The Angels, Poppy and Marilyn Monroe

The Eyesight  to the Blind (ETTB) scene is where Tommy starts to go from "very surreal" to "too freaky"  in the best ways possible. Few film sequences have ever accomplished such a complete parody of organized religion in this manner and ETTB is the only parody in which a major mythic Hollywood goddess is the God. This sequence in many ways was the final seal on the endless Monroe worship strata. 99% of those is on the charts and the top of the box office today will be long, long  forgotten in well under fifty years time yet a glance at nearly any Uni dorm wall and Monroe's picture is on there.

Interestingly enough, ETTB in Ken Russell's film of Tommy pre-dates MTV, cable TV, the internet and even many PinUp collector conventions where Monroe is the model and the unreachable goal post. The iconic sequence has it's genesis in an earlier film script of Ken's, a follow up to The Devils called The Angels about false religion and icon worship of female starlets. He wrote it somewhere in between Savage Messiah and Tommy. The film was going to also include a critique of American race relations and themes but was deemed so "out there" (even for Ken) by Warner Brothers that they passed. When Ken and Pete T started working on the script for Tommy The Film it was amazing how much of The Angels already fit right in. Poppy was a female character modelled after Monroe combined with an Ann-Margaret style pop songstress.

The Earth without Ken Russell is boring, unfair, baffling and...

... what it is.

We still have each other and our memories which is all we truly own.

The Worship of False Gods....

...is ALWAYS going to be fun if Ken is involved! This next week we'll look at this entire scene up close. For now enjoy some of the OX's WICKED Bass fills!

WARNING: SUPER AMANDA IMPERSONATOR ON FAKE PRO-LADY GAGA BLOG

Lady Gaga Project is a Fake from Celeb Crush.

(Update Feb 5 2012: The psycho Madonna fan became scared after a tweet from Madonna's manager/hair dresser Guy Oseary and removed the Fake Lady Gaga fan blog. They also followed me over to The Sun UK comments, forgot to log in and out as "kazir" and "Dirtydawgg" while they were pulling their transparent BS. Anyway, they will surely be back and we'll have their real identity soon. The fact that Madonna's manager did not deign to question the veracity of such a mocked up site shows the extent of his baffling ineptitude regarding the net.)

(Update Feb4 2012: The fraud is now linking a fake 'super amanda' account to my blog in the comment threads at the Madonna fan run "HELP Mother Monster Blog/Lady Gaga Project".  If you clicked on the link they illegally posted and were brought here do know THAT IT IS NOT ME POSTING ON THAT BOGUS BLOG. I AM NOT PART OF ANY LADY GAGA BLOGGER. I do not want Madonna to die or be injured etc. Should be obvious by how many pro-Madonna comments they are letting through and how many fake and brand new "accounts" are posting that it is nothing more than a lame, sick joke.)

As previously stated, I have a psychotic Madonna fan stalking me who can't accept I dislike their talentless corporate icon. You can see a few of their sick comments in the recent threads below telling me to "kill myself". They impersonate me on Salon, Huffington Post, Perez Hilton, Facebook, You Tube, IndieWire and many other websites. It has been going on for about a year or so. As a US Born , US citizen ,I FULLY support their right to LEGALLY say whatever they want about me, mock me, lampoon me, call me names etc but falsely claiming I'm a "criminal" and impersonating me is ILLEGAL.

Now that "Peter Buchanan"  (the fraud Examiner rabid Lady Gaga hating "music critic" who ended up being a sock puppet madonna fan account using a photo stolen from a Uni Prof. in Wyoming), was exposed the most recent and pathetically transparent attempt is the aforemetioned "Help For Monsters Blog".  It is such an obvious Crypto-madonna fan blog that it is a joke.  They are libellously claiming that I,  Super Amanda,  suggested they "offer money for negative madonna posts".  A TOTAL LIE! The give away is that they are asking for Huffington Post comments. (Sorry, NO ONE under 30 wastes their time on Huffington Post).
They also have an "email" contact address so I'll contact them and then they'll get my email. No dice.

