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Ken Russell art life dreams
Art,
Life, Dreams There are only three film makers in the history of film that inspire me to obtain every single work that they ever created by any means necessary; Orson Welles, David Lynch, and Ken Russell.
‘Citizen Kane’ was Orson Welles’ baby. That film was HIM, more than any other film he directed. As an artist, I feel that the most intriguing, most fascinating subject matter in the world can fall flat, if it is not portrayed in an intriguing, beautiful way. I love that film, because it bridged the ‘gap’ between art and life in a way that I’d never seen. Welles had complete creative control over the production of it, and it shows from start to finish. You can quite literally take ANY random frame from it, and the composition will be impeccable.
And if Orson Welles was the bridge between art and life, then David Lynch is the bridge between art, life, and dreams. His work is simply paranoid, obsessive-compulsive film making at it’s dizzying best.
And what about Ken Russell? Well, I feel that his work is all of that and more; a bridge between art, life, dreams...and ME! Although Ken Russell’s films are about a wide variety of subjects, I feel that they are mostly about people; brilliant, creative, eccentric, largely misunderstood people, presented in a way that is not only beautiful and surreal, but intensely intimate, personal, and non-judgmental. It is apparent to me that Ken Russell is someone who truly, dearly loves people. You can see it in the way he captures all of the subtle nuances that make people fascinating and lovely (even when they’re behaving in a MOST unattractive manner), and makes repeated viewing of his films not only enjoyable, but increasingly rewarding. I don’t know how many times I’ve been watching one of his films for the umpteenth time and said something like; ‘I never noticed how she smirked at him back there in the background when he said that!!’ This, of course, is pure magic, and is sadly lacking in most American films these days, which seem to be geared toward viewers who are hungry for the obvious...for the blatant. These same viewers would probably dismiss the scores of UK films that DO have this subtle quality, such as ‘Sunday, Bloody Sunday’ and ‘prick up your ears’ (which star 2 ‘Russell actresses’, Glenda Jackson and Vanessa Redgrave, respectively) as ‘quaint little English movies’. It makes me sad that so many people miss the point of these films, and particularly of Ken Russell’s films, but honestly, it makes me like them even more. When I watch a Ken Russell film, I feel like it was made for me (and my freaky friends, of course)! And speaking of my friends, in spite of all of our differences, one of the main things that binds us together is music. Music has always been very important to me, and apparently to Ken as well. It seems that Ken has ALWAYS been in touch with what is new and vital not just in music, but also in the various trappings that music promotes in culture. From the longhairs in 'The Devils' to 'Tommy' to 'Salome's Last Dance', which starred Siouxsie Sioux as Queen Herodias, and Daniel Ash as John the Babtist...HA HA, just kidding, but you see what I mean. Is it just a coincidence? I think not!
The same is true for Ken Russell's films, only his treatment of the subject matter is daringly, and refreshingly, irreverent. He seems to love to mix the very old with the not-so-old with the modern in a way that is fascinating to me. I think that he does this not to remind us that there's 'nothing new under the sun', but to remind us that the truly beautiful and brilliant spark of creativity is NOT held by the constraints of time, and in doing so, links people not only to each other, but to those who have come long before. That concept is very comforting to me.
Loren Hall
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