"Prick Up Your Ears" 1987

Leonie Orton: [Mingling Joe''s and Ken''s ashes] I think I''m putting in more of Joe than I am of Kenneth. \ Peggy Ramsay: It''s a gesture dear, not a recipe

\ "What can I say? Cheap clothes suit you."
OP owns this thread with that quote.\ \ How about ...\ "HAVE A WANK? Scenarios must be envisioned, magazines must be procured ... HAVE A WANK???"
Its good, not sure I love it though
I love that last line !
Oh dear, oh dear! Someone''s been playing silly buggers!
Bobbie
"I always wanted to be an orphan...I could have been if it were not for my parents!"
Joe (nee John) Orton
[quote]This is one of the most enthralling stories ever written by Miss Sayers. \ \ [quote]It is the only one where the murder weapon is concealed not for reasons of fear but for reasons of decency. \ \ [quote]READ THIS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS! And have a good shit while you are reading!
http://www.joeorton.org/Pages/Joe_Orton_Gallery17.html
What I found most shocking about the book the film was based on was that when a producer was invited to Joe & Kenneth''s for dinner, Kenneth served him a first course of rice & sardines and then a second course of rice & a cream sauce.\ \ I wouldn''t want to be rude, but I couldn''t eat that.
Price Leatherbarrow
Joe Orton: Some of these people are, well, having sexual intercourse\ \ Kenneth Halliwell: Fucking, you mean? Well, what do you expect? Many of them are from Australia.
The last couple minute of the film is comparable to Looking For Mr. Goodbar. \ \ The graphic violence then a silent hush that is quite haunting.\ \ I did not enjoy this movie at all. Alfred Molina portrayed Kenneth as an Quasimoto-like oaf and it was difficult to see what someone like Joe saw in him.
"Alfred Molina portrayed Kenneth as an Quasimoto-like oaf and it was difficult to see what someone like Joe saw in him."\ \ \ \ \ The real life Kenneth was better-looking than Molina (which is interesting because in biopics the actors are usually much hotter than the real people they are portraying)
Love this film. A total testament to the acting chops of Gary Oldman, who completely inhabits the character convincingly.\ \ Kenneth H always gets a bum deal in the portrayals of him- probably to do with the fact that his character was so complex that it''s a lot easier to play him as a pompous neurotic ass (his surface) rather than the cold, damaged mess he undoubtedly was (that''s what comes screaming through the books and diary anyway). My brother says the most realistic one was probably in "Fantabulosa"- the excellent BBC4 Kenny Williams biopic from a few years ago.\ \ Oh look, it''s on youtube. I''ll watch it again and let you know.\ \ I was utterly obsessed with Orton last year and read all the books and watched all the films I could. Even went to see that less-than-brilliant stage performance put in by some bloke and the awful Matt Lucas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkF_KqcQD6o&feature=PlayList&p=B4E73BC46154079A&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=82
ayb
Not only was Kenneth Halliwell better looking, photos suggest his having a pleasant demeanor at times. Molina portrayed him as permanently depressed and dour which leaves you wondering why Orton tolerated him. \ \ Oldman was great although he is a puckish man. The real Orton was tall and lanky.
How can you love this film? The two characters are grotesque and not remotely lovable. While there''s skill and intelligence behind it, it''s not very generous to Orton or his memory. \ \ I actually thought it was borderline homophobic when I first saw it.
When this movie came on the VHS the Blockbuster by my house had it in the COMEDY section.
JohnEric
Orton''s landlady:\ \ "I spilled a hot drink down my dress. My vagina came up like a football!"\ \ John Lahr''s mother-in-law, translating Joe''s diary from shorthand: \ \ "[italic]...and then I''m going to have a nice, long wink.[/italic]"\ "Are you sure it says, [italic]wink?[/italic]"\ "No, dear, I''m not sure at all."
Are these quotes all from the movie? I saw some scenes of it and the one most vivid in my memory is when Oldman''s character tells the other one that when they are in Marakesh it''s possible they''ll find someone who''d be interested in having sex with Molina''s character.
Yup I''d say the "Fantabulosa" Halliwell is nearer the mark, if a bit uglier and older than the real one (again!). My brother is right for once.
ayb
You should check out the film version of ENTERTAINING MR. SLOANE if you haven''t seen it. Alas, the movie they made of LOOT is a travesty, good only for showing how badly dated those "mod" films of the late sixties/early seventies were.
More from the mother-in-law: (Reading from the diary) "Read all morning, but got another hard on. Just putting soap on it when mum came in. Said I thought I had another spot coming. Mum quiet all through dinner..." Well, I should say so!\ \ Lahr''s wife: The early diaries stop just when he life got interesting.\ \ Mother: Sounds quite interesting already.\ \ Vanessa as Peggy was the shit. Oldman and Waters terrific. Molina, though a good actor, was miscast. Or the role was miswritten. Just for narrative shorthand, I understand why they did that to Kenneth, but it made him less sympathetic than he actually was. At least, from what I can tell from his writing.\ \ My favorite Orton play is What The Butler Saw. Hysterical. "My uterine contractions have been bogus for some time."
Anonymous
When the film came out I recall screenwriter Alan Bennett saying words to the effect of ''Well I didn''t like him very much, and I doubt he would have liked me.''\ \ Orton and Bennett were exact contemporaries, ''outsiders'', successful playwrights, and gay - but yes, so very different.
Look, Joe Orton on a talk show. And Eva Gabor is there, too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWmVsEEHIPc