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Ken Russell

Ken Russell

Director · 1927–2011 · Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK

IMDb

Highest rated as cast or director

Ken Russell's 5 titles from the 1970s have a median Balasaur Score of 67, led by Mahler (69) and The Devils (67), against 59 for those from the 1980s.

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. Among his best known works are the Oscar-winning romantic drama Women in Love (1969), the notoriously controversial psychological horror 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."

Directed 72

2000s

  1. 2007

    A Kitten for Hitler

    Director

  2. 2006

    Trapped Ashes

    Director

  3. 2002

    Elgar: Fantasy on a Composer on a Bicycle

    Director

  4. The Fall of the Louse of Usher

    Director

1990s

  1. 1998

    Dogboys

    Director

  2. 1997

    In Search of the English Folk Song

    Director

  3. 1996

    Mindbender

    Director

  4. Tales of Erotica

    Director

  5. 1995

    Treasure Island

    Director

  6. The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch

    Director

  7. Alice in Russialand

    Director

  8. 1994

    Erotic Tales

    Director

  9. 1993

    Lady Chatterley

    Director

    67
  10. 1992

    The Secret Life of Arnold Bax

    Director

  11. 1991

    Prisoner of Honor

    Director

  12. Whore

    Director

    51
  13. 1990

    Women and Men: Stories of Seduction

    Director

    50

1980s

  1. 1989

    The Rainbow

    Director

    62

  2. A British Picture: Portrait of an Enfant Terrible

    Director

  3. Il Mefistofele

    Director

  4. 1988

    The Lair of the White Worm

    Director

    62

  5. Salome's Last Dance

    Director

    59

  6. Ken Russell's ABC of British Music

    Director

  7. 1987

    Aria

    Director

    57

  8. Gothic

    Director

    58
  9. 1985

    Faust

    Director

  10. 1984

    Crimes of Passion

    Director

    59

  11. Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait

    Director

  12. 1983

    The Planets

    Director

  13. 1980

    Altered States

    Director

    70

1970s

  1. 1978

    The South Bank Show

    Director

  2. 1977

    Valentino

    Director

    56
  3. 1975

    Lisztomania

    Director

  4. Tommy

    Director

    67
  5. 1974

    Mahler

    Director

    69
  6. 1972

    Savage Messiah

    Director

    64
  7. 1971

    The Boy Friend

    Director

  8. The Devils

    Director

    67

  9. The Music Lovers

    Director

  10. 1970

    Dance of the Seven Veils

    Director

1960s

  1. 1969

    Women in Love

    Director

  2. 1968

    Song of Summer

    Director

  3. 1967

    Dante's Inferno

    Director

  4. Billion Dollar Brain

    Director

    56
  5. 1966

    Don’t Shoot the Composer

    Director

  6. Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World

    Director

  7. 1965

    Always on Sunday

    Director

  8. The Debussy Film

    Director

  9. 1964

    The Diary of a Nobody

    Director

  10. Bela Bartók

    Director

  11. French Dressing

    Director

  12. 1962

    Elgar

    Director

  13. Mr Chesher’s Traction Engines

    Director

  14. The Preservation Man

    Director

  15. Pop Goes the Easel

    Director

  16. The Lonely Shore

    Director

  17. 1961

    London Moods

    Director

  18. Lotte Lenya Sings Kurt Weill

    Director

  19. Prokofiev

    Director

  20. Antonio Gaudí

    Director

  21. 1960

    The Light Fantastic

    Director

  22. Shelagh Delaney's Salford

    Director

  23. A House in Bayswater

    Director

  24. A Bedlington Miners' Picnic

    Director

1950s

  1. 1959

    Scottish Painters

    Director

  2. Portrait of a Goon

    Director

  3. From Spain to Streatham

    Director

  4. Variations on a Mechanical Theme

    Director

  5. Gordon Jacob

    Director

  6. John Betjeman: A Poet in London

    Director

  7. 1958

    Amelia and the Angel

    Director

  8. Monitor

    Director

Wrote 36

2000s

  1. 2007

    A Kitten for Hitler

    Writer

  2. 2002

    Elgar: Fantasy on a Composer on a Bicycle

    Writer

  3. The Fall of the Louse of Usher

    Writer

1990s

  1. 1997

    In Search of the English Folk Song

    Writer

  2. 1996

    Mindbender

    Writer

  3. Tales of Erotica

    Writer

  4. 1995

    Treasure Island

