father forgive me for i have sinned... i forgot your birthday. july 3rd was the 82nd birthday of filmmaking genius ken russell. (is he 'sir' ken russell yet? i guess he always HAS been 'Sir,' as far as i'm concerned.) yes, the visionary, daring director ken russell has been 'The Great Lord of my Mental and Musical Burlesque' since i was about... eight years old? possibly younger. sitting here, i find it practically impossible for me to adequately express how influential he's been over my work... my dreams, even my Peace of Mind... for as long as i can remember. i think i was about nine when i first saw 'Tommy.' I was never the same. then, sometime around 1980, i happened to see the end to an Isadora Duncan biopic... made for the BBC. at the end of the film, the vivacious dancer is graphically strangled with her own scarf. to death. Ken forced me to face the finality and the folly of such a mortal moment... and, in doing so, he gave me some of the most steadfast terrors of my dainty young life. i will never forgive him for it. and i will never stop kissing his ring in reverent thanks for the very same assault. as long as i live, i will never be able to listen to 'bye bye blackbird' without remembering that beautifully vile close shot. god bless you ken russell. i love you.
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