Phallic Frenzy: Ken Russell and His Films (2008)
Author: Joseph Lanza | Page Count: 384
"When every second counts, it is often necessary to say two things at once; which is why I frequently introduce symbolism into scenes of reality." –Russell.
It functions as a biography of his early years, which helps shed a murky light on the reasons for some of his adulthood fixations. It hurries quickly over one of the most traumatic events in his early life, but I put that down to a show of respect for the man.
Later, it dissects and gives some juicy behind the scenes info on all his films. Film fans will find that part of most interest. Personally, I loved both parts, although I had to selectively skip some paragraphs because I've not had the pleasure of viewing certain films yet. Take note: there's spoilers aplenty!
