges in a life of debauchery and vice, his portrait, hidden away, ages and decays, reflecting the true corruption of his soul.

Critical Reception

The 1970 adaptation of 'Dorian Gray' is a visually striking but often ponderous interpretation of Oscar Wilde's classic tale. While Helmut Berger's performance as Dorian is often praised for its hedonistic intensity, the film struggles with pacing and sometimes feels more like a series of decadent tableaux than a cohesive narrative. Critical reception was mixed, with some appreciating its stylishness and bold approach, while others found it lacking the psychological depth of the source material.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its decadent visuals and Helmut Berger's charismatic performance.

  • Criticized for its slow pacing and a lack of deeper psychological exploration.

  • Seen as a stylish, albeit flawed, attempt to capture the novel's themes of vanity and sin.

Google audience: Audience reception for this particular adaptation is not widely documented on Google platforms.

Fun Fact

This Italian-German co-production featured a notable score by the renowned composer Ennio Morricone.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

I wonder what the author would make of this? It's crass and vulgar, which might have tickled him, but is also entirely unsophisticated - and I doubt that would have amused him quite so much. It's got a very early seventies look right from t...