poor journalism

[Iain Fisher]

"Ken Russell's bonkers adaptation of The Who's rock opera Tommy".  Does Pete Townsend liking the adaptation of his work still make it bonkers?  The poor journalism is by Brent Furdykoct, 27 Oct 2024 in Grunge.

He does seem keen on sensationalism even if the facts are against him. He talks of Oliver Reed drinking 126 pints of beer within a single 24-hour period, but has to admit Reed's biographer said the accuracy of that count was questionable.

On Jack Nicholson he talks of the extreme use of cocaine, then admits Nicholson's girlfriend Anjelica Huston says Nicholson's use of the drug, despite assumptions, was never as extreme as people may have thought.

The writer seems to cover the sleaze area of celebrity but without the wit and incisiveness of for example Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon.

https://www.grunge.com/1683964/actors-partied-way-hard/

[Iain Fisher]

Another example of unthinking journalism that still haunts Ken Russell.
In a short but positive mention of Altered States, Guy Lodge comes out with the usual cliches.
"Ken Russell, already established across other genres as a true artist of bad taste..."   Of course he gives no example.

The article is in The Guardian, 26 Oct 2024, click here
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/oct/26/streaming-the-substance-and-the-best-body-horror-for-halloween

Thankfully the BFI's reissue of quality recording of Russell's films with thoughtful extras, and the recent scholarly books Ken Russell Interviews, The Films of Ken Russell and London's New Scene bring a more intelligence and knowledgeable approach.

[Iain Fisher]

An example of the sort of poor journalism that haunts Ken's work.

The article is about music videos.  Despite saying “we take a look at music videos from notable directors” he brings in Ken Russell but doesn’t mention (and may be unaware of) Ken’s music videos such as Elton John’s Nikita and Cliff Richard’s She’s So Beautiful.

He does however  talk of “the sacrilege of most of the films of people like Ken Russell”  I am not sure he actually understands the meaning of sacrilegious- the Cambridge Dictionary gives it as “treating something holy or important without respect”.  Certainly The Devils, but Ken’s D.H. Lawrence films?  Far less The Boyfriend. Far less Nikita.

Ignoring the poor understanding of sacrilege.  He talks of a video In A Glass Cage (Tras El Cristal) by AgustĂ­ Villaronga and describes the plot as “The victim takes on the role of the Nazi's caretaker, and decides to torture him and follow in his footsteps as a pedophiliac murderer”.  I’ve not seen it so can’t comment on its merits but does the subject matter (which he sees as sacrilegious) really compare to Ken Russell’s work?

The article is by Theodoor Steen ,Screen Anarchy,  6 Mar 2023, click here
https://screenanarchy.com/2023/03/sound-and-vision-agusti-villaronga.html