Savage Messiah: Ken Russell > Savage Messiah: Ken Russell
Questions. We Have Questions.
BoyScoutKevin:
Of course, as always, I appreciate your answers to my questions. It's good to get someone's opinions on one of my favorite subjects.
And yes, I have more questions upcoming. And these will not be on Ken's films, but on Ken himself and his fans. But there are a couple of Kenish Russellian subjects I want to discuss, before I post anymore questions.
Iain Fisher:
--- Quote ---I think we can all agree, that the two sequels to "The Ipcress File," do not come up to the original, but of the two sequels: "Funeral in Berlin," and "Billion Dollar Brain," which was directed by Russell, which one is the better sequel?
--- End quote ---
I am afraid I think Ken's film is really bad, so Funeral in Berlin gets my vote.
Billion Dollar Brain just lacks a sense of adventure and tension, so it plods on. Even the references to Soviet film maker Eisenstein (the army on the ice as the ice breaks) doesn't work. I can't think of an "action film" by Ken.
The action parts of Altered States are the weaker parts (the strong parts are the visual imagery such as in the cave with the tribesmen). Whore maybe comes close in term of genre but again it is more a thoughtful film.
Iain Fisher:
"And that's that."
No more questions? It is always fun to look at aspects of Ken and his work, and you come up with different persepctives. Some more please.
Iain Fisher:
"Who is the hero in [Women in Love]? Rupert Birkin (Alan Bates) or Gerald Crich (Oliver Reed?) Or, are they both the hero? Just opposite sides of the same coin".
Maybe I am biased but for me Glenda Jackson is the person the film revolves around (my bias is I like her as an actress in film and on stage, not that she is my member of parliament!!). Then Bates and Reed are both perfect in their roles. Of course Reed is higher in my affection just because of all he did with Ken.
Alan Bates was a very underrated actor. A very shy and modest man, he deserved more credit then he got generally.
Ollie was also a very shy and modest man... no he wasn't. I read the biography Evil Spirits- until almost the end, his drinking affected his private life (very sad), but not his professional life. I am still amazed he got a million for Gladiator.
Iain Fisher:
--- Quote ---Is it possible to like both Russell's film [The Boyfriend] and Wilson's play, or are they so different, to like one is to dislike the other?
--- End quote ---
I've not seen The Boyfriend on stage (if I get a chance I will) though I guess I will be a bit disappointed. Conversely I can imagine if you love the musical on stage it will be hard to see it chopped into pieces with another plot running through it, as the film does. Actually I'd love to get a lover of the musical to give their opinion. The musical ran for over 2000 performances (according to Wikipedia) but isn't performed much now. Neither is The Boyfriend.
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