Ken Russell in Print

[BoyScoutKevin]

Well, that's it for now. I hope to come back to this topic later, but for now I am going on to a new topic.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Continuing . . .

Ken "ON FIRE!"

Inventiveness in . . .
. . .every frame
. . .every scene

Camera use in . . .
. . .crash zooms
. . .extreme close-ups
. . .rapid cranes
. . .tilted
. . .tracking shots
. . .upside-down

Nothing like this has been seen since the MGM musicals of the 40s and 50s. (Actually, I like Tommy better than those musicals.)

As for the album itself, 2nd only to the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper." Though, Tommy comes across as being the better film adaptation (IMHO.)

Now, there's an idea. Instead of Michael Schultz directing the film "Sgt. Pepper." What if Ken had been the director?

--Finis--

Next time: we'll see what else is available of Ken in book form. Though, I'd like to see Lair of the White Worm : Ken Russell : Bram Stoker : Pocket Movie Guide.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Tommy : Ken Russell : the Who : Pocket Movie Guide
2015

Ranks in the top 3 of Ken's films

Every element comes together beautifully, and everyone seems to be working at their best.

Yet it divides viewers, music fans, and critics.

As with many of Ken's films, many hate it, and many love it. (I love it.)

It is . . .
--over the top
--silly
--wild
--dynamic
--primitive
--glitzy
--violent
Just like Ken.

It is also . . .
proudly and bizarrely English
parochial and provincial
perverse and kinky
and shrill and hysterical.

To be continued . . .

[BoyScoutKevin]

Continuing with . . .

The Authorized Biography of Ken Russell
v. 1. Becoming Ken Russell
Paul Sutton
2013

The British film would make a good tragedy, as it went from enough money in the hands of people who knew films and cared about films into the hands of people with too little money, too little knowledge of films, and who cared even less about films. Of course, it'd would need to be directed by Ken Russell.

Ken expresses his fondness for the talents of Danny Boyle and Timothy Spall.

In 1912, Ken Russell's father worked on the Titanic between Southampton and Isle of Wight, where he got off. If he had not gotten off, then there might not have been a Ken Russell.

Ken wanted to do . . .
Pretty Boy Floyd with Gabriel Byrne and Matt Damon.
Ken wanted to do . . .
Edgar Allan Poe with Roger Daltrey

His cottage in the New Forest dated back to the 16th century and lasted to 2006, when it burnt down.

Paul Sutton's biography of Ken Russell is suppose to be 5 volumes, when it is finished.

Next time: Tommy : Ken Russell : the Who : Pocket Movie Guide

[BoyScoutKevin]

Continuing with . . .

Ken Russell on Screen
Chris Wade
2017

5 seconds into one of Ken's films, one knew it was a Ken film.

Billion $ Brain
--an early misstep

Women in Love
--Ken found his footing.

The Devils
--He came into a class of his own.

Tommy
--a re-definition of the musical

Altered States
--psychedelic sci-fi

Crimes of Passion
--psycho thriller

Gothic and Lair of the White Worm
--bonkers horror films

To be continued

[BoyScoutKevin]

Continuing . . .

Similarities
D. H. Lawrence
and Ken Russell

"Reading Lawrence can be difficult."
Watching Russell can be difficult.

"You have to be in the mood for Lawrence."
You have to be in the mood for Russell.

"People either love him or hate him."
People either love or hate Russell.

"He [Lawrence] fills most of his novels with sex."
Russell fills most of his films with sex.

And both Lawrence and Russell were ahead of their time.
Only later did readers appreciate Lawrence's skills as a writer,
and it took almost 29 years (1988 to 2017) for critics to appreciate Russell's Lair of the White Worm, or for it to go from Rotten to Fresh, as such things are measured.

Next time: a continuation of this or something new.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Women in Love : Ken Russell : D. H. Lawrence : Pocket Movie Guide.
2015

Lawrence's popularity in cinema was really launched by Russell's 1969 version of Women in Love.

Women in Love was not the only D. H. Lawrence work filmed by Russell. Russell did a TV miniseries of Lady Chatterley's Lover called Lady Chatterley in 1993 and a big screen film version of Lawrence's The Rainbow in 1989.

Both Lawrence and Russell attacked the institutions of the Church and religion.

Next time: similarities between Lawrence and Russell.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Continuing . . .

Lindsay Anderson's thoughts on Ken Russell. Both of whom worked on the TV movie "Prisoner of Honor" on HBO.

He admired Ken's ability to get a film made.

He was impressed by Ken's confidence.

And he thought Ken was a visual director, but not an actor's director.

To be continued . . .

