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Dogboys and other TV films-2
1993 Lady Chatterley More D.H. Lawrence, this time his most famous novel Lady Chatterley's Lover which was the subject of a trial to prevent its publication. This is a TV mini-series, so Russell has four 50 minutes episodes to cover the story (some video releases are edited down). The television showing attracted a massive 15 million viewers.
Russell says "Lawrence frequently repeats his imagery. In Lady Chatterley there was a sequence which called for stallions. Well I'd done stallions already in The Rainbow, but I still had to convey the point Lawrence was making, so it was a question of coming up with a new way of presenting them...Nobody complains about Lawrence repeating himself, but if I did the critics would be after me at once" (from DVD notes). Russell's film is not particularly inspired. It is too restrained, and ultimately boring. Sean Bean and Joley Richardson (daughter of director Tony Richardson) are not particularly good. Russell regular Judith Paris has a role.
Xavier Russell is co-editor along with Alan Mackay and Ken operates the camera himself (credited as Alfred Russell). He has long objected to the poor quality of cameramen. Russell co-wrote with the producer Michael Haggiag. Stills photographer is Tony Russell. There are various Russell themes: the Lawrence adaptation, steam trains, kites, a body sinking under the water, the man in a wheelchair, a woman framed by a halo hat (Savage Messiah, Aria).
And only once does Russell strike out with a bold image:
1995 Ken Russell's Treasure Island A TV film of Robert Louis Stevenson's children's novel. "Ken Russell...wrote and directed this made-for-TV movie...like it was a Carry On film. Not to mention that villain Long John Silver is transformed into Long Jane Silver, a Madonna-like blonde with a peg leg. She and her pirate crew break into song at any cue on their quest for the buried treasure marked on a map belonging to a young boy. Faithful it's not, entertaining, that's hard to say. It's certainly different". The review is by Ryan K. Johnson and comes with permission from here.
The film stars Hetty Baynes as Long Jane Silver, Michael Elphick as Billy Bones and Gregory Hall as Jim Hawkins. Russell regular Georgina Hale plays Mum. Ken wrote as well as direct, Maureen Murray produced, Xavier Russell was editor. The director of photography was Hong Manley who did a number of films with Ken. It was a Channel 4 Christmas Eve special, but at the same time as the popular British comedy soap "Only Fools and Horses". It has since been repeated at least once.
1995 Alice in Russialand A documentary TV film about Russia and the Russians.
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