I am one of the only bloggers to criticize Madonna using their real name. I deplore and mock her decades long, insipid media choke hold and symbiosis. I DESPISE HER HYPOCRISY FOR RIPPING OFF OTHERS FOR DECADES TOO.  Truly, if she had never stolen from so many people I like I could care less but stealing ideas and basing your fame as a self anointed "artist" around the gym and other people's work stinks. I feel Madonna is the prime reason for pop culture's sad nosedive and the rise of meaningless "celebrities", bad Pop bubblegum and personal trainers in place of Rock, RnB and Soul. Flea Dip who runs the Madonna Blows Chunks site and I may have very different religious and political views but I deeply respect her for being literally being the sole voice online to challenge Madonna's media juggernaut and the low life culture it has spawned. And neither of us are avid Lady Gag fans!


Anyway the piece of shit stalker's days of anonymity are numbered and I legally have the right to post their name and contact details when I get them which I will very soon :)

FREEDOM OF SPEECH FOREVER!

(The Anti-W.E.: Dance of The Seven Veils banned until 2019 by decree of The Strauss family)

Ann-Margaret 's Pin Up Couture in Tommy - Designs by Shirley Russell

(And we are back folks. While I still don't believe he blasted off for infinity, it would be a disloyalty to Ken's staggering legacy and the collective consciousness if we just stopped or tapered off here. I'm now blogging about Ken indefinitely and as often as possible. Please go to Ken's official website, Savage Messiah, and his Official Facebook Page for news including links. Back to Tommy. Back to Baba. Back to Ken. A tired and paranoid planet needs his joy and we miss him while we celebrate.)


(We welcome you to Bernie's Holiday Camp and some of the most marvellous 1950's reproduction clothing ever created. As usual a huge thanks to America Buddha and their screen caps library of Ken Russell's film of Tommy.)


With so much reproduction vintage and Pin Up clothing everywhere you look these days it is easy for even bona fide fashionistas to forget what any drag queen, retro-burlesque artist or clothes -horse collector can tell you; that less than a decade ago all these great swing dresses, crinolines, corsets and rompers you see today were very hard to find and impossibly expensive. Once upon a beaded cardigan, if you actually found your size it often fell apart or had to be altered. A magazine would show a handmade item and you'd never be able to find it. You'd see a picture of a Shaheen wing bust dress or a Cole of California playsuit, dream of having it recreated custom made and quickly find that dream was only for the very wealthy. Now with the internet and especially ETSY,  vintage repro and custom CAN come true for anyone. Of course to stand out in a sea of  Heartbreaker and Hell Bunny, the best design inspirations come from films and easily the best reproduction 1950's couture in any film is seen in the childhood sequences in Tommy.

When Shirley Russell, the Edith Head of British costume design, created these masterpieces, it was the mid 1970s and just as she'd flawlessly and exuberantly brought the whimsical late 1920s and 30s to life in The Boyfriend, she hearkened back to the British 1950s with equal aplomb. It is clearly evident from many art, fashion, music and films from the1970s, that both the 1920s and the 1950s saw major artistic revivals. Yet where Grease and America Graffiti are all itchy lettermen sweaters and stiff crinolines, the designs for Tommy are fluid and sensual. And while Cha Cha DiGregorio's prom dress (worn magnificently by the recently departed Annette Charles) is one very hot masterpiece (complete with attached matching panties) the rest of Grease features mostly costumes that scream "1950's costume" with the clothes literally making the characters what they are. Unlike Olivia New John's black spandex, Shirley's costumes for Ann melt into the scenery and are actually wearable, making Ann's character, Nora Walker especially believable. (Remember both films are musicals with Tommy having zero dialogue). Nora dramatically ages in the film and goes from the teenager in love wearing tweedy fell pants to pensive early 1950s British Post war widow to nouveau riche chrome camp goddess to doomed alcoholic cult greeter.

( Surely in heaven starring as Aldonza in Ken' Russell's  film of "Man of La Mancha' with Jesus Christ as Don Quixote: Annette Charles 1948-2011)


As for Annie Margaret she is, along with Rita Moreno, perhaps the only true "singer, dancer, actress"  in Hollywood history. Her talent as an actress in Tommy goes leaps and bounds beyond her fabulous hourglass figure and what most of her peers could have done with the role. Ken, known to have a relatively casual coach of actors on the set, was given by AM a performance that includes camp, sadness, adroitness and a female vibration so powerful that no actress should attempt the role on screen again.

