flippyshark
03-30-2009, 08:45 PM
I certainly had an interesting day today. I got to meet the notorious Ken Russell, director of Women In Love, The Devils, Tommy, Lisztomania, Altered States, Gothic, Lair of the White Worm, The Rainbow, Whore, and lots more. I've long been a fan, and as I mentioned on the Miscellaneous Movie thread, a good friend of mine has been driving/ hosting/ assisting Mr. Russell while he's in town for the Central Florida Film Festival. So, last week when I talked to Chris, I asked her to let me know if there might be some time or place I could oh-so-casually encounter the man without being too intrusive.
So, Chris tells me last Friday that Ken and his wife are very keen on seeing the Holy Land theme park here in Orlando. (It used to be run by the founder of Jews For Jesus, but is now owned by TBN - you may have seen the great big hair of Paul and Jan Crouch on the teevee.) I said to Chris that if such a thing occurred, I would leave my desk and pay park admission to witness such a bizarre confluence. Long story short(er), that's exactly what happened today.
Chris told Ken Russell and his wife Lisi that a friend (me) might be joining them at the park, and they were gracious enough to say okay to my tagging along. It was very casual. I made it my policy not to "interview" or in any way pester Mr. Russell, and I was 98% good on that policy.
Ken Russell is 82 years old, still writing, instructing young filmmakers at various universities, giving lectures and occasionally appearing on British reality TV shows. And he still makes films, but not at the big studios. He funds his own projects these days, and makes them on extremely low budgets at his own estate. These literal home movies show up online or on DVD, but they don't attract the attention or notoriety of his older work. (In truth, even loyal fans regard his recent films as a lark at best and an embarrasment at worst, not worth serious consideration as part of Russell's oeuvre. It's easy to see why, but I don't think Russell cares. He just likes to make films.)
Chris introduced me to Mr. Russell and Lisi as they waited for one of the major shows at Holy Land. Ken gave me a friendly nod and a thumbs up when Chris introduced me. In general, he was quiet and low key, but kind, and patient with having a stranger like me tagging along. Lisi was a delight, very bubbly, funny and sweet.
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/5889/shofar1.jpg (http://img22.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shofar1.jpg)
In this photo, Ken Russell and Lisi meet up with a fellow playing the shofar in front of a replica of the Qumran caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Mr. Russell really wanted to meet Jesus in person, but that proved unworkable.
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/7485/passionplay.jpg (http://img23.imageshack.us/my.php?image=passionplay.jpg)
Here is Jesus in the "Passion of the Lamb," which is quite a production, and probably deserves its own thread. Both Ken and Lisi found it impressive if jaw-dropping. Jesus doesn't stick around for autographs, though you can have "Last Supper" communion with him and his disciples at a separate "upper room" elsewhere in the park. (no joke) I asked Lisi if there was anything comparable to this back home in England. "Yes," she said. 'LSD."
The big show and a large exhibit featuring a giant model of ancient Jerusalem were all the Holy Land excitement our guests felt they needed. Mr. Russell wanted to go somewhere that he could get a (real) drink and some buffalo wings. So, off we went to The Wing House. (Yep, I also got to have lunch with them - very nice of them to let me come along.)
During lunch, we mostly talked about the park, and Lisi asked me questions about my own upbringing in both Pentecostal and Episcopal households. I also shared a little bit about my various Disney careers. (The two of them are going to the Magic Kingdom tomorrow - it will be Russell's first visit to a Disney park.) Ken was still rather quiet and reserved, and he was less than enthused about his next scheduled appearance - an interview at a local sex shop - the Fairvilla Adult SuperStore. "I don't really want to do that, do I?" he said, but it was too late to change.
I hope my presence today wasn't a nuisance. Chris did prompt me to tell Russell which of his films I liked best, and he patiently nodded and smiled, but honestly, he can't have cared too much.
On the other hand, he became quite animated when I mentioned that I had seen his recent short film "A Kitten For Hitler." (He made it essentially on a dare. British broadcaster Melvyn Bragg challenged him to come up with a script that couldn't possibly get made. When Bragg saw Ken's story treatment, he told Russell that if he were to ever make it, he would surely be taken to the nearest tree and hung. So, of course, Russell made it - in the form of an ultra low budget short - intended for the online Comedy Box website, it was quickly taken down. It's cheerfully offensive, and he took glee in pointing out that it had a "happy ending, very uplifting." I'll leave it to the reader's own discretion as to whether they want to track it down. It's very much not for everyone.)