[BoyScoutKevin]

Continuing . . .

Paul Sutton and Vivian Pickles
Six English Filmmakers
2014

Lindsay Anderson -- Charlie Chaplin -- Clive Donner -- Mike Hodges -- Ken Russell -- and Michael Winner

Lindsay Anderson and Ken Russell
Both made movies based on the theme of England.

Both, while primarily film directors, directed stage productions
--Lindsay directed the stage play The Long and the Short and the Tall with Peter O'Toole and Robert Shaw.
--Russell directed the opera Madame Butterfly.

Both made dissident pictures.

Both thought highly of Oliver Reed's acting ability.

To be continued: with Lindsay Anderson's thoughts on Ken Russell

[BoyScoutKevin]

Continuing . . .

Jeremy Mark Robinson
Tommy : Ken Russell : the Who : Pocket Movie Guide
2015

In the top 3 of Ken's films.

Every element comes together.

Everyone working at their best.

Yet divisive. Dividing those who love it, from those who hate it.

A film that is described as being . . .
wild
violent
silly
provincial -- primitive -- perverse -- parochial
over-the-top
kinky
glitzy
English
dynamic
and not subtle.

In other words, an ideal film for Ken.

To be continued . . .

[BoyScoutKevin]

Continuing . . .

Ken Russell
Directing Films
2001

Rare photos of Ken behind the scenes.

Rare photos of his family and the actors on location.

Very important basics of how to make a film filtered thru his personal reflections and his humor. Just like his films.

Russell replaced John Schlesinger as the resident documentary filmmaker at Monitor on BBC. From director to director.

To be continued . . .

[BoyScoutKevin]

Continuing . . .

Jeremy Mark Robinson
Ken Russell :
England's Great Visionary Film Director
2015

The writer hails Ken as the greatest filmmaker in Britain. Even now that Ken is dead the writer still hails Ken as the greatest living filmmaker, because there is no one else like Ken.

Ken's films are cascades of images, so many that one can't take them all in one viewing. Agree! As many times as I've seen Ken's "Lair of the White Worm," I still see something new in it.

The writer lists the 10 reasons he loves Ken's films.

The writer was inspired to write this book by Ken himself. Unfortunately, Ken died, ere the book was finished.

Here rambler stands in for boy scout or scout in Ken's "Lair of the White Worm."

Which reminds me of the Nat King Cole song "Ramblin' Rose."
"Ramblin' Rose" nipped in the bud.
"Where you ramble no one knows."  Character disappears into the white wyrm's maw. Most likely ne'er to be seen again.

To be continued . . .

[BoyScoutKevin]

Continuing . . .

Kevin M. Flanagan
Ken Russell :
Re-viewing England's Last Mannerist
2009

"Savage Messiah" and "Mahler" are considered to be two of Ken's most intimate and heartfelt films.

Maybe because they are regarded as two of his most autobiographical films.

Biggest commercial hit. "Tommy"

While he was making short films before this, his professional film career is regarded as beginning in 1959, when he joined the BBC.

To be continued . . .

[BoyScoutKevin]

Continuing . . .

Joseph Lanza
Phallic Frenzy
2007

Ken apparently experienced--personally--conflicts between the horrorific and the erotic, the neurotic and the visionary, the puerile and the profound. Just like in his "Lair of the White Worm" and his other films.

Maybe because he was so often a victim of sexual molestation. If what is said was true, then there was the man on the bicycle who flashed him. The Afro-American serviceman who flashed him in the forest. And the man sitting next to him, who fondled him, while they were watching Pinocchio in the theater.

While the subjects in Women in Love would be dealt with by Ken in his later films. It is considered one of his tamer films by some critics.

As for Valentino, Ken's opinion of his film have ranged from ambivalence to disdain.

When he attended the Royal Naval College in Pangbourne in 1941, the other cadets often accused him of having b.o. Like the boy scout in Lair of the White Worm, who is also accused of having b.o. by the villainess in the film, who then drowns him in her tub. Though, as far as we know, Ken was never drowned while taking a bath in the tub by the other cadets.

To be continued . . .

[BoyScoutKevin]

We have seen Ken in film. We have seen Ken on TV. Now, see him in print.

Richard Crouse
Raising Hell :
Ken Russell and the Unmaking of The Devils
2012

At least in one interview, he denied that The Devils was a horror film. If so, he'd be the only one.

The writer describes Ken Russell as . . .
--funny
--eccentric
--slightly cantankerous
--confounding
--unexpected
--entertaining
Just like his movies.

It is hard to believe, but come this year's November, Ken will have been gone 6 years.

To be continued . . .