Hideous Kinky
Encyclopedia
Hideous Kinky is an autobiographical novel by Esther Freud
, daughter of British
painter Lucian Freud
and great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud
. In 1998, a film adaptation
was produced. It depicts her hippy childhood in Morocco with her elder sister, Bella.
Whilst the mother explores Sufism
and quests for personal fulfillment, the daughters rebel. The elder, Bea, attempting to re-create her English life, wants to get an education and insists on going to school. The younger, Lucy, dreams of trivial things, like mashed potatoes, but also yearns for a father. Her hopes settle on a most unlikely candidate.
The girls match their mother with Bilal, a Moroccan con man
and acrobat
; the relationship turns sexual and he moves in, becoming almost a surrogate father. However, Julia's friend encourages her to travel to Algiers and study with a Sufi master at a school that advocates the "annihilation of the ego." As money vanishes, Julia's response is to claim that "God will provide," albeit in the person of Bilal.
, the novel was adapted into a film, Hideous Kinky
, directed by Gillies MacKinnon
.
Esther Freud
Esther Freud is a British novelist.-Life and career:Born in London, Freud is the daughter of painter Lucian Freud and Bernadine Coverley and is a great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud. She travelled extensively with her mother as a child, and returned to London at the age of sixteen to train as an...
, daughter of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
painter Lucian Freud
Lucian Freud
Lucian Michael Freud, OM, CH was a British painter. Known chiefly for his thickly impasted portrait and figure paintings, he was widely considered the pre-eminent British artist of his time...
and great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
. In 1998, a film adaptation
Hideous Kinky (film)
Hideous Kinky is a 1998 film based on a novel about a young English mother who moves from London to Morocco with her two young daughters. It was directed by Gillies MacKinnon. The soundtrack included music by Canned Heat, Richie Havens and the Incredible String Band. The film was marketed with...
was produced. It depicts her hippy childhood in Morocco with her elder sister, Bella.
Plot summary
A young mother and her two daughters travel to Marrakech, Morocco, during the 1960s. The mother, Julia, is disenchanted by the dreary conventions of English life, hence the journey. They live in a low-rent Marrakesh hotel and make a living out of making hand-sewn dolls and with some money sent by the girls' father, a poet in London.Whilst the mother explores Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
and quests for personal fulfillment, the daughters rebel. The elder, Bea, attempting to re-create her English life, wants to get an education and insists on going to school. The younger, Lucy, dreams of trivial things, like mashed potatoes, but also yearns for a father. Her hopes settle on a most unlikely candidate.
The girls match their mother with Bilal, a Moroccan con man
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
and acrobat
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
; the relationship turns sexual and he moves in, becoming almost a surrogate father. However, Julia's friend encourages her to travel to Algiers and study with a Sufi master at a school that advocates the "annihilation of the ego." As money vanishes, Julia's response is to claim that "God will provide," albeit in the person of Bilal.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
In 19981998 in film
-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
, the novel was adapted into a film, Hideous Kinky
Hideous Kinky (film)
Hideous Kinky is a 1998 film based on a novel about a young English mother who moves from London to Morocco with her two young daughters. It was directed by Gillies MacKinnon. The soundtrack included music by Canned Heat, Richie Havens and the Incredible String Band. The film was marketed with...
, directed by Gillies MacKinnon
Gillies MacKinnon
Gillies MacKinnon is a Scottish film director and writer.His film credits include Hideous Kinky, Small Faces and Regeneration.-Personal life:...
.
Release details
- 1992, UK, Hamish Hamilton ISBN 0-241-13179-0, Pub date 30 January 1992, hardback (First edition)
- 1992, USA, Harcourt ISBN 0-15-140216-7, Pub date ? July 1992, hardback
- 1993, UK, Penguin Books ISBN 0-14-017412-5, Pub date 25 February 1993, paperback
- 1998, USA, W.W. Norton ISBN 0-88001-593-4, Pub date ? April 1998, paperback
- 1999, UK, CSA Word ISBN 1-901768-20-1, Pub date ? January 1999, Audio book cassette (narrated by Esther Freud)
- 1999, USA, ScreenPress Books ISBN 1-901680-25-8, Pub date 11 March 1999, paperback (Film screenplay)