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/5818/kenswinghouse.jpg (http://img13.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kenswinghouse.jpg)
After lunch, Chris took this picture of myself, Russell and Lisi. For them, it was on to the sex shop, and for me, it was on to the Sleuths Mystery Theater. I thanked them for letting me be part of their day, then asked Mr. Russell if he would mind signing the DVD of Tommy that I "just by chance" had in my bag. He did. It was very nice of him.
So, Chris tells me last Friday that Ken and his wife are very keen on seeing the Holy Land theme park here in Orlando. (It used to be run by the founder of Jews For Jesus, but is now owned by TBN - you may have seen the great big hair of Paul and Jan Crouch on the teevee.) I said to Chris that if such a thing occurred, I would leave my desk and pay park admission to witness such a bizarre confluence. Long story short(er), that's exactly what happened today.
Chris told Ken Russell and his wife Lisi that a friend (me) might be joining them at the park, and they were gracious enough to say okay to my tagging along. It was very casual. I made it my policy not to "interview" or in any way pester Mr. Russell, and I was 98% good on that policy.
Ken Russell is 82 years old, still writing, instructing young filmmakers at various universities, giving lectures and occasionally appearing on British reality TV shows. And he still makes films, but not at the big studios. He funds his own projects these days, and makes them on extremely low budgets at his own estate. These literal home movies show up online or on DVD, but they don't attract the attention or notoriety of his older work. (In truth, even loyal fans regard his recent films as a lark at best and an embarrasment at worst, not worth serious consideration as part of Russell's oeuvre. It's easy to see why, but I don't think Russell cares. He just likes to make films.)
Chris introduced me to Mr. Russell and Lisi as they waited for one of the major shows at Holy Land. Ken gave me a friendly nod and a thumbs up when Chris introduced me. In general, he was quiet and low key, but kind, and patient with having a stranger like me tagging along. Lisi was a delight, very bubbly, funny and sweet.
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/5889/shofar1.jpg (http://img22.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shofar1.jpg)
In this photo, Ken Russell and Lisi meet up with a fellow playing the shofar in front of a replica of the Qumran caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Mr. Russell really wanted to meet Jesus in person, but that proved unworkable.
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/7485/passionplay.jpg (http://img23.imageshack.us/my.php?image=passionplay.jpg)
Here is Jesus in the "Passion of the Lamb," which is quite a production, and probably deserves its own thread. Both Ken and Lisi found it impressive if jaw-dropping. Jesus doesn't stick around for autographs, though you can have "Last Supper" communion with him and his disciples at a separate "upper room" elsewhere in the park. (no joke) I asked Lisi if there was anything comparable to this back home in England. "Yes," she said. 'LSD."
The big show and a large exhibit featuring a giant model of ancient Jerusalem were all the Holy Land excitement our guests felt they needed. Mr. Russell wanted to go somewhere that he could get a (real) drink and some buffalo wings. So, off we went to The Wing House. (Yep, I also got to have lunch with them - very nice of them to let me come along.)
During lunch, we mostly talked about the park, and Lisi asked me questions about my own upbringing in both Pentecostal and Episcopal households. I also shared a little bit about my various Disney careers. (The two of them are going to the Magic Kingdom tomorrow - it will be Russell's first visit to a Disney park.) Ken was still rather quiet and reserved, and he was less than enthused about his next scheduled appearance - an interview at a local sex shop - the Fairvilla Adult SuperStore. "I don't really want to do that, do I?" he said, but it was too late to change.
I hope my presence today wasn't a nuisance. Chris did prompt me to tell Russell which of his films I liked best, and he patiently nodded and smiled, but honestly, he can't have cared too much.
On the other hand, he became quite animated when I mentioned that I had seen his recent short film "A Kitten For Hitler." (He made it essentially on a dare. British broadcaster Melvyn Bragg challenged him to come up with a script that couldn't possibly get made. When Bragg saw Ken's story treatment, he told Russell that if he were to ever make it, he would surely be taken to the nearest tree and hung. So, of course, Russell made it - in the form of an ultra low budget short - intended for the online Comedy Box website, it was quickly taken down. It's cheerfully offensive, and he took glee in pointing out that it had a "happy ending, very uplifting." I'll leave it to the reader's own discretion as to whether they want to track it down. It's very much not for everyone.)
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/5818/kenswinghouse.jpg (http://img13.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kenswinghouse.jpg)
After lunch, Chris took this picture of myself, Russell and Lisi. For them, it was on to the sex shop, and for me, it was on to the Sleuths Mystery Theater. I thanked them for letting me be part of their day, then asked Mr. Russell if he would mind signing the DVD of Tommy that I "just by chance" had in my bag. He did. It was very nice of him.