Overview

"Ken Russell has made some of the most daring, disturbing, and beautifully photographed films of all time. Drawing from a wealth of historic and literary references, Russell's subjects are astounding: deranged Ursuline nuns in a 17th-century French province, the inner demons of Mary Shelley and Lord Byron, the sexual angst of Tchaikovsky, the emotionally drained life of Rudolph Valentino, the messianism of a pinball wizard, the fury of lesbian vampires, the introspections of prostitutes. Russell's movies offer not just brazen sensationalism but food for thought; they horrify yet inspire. And through it all, Russell maintains a simultaneously impish and intellectual sense of humor. The first full biography of the director, Phallic Frenzy is far from a dry, film-by-film analysis. It shows how Russell's real life has often been as engaging and vibrant as his film scenarios. Here you'll learn how Alan Bates and Oliver Reed compared their penis sizes for the nude wrestling scene in Women in Love; how Russell disfigured Paddy Chayevsky's script for Altered States by having the actors holler out the lines as fast as possible, accompanied by spewed food and streams of spittle; and how Russell was slated to direct Evita, starring Liza Minnelli, and the ""creative differences"" that ensued. A madcap tale full of wild ideas, surreal situations, and a cavalcade of colorful personalities, Phallic Frenzy is as thrilling a ride as any Ken Russell film."

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9781556526695

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Reviews

It seems inevitable that any conversation about Ken Russell is going to involve penises, and Phallic Frenzy: Ken Russell and his Films by Joseph Lanza (Chicago GBP16.95) gets to the point, as it were, from the outset. Russell's film life has been a bacchanal in which burlesque is used to shape serious cinematic ideas. To enjoy him is to surrender to a voluptuary and not worry about the end-of-the-pier acting, so it's no wonder that critic Pauline Kael thought the man was mad. Had Russell been Italian he would be as revered as Fellini. Instead, it's still impossible to see many of his films. At least we have the next best thing in an enjoyable biography of a frustrating visionary who could create haunting scenes of passion and decay, but could do nothing to help a bad actor. -- Independent on Sunday, 16th December 2007.

It seems inevitable that any conversation about Ken Russell is going to involve penises, and Phallic Frenzy: Ken Russell and his Films by Joseph Lanza (Chicago £16.95) gets to the point, as it were, from the outset. Russell's film life has been a bacchanal in which burlesque is used to shape serious cinematic ideas. To enjoy him is to surrender to a voluptuary and not worry about the end-of-the-pier acting, so it's no wonder that critic Pauline Kael thought the man was mad. Had Russell been Italian he would be as revered as Fellini. Instead, it's still impossible to see many of his films. At least we have the next best thing in an enjoyable biography of a frustrating visionary who could create haunting scenes of passion and decay, but could do nothing to help a bad actor. -- Independent on Sunday, 16th December 2007. Joseph Lanza knows more about my life than I do! --Ken Russell A lively and explicit biography. --Nerve.com A solid, long-overdue reconsideration of director Ken Russell's horrific surrealism. --PLAY It makes for a thrilling read--it vibrates, shimmies, pounds down the pavement of every page. --Alternative Film Guide The core features are discussed in exhaustive detail, blending close analysis with lively anecdote ... [Lanza] has delved extensively into the more colorful aspects of his subject's life. -- Book Review Digest Everything you ever wanted to know--and more--about the wild child of Cinema Britannia. -- Financial Times

It seems inevitable that any conversation about Ken Russell is going to involve penises, and Phallic Frenzy: Ken Russell and his Films by Joseph Lanza (Chicago GBP16.95) gets to the point, as it were, from the outset. Russell's film life has been a bacchanal in which burlesque is used to shape serious cinematic ideas. To enjoy him is to surrender to a voluptuary and not worry about the end-of-the-pier acting, so it's no wonder that critic Pauline Kael thought the man was mad. Had Russell been Italian he would be as revered as Fellini. Instead, it's still impossible to see many of his films. At least we have the next best thing in an enjoyable biography of a frustrating visionary who could create haunting scenes of passion and decay, but could do nothing to help a bad actor. -- Independent on Sunday, 16th December 2007. Joseph Lanza knows more about my life than I do! --Ken Russell A lively and explicit biography. --Nerve.com A solid, long-overdue reconsideration of director Ken Russell's horrific surrealism. --PLAY It makes for a thrilling read--it vibrates, shimmies, pounds down the pavement of every page. --Alternative Film Guide The core features are discussed in exhaustive detail, blending close analysis with lively anecdote ... [Lanza] has delved extensively into the more colorful aspects of his subject's life. -- Book Review Digest Everything you ever wanted to know--and more--about the wild child of Cinema Britannia. -- Financial Times

Author Information

"Joseph Lanza is the author of numerous books, including ""Elevator Music: A Surreal History of Muzak, Easy-Listening and Other Moodsong""; ""Fragile Geometry: The Films, Philosophy, and Misadventures of Nicolas Roeg"";"" Russ Columbo and the Crooner Mystique""; and ""Vanilla Pop: Sweet Sounds from Frankie Avalon to ABBA."""

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