With a three prong attack, these ten scenes show why Russell is such a great director.
(1st) His imagination.
Gothic
The all-seeing boob, which he'd continue with in "Trapped Ashes" with the all-biting boob.
(2nd) His boldness
Women in Love
Only the second or third film to feature full frontal male nudity in a mainstream film. and which would continue with his next film "The Music Lovers," which would be only the second or third film to feature oral sex in a mainstrea film.
Lair of the White Worm
The scenes with Amanda Donohoe (Lady Sylvia Marsh) and Chris Pitt (Kevin.) There have been other films in which a child is sexually assaulted then slain, "The Green Berets," "The Reckoning," "2020 Texas Gladiators," etc. but for the most part, this has happened off-camera, but the scenes in Russell's film happened, for the most part, on-camera.
Salome's Last Dance
In 1992, "The Crying Game" had a character who everyone thought was a woman, but turned out to be a man, and everyone went "Whoa!" But four years, before that, Russell did the same thing in "Salome's Last Dance." Same thing, but earlier.
(3rd) His skills
There are other directors that are equally imaginative and bold, such as Claudio Fragasso in "Troll 2."
Seductive villainess. Check
Teenage boy. Check
Seductive villainess seduces teenage boy. Check
Teenage boy shows some skin. Check
Seductive villainess kills teenage boy while having sex with him. Check
But, whereas Fragasso cannot seemingly . . .
direct actors
write
use a camera
edit
light a scene
Thus, making the scene a weaker scene. Russell can . . .
direct actors
write
use a camera
edit
light a scene
making the scene a stronger scene.
Next time: Mahler
