As a lifelong admirer of Ken's work I was very disappointed with this film. Not in the making of the film using home video, not in Ken's artistic vision, but in the muddle that his scripts and latest written work have become. Take away the producer looking over his shoulders as a critical friend and you have the pensioner trying to regain his long-lost youth in a kind of disordered teenage romp. Parts of the film raised a smile but only in a kind of 'shouldn't he have got over that at the age of sixteen' sort of way. Ken is so much better than this and I look forward to Tesla & Katherine with anticipation. Best forget 'Louse', I think!
Reviews
3 Reviews
A TV Classic
25 May 2001
Early "Monitor" work by Ken Russell. Shows a particular flair for matching nocturnal music with surprisingly vivid images. It works particularly well in describing the composer's fascination with insects linked to seminal works like the "Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste." A black and white classic.
The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch
(1995)
Third rate Russell
17 May 2001
Part of a compendium of short stories, this shows that Ken can produce totally uninspired fare to order. Those who rate the earlier masterpieces such as "The Devils" or "Women in Love" will be very disappointed with this pointless offering about a sadly sex-starved male and a woman using a breast pump. Pointless, tasteless and very silly with an extraordinarily camp performance from Hetty Baines who did much better than this in the 'Bax' film.
You should ask yourself why anyone would eat vegetables in such a lascivious and messy way. Beats me, anyway! For a good shortie see "Aria" where Ken actually uses his talent!
You should ask yourself why anyone would eat vegetables in such a lascivious and messy way. Beats me, anyway! For a good shortie see "Aria" where Ken actually uses his talent!
Tell Your Friends