So Sad

[poliphilo]

I was the wrong age for Kung Fu. It came out in the early days of my first marriage- when I was training for the church and living- without a TV- in boho poverty- but the message filtered through: David Carradine was really, really cool.

But what an uncool way to die!  And what a shadow it casts backwards. Seventy year old men who've been on the beer all day really need to be more careful what they get up to in their hotel rooms.

How does it work exactly?  How does starving your brain of oxygen make you anything but ill? And yet I remember being told in the playground that hanged men often die with erections. I dismissed it at the time as an urban myth- but maybe it's true. Can anyone explain the physiology?

I saw Carradine in a couple of movies. The Serpent's Egg is arguably the worst movie in the Bergman canon;  Carradine is out of his depth in it- and gives a wooden performance.  Kill Bill divides the critics; I happen to love it- and I love Carradine's charming, charismatic  performance; it left me wondering why he'd never quite made it to the top.

And now we'll never be able to watch him without thinking of him in that cupboard with the rope wrapped round his neck and -er-"other parts of his body".  Silly, old fool.

Comments

[algabal.livejournal.com]

I actually think it's quite a poetic way to go!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Well that's one view of it- he was a martyr to self love.

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

I think it's a better way to be remembered than that of committing suicide.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I agree.

If it was suicide he was letting a whole lot of people down, including the film crew he was working with, but if it was the other thing it was just a stupid accident.

[(Anonymous)]

I am still sad about it. I always thought that the real David Carradine was really like his character, Kwai Chang Caine.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think that's what he wanted us to believe.

[mamarose.livejournal.com]

Physiology: Most people hold their breath when they climax. The sensation of the climax is triggered by similar responses as the fight or flight mechanism. The endorphins released are similar as well.

Holding one's breath encourages this chemical response. Being hung by the neck, a form of holding one's breath, does the same. For men, the physiological response of being hung, the terror that goes into it, can be arousing. Not all men who are hung to death become erect and ejaculate, but a large percentage do. For the same reason, adolescent boys become erect when called upon in class. That isn't at all a sexual response, but one of fear and embarrassment, which with time and practice, is a response can be better managed. Its a chemical release. Girls have similar experiences, but they aren't as noticeable to others.

Voluntary breath play as a sexual encounter is rather common. As I said, most people hold their breath anyway when they climax. Some play with this, holding it a bit longer, or breathing much faster than needed (which brings an oxygenated euphoric state), etc. Some use the hand to cover a lover's mouth to extend the sensation by 10-15 seconds. Being in Thailand, Carradine would have had no problem finding someone to enhance breath play without risking his safety.

Auto-Erotic Asphyxiation AEA uses all of these notions, plus at times includes the binding of the genitals. Doing so reduces the ability for a full erection, which slows the blood flow, and prolongs the orgasm because it is harder to reach it, and therefore is more intense. I know people who bind their genitals on a regular basis who swear that it is perfectly safe. Not having the equipment myself, I have no idea if this is true. AEA can work, but obviously is very dangerous. I suggested in my post responding to his death that perhaps a lemon wedge was found, because many who do this place a lemon wedge in their mouth between their teeth. That way if they do pass out, they will chew the lemon, wake up and stand up before seriously harming themselves. Most who practice this hang from a space they can reach standing up, then bend their knees to hang, making it easy to return to safety.

There are a few problems with the AEA theory. Carradine was said to be drinking, but that isn't consistent with this elaborate of a set up. Additionally, it would have left marks on his neck and he was in the middle of filming. Even when drinking, that's a really poor choice. Finding out his habits for behavior on the set will help indicate if this is within his personality, he has filmed several movies in the past couple years that are currently in post production, this information is easily discovered. Lastly, some key equipment for an AEA are missing (or not being mentioned by police) like a way to cut himself down, the lemon wedge, and the way he was tied doesn't make much sense in terms of practicality. The FBI has been called in to rule out murder, as this sort of set up is often a distraction to foul play.

Personally, I hope it was an accidental death due to a sexual adventure over both murder and suicide. I rather see someone go in a blaze of passion than in despair or terror.

I hope this isn't too much information, but you did ask :)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Yes. That's exactly the information I wanted.

I get the impression- from reading the obituaries- that Carradine was always a bit of a wild child- which could be why his film career was so erratic- that he lacked discipline and was prone to unprofessional- even self-destructive- behaviour.

One of the reports I read said the surveillance cameras show that no-one but Carradine himself entered that hotel room, which- unless we're in Agatha Christie land- rules out murder.

[mamarose.livejournal.com]

I have a hunch that some of the details regarding what happened are being withheld from the public. It is pretty common for that to happen with high profile and unusual deaths. I'm glad the FBI is likely to look into it just to be sure but you are right, security cameras are pretty accurate.

It really is a shame that he went this route, when other options for such a thrill were available to him.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It is a shame.

It's a silly, undignified way to go.

But better- all ways round- than suicide.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Yes! My first thought was that Grasshopper had regressed.

My nephew came home years ago to his apartment building to find police everywhere and a barricade--they let him in, but across the hallway two men (barely in their twenties) had been found dead after they had placed PLASTIC BAGS over their faces in order to have a real rush while on drugs--hope they died happy.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I expect they thought there was safety in numbers. If one of them blacked out the other could abort the operation. What a silly way to go!