Great Series, Burton at his Best

I heard of this series but had never seen it. It is now available on youtube, in four separate chapters of nearly 2 hours or more each. There may be more to the series, longer chapters, let's say, but the four that are now available provide plenty to see and plenty to think about. In too many films Richard Burton was a joke, an overbearing blowhard, a parody of a 'great' actor. Maybe he was a drunk and maybe he just did not care anymore, Elizabeth Taylor having sucked the life out of him. However, with 'Wagner,' near to the end of his life, he redeemed himself. He is entirely believable as the obsessed megalomaniac German composer. Burton makes Wagner likeable despite, the composer's rotten, selfish behavior toward near everyone he comes in contact with. Throughout, Wagner's music is played as counterpoint to what is going on with Burton's performance. The series has been criticized as too long, but on youtube you can watch it at your leisure, simply stop it when it seems tiresome and pick it up when you feel like it. Not long after 'Wagner,' Richard Burton would make his last film, '1984,' a perfect capstone to the magnificent work he presented as Germany's premier composer. Watch both 'Wagner' and '1984' to see what good acting and great story are all about. You won't be disappointed.