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Topic Summary

Posted by: BoyScoutKevin
« on: November 21, 2012, 08:30:37 PM »

Clearly, "Lair of the White Worm" is the equivalent, if not the superior of the two films. But, if "Blue Velvet" is Lynch's best film or 2nd best film, then several of Russell's films are superior to "Lair of the White Worm." Yet, Lynch gets two mentions and Russell gets none. And that is because, while the film critics are safely ensconced in the box, Russell is working outside of the box. Mostly later in his career, but even early in his career. Thus, the question becomes "How do you get the critics to think outside of the box?"

Next time: You can't do that.
Posted by: Iain Fisher
« on: November 11, 2012, 08:34:00 PM »

Blue Velvet and Ken, though Crimes of Passion rather than Lair
" the commingling of sex, violence, and death treads obliquely on familiar Ken Russell territory"

www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/blue-velvet/Film?oid=3344211
Posted by: BoyScoutKevin
« on: November 10, 2012, 06:24:16 PM »

Continued from the last post.

Macguffins
Both films have macguffins to start the film.
Blue Velvet: the severed ear
Lair of the White Worm: the skull.

Mood
Both films have the same mood. Dark. Even in the daylight.

Music
Both films use music to tie it all together.
Blue Velvet: "Blue Velvet"
Lair of the White Worm: "The Lambton Worm"

Plot points
Both films at some point in the plot, have a f/m and f/f sexual assault.
Here, if "Lair of the White Worm" is not better than "Blue Velvet," it is bolder. The male victim in f/m is younger, and the f/f is not off-screen.

Sets and . . .
Both films make use of minimalist sets.

Set
Both films are set in areas that have seen better days.
Blue Velvet: the area is going backwards.
Lair of the White Worm: the area is never changing.

Snakes
Both films make use of snakes.
Both actual: a snake dance.
And symbolic.

Storyline
Both films have the same storyline. Something sinister is going on unseen underground.

Subjects
Both films cover the same subjects.
a.) Eroticism
b.) Sado-masochism
c.) Voyeurism

Timelessness
Outside of contemporary, both films cannot be set in any particular year or decade.

Vagina Dentata
Both films feature a vagina dentata.

Open ending
Both films feature an open ending.
Blue Velvet: Was it all a dream?
Lair of the White Worm: What will happen next?

Next time: Concluding comments
Posted by: BoyScoutKevin
« on: October 30, 2012, 06:43:51 PM »

In this corner, we have David Lynch's "Blue Velvet,"
and in this corner, we have Ken Russell's "Lair of the White Worm."
Both alike in similiarity, as we shall soon see.

Acting
In both films, the best acting is done by the villain or villainess.
Blue Velvet: Dennis Hopper as Frank Booth.
Lair of the White Worm: Amanda Donohoe as Lady Sylvia Marsh.

Casting
Both directors like to cast actors they used previously in their films.
Blue Velvet: Jack Nance, etc.
Lair of the White Worm: Imogen Claire, Christopher Gable, etc.

Characters
Both films have the character of a bent copper.

Cinematography
Both directors make good use of the close-up.

Comedy
While both films have their funny moments, "Lair of the Whte Worm" is probably the more humorous of the two.

Costumes
While both films are set in contemporary times, . . .
Blue Velvet: no significance to what the characters wear.
Lair of the White Worm: some significance to what each character wears.

the copper -- the female virgin (i.e. the nun) -- the male virgin (i.e. the Christian scout) -- the military man -- the older sister -- the Scotsman -- the seductress -- the servant.

Criticism
Both films were hated by film critic Roger Ebert.

Double entendre
Both films make use of the double entendre.

Editing
Here "Lair of the White Worm" is superior. For if, "Blue Velvet" is the more confusing of the two films, then part of the confusion is due to the way it was edited.

Flashbacks
Both films use flashbacks to move the story forward.

Heroes
Both films have heroes whose sexuality is questionable.
Blue Velvet: the hero is thought to be homosexual, "Have you come out of the closet yet?" but actually may be heterosexual.
Lair of the White Worm: the hero is thought to be heterosexual, but actually may be homosexual. The ending.

Lighting
Both directors use lighting to set mood.

To be continued . . .

Posted by: BoyScoutKevin
« on: October 23, 2012, 11:08:37 PM »

Every ten years the international film critics of the world poll themselves to find "The [10] Greatest Films of All Time," since it has been ten years since the last poll, they picked ten films they thought were the greatest films ever made. And not one of Russell's films were on the list. Nor were there any of Russell's films on the expanded list of the 100 greatest films ever made. Nor did any of the international film critics polled even select one of Russell's films. Not even the critics from the U.K. And not even Russell's "The Devils," which of his films is the one most likely to be picked. But two of David Lynch's films were picked: "Mulholland Drive" and "Blue Velvet."

Next time we will compare one of Ken Russell's films with one of David Lynch's films.