Savage Messiah: Ken Russell > Savage Messiah: Ken Russell

Lisztomania

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BoyScoutKevin:
Lisztomania - Roger Daltrey - Peace at Last (3:37)

It's been done better. Specifically in "Tommy's" "Pinball Wizard" scene.

And that is the specific problem with "Lisztomania," that I see. If this is the only Ken Russell film one has seen, then it may not be so bad, but in comparison with scenes from his other films, it fails badly.

Next time: Allison Anders on Lisztomania

BoyScoutKevin:
Lisztomania : Phallus Song Reaction (5:47)

Unfortunately, . . .
--the scene itself is not shown. We only get shown the reaction to the scene.
--we do not get the ages of the reactors (2 girls and a boy.)
--there is no 2nd reaction from those who saw it the 1st time, some 6 years before.

Fortunately, . . .
--from the laughter of the reactors, it seems to be a comedy scene that works. Maybe, because it is so absurd, even by Ken's standards.

Next time: peace at last

BoyScoutKevin:
Lisztomania "Pope Ringo" (3:36)

Roger Daltrey
Paul Nicholas
Rick Wakeman
and Ringo makes it 4.
Among Ken's films, probably only "Tommy" has more singers-musicians in it.

And why the bad acting?
If one has seen some of Ringo's other film performances, he is a much better actor, than what one sees here.

And Ken can get a good performance from some surprising actors.
For example: if one has seen some of Chris Pitt's other performances, the actor who played Kevin in Ken's "Lair of the White Worm," his performance there is probably his best performance to date.

Note Ken's seeming fondness for masculine looking women. Which seemingly date back to the time that Ken was working as a photographer.,

A scalpel works better than a sledgehammer. Here Ken uses a sledgehammer.

Next time: Lisztomania phallus song reaction.

BoyScoutKevin:
Lisztomania "Wagner's Exorcism" (4:21)

For an unsubtle director, Ken can be remarkably subtle. Except here. And (IMHO) the scene suffers from it.

It also suffers (again IMHO) that rarity in one of Ken's films--bad acting. Probably the worst to date in any of the clips I have seen so far. And probably--again--asking too much from the actors and their acting capabilities.

Next time: Pope Ringo

BoyScoutKevin:
Lisztomania "Devil Song" (2:56)

Lisztomania may not be a very good film, but in some ways it is a fairly accurate film. Whether what Liszt is wearing here is totally correct, I cannot say, but here it does point out how Liszt was a member of the 3rd Order of Saint Francis.

Female nudity
What is a Ken Russell film without female nudity? And here again he lays it out in spades.

Male nudity
What? They could not find an actor to appear nude in the film. That is one of the things about Ken's films. There is almost as much male nudity, as there is female nudity.

Next time: Wagner's exorcism.

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