Saturday, November 18, 2017

THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM - Bram Stoker - Ken Russell (1988)

"The Lair Of The White Worm" was a film made in 1988 by Ken Russell, and this week's Saturday Night Special in The Dungeon! The original story was written by Bram Stoker of "Dracula" fame!

This won't take long, because, this movie is nutzoid!
I couldn't possibly explain all the ramifications and/or possible interpretations in a lifetime!

Ken Russell is sometimes known as the "Fellini of the North," or "England's Orson Welles!"
That's a lot of baggage to have to tote around, but Ken managed to do it!

Wow! Very Nice Pad!!
This is actually the Knebworth House in Hertfordshire, England! Originally built in 1490, it was transformed in 1843 to how it looks today! Although there are residents who live there, the house and gardens are open to the public these days as a tourist attraction!

There's one heck of a party going on, and you can enjoy the best of the frivolities by checking out this video!
"The D'Ampton Worm"

They dance and celebrate an age old tradition in D'Ampton House!

Even the food is worm oriented!

After a rollicking good-time start, everything starts to turn dark when Amanda Donohoe as Lady Sylvia Marsh shows up! This was one of Amanda's earliest features, and she's still kicking it hard today!

You do really have to have balls to wear glasses like this, and get away with it!

Lady Sylvia has a very kinky side to her, and is not to be trifled with!

From what I've read, apparently Ken Russell has used snake imagery in many of his movies! I guess if I do this long enough, I'll find out for sure!

But what I don't get more than anything is this! Is this a movie about worms or snakes? Besides being legless, they don't really have a lot in common!

Now this is a GREAT shot!
How devastatingly tantalizing! How obtuse, but effective!

When all else fails, just scream!!

This is Sammi (Soft Toilet Seats) Davis, from England, and no relation to Sammie Davis Jr. of the Rat Pack, as the seriously tormented Mary Trent! Samantha was married to film maker Kurt Voss for three years!
Kurt made a 2006 documentary called "Ghost On the Highway: A Portrait of Jeffrey Lee Pierce and the Gun Club," and you can watch it right here!
The only bad thing about that great documentary is they didn't include any Gun Club music, so, for the real deal, check out this live performance, or this one! Either way, everyone should experience that what was the Gun Club at least once in their lives! After all, we are talking about tortured souls here!

Most movies I'm satisfied just watching at home! This one is so visually stunning, I'd like to see on the big scream!

6 comments:

  1. The only Ken Russell film I know well (almost the only one I know AT ALL) is TOMMY, which is such a thoroughly arty one that you almost have to love it or hate it, period, with just about no in-between.
    (To partly answer your question, there's one big snake moment in it.)

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  2. Gun Club is one of my favorite bands. "Mother of Pearl" is a classic.

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  3. I really haven't seen a lot of Ken Russell films myself Grant except for "Tommy" and that was so long ago, so I don't remember much. I'm gonna have to see what else I can find. Zilligord, it doesn't surprise me a bit that Gun Club would be one of your favourite bands, as it is mine, since so much of our taste in music is identical!

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  4. You haven't seen "The Devils" or "Altered States"? C'mon!

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  5. No, you're right AH, I have seen "Altered States," and maybe "Billion Dollar Brain," and possibly "The Devils" but if I did, I was in an altered state, and sure as Hell don't remember!

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  6. This is a great film..just as crazy as the rest of Ken's films. .scary and funny in equal measures!

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