Lair of the White Worm from the Hosts of the Assault of the 2-Headed Space Mule

[BoyScoutKevin]

Miscellaneous questions

Did you notice that Sylvia = the hiss of the slithering snake?

What drives the plot?
A: The loss of the Trent parents is what drives the plot's motive and motivation for what happens.

When were yellow teeth, underarm hair, and unibrows fashionable?
A: Apparently, at the time that this film was made, as all appear in the film.

How large is the village?
A: It has a Chinese takeaway, a pub, and a taxi service like the 1-taxi town in Mark Billingham's "Time of Death," but . . .?! as the program hosts point out, except for the party, we seldom see any of its inhabitants.

Where would the village be located, if it was a real village?
A: 2 miles from Longdendale or Crowden-in-Longdendale and 8 miles from Langsett in Derbyshire.

Did you notice that the imagery in the fantasy scenes played out previously in real time in the live action scenes?

Does lover boy = boy lover?
A: Was Kevin (Chris Pitt) secretly a ladies' man, besides being a scout or boy scout? The program's hosts said if they were Kevin in his scenes with Sylvia (Amanda Donohoe), they'd be tongue-tied, have their eyes popping out of their heads, and have their ears turning pink from embarrassment, but . . .?! Kevin seems to be nonplussed in those scenes.

Next time: the strange affliction of Anton Bruckner.

[BoyScoutKevin]

The film is filled with . . .

Accents . . .
the upper class posh accents of Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe) and Lord James D'Ampton (Hugh Grant)
the regional Derbyshire accents of Mary Trent (Sammi Davis) and Eve Trent (Catherine Oxenberg) Both of whom were apparently dubbed.
the Scottish accent of Angus Flint (Peter Capaldi)
and the lower class London accent of Kevin (Chris Pitt.)

Religious imagery . . .
Christian
Hindu
pagan
Roman Catholic

Sexuality . . .
attempted seduction
bisexuality
gang rape
heterosexuality
homosexuality
incest
lesbianism
masochism
oral sex
pedophilia (in its broadest sense)
rape
sadism
seduction
voyeurism

Next time: miscellaney

[BoyScoutKevin]

Unknown before the film. Better known after the film.

Hugh Grant (Lord James D'Ampton)
Amanda Donohoe (Lady Sylvia Marsh)
Peter Capaldi (Angus Flint)
Catherine Oxenberg (Eve Trent)

I would also add . . .

Gina McKee (Nurse Gladwell)
who made her theatrical film debut in this film and

Chris Pitt (Kevin)
who under the tutelage of Ken Russell made his best and best known performance in this film.

And as Pitt played a character who was similar to him in age--actor 17, character 15--if this film supposedly happened in 1988, then Grant, who was born in 1960, probably played a character who was similar to him in age, or one who was also born in 1960. A character who probably, after graduating from some well known public school, attended a British military academy in the U.K., and graduated from that in time to fight, as a medaled paratroop officer, in the Falklands War of 1982.

Next time: This film is filled with . . .

[BoyScoutKevin]

Similarities between book and film.

Any similarity lies with the female characters more so than the male characters.

Eve Trent (Catherine Oxenberg) = Lilia
Mary Trent (Sammi Davis) = Mimi
Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe) = Lady Arabella March

There is no police constable in the book, and while the Scouts or Boy Scouts were founded in 1908, and the book was written in 1911, there is no Scout or Boy Scout in the book. There is, however, a butler, or, at least, an old faithful family retainer in the book, who does die in the book, as he does in the film.

Next time: unknown. better known.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Weaknesses
Again, typical of Ken's films.

An unsubtle style, which puts off some viewers.

His failure to explain what is happening.

Expecting too much from the audience.

Next time: similarities

[BoyScoutKevin]

Strengths
Typical of Ken's films

How he uses metaphors as plot exposition.

Believability
As unbelievable as it may seem, there are many moments of believability in it.
The archaeological dig
The relationships of the characters
etc.

He directs well, which allows the actors to be comfortable in their roles--for the most part.

He relies not on SFX, like so many other films, but on having excellent visuals.

He does not allow the camp in the film to be self-aware. For an example of self-aware camp see "Buckaroo Banzai."

He allows the material in the film to do its own thing.

He has created, in Kevin, a film character that is incredibly and almost unbelievably naïve, emerging on stupidity, but . . .?! yet he has created a character, for which one, including the hosts, has empathy. (A bit of Kev in Ken?)

And weaknesses.

Next time: weaknesses.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Best Scenes

Most jarring scene
The lab tech (Gina McKee) scene

Most 1980's scene
The scene in the car with Sylvia (Amanda Donohoe) and Kevin (Chris Pitt), especially with the head banging music playing.
Otherwise, the film is almost timeless. It could be the 1980s, the 1970s, and even the 1960s.

Scene with the best plot exposition (musical)
The band at the D'Ampton party playing "The D'Ampton Worm."

Scene with the best plot exposition (non-musical)
Any of the scenes with Sylvia and Kevin.

Most gory scene (fantasy)
Mary's (Sammi Davis) death at the hands of the witchdoctors.

Scene with the best character development
Again, any of the scenes with Sylvia and Kevin.

Most gory scene (non-fantasy)
Erny's (Paul Brooke) death by falling backwards and hitting his head on the sundial and putting out his 1 good eye.

Next time: strengths