Ken Russell
Henry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell (3 July 1927 – 27 November 2011) was an English film director. He is known for his pioneering work in television and film, and for his controversial style. He has been criticized as being over-obsessed with sexuality and the church. His subject matter is often about famous composers, or based on other works of art which he adapts loosely. Russell began directing for the BBC, where he did creative adaptations of composers' lives which were unusual for the time. He also directed many feature films independently and for studios. He is best known for his Oscar-winning romantic drama Women in Love (1969), the notoriously controversial The Devils (1971), the rock musical Tommy (1975), and the science fiction film Altered States (1980). One noted admirer, British film critic Mark Kermode, attempting to sum up the director's achievement, called Russell; "somebody who proved that British cinema didn't have to be about kitchen-sink realism – it could be every bit as flamboyant as Fellini. He now makes very strange experimental films like Lion's Mouth and Revenge of the Elephant Man, and they are as edgy and out there as the work he made in the 1970s."
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · Twiggy as (archival footage)
- 2022 · The Who: One Band's Explosive Story as Self (archive footage)
- 2012 · Director of Devils as Self
- 2012 · Ken Russell: A Bit of a Devil as Self (archive footage)
- 2012 · The Devils Original on-set footage as
- 2010 · Mr. Nice as Russell Miegs
- 2010 · The Aristofrogs as
- 2009 · Boudica Bites Back as Roman Senator
- 2007 · A Kitten for Hitler as Santa
- 2007 · 10 Best Elgar as Self (archive footage)
- 2006 · The Real Blue Nuns as Self
- 2006 · Trapped Ashes as Dr. Lucy
- 2006 · Brothers of the Head as Himself
- 2005 · Colour Me Kubrick as The Man In Nightgown
- 2004 · Agatha Christie's Marple as Rev Caleb Dane Calthrop
- 2004 · Revenge of the Elephant Man as
- 2002 · Hell on Earth: The Desecration & Resurrection of The Devils as Self
- 2002 · The Fall of the Louse of Usher as Dr. Calahari
- 2001 · Waking the Dead as Gerry Raistrick
- 2001 · Celebrity Big Brother as Self - Contestant
- 2000 · The Real Oliver Reed as Self
- 2000 · Lion's Mouth as Ken
- 1997 · Ken Russell: In Search of the English Folk Song as Himself
- 1996 · In Search of Dracula as Self
- 1996 · Tales of Erotica as
- 1995 · Empire of the Censors as Self
- 1995 · Music for the Movies: Georges Delerue as Self
- 1995 · The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch as Mr. Kirsch
- 1993 · Frank Stubbs Promotes as Self
- 1993 · Lady Chatterley as Sir Michael Reid
- 1992 · The Secret Life of Arnold Bax as Sir Arnold Bax
- 1991 · Whore as Waiter (uncredited)
- 1990 · The Russia House as Walter
- 1990 · Plunder as
- 1989 · A British Picture as
- 1988 · The Lair of the White Worm as Police Radio (voice) (uncredited)
- 1988 · Salome's Last Dance as Cappadocian
- 1988 · Ken Russell's ABC of British Music as Himself
- 1987 · Your Honour, I Object! Guccione V Russell as
- 1986 · Gothic as Tourist
- 1986 · A Turnip Head’s Guide To The British Cinema as Self
- 1983 · Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait as Self
- 1979 · The Kids Are Alright as
- 1978 · The South Bank Show as Self
- 1977 · Valentino as Rex Ingram (uncredited)
- 1975 · Tommy as Cripple (uncredited)
- 1972 · Savage Messiah as Passenger getting off train in station (uncredited)
- 1968 · Song of Summer as Priest
- 1966 · Don’t Shoot the Composer as Himself
- 1966 · Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World as Captain Patterson
- Future · PuzzleFace as god
- 1966 · Russell at Work as
- 1961 · Walk With The Damned as Hood