Ann-Margaret's  Pin Up Couture Wardrobe From Tommy:


1.Palest Mint Pastel Green  Tropical Print Swing Dress with Crossover Bust

2.Sky Blue  and White Gingham Halter Romper/Swimsuit with matching scarf & attached skirt

3.Pale Blue Floral Ball Gown with Pink Roses on an Organza Overlay (my personal favourite)

4.FlameRed fold over origami wing bust swing dress with spaghetti straps, Bow belt with long centre sash and white batik style roses on the skirt.


5.Cornflower Blue Atomic Galaxy print swing dress with elbow length sleeves and plunging portrait collar neckline

6.Bright Red Asymmetrically tiered pleat crepe floor length Christmas hostess gown 3/4 sleeves and plunging Statement Neckline

(all five dresses are worn with a crinoline or hoop skirt for volume. DO enlarge pictures to see the details)

1. The Holiday Camp arrival dress is more a look. Nora has a shell hat, crochet gloves, dazzling day jewellery, ivory open toe pumps and a pink handbag  (see first photo above). As it was in this era, the working class of both sexes in Britain all dressed smartly. Yet she's also a widow and a single Mum who is still very young, romantic and justifiably naive. The Green Coat has already chatted her up ("I'm in chalet number 11") and she's not even unpacked. The dress has that wonderful wrap bust that flatters anyone with a subtle floral print. This ensemble says "I'm young and fetching but not easy".

2. Ken now has Nora in the ultimate Pin Up Playsuit; wholesome and staying joyously a float with Frank's eager help. This is the most light hearted gingham romper ever! Though seen only in retro-style Pin Up photography these days, you can actually swim in one of these and most are so well made that they still hold up. Nora's is in my preferred playsuit cut as a small waist, wide hips and long legs like I have don't rock a boy cut nearly as well as an attached full skirted micro-mini. During the "Lovely Legs Contest"  which Nora wins,  Ken ensures that the other bathers (most likely married women) wear boy cut suits while she stands out almost like a water ballerina, the only one in a matching head scarf . As Tommy cheers nearby and Frank Hobbs passive aggressively comes on to her she looks particularly vulnerable.
(I reversed the order of the last two pictures so you can see the suit clearer)

3. We now cut to a glittering ballroom with Nora in a lavish formal evening gown. She is getting caught up in being desired after being alone for so long. Once again Nora is dressed as the picture of class; her hair is swept up and decorated with a pink rose to compliment the floral embroidery on her organza gown and set off her dazzling earrings. The gown is floor length with wide regal shoulders and a flattering mid cut neckline. The look can easily be misread as "Easter Lamb" after she's so easily seduced in her holiday chalet later that night but she clearly told Frank "until I'm one my heart won't rest..." This scene breaks the "Frank Hobbs is evil and Nora Walker is a victim myth" regarding Tommy and establishes that these are two people falling in love. (In this scene you see a haze which looks like cigarette smoke but it was in reality the pier itself they were filming on had caught on fire! The whole crew was evacuated needless to say and Ken included the exterior shots in the final part of the film.

4. And the newly marrying war widow bride wore scarlet with pride! Love how Ken has Nora bouncy and cheerful  in flaming red the day after her one day relationship was consummated. No walk of shame here.  The dress is a classic take on the Shaheen wing bust but with the points worn delicately up. Between the batik scattered white roses and the long sash (rarely seen in reproductions today), black hose and pumps,  the whole ensemble (nearly sans jewellery) has that oriental minimalist feel so popular in the 1950s. Oliver Reed makes the ultimate ageing Ted down to the brothel creeper soles come to life with each swagger. Perhaps picking up psychically that his step father's ensuing folly will ultimately lead to a labyrinth of pain and mis-adventure for his young mind,  Tommy loudly announces the plan for his own camp "when I'm big" to his oblivious folks.

5. Now he is deaf, now he is dumb, now he is blind and now they must save face after shocking him into severe autism. Russell has the family inside a tunnel walking in step like troops. What better way to paint the image of the "perfect family" then outfits made from the same whimsical and carefree print?! I see sun eclipses, atomic looking nine pins, stars and all manner of merry futuristic things. I love how Nora is not corseted and pushed up and out. She's natural and feminine. Honestly, those two get a bad rap; they were in love and had no idea that Tommy's father would return. The murder of course was wrong but it was also a crime of passion.

