History Film / Lisztomania

* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler: Cosima gleefully helped her husband brainwash children into becoming Nazis, resurrected him after Liszt had barely managed to exorcise him, happily led the brainwashed children into following Hitler-Wagner on his genocide of the Berlin Jews and then murdered Lizt, her own father, via voodoo doll seemingly just because. Nonetheless, she is reunited with Liszt in heaven and is not held accountable for everything she did when she was alive in the slightest, because Liszt's music apparently saved her soul.]]

* ContinuityNod: In Russell's 1974 film ''Mahler'', Cosima Wagner had already appeared in one notable sequence, being portrayed as one of those Germanic {{Valkyries}} with a ''[[PuttingOnTheReich Stahlhelm]]''. Consequently, the "W" sign on that now appears on the belt buckles of the children.

* GagNose: When the Pope disguises himself as a monk, all that's visible from [[InTheHood under his hood]] is his large nose.

* DisposableWoman: Happens to Countess Maria and her children, aside from Cosima, when they were comedically blown upped during the May revolution.

* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler: Cosima gleefully helped her husband brainwash children into becoming nazis, resurrected him after Liszt had barely managed to exorcise him, happily led the brainwashed children into following Hitler-Wagner on his genocide of the Berlin Jews and then murdered Lizt, her own father, via voodoo doll seemingly just because. Nonetheless, she is reunited with Liszt in heaven and is not held accountable for everything she did when she was alive in the slightest, because Liszt's music apparently saved her soul.]]

* PuttingOnTheReich: Played with, but up to eleven. While Wagner's castle is modeled after a ''Stahlhelm'' and the [[spoiler:resurrection procedure]] factually ''is'' a Nazi rally. On the other hand, the Wagner-educated children don't wear uniforms, but appear in [[SuperheroesWearTights Superhero Tights]].

* DisposableWoman: Happens multiple throughout the movie. Like an audience baby mama tried to make Liszt to acknowledge then never seen again, Countess Maria and her children, aside from Cosima, were comedically blown upped during the May revolution, Princess Carolyn from Russia was denied to be married to Liszt then was never seen again until the Gainax Ending, the princess's chorus, and a lady who slept with him after his failed Chasity.

** The most blatant example portrays Liszt and Wagner meeting other composers of their era. As Wagner just finished his opera ''Rienzi'', this could take place around 1842. However, Creator/JohannesBrahms would be a 9-year-old child, yet he is portrayed full grown with an epic beard. On the other hand, Music/FelixMendelssohn is shown as a 33-year old elderly man.

* TakeThat: At one point, Liszt puts out some arrogant boasts against Creator/{{Johannes Brahms}}:

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: In that this movie will make only slightly more sense if you watch it while reading Wiki/TheOtherWiki on Franz Liszt. Although one could make the argument that the psychedelic imagery are just insane metaphors for what happened in real life.[[note]]For example, the real life Cosima and Wagner were very much into the whole racial superiority craze getting big in Germany and after Wagner's death, Cosima took control of his legacy, including creating a festival dedicated to his music. Said festival eventually evolved into a Nazi rally by the 20th century. You can maybe find that in this movie if you squint.[[/note]]

* CoolStarship: [[spoiler:The one which Liszt uses to kill Wagner the second time.]] A {{Zeerust}} rocket ship modeled a whole after a giant Bird of Paradise, with wings made from organ pipes and armed with multiple laser beams [[spoiler:that is powered by the energies of Liszt's former lovers]]. Woah.

* CoolStarship: [[spoiler:The one which Liszt uses to kill Wagner the second time.]] A {{Zeerust}} rocket ship modeled a whole after a giant Bird of Paradise, with Wings are made from organ pipes and armed with multiple laser beams [[spoiler:that is powered by the energies of Liszt's former lovers]]. Woah.

* CoolStarship: [[spoiler:The one which Liszt uses to kill Wagner the second time.]] Modeled a whole after a giant Bird of Paradise, with Wings are made from organ pipes and armed with multiple laser beams [[spoiler:that is powered by the energies of Liszt's former lovers]]. Woah.
* GainaxEnding: In which [[spoiler:[[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext Liszt reunites with his daughter in heaven - even though she was the one who killed him by stabbing a voodoo doll of him after resurrecting Richard Wagner (actually a vampire who Liszt trapped through the power of a musical exorcism) as Hitler through the power of Frankenstein's magic - whereupon they all fly down from Heaven to destroy Wagner-Hitler-Frankenstein in a {{Zeerust}} spaceship after he kills all the Jews in Berlin.]]]]

* EldritchStarship: [[spoiler:The one which Liszt uses to kill Wagner the second time.]] Modeled a whole after a giant Bird of Paradise, with Wings are made from organ pipes and armed with multiple laser beams [[spoiler:that is powered by the energies of Liszt's former lovers]]. Woah.
* GainaxEnding: In which [[spoiler:[[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext Liszt reunites with his daughter in heaven - even though she was the one who killed him by stabbing a voodoo doll of him after resurrecting Richard Wagner (actually a vampire who Liszt trapped through the power of a musical exorcism) as Hitler through the power of Frankenstein's magic - whereupon they all fly down from Heaven to destroy Wagner-Hitler-Frankenstein in a magic spaceship after he kills all the Jews in Berlin.]]]]

* PuttingOnTheReich: Played with, but UpToEleven. While Wagner's castle is modeled after a ''Stahlhelm'' and the [[spoiler:resurrection procedure]] factually ''is'' a Nazi rally. On the other hand, the Wagner-educated children don't wear uniforms, but appear in [[SuperheroesWearTights Superhero Tights]].

* TheCameo: Several, as some actors of prior Russell films make uncredited appearences.

** The soundtrack by Rick Wakeman operates many themes of Liszt and Wagner. Would you have expected something else?

* AllStarCast: Musical stars, that is.
** [[Music/TheWho Roger Daltrey]] as Franz Liszt.
** Music/RingoStarr as the Pope.
** Rick Wakeman (of Music/{{Yes}}) as Thor.

** Music/RingoStarr as The Pope.

''Lisztomania'' is the story of classical composer Music/FranzLiszt in the context of him being the first big "pop star". Take that and the fact that it's written and directed by Creator/KenRussell of ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' fame, and that Roger Daltrey of Music/TheWho stars as Liszt, and you have one big {{Mind Screw}}.

* GainaxEnding: In which [[spoiler:[[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext Liszt reunites with his daughter in heaven, even though she was the one who killed him (by stabbing a voodoo doll of him after resurrecting Richard Wagner as Hitler through the power of Frankenstein's magic), whereupon they all fly down from Heaven to destroy Wagner-Hitler-Frankenstein in a magic spaceship after he kills all the Jews in Berlin.]]]]