Ken Russell
Directing
Born: July 3, 1927 · Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK
Died: November 27, 2011 (aged 84)
Highest Rated
Biography
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
Altered States
1980
The Devils
1971
Tommy
1975
The Russia House
1990
The Lair of the White Worm
1988
Crimes of Passion
1984
Gothic
1987
Mr. Nice
2010
Agatha Christie's Marple
2004
Women in Love
1969
Billion Dollar Brain
1967
Whore
1991
Photos (3)
Movies (24)
The Russia House
Walter
Whore
Waiter (uncredited)
The Lair of the White Worm
Police Radio (voice) (uncredited)
Tommy
Cripple (uncredited)
Valentino
Rex Ingram (uncredited)
Mr. Nice
Russell Miegs
Gothic
Tourist
Trapped Ashes
Dr. Lucy (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")
Colour Me Kubrick
The Man In Nightgown
Salome's Last Dance
Cappadocian
Twiggy
(archival footage)
Savage Messiah
Passenger getting off train in station (uncredited)
Tales of Erotica
Mr. Kirsch (segment 'The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch') (uncredited)
Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World
Captain Patterson
Alice in Russialand
1995
Song of Summer
Priest
Elgar: Fantasy on a Composer on a Bicycle
Narrator (voice)
The Secret Life of Arnold Bax
Sir Arnold Bax
The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch
Mr. Kirsch
The Fall of the Louse of Usher
Dr. Calahari
Walk With The Damned
Hood
A British Picture: Portrait of an Enfant Terrible
1989
Your Honour, I Object! Guccione V Russell
1987
A Kitten for Hitler
Santa
TV Shows (3)
Self / Appearances (21)
Omnibus
Self · 3 eps
The South Bank Show
Self · 1 eps
Celebrity Big Brother
Self · 1 eps
Celebrity Naked Ambition
Self - Contributor
Frank Stubbs Promotes
Self · 1 eps
A Turnip Head's Guide To The British Cinema
Self
100 Greatest Sexy Moments
Self
Brothers of the Head
Himself
The Who: The Kids Are Alright
Self
Hell on Earth: The Desecration & Resurrection of The Devils
Self
The Real Oliver Reed
Self
Music for the Movies: Georges Delerue
Self
In Search of the English Folk Song
Self
Ken Russell's ABC of British Music
Himself
10 Best Elgar
Self (archive footage)
The Who: One Band's Explosive Story
Self (archive footage)
The Real Blue Nuns
Self
Ken Russell: A Bit of a Devil
Self (archive footage)
Director of Devils
Self
Don’t Shoot the Composer
Himself
Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait
Self
Upcoming (1)
Directing (71)
The South Bank Show
Director
Lady Chatterley
Director
The Devils
Director
Altered States
Director
Monitor
Director
Whore
Director
Crimes of Passion
Director
Women in Love
Director
The Lair of the White Worm
Director
Tommy
Director
Billion Dollar Brain
Director
The Music Lovers
Director
Valentino
Director
Aria
Director
Gothic
Director
Trapped Ashes
Director
Mahler
Director
The Rainbow
Director
The Boy Friend
Director
Salome's Last Dance
Director
Lisztomania
Director
Savage Messiah
Director
Prisoner of Honor
Director
Treasure Island
Director
Tales of Erotica
Director
Bela Bartók
Director
Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World
Director
Women and Men: Stories of Seduction
Director
Alice in Russialand
Director
French Dressing
Director
Antonio Gaudí
Director
Faust
Director
Mindbender
Director
Always on Sunday
Director
London Moods
Director
Song of Summer
Director
Dogboys
Director
The Light Fantastic
Director
Elgar: Fantasy on a Composer on a Bicycle
Director
The Debussy Film
Director
Pop Goes the Easel
Director
The Secret Life of Arnold Bax
Director
The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch
Director
The Fall of the Louse of Usher
Director
The Lonely Shore
Director
The Diary of a Nobody
Director
Amelia and the Angel
Director
Elgar
Director
The Planets
Director
Dante's Inferno
Director
Lotte Lenya Sings Kurt Weill
Director
Dance of the Seven Veils
Director
In Search of the English Folk Song
Director
John Betjeman: A Poet in London
Director
Portrait of a Goon
Director
Ken Russell's ABC of British Music
Director
A British Picture: Portrait of an Enfant Terrible
Director
Il Mefistofele
Director
The Preservation Man
Director
Prokofiev
Director
A House in Bayswater
Director
Don’t Shoot the Composer
Director
Gordon Jacob
Director
A Bedlington Miners' Picnic
Director
Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait
Director
Mr Chesher’s Traction Engines
Director
From Spain to Streatham
Director
A Kitten for Hitler
Director
Variations on a Mechanical Theme
Director
Shelagh Delaney's Salford
Director
Scottish Painters
Director
Writing (37)
Lady Chatterley
Writer
The Devils
Screenplay
Monitor
Writer
Whore
Screenplay
The Lair of the White Worm
Screenplay
Tommy
Screenplay
Valentino
Screenplay
Aria
Writer
Mahler
Writer
The Rainbow
Screenplay
The Boy Friend
Screenplay
Salome's Last Dance
Screenplay
Lisztomania
Screenplay
Treasure Island
Teleplay
Tales of Erotica
Writer
Bela Bartók
Screenplay
Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World
Writer
Alice in Russialand
Writer
Mindbender
Writer
Always on Sunday
Scenario Writer
Song of Summer
Writer
Elgar: Fantasy on a Composer on a Bicycle
Writer
The Debussy Film
Scenario Writer
The Secret Life of Arnold Bax
Writer
The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch
Writer
The Fall of the Louse of Usher
Writer
The Diary of a Nobody
Writer
Amelia and the Angel
Story
Amelia and the Angel
Writer
Elgar
Writer
Dance of the Seven Veils
Writer
In Search of the English Folk Song
Writer
Ken Russell's ABC of British Music
Writer
A British Picture: Portrait of an Enfant Terrible
Writer
A House in Bayswater
Writer
Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait
Writer
A Kitten for Hitler
Writer
Producing (13)
The Devils
Producer
The Lair of the White Worm
Producer
Tommy
Producer
The Music Lovers
Producer
The Rainbow
Producer
The Boy Friend
Producer
Savage Messiah
Producer
Always on Sunday
Producer
Dogboys
Producer
Elgar: Fantasy on a Composer on a Bicycle
Producer
The Fall of the Louse of Usher
Producer
Don’t Shoot the Composer
Producer
Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait
Producer
Other Crew (7)
Lady Chatterley
Creator
Whore
Camera Operator
Kitsune
Thanks
The Fall of the Louse of Usher
Editor
The Fall of the Louse of Usher
Cinematography
The Fall of the Louse of Usher
Director of Photography
Amelia and the Angel
Cinematography