Enjoy...or not.
Alpha Times
“I’m so glad I’m an Alpha!”
Savage Me offers a pertinent message for today’s society, writes Shaun Foster
Savage Me, the latest feelie to be released this year, from Alpha plus debut director Bernard Marx, has been met with praise and adulation, with some comparing it with what is generally recognised as the most popular feelie ever made, A Steamy Month of Passion, by feelie directing legend Thomas Ridshaw.
Marx based Savage Me on the events from two years ago surrounding the man known as “John the Savage”, who was brought out from a Savage Reserve, along with a woman who claimed to be his m****r. John the Savage’s bizarre and illogical attitudes towards having people, and civilisation in general, sparked a large degree of media interest in his situation, which eventually culminated in his suicide. His fascination with Beta Vaccination Worker Lenina Crowne, who afterwards would say that “He both seemed to want me, and yet felt it would be wrong to have me,” forms a focus point of this state of the art new feelie.
In Marx’s reworking of the story, the lovely Lenina (played by Fanny Crowne) is rescued from the possessive attentions of John the Savage (Steven Bates), by Marc Bernard (Harry Green), a hypnopaedia specialised psychologist. He is able to condition the Savage eventually, who finally realises the error of his ways, and has several women before the feelie comes to a close. Artistic director Sarah Brown explained their decision to rework the plot in an exclusive interview with the Alpha Times this week. “We decided in the end to provide the more fulfilling and conventional ending, which left no moral ambiguity as to the concerns and lessons to be learned from the feelie. As John the Savage was a key character, it would have been remiss if we did not correct his social abnormality – and after all, I know I wouldn’t want to go to a feelie where there’s nobody being had!” She added that “an orgy porgy ending provides the perfect climax to the feelie, while reminding the audience that everyone belongs to everyone else!”
Bernard Marx admits that there are elements of himself in his suave and sophisticated hero Marc Bernard, as “We were both quite close to John the Savage, and understood him despite the obvious social problems he faced when an integration with civilisation was attempted. Marc is a gentlemen, and has at least one new woman each week – I wanted to contrast his upright moral character against the volatile and “monogamous” traits of John the Savage.”
Key scenes to watch out for include the scene where John interacts with, and at one stage “embraces” his m****r, Linda (the first time ever in feelies history that a ‘family’ scene has been included). Special effects director Gavin Touch explained that they were required to recreate the so called “love” that John felt for Linda. “We understood it must be an uncomfortable feeling, to make someone behave so irrationally, and “love” was often spoken of in relation to the heart. We combined the sensation of a heart attack and being gored by a bull to provide what we believe is a real and unsettling first hand experience of “love” for the audience. The love making scene between Marc and Lenina underwater was also an ambitious request, as was the one in the anti gravitational chamber. But I think you’ll find the results most pleasing.”
Taking feelies to new heights...or depths...Challenging, controversial, and more than a little bit titillating, Savage Me has all the makings of a classic feelie, and is well worth the trip.
Other news:
Mombasa reaches new record of 18, 074 individuals from single ovary – Page 2
Debate over the Civilising of more Savage Reserves continues – scientists argue “we are not finished studying” – Page 3
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