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Savage Messiah: Ken Russell => Savage Messiah: Ken Russell => Topic started by: BoyScoutKevin on June 30, 2015, 10:27:06 PM
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Not his own children with whom he seemed to have a good relationship--for the most part.
Nor the young actors and actresses he worked with in his theatrical films.
But . . .?! the characters that are children in his theatrical films.
Introduction and definitions
Abuse
While some of the incidents to be mentioned are clearly abusive, others might be questionable as abuse. I included them, because if they happened in real life, instead of a fictional film, they'd make me uncomfortable.
Abuse (types)
S=sexual
P=physical
E/M=emotional/mental
Children
A character that is 18 or under, or, at least I believe is 18 or under. Of course, some of the actors and actresses playing these characters are over 18.
Extras
While some of the child characters are seen as extras in the films, I have, for the most part, ignored these to concentrate on individual characters. Unless, I can remember no individual characters, then the extras are included.
No
No children in the film. At least, I do not remember any children appearing in the film.
None
No child abuse in the film. At least, I do not remember any children being abused in the film.
Unseen
Theatrical films of Ken, which I have yet to see.
Next time: unseen and no.
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Unseen
French Dressing
Crimes of Passion
Whore
Trapped Ashes
No (or, at least, I remember no children appearing in these films)
Billion Dollar Brain
The Boyfriend
Valentino
Gothic (no living child)
Aria
Next time: Extras
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Extras
None
(or, at least I don't remember any child abuse occurring in the film.)
Women in Love
Savage Messiah
Some
M/E
the blindfolded boys and girls being led astray by Wagner who has arisen as Frankenstein's Monster.
And hindsight being 20/20, thus as Hitler would lead the boys and girls of Germany astray in the next century.
Next time: individual films
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The Music Lovers
the Von Meck Twins (Dennis and John Myers)
No
The Devils
the king's pageboy/catamite (Unknown)
S: the king
To be continued . . .
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Continuing . . .
Mahler (1974)
Young Mahler (Gary Rich)
M/E: his peers
M/E: his father
P: his father
The boy in the sailor suit at the train station (Unknown)
No
One of the more interesting scenes in Ken's films, if only, because it does not seem to work, at least for me. Is that because it's . . .
a. Unoriginal. Copying a scene from "Death in Venice" (1971)
b. Less bold than that scene and many of Ken's other scenes.
c. Both of the above.
d. Neither of the above. Some other reason.
Tommy (1975)
Young Tommy (Barry Winch)
M/E: his stepfather
P: his cousin
S: his uncle
When did Tommy chronologically leave childhood and reach adulthood? Still, he seemingly remains a child, emotionally, through out the film.
To be continued . . .
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Continuing . . .
Altered States (1980)
Margaret Jessup (Drew Barrymore)
No
Salome's Last Dance (1988)
Pageboy (Russell Lee Nash)
M/E: the sexual hot house conditions under which he lives and works
S: Wilde
Salome/Rose (Imogen Millais-Scott)
M/E: the sexual hot house conditions under which she lives and works
P: the workers at the whorehouse
Unlike most of the children in the films, who are victims of sexual abuse, from what John the Baptist/Bosey says, she may have been a sexual abuser, who abused him.
To be continued . . .
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Continuing . . .
Lair of the White Worm (1988)
Kevin (Chris Pitt)
M/E: Sylvia
P: Sylvia
S: Sylvia
The Rainbow (1989)
Schoolboy (Paul Reynolds)
P: the teacher
Next time: the statistics
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Children
Boys: 9 (83%)
Girls: 2 (17%)
Total 11
Abused
Yes: 7 (64%)
No: 4 (36%)
Total: 11
Children abused
Boys: 6 (86%)
Girls: 1 (14%)
Total: 7
Abusers
Strangers: 2 (17%)
Stepparent: 1 (8%)
Someone known: 6 (50%)
Relation: 2 (17%)
Parent: 1 (8%)
Total: 12
Abusive acts
M/E: 6 (40%)
P: 5 (33%)
S: 4 (27%)
Total: 15
Children abused by more than 1 type of abuse
Yes: 5 (70%)
No: 2 (30%)
Total: 7
Children abused by more than 1 abuser
Yes: 4 (57%)
No: 3 (43%)
Total 7
Next time: final thoughts
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For all the abuse he is believed to have received from his father, who is also believed to have abused his wife, Ken's mother, and Ken's younger brother, only once in his theatrical films, in "Mahler," does he show a parent who is abusive.
Dead children
Besides . . .
Salome's Last Dance
Lair of the White Worm
Also . . .
Mahler
Tommy
Gothic
Next time: Ken Russell : Bit of a Devil