Head's We're Dancing - inspiration?

[gatech!chinet.chi.il.us!katefans@EDDIE.MIT.EDU (Chris Williams)]

Chris here,

    Some time ago my best friend Kim Pierceall suggested to me that we take
a look at the film "Hanussen" as a possible lyric source for "Heads We're
Dancing." I found this film at the Chicago public library's video rental
department, and, yes, it does seem to have many plot elements similar to
HWD. I urge anyone interested to check out this film; we'd like to hear
what you think.

                        Warning: SPOILERS!
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                           HANUSSEN
                   starring Klaus Maria Brandauer
                    in German with sub-titles
    
   In the trenches at the tail end of World War One a young soldier
named Schneider (Brandaur) suffers a serious head injury. As he recovers
he is tormented by visions. The Kaiser will be visiting the hospital and
some of the soldiers are told that they will not be allowed to stand in
review, due to their injuries. This drives another soldier over the edge.
He grabs a hand grenade and threatens to blow everyone up. Schneider talks
very softly to the soldier, and succeeds in making the soldier hand over
the grenade. Afterwards, the doctor describes this skill as "will
transference" (I suspect the translation is kind of clunky) and proceeds
to test Schneider and finds that he now has a variety of paranormal skills.
They work on developing these skills. Scneider meets an old friend, who
convences him to become a professional stage "mentalist" and becomes his
manager. He adopts the grander name Jan Erich Hanussen. After fairly shakey
beginings the act comes together. A girl from Hanussen's hometown becomes
his assistant, falling under his spell. Playing the spas around Austria
and Vennia his fame grows. Newspapers report tales of his claims.
Finally, they are ready for Berlin, Hanussen headlining now. Various
groups wish to know various things, mainly who will be the new Chancellor.
Badgered by reporters, Hanussen finally says "Hitler." This leads to being
courted by some of the aristocratic members of the National Socalists.
Hanussen is apolitical but opportunistic, and gravitates toward this new
center of power. A photographer named Lena offers to shot a portfolio.
Her work consists of Nazi propaganda of the "new man", naked perfect
Ayrans in heroic poses. Her shots of Hanussen are designed to emphasize
his powers of mind, blazing eyes, hands thrust foward, looking upward,
both hands, one arm, etc. A young Nazi heckels Hanussen, who challenges
him to come on-stage. Hanussen hypnotizes the man, man making him crow
like a rooster. Humiliated, the Nazi leaves. He meets up again with his
doctor, much older. The doctor is Jewish, and is afraid for his life.
He urges Hanussen to emigrate to America with him. Finally Hanussen
begins to see what will result from the Nazi rise to power, and the
effect that this power is having on himself. He sees a paper, and the
front page photo of Hitler looks familer. He goes upstairs and gets his
portfolio. In one of the photographs he is in the exact same pose that
Hitler is in the paper.
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   There is more but this is enough to give you the feel of the film
and see some of the elements that I think Kate lifted for HWD. Obviously
this is not exactly the same plot, as _The Infant Kiss_ is from "The
Innocents", but I feel has closer parallels than _Get Out Of My House_
has to it's aknowledged inspiration, "The Shining." Well, I urge everyone
to see this film and make up your own minds.

                                Chris Williams of
                                    Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago
                                        katefans@chinet.chi.il.us