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Ken Russell
Born · July 3, 1927
Died · November 27, 2011 (84 years old)
Known For: Directing
Place of Birth: Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK
Bio
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."
Twiggy
(archival footage)
7.0
2025
The Who: One Band's Explosive Story
Self (archive footage)
8.0
2022
Director of Devils
Self
0.0
2012
Ken Russell: A Bit of a Devil
Self (archive footage)
8.0
2012
The Devils Original on-set footage
0.0
2012
Mr. Nice
Russell Miegs
6.1
2010
The Aristofrogs
0.0
2010
Boudica Bites Back
Roman Senator
0.0
2009
A Kitten for Hitler
Santa
4.7
2007
10 Best Elgar
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2007
The Real Blue Nuns
Self
5.0
2006
Trapped Ashes
Dr. Lucy (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")
5.0
2006
Brothers of the Head
Himself
5.7
2006
Colour Me Kubrick
The Man In Nightgown
5.7
2005
Agatha Christie's Marple
Rev Caleb Dane Calthrop · (1 episode)
7.6
2004
Revenge of the Elephant Man
0.0
2004
Hell on Earth: The Desecration & Resurrection of The Devils
Self
6.9
2002
Elgar: Fantasy of a Composer on a Bicycle
Narrator (voice)
7.5
2002
The Fall of the Louse of Usher
Dr. Calahari
4.3
2002
Waking the Dead
Gerry Raistrick · (1 episode)
7.3
2001
Celebrity Big Brother
Self · (1 episode)
4.9
2001
The Real Oliver Reed
Self
0.0
2000
Lion's Mouth
Ken
0.0
2000
Ken Russell: In Search of the English Folk Song
Himself
6.5
1997
Vem Var Dracula
Self
0.0
1996
Tales of Erotica
4.1
1996
Empire of the Censors
Self
3.5
1995
Music for the Movies: Georges Delerue
Self
0.0
1995
The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch
Mr. Kirsch
4.4
1995
Frank Stubbs Promotes
Self · (1 episode)
6.0
1993
Lady Chatterley
Sir Michael Reid · (4 episodes)
6.4
1993
The Secret Life of Arnold Bax
Sir Arnold Bax
6.0
1992
Whore
Waiter (uncredited)
5.3
1991
The Russia House
Walter
6.1
1990
Plunder
(1 episode)
0.0
1990
A British Picture
5.8
1989
The Lair of the White Worm
Police Radio (voice) (uncredited)
5.9
1988
Salome's Last Dance
Cappadocian
6.3
1988
Ken Russell's ABC of British Music
Himself
10.0
1988
Your Honour, I Object! Guccione V Russell
0.0
1987
Gothic
Tourist
5.7
1986
A Turnip Head’s Guide To The British Cinema
Self
0.0
1986
Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait
Self
6.0
1983
The Kids Are Alright
7.3
1979
The South Bank Show
Self · (1 episode)
5.6
1978
Valentino
Rex Ingram (uncredited)
5.9
1977
Tommy
Cripple (uncredited)
6.5
1975
Savage Messiah
Passenger getting off train in station (uncredited)
6.1
1972
Song of Summer
Priest
6.2
1968
Don’t Shoot the Composer
Himself
0.0
1966
Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World
Captain Patterson
5.5
1966
Russell at Work
0.0
1966
Walk With The Damned
Hood
0.0
1961
PuzzleFace
god
0.0