A visual feast.

Made in 1988, the Belgian movie ‘Le Maître de Musique’ dispels the oft held belief that there is no such thing as the Belgian cinema. Directed by Gérard Corbiau it is a lush, visual masterpiece. The story of a great baritone who retires and grooms two star pupils to once again defeat an old nemesis whom he himself bested in a singing duel years ago, it is replete with image after image that any photographer will warm to.

It doesn’t hurt that the whole thing is made on Fuji Film and set to Mahler, Verdi and Schubert. As befits the greatest baritone of his day, José van Dam does his own singing and superb acting, the latter understated to a degree that will never capture modern attention spans. But if there’s an overpowering reason to watch this movie it’s for the luminous beauty of Anne Roussel who has one of those faces a camera adores. An exceptionally beautiful woman, and ably supported by the darkly sensuous Sophie Fennec as van Dam’s accompanist and factotum.

The movie has long been out of print but DVD copies are available from Amazon US on a regular basis, which is where I got mine, having worn out the VHS version! It’s in French with available English subtitles, but you really don’t need to understand the words to enjoy the movie.

The cocoon image, the second below, is a straight take on the opening to Ken Russell’s expressionist masterpiece ‘Mahler‘ (1974). Also unavailable. What is it with US movie studios? Those familiar with Andrew Wyeth’s painting ‘Christina’s World’ (1948) will see it in the third picture below. And if ever photographs could be styled ‘Mahlerian’ well, the last two have it in spades.

Best of all, if you are into Mahler and Verdi, you are in for a real treat.