6. With it's extensive ruffled portrait collar, hoop skirt and seemingly endless pleated tiers, this lavish but stiff Christmas gown below signifies that Nora is now fully entrenched in keeping up appearances. This is the diamond accentuated transition piece for now after this scene, nearly all of Nora's clothing will over the top/ nouveau riche, futuristic and decadent- the 70's via the year 5555. Nora is now scarlet for good and we leave her lavish vintage pin up wardrobe to climb the mountain and find excitement on our own wish-lists.

In honour of those who tirelessly researching, sewing , creating and thus carrying on the loving tradition of Shirley Russell (aka The High Priestess and Alchemist of Vintage Costume), I've included a list of what I feel are today's première bespoke and Pin Up clothing revivalists:
(All made in the UK and the USA of course.)

Fables By Barrie  Made in San Diego. I am confident that there is nowhere on earth with more beautiful and dazzling whimsy and such flawless customer service. My Tolie Du Jouy one piece will be rockin this summer!


Dainty Rascal Reproduction Vintage does not get any better outside of  Pinewood Studios. Almost a dozen of Marilyn Monroe dresses lovingly recreated are just the start-Suzy Berricone can do anything. Expect her to be a major player in the international fashion someday. Made in beautiful Sonoma County.

Tara Starlet Creates the UK's premier vintage reproduction clothing. Whereas many of the big names in Pin Up Clothing  go for a  hyper-buxom 1950s Varga look, Tara Starlet offers clothing for the more mysterious, sensible, modest and wholesome. Designs are historical (Land Army dungarees), professional (30s and 40s suits you can wear to the office) and of course Sailor Pants in a dozen colours. Clothing for all sizes and body types UK sizes 6 (US 4) through 16 (US 14).

Bernie Dexter  There is most likely no one in the Kustom Kulture scene today who is more knowledgeable about vintage clothing and furnishings than uber and omnipotent Pin Up model Bernie. She offers a very precise collection of gorgeous clothes that all work together as well as shoes, lingerie and even an Ebay store with a wide variety of vintage treasures. If you are on the taller and busty side, be sure to size up and her designs will fit wonderfully.

In Ken's Spirit...

I am thankful for many things and must acknowledge two of them this morning. Firstly that Ken Russell left a very clear example for artists and those interested in his art alike to follow: be yourself. Religion or gurus can help guide you but the ultimate purveyor is yourself and the art that moves and inspires you. All influences should be seamless and having regrets while being unapologetic is part of life. Originality DOES still exist. And secondly I am everlastingly thankful for my number one fans and friends Par Nordstrom and Grace Isme. I am so thankful for you both. Your generosity and kindness, loyalty and humour means so much to me.

(We keep missing Ken below with best friend and folk singer Barry Lowe the Oliver Reed of Grosewood Films)

This alone, if nothing, is worth your memory. Ken Russell....

1. Did not die in hospital. He was at his home sleeping peacefully.

2. Had more than "one hit film".

3. Worked continually and prolifically in stage, photography,  film, television, writing and journalism in a career spanning well over sixty years. 

4. Was thee FIRST major Hollywood/ arthouse/mainstream artist to radically and intelligently challenge the Catholic Church. No one has come close since.

5. Broke down barriers for women, Gays, lesbians, bisexual, transgendered and straight people both on and behind the screen. 

6. Uncredited major influence in The Cell, Black Swan, Amadeus, Immortal Beloved, Moulin Rouge and countless other films.

7. Disproportionately attacked by mainstream media and powerful critics who often claimed scenes existed that simply were not in his films.

8. Catalyst for sparking the revival of Edward Elgar. 

9. Largely responsible for inaugurating the BBC as a (once anyway) world class creative force in the moving image. 

10. Supported other artists throughout his entire career. 

11. Only major Hollywood director to see a major Hollywood studio release banned for almost 40 decades in not only its original but it's edited form as well. 

12. Was thee FIRST major Hollywood/ arthouse/mainstream artist to radically and intelligently mock Nazi Germany and Nazi sympathizers. 

