Ken Russell

Ken Russell

Directing
Born 1927-07-03 - Died 2011-11-27Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK

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."

Movies (49)

Tommy
6.5

Tommy

1975Movie6.5
The Russia House
6.1

The Russia House

1990Movie6.1
Whore
5.3

Whore

1991Movie5.3
Celebrity Naked Ambition
5.3

Celebrity Naked Ambition

2003Movie5.3
The Lair of the White Worm
5.9

The Lair of the White Worm

1988Movie5.9
Valentino
5.8

Valentino

1977Movie5.8
Savage Messiah
6.3

Savage Messiah

1972Movie6.3
100 Greatest Sexy Moments
3.5

100 Greatest Sexy Moments

2003Movie3.5
Gothic
5.7

Gothic

1987Movie5.7
Salome's Last Dance
6.1

Salome's Last Dance

1988Movie6.1
The Who: The Kids Are Alright
7.3

The Who: The Kids Are Alright

1979Movie7.3
Mr. Nice
6.1

Mr. Nice

2010Movie6.1
Trapped Ashes
5.1

Trapped Ashes

2006Movie5.1
Tales of Erotica
3.9

Tales of Erotica

1996Movie3.9
Colour Me Kubrick
5.7

Colour Me Kubrick

2005Movie5.7
Brothers of the Head
5.5

Brothers of the Head

2006Movie5.5
The Fall of the Louse of Usher
5.1

The Fall of the Louse of Usher

2002Movie5.1
Twiggy
7.7

Twiggy

2025Movie7.7
A Turnip Head's Guide To The British Cinema

A Turnip Head's Guide To The British Cinema

1986Movie
Empire of the Censors
5.3

Empire of the Censors

1995Movie5.3
Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World
5.4

Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World

1966Movie5.4
Song of Summer
6.3

Song of Summer

1968Movie6.3
Alice in Russialand
8.0

Alice in Russialand

1995Movie8.0
The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch
4.8

The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch

1995Movie4.8
Elgar: Fantasy on a Composer on a Bicycle
7.3

Elgar: Fantasy on a Composer on a Bicycle

2002Movie7.3
Hell on Earth: The Desecration & Resurrection of The Devils
6.4

Hell on Earth: The Desecration & Resurrection of The Devils

2002Movie6.4
Music for the Movies: Georges Delerue
7.0

Music for the Movies: Georges Delerue

1995Movie7.0
The Who: One Band's Explosive Story
7.0

The Who: One Band's Explosive Story

2022Movie7.0
The Real Oliver Reed

The Real Oliver Reed

2000Movie
Lion's Mouth
9.0

Lion's Mouth

2000Movie9.0
In Search of the English Folk Song
7.5

In Search of the English Folk Song

1997Movie7.5
Boudica Bites Back

Boudica Bites Back

2009Movie
Walk With The Damned

Walk With The Damned

1961Movie
Ken Russell's ABC of British Music
10.0

Ken Russell's ABC of British Music

1988Movie10.0
A Kitten for Hitler
4.6

A Kitten for Hitler

2007Movie4.6
The Secret Life of Arnold Bax
6.3

The Secret Life of Arnold Bax

1992Movie6.3
A British Picture: Portrait of an Enfant Terrible
6.5

A British Picture: Portrait of an Enfant Terrible

1989Movie6.5
Don’t Shoot the Composer
8.0

Don’t Shoot the Composer

1966Movie8.0
Ken Russell: A Bit of a Devil
8.0

Ken Russell: A Bit of a Devil

2012Movie8.0
Russell at Work

Russell at Work

1966Movie
Road to Mandalay

Road to Mandalay

1991Movie
10 Best Elgar

10 Best Elgar

2007Movie
Revenge of the Elephant Man

Revenge of the Elephant Man

2004Movie
Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait
6.0

Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait

1984Movie6.0
Director of Devils

Director of Devils

2012Movie
The Real Blue Nuns
4.5

The Real Blue Nuns

2006Movie4.5
The Devils Original on-set footage

The Devils Original on-set footage

2012Movie
PuzzleFace

PuzzleFace

Movie
Your Honour, I Object! Guccione V Russell

Your Honour, I Object! Guccione V Russell

1987Movie

TV Shows (9)

Agatha Christie's Marple
7.8

Agatha Christie's Marple

2004Series7.8
Film '72
5.1

Film '72

1971Series5.1
Omnibus
7.2

Omnibus

1967Series7.2
Waking the Dead
7.2

Waking the Dead

2001Series7.2
Celebrity Big Brother
5.0

Celebrity Big Brother

2001Series5.0
The South Bank Show
5.6

The South Bank Show

1978Series5.6
Lady Chatterley
6.3

Lady Chatterley

1993Series6.3
Frank Stubbs Promotes
7.5

Frank Stubbs Promotes

1993Series7.5
Plunder

Plunder

1990Series