Ken Russell's LISZTOMANIA opened in the US in October 1975.  While not discussed often, it's a landmark movie, for it was the first release to utilize the revolutionary Dolby Stereo process, which provided a soundtrack with discreet left and right channels, plus a matrixed center channel for dialogue.  This track is available on the Warner Archive Collection DVD, and still packs a punch five decades later.  Rick Wakeman did a superb job of adapting Liszt's (and some of Wagner's) music for the film, and also has a small role as Thor (yes, *that* Thor!).

Russell was known for his unconventional (to put it mildly) cinematic biographies of famous composers and artists, and Lisztomania just might be the most outrageous of all of them (it *definitely* earns its R rating).  Depicting 19th-Century composer Liszt as a rock star is a solid backbone for the film, and its idea of music being used for nefarious purposes (via Paul Nicholas as Richard Wagner) is similarly intriguing.  The Who's Roger Daltrey plays Liszt, only seven months after playing the title role in Russell's Tommy!

Below are ten striking images from our archive.

Roger Daltrey as Franz Liszt and his admirers.  The real-life Liszt was known for having fans whip themselves into a frenzy at his concerts.

The one-of-a-kind director Ken Russell.

Roger Daltrey with Paul Nicholas as his musical rival Richard Wagner

Ringo Starr as The Pope, who tasks Liszt to "exorcize" the evil from Wagner's music.

Roger Daltrey as Liszt and Fiona Lewis as his wife, Marie d'Agoult.  Note the trim on Daltrey's jacket!

This shot of Daltrey essentially sums up the tone of the film.

Paul Nicholas as Richard Wagner uses his music to exalt the German "Superman" with the help of Liszt's daughter Cosima (Veronica Quilligan), who Wagner married in real life.  (The Wonder Woman-like "W" on their costumes stands for "Wagner" in the film)

Roger Daltrey as Liszt, Rick Wakeman as Thor, and Paul Nicholas as Wagner.

All the women in Liszt's life show up at the spectacular climax of the movie.

Ringo Starr and director Ken Russell behind the scenes.