Ken Russell
Born: 1927-07-03 in Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK
Died: 2011-11-27
Known For: Directing
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."
Filmography
2025
- Twiggy as (archival footage)
2022
- The Who: One Band's Explosive Story as Self (archive footage)
2016
- Kitsune ... (Thanks)
2012
- Ken Russell: A Bit of a Devil as Self (archive footage)
- Director of Devils as Self
- The Devils Original on-set footage
2010
- Mr. Nice as Russell Miegs
2009
- Boudica Bites Back as Roman Senator
2007
- A Kitten for Hitler as Santa
- 10 Best Elgar as Self (archive footage)
- Watch the Birdie ... (Director)
2006
- Trapped Ashes as Dr. Lucy (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")
- Brothers of the Head as Himself
- Charlotte Brontë Enters the Big Brother House ... (Choreographer)
- The Real Blue Nuns as Self
2005
- Colour Me Kubrick as The Man In Nightgown
- The Miners' Picnic by Ken Russell ... (Director)
2004
- Agatha Christie's Marple as Rev Caleb Dane Calthrop
- Revenge of the Elephant Man
2003
- 100 Greatest Sexy Moments as Self
- Celebrity Naked Ambition as Self - Contributor
2002
- Elgar: Fantasy on a Composer on a Bicycle as Narrator (voice)
- The Fall of the Louse of Usher as Dr. Calahari
- Hell on Earth: The Desecration & Resurrection of The Devils as Self
2001
- Waking the Dead as Gerry Raistrick
- Celebrity Big Brother as Self
2000
- The Real Oliver Reed as Self
- Lion's Mouth as Ken
1998
- Dogboys ... (Director)
1997
1996
- Tales of Erotica as Mr. Kirsch (segment 'The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch') (uncredited)
- Mindbender ... (Writer)
1995
- Treasure Island ... (Director)
- Empire of the Censors as Self
- The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch as Mr. Kirsch
- Music for the Movies: Georges Delerue as Self
- Alice in Russialand
1993
- Lady Chatterley as Sir Michael Reid
- Frank Stubbs Promotes as Self
1992
- The Mystery of Dr Martinu ... (Writer)
- The Secret Life of Arnold Bax as Sir Arnold Bax
1991
- Whore as Waiter (uncredited)
- Prisoner of Honor ... (Director)
- Road to Mandalay as Self
1990
- Plunder
- The Russia House as Walter
- Women and Men: Stories of Seduction ... (Director)
- The Strange Affliction of Anton Bruckner ... (Director)
1989
- The Rainbow ... (Screenplay)
- A British Picture: Portrait of an Enfant Terrible
- Il Mefistofele ... (Director)
1988
- The Lair of the White Worm as Police Radio (voice) (uncredited)
- Salome's Last Dance as Cappadocian
- Ken Russell's ABC of British Music as Himself
1987
- Aria ... (Writer)
- Gothic as Tourist
- Your Honour, I Object! Guccione V Russell
1986
1985
- Faust ... (Director)
1984
- Crimes of Passion ... (Director)
- Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait as Self
1983
- The Planets ... (Director)
1980
- Altered States ... (Director)
1979
- The Who: The Kids Are Alright as Self
1978
- The South Bank Show as Self
- Clouds of Glory ... (Director)
1977
- Valentino as Rex Ingram (uncredited)
1975
- Tommy as Cripple (uncredited)
- Lisztomania ... (Director)
1974
- Mahler ... (Director)
1972
- Savage Messiah as Passenger getting off train in station (uncredited)
1971
- Film '72 as Self
- The Devils ... (Director)
- The Boy Friend ... (Director)
- The Music Lovers ... (Director)
1970
- Dance of the Seven Veils ... (Director)
1969
- Women in Love ... (Director)
1968
- Song of Summer as Priest
1967
- Omnibus as Self
- Billion Dollar Brain ... (Director)
- Dante's Inferno ... (Director)
1966
- Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World as Captain Patterson
- Don’t Shoot the Composer as Himself
- Russell at Work
1965
- Always on Sunday ... (Director)
- The Debussy Film ... (Scenario Writer)
1964
- Six ... (Writer)
- Bela Bartók ... (Director)
- The Diary of a Nobody ... (Director)
- French Dressing ... (Director)
1962
- Elgar ... (Director)
- Pop Goes the Easel ... (Director)
- The Lonely Shore ... (Director)
- The Preservation Man ... (Director)
- Mr Chesher’s Traction Engines ... (Director)
1961
- London Moods ... (Director)
- Antonio Gaudí ... (Director)
- Lotte Lenya Sings Kurt Weill ... (Director)
- Walk With The Damned as Hood
- Prokofiev ... (Director)
- Old Battersea House ... (Director)
1960
- A House in Bayswater ... (Director)
- Shelagh Delaney's Salford ... (Director)
- Journey Into a Lost World ... (Director)
- The Light Fantastic ... (Director)
- A Bedlington Miners' Picnic ... (Director)
1959
- John Betjeman: A Poet in London ... (Director)
- Portrait of a Goon ... (Director)
- Gordon Jacob ... (Director)
- Variations on a Mechanical Theme ... (Director)
- From Spain to Streatham ... (Director)
- Scottish Painters ... (Director)
1958
- Monitor ... (Director)
- Amelia and the Angel ... (Director)
- Lourdes ... (Director)
1956
- Knights on Bikes ... (Director)
- Peepshow ... (Director)