13. Pioneer of the big budget music video.

14. NOT THE END!

My Greatest Honour As a Performer. Thank you Ken Russell

In sadness there is hidden treasures. A few days ago, I joined the London Times and was shocked with joy and honoured to see that in August of 2008, Ken Russell kindly gave me a long mention, (the third paragraph from the end) in one of his lively columns. Ken's mention is an honour, especially as a "Bulgarian" so please share it with me. (Can't link to his piece because the Times makes you pay.) Truly, I had no idea. I was working non stop in London and had little time to read The Times despite knowing of Ken's column. I may not have met him but to know him is to love him. 

Thank you Ken, happy I could entertain you and Lisi.



My adventures in cyberspace, where it's all about me

Ken Russell, London Times
August 26 2008 12:01AM

On my first exploration of the internet I found myself represented in myriad guises, some of them true

To me the computer might as well be something to play with in the bathtub. But now the siren call of knobs and whistles and a vast territory down the rabbit hole beckons. I've heard that they're selling a picture of me on eBay with a dubious signature. It occurs to me that I might be able to auction off my recently extracted back molar. Time for homage to the great Moloch in my upstairs office.

Like Tommy, the eponymous hero of my film, hooked up inside the Acid Queen's Iron Maiden, I am more or less plugged in by my wife to the basic tools: mouse, cursor, keyboard, the Google search engine.

Looking out of the window for inspiration, I find myself confronted by a gaggle of garden gnomes. So I type in “gnomes” and end up in Elftown.com, where I am cast as a 6ft elf of bluish tint who lives in a magic tree. I immediately refuse all promotions to town council or garbage collection and assert my identity as a singing bard named Mugwump. Let the trolls do the hard work.

Then I'm back to Google. Typing in “goddesses”, I am pulled into a wonderful world of postage stamp-sized pictures of semi-clad, winged women and sacred feminine images. Hmm, this woman with a head like the Chrysler Building looks interesting. A click leads to House of Mercado.com - “an entertainment boutique”. Images slide past of an avant-garde dance troupe dressed in shiny silver techno-suits.

I'm starting to feel queasy. My old reference points are dissolving. I've punched another button leading me to clipmarks.com and the scientific news that visible mutations in the iris of the human eye are linked to poor impulse control. Quick look in the mirror. My iris looks like a powderpuff. Is that good?

Next click to “actors”. I punch in Oliver Reed, and there is a banned still from the nude wrestling scene in Women in Love showing the continuity girl holding a ruler and admonishing Oliver for disappearing behind a screen between takes to give nature a helping hand in a contest of manhoods with Alan Bates.

Now let's try Tony Perkins, whom I worked with on Crimes of Passion. Click and there he is, marrying Ken and wife No2 on the Queen Mary during a break in filming. He was all for the idea but was not ordained. I informed him that he could become a fully paid-up minister of the California Life Church for $5. Bogus? I'm afraid not. As I found out when I tried to divorce my wife sometime later, it was totally legal and binding.

What does the web say about me? Let's start with a Ken Russell reference at something called www.jibjab.com, posted by “dan”. Oh, dear. It's an animated collage of Barbra Streisand and me dancing in hula skirts and coconut bras in Hawaii, fondling our belly buttons and each other. Disturbing yet compelling. Both our bodies have chest hair.

Here I am on YouTube, on Rutland Weekend Television: Pommy - “a spoof of Ken Russell's Tommy” by Monty Python's Neil Innes and Eric Idle. I'm dancing in tight trousers and 6in platform heels, demanding obeisance to my films and preening in song: “I'm a concrete jungle boy”. Catchy tune.

How about the video on YouTube and www.music.songtoday.com - Today is Boring Film Society: the Devils by Ken Russell? Twenty-year-olds pouring out of a viewing room, being interviewed for their thoughts. A charming vote of confidence from an appealing lad: “Ken Russell - I like him - he's a f***ed-up individual.”

Which leads me to the excellent blog by Mark Kermode on bbc.co.uk/blog called Devils Across the Deep Blue Sea, exhorting the DVD release of my film The Devils as a British masterpiece that has been withheld from the public. Brings tears to the eyes.

