Ken Russell

Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell, known as Ken Russell (born July 3 1927) is a controversial British film director, particularly known for his films about famous composers.

1970s and controversy

His first truly personal feature film was 1969's Women in Love, based on the novel by D. H. Lawrence. The film made a star of Glenda Jackson and broke the cinema taboo of full frontal male nudity. Work in a similar vein continued with The Music Lovers (1970), a biopic of Tchaikovsky which drew attention to his homosexuality, and The Devils, based on Aldous Huxley's book The Devils of Loudun, starring Vanessa Redgrave in a highly controversial role as a nun. The Devils was among a number of high-profile films released in this period with an X-rating, including Greetings, Midnight Cowboy, and A Clockwork Orange. Like all of these films The Devils was later released R-rated without any edits to home video.

Related Topics:
1969 - Women in Love - D. H. Lawrence - Glenda Jackson - Taboo - Nudity - The Music Lovers - 1970 - Tchaikovsky - Homosexuality - The Devils - Aldous Huxley's - The Devils of Loudun - Vanessa Redgrave - Nun - X-rating - Greetings - Midnight Cowboy - A Clockwork Orange - R-rated

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Russell's first attempt to break into America with the period musical/Twiggy vehicle The Boyfriend met with critical derision and audience apathy. Russell turned to European financing for Savage Messiah, a biopic of artist Henri Gaudier-Brzeska and Mahler resulting in mild critical praise. It became evident, however, that the die had been cast against Russell in the critical community, with David Thompson and Pauline Kael vociferously denouncing his output.

Related Topics:
Twiggy - The Boyfriend - Savage Messiah - Henri Gaudier-Brzeska - Mahler - David Thompson - Pauline Kael

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In 1975 Russell was gifted a hit with the star studded film version of The Who's Tommy starring Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Elton John, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, and Jack Nicholson. The film premeiered at Cannes, enjoyed high financial returns and went on to become a sort of cult film. The success of Tommy allowed Russell to indulge his visual flair in his follow up Lizstomania, designed as a vehicle for Roger Daltrey. Charges of self-indulgence that had dogged all of Russell's ouvre peaked with Lizstomania, and the resulting film was a cinematic non-starter. Despite the setback, the success of Tommy gave Russell another shot at Hollywood, but the biopic Valentino satisfied neither Russell's fans nor the general public.

Related Topics:
The Who - Tommy - Roger Daltrey - Ann-Margret - Oliver Reed - Elton John - Tina Turner - Eric Clapton - Jack Nicholson - Cannes - Cult film - Lizstomania - Self-indulgence - Valentino

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