: Visconti envisioned a nearly four-hour masterpiece .
Luchino Visconti’s 1973 epic, , is the final installment of his "German Trilogy" (following The Damned and Death in Venice ) and stands as a visually opulent, operatic exploration of the life and psychological decline of King Ludwig II of Bavaria . Production History & Restoration Ludwig(1973)
: After Visconti’s death, his collaborators bought the rights and negatives at auction to restore the film to its intended four-hour length . This version is now considered the definitive "perfect version" . Cast & Characters The film features a prestigious international cast: Ludwig (1973) : Visconti envisioned a nearly four-hour masterpiece