And here's a site - a myspace.com page using my name! Calls himself “Uncle Ken”. I'm an 81-year-old film-maker with a new autobiography coming out (true) and whose interests are classical music, psychosexuality, crazy zooms and primary colours (also true). Tony Perkins sings in a clip on the website; Joshua Ben Joseph plays while you read text. I'm getting mail from Pasolini, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Aldous Huxley and Alain Resnais! Very cool! Must write back...

Back to Google. My identity is fragmenting with excitement. My third ex-wife is suing her mother's dead lesbian ex-lover. My current wife Elise is lauded in songs all over iTube by several famous songwriters. And here's a love letter just for me in video! Though Shalt Have No Other Boobs Before Me - for Ken Russell. Amanda from Bulgaria, in black rubber, elucidates her “Ken Commandments” to the tune of Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries. She caresses a Ken doll representing her favourite director, pops its head off and tucks said head deep into her cream-puff cleavage. Apparently her site is popular. She also does strange things while lying on a red rubber ball, backside in air, gyrating to Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No2. Obviously a homage to my musical biopic Lisztomania.

Google again, and I begin to encounter lies. “Mighty Mark Lawson” reports that I did a striptease on TV to raise money for a film. Another story says that I'm directing a gangster film starring Robert Carlyle, Kevin Spacey, Ray Winstone and Twiggy (a dream cast, but not true). And that is not my signature on the autographed picture for sale on eBay - but I promise my actual, signed back molar will be for sale on eBay in a week. So start bidding.

After a day in cyberspace, I feel I could dive anywhere, find anything. I'm a natural for this sort of addictive treasure hunt. Here's a net interview in which I find fault with “reality - there's too much of it about”. Virtual reality - that's what I'm after.

Rejoice in Ken Russell while we miss him

For those who want to pay their respects, you can visit Ken Russell's public Facebook page and leave a note. Many of us have been posting photos and sharing memories there. The best obituary so far, by a country mile can be found here at Indiewire, written by Ken's friend, Shade Rupe.

My beliefs entail that one stays as positive and happy about the dearly departed in the first days and weeks. I am of course very disappointed in the BBC (which both my husband I pay for yearly) and their bizarre behaviour in thus far lining NONE of Ken's work up for scheduled programming. Their attempt at a proper obituary was nothing sort of embarrassing.  The Times of London also ran two thinly veiled hatchet pieces. Rubbish when The Sun and The Daily Mail actually come out looking better than the "top shelf" (whatever that means...) papers. Had there been no internet, as with Paul Robeson, I sadly belive that the mainstream media would have also erased Ken if they could.

Well too bad because now we have the web and great artists will never be obliterated again!!!
HURRAY!

Look at those who have lionized Ken and paid tribute: Pete Townshend,  Ann Margret, Vanessa Redgrave, Glenda Jackson, Michael Winner, Martin Scorcese, Lord Melvyn Bragg, Roger Daltrey, Twiggy and Ben Kingsley to name a few. Particularly wonderful has been the many technicians, extras and writers who Ken worked with throughout his career who of their won volition are pausing to leave their sentiments and pay their respects on message boards and threads. Even those who took his Walthamstow Tech photography class before he was employed in the industry have paused to toast the man.

Ken Russell's death  is the passing of a major and important artist who's influence is inexcusably unacknowledged and underrated.

More rejoicing to come!!

Ken Russell 1927-2011

The day all the movie screens shed silver tears

Ken Russell as a child

We miss Ken Russell. We are crying, we reminisce and wish perhaps selfishly that he could have lived for decades longer but we must first and foremost remember his family and his beloved wife Lisi are feeling immense loss and sadness now. They've lost a father, grandfather, uncle, former husband, best friend, colleague, lover, soulmate and life partner. For those of us who are in his extended fan family of millions we have must send love and light to Ken's spirit and those who were nearest and dearest to Ken now-they need it the most.

The past 24 hours have been a blur. I had a feeling something was out of balance before I went to bed on Sunday night via Facebook (actually I knew but did not want to believe). Later I had a dream in which I was in a night time cavernous but beautiful NYC library talking to an old friend Richelle Benway, my late cat Smokey alongside us. In the dream I was giving the concept for a wonderful screenplay in Russel-vision from start to finish. It is so wonderful that I will not divulge the plot because it is such a fantastic idea!

