Savage Messiah: Ken Russell > Savage Messiah: Ken Russell
Ken writing in The Times
Iain Fisher:
In The Times today, 8 May 2008, Ken writes about the Pan Gaea festival
www.pangeaday.org
described as "Pangea Day is a global event bringing the world together through film... In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film...Starting at 18:00 GMT on May 10, 2008, locations in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked for a live program of powerful films, live music, and visionary speakers. The entire program will be broadcast – in seven languages – to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones...The 24 short films to be featured have been selected from an international competition that generated more than 2,500 submissions from over one hundred countries".
Ken singles out Jehane Noujaim- you can see her Control Room on youtube. He also praises D.A. Pennebacker including his documentary on Dylan Don't Look Know. Incidentally the new DVD of the film, with an second DVD of goodies, is really good and well worth buying (well, if you like Dylan).
Iain
Iain Fisher:
As well as his regular column, on 20 Mar 2008 Ken Russell was one of the people paying tribute to the film director Anthony Minghella.
Ken's tribute is quite personal "I grew up on Minghella's dad's ice-cream in Rhyde, Isle of Wight" And some good insights "His films were romantic in a very English sense and that's why he appealed to the Hollywood studios- stiff upper lip, elegant sex".
Ken ends, "He's welcome (as in Truly, Madly, Deeply) to come and watch videos in my living room anytime".
A good tribute from one director to another.
Iain
Iain Fisher:
--- Quote from: spasmo on February 22, 2008, 07:44:02 AM ---Land of the Blind is available for streaming on Youtube in eleven 10 minute parts. It's a straight to video film in every aspect but a bit more original than the current big budget blockbusters. Though its theme can be interpreted as anti-American, it's still an American movie: that means it's not enough clever for me – too simple and calculable. Acting is average, sometimes quite bad. Some of the imagery is very "russellish", so I understand why the maestro found it interesting. It could have been a much better film if it were English and had been shot by Ken...
--- End quote ---
I just finished watching it on Youtube. A strange film, lots of potential, especially given the actors Donald Sutherland, Ralph Fiennes and Tom Hollander. But the story, of a political prisoner who comes to power and then proves as bad as the dictator he replaces, is done in a predictable way. I kept recognising scenes done better in other films, from 1984 to Kiss of the Spider Woman. Not a bad film to watch once, especially if it is on Youtube for free, but not a film I would really want to watch again.
I did like the idea of the new left wing/communist government announcing the from tomorrow the traffic lights would change and green would be stop and red go, as red was the colour of progress.
Thanks again for the Youtube tip.
Iain
Iain Fisher:
--- Quote from: spasmo on March 07, 2008, 10:01:43 AM ---I've always thought that Welles was a much better actor than director. He is purely brilliant even in small but important roles (like in the nowdays little known, though very effective and moving Stuart Rosenberg-drama, Voyage Of The Damned). Citizane Kane has never succeded to win me over. I accept that from a technical point of view it's a groundbreaking effort, but the story is too simple and boring. I've found his obscure adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello a lot more interesting in every aspect. It's a film I can truly recommend to everyone who loves "uneven" movies.
--- End quote ---
I really like Citizen Kane. As you say it is technically groundbreaking, but I also found it profound and moving, with lots of scenes I remember. And a good political undertone with the isolation of Kane reflecting the neutrality of America before it entered the war.
I have problems with Othello, both the Welles version and the Olivier version, namely white people "blacked up". It now seems so unreal that I have difficulty seeing beyond that. I don't have Welles version but I will try and watch it again, see if I change my mind. Welles was of course superb as an actor in The Third Man, and he demonstrates his power in Peter Brook's King Lear, but for every Catch-22 there is also a Muppet Film. He must have despaired at the stuff he had to accept.
As a director I really like Kane, Chimes at Midnight, The Trial, Macbeth (with its faults) and F for Fake. Things like Ambersons and Touch of Evil I keep alternating between "love it" and "pretentious".
Iain
donald farmer:
Ken writes that another of his hospital dvds was GROUNDHOG DAY with Bill Murray.
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