I woke up thinking about the upcoming Devils region 2 release. After so much editing I actually thought of suggesting to Ken that a PG13 version be created for secondary schools and those Christians who do not see R rated or above films like my friend who is a JW.. If the film is now to FINALLY take on its rightful incarnation including what will now be assuredly a long awaited FULL restoration (the cut to be released will not include the Rape of Christ scene or Sister Agnes "solo" but now we know it will be pushed forward) then why not drastically cut it on purpose for younger audiences? This may or not make any sense of course but in my studies of Ken's work I try to exam different concepts. Later I looked at my son's pjs covered in rockets, stars and planets and wondered why it all gets solid colours and taupe around 11 years or so and how Ken always wore bright and wonderful colours like a child his entire life. So I had a few things to tell him Monday morning. I've tried to maintain a friendly but respectful distance on Facebook. it has been an honour to be able to communicate with such a great artist while gleaning as much as I can from his generous spirit. I was just going to make a brief hello.

Then I read the news today. As if by media sanctioned "artistic miracle grow" the tributes and reappraisals have begun* as Ken Russell is "trending". Well he's been trending in our lives for ages folks. I know I'll never stop missing him so I honestly cannot comprehend how his loved ones must feel.

When his essence pours forth within this next week and in the months and years to come though we will all feel collectively proud and protective. We will be the ones to dispel the myths and point out the hidden treasures in Ken Russell's glorious oeuvre when people meet him in their own lives for the first time.

*When longtime semi-foe (after all his best friend Russ Meyer tried very hard but could never be Ken Russell) Roger Ebert was displaying a rather tacky silence I reminded him that he was being rather tacky. A few hours later a sketch (a poor one) appeared of Ken at Cannes in 1987. Apart from Ebert all the tributes have been deservedly loving.

Shelagh Delaney 1939-2011

Thanks to Ken Russell, the legendary film  *A Taste of Honey, became so much more to me and I discovered the woman behind it; the great Shelagh Delaney.  Being only a slight Smiths fan unlike all my friends and hubby who are nuts for them, I had no idea she'd been on the cover of  Louder Than Bombs until just now.

This week Shelagh is being remembered and sadly only slightly celebrated here in the press *(TV has been rubbish; nothing at all) for the genius she will always be. To anyone woman who has ever written a play about the real world  (especially of the working class) Shelagh flickered subliminally for decades along with Lorraine Hansberry her American compatriot. The GLBT community owes her a huge debt of gratitude as well for it was after sensing the auto pilot homophobia in Terence Rattigan's Variations on a Theme, that she was moved to write A Taste of Honey at the mind boggling age of 17. Feminists owe her a big debt too but then so does the average man who appreciates a smart and down to earth, earthy woman. It took a concerted group to create the sexual revolution and Shelagh work is the strongest effort waged in British theatre for certain. Nothing as yet has come along to properly take off where she let.

Shelagh will continue to inspire. Bless her.

*introduced to me by a now long lost beloved friend Danny Hardie Hardy last seen working at Boots on Bond Street and living in Nunnhead which is not unlike the Salford of London.

*That's the dumbed down world we live in. Ugly Elle MacPherson snorting Rhino powder and helping them all go extinct to Madonna's 25 million pound anti-Semitic sanitary towel advert. Shelagh Delany is too good for today's rubbish media

Remembrance Day

Veterans Day and Remembrance Day is everyday.

Pray for peace and an end to greed everywhere.

Tommy 4: Delivery Room Glee

There are no discernible dioramas in this scene but then I'd be hard pressed to find one in a medical environment even in an entire episode of Scrubs set to "Waiting For Godot". Hospitals are places that I thankfully thus far have spent little time in and I see them as sterile transition points or film sets for asylums. But Ken's Victory Day NHS has much going for it.

After the showgirls we have two lovely twin nurses and a "Father knows best/ every man doctor". As wasted teens, when the doctor would start to sing "a son" we'd all piss ourselves laughing. What a beautiful and realistic newborn Tommy is!

There certainly is a enough giggle and knock out gas to alter ones mood here.

(The heartbreaking dissolve into Captain Walker crashing with Ann-Margret and new born Tommy will be looked at independently at a latter post.)