    Teleplay

  5. The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch

    Writer

  6. Alice in Russialand

    Writer

  7. 1993

    Lady Chatterley

    Writer

    67
  8. 1992

    The Secret Life of Arnold Bax

    Writer

  9. 1991

    Whore

    Screenplay

    51

1980s

  1. 1989

    The Rainbow

    Screenplay

    62

  2. A British Picture: Portrait of an Enfant Terrible

    Writer

  3. 1988

    The Lair of the White Worm

    Screenplay

    62

  4. Salome's Last Dance

    Screenplay

    59

  5. Ken Russell's ABC of British Music

    Writer

  6. 1987

    Aria

    Writer

    57
  7. 1984

    Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait

    Writer

1970s

  1. 1977

    Valentino

    Screenplay

    56
  2. 1975

    Lisztomania

    Screenplay

  3. Tommy

    Screenplay

    67
  4. 1974

    Mahler

    Writer

    69
  5. 1971

    The Boy Friend

    Screenplay

  6. The Devils

    Screenplay

    67
  7. 1970

    Dance of the Seven Veils

    Writer

1960s

  1. 1968

    Song of Summer

    Writer

  2. 1966

    Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World

    Writer

  3. 1965

    Always on Sunday

    Scenario Writer

  4. The Debussy Film

    Scenario Writer

  5. 1964

    The Diary of a Nobody

    Writer

  6. Bela Bartók

    Screenplay

  7. 1962

    Elgar

    Writer

  8. 1960

    A House in Bayswater

    Writer

1950s

  1. 1958

    Amelia and the Angel

    Writer, Story

  2. Monitor

    Writer

Acted in 27

2020s

  1. 2025

    Twiggy

    (archival footage)

2000s

  1. 2007

    A Kitten for Hitler

    Santa

  2. 2006

    Trapped Ashes

    Dr. Lucy (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")

  3. 2005

    Colour Me Kubrick

    The Man In Nightgown

    57
  4. 2004

    Agatha Christie's Marple

    Rev Caleb Dane Calthrop · 1 episode

    79
  5. 2002

    The Fall of the Louse of Usher

    Dr. Calahari

  6. 2001

    Waking the Dead

    Gerry Raistrick · 1 episode

    77

1990s

  1. 1996

    Tales of Erotica

    Mr. Kirsch (segment 'The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch') (uncredited)

  2. 1995

    The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch

    Mr. Kirsch

  3. Alice in Russialand

    Movie

  4. 1993

    Lady Chatterley

    Sir Michael Reid · 2 episodes

    67
  5. 1992

    The Secret Life of Arnold Bax

    Sir Arnold Bax

  6. 1991

    Whore

    Waiter (uncredited)

    51
  7. 1990

    The Russia House

    Walter

    64

1980s

  1. 1989

    A British Picture: Portrait of an Enfant Terrible

    Movie

  2. 1988

    The Lair of the White Worm

    Police Radio (voice) (uncredited)

    62

  3. Salome's Last Dance

    Cappadocian

    59
  4. 1987

    Your Honour, I Object! Guccione V Russell

    Movie

  5. Gothic

    Tourist

    58

1960s

  1. 1968

    Song of Summer

    Priest

  2. 1966

    Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World

    Captain Patterson

  3. 1961

    Walk With The Damned

    Hood

No release date

  1. PuzzleFace

    god

Produced 13

2000s

  1. 2002

    Elgar: Fantasy on a Composer on a Bicycle

    Producer

  2. The Fall of the Louse of Usher

    Producer

1990s

  1. 1998

    Dogboys

    Producer

1980s

  1. 1989

    The Rainbow

    Producer

    62
  2. 1988

    The Lair of the White Worm

    Producer

    62
  3. 1984

    Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait

    Producer

1970s

  1. 1975

    Tommy

    Producer

    67
  2. 1972

    Savage Messiah

    Producer

    64
  3. 1971

    The Boy Friend

    Producer

  4. The Devils

    Producer

    67

  5. The Music Lovers

    Producer

1960s

  1. 1966

    Don’t Shoot the Composer

    Producer

  2. 1965

    Always on Sunday

    Producer

Other crew 2

2000s

  1. 2002

    The Fall of the Louse of Usher

    Cinematography

1950s

  1. 1958

    Amelia and the Angel

    Cinematography

Camera 2

2000s

  1. 2002

    The Fall of the Louse of Usher

    Director of Photography

Edited 1

2000s

  1. 2002

    The Fall of the Louse of Usher

    Editor

Created 1

Appearances22

2020s

  1. 2022

    The Who: One Band's Explosive Story

    Self (archive footage)

2010s

  1. 2012

    Director of Devils

    Self

  2. Ken Russell: A Bit of a Devil

    Self (archive footage)

2000s

  1. 2007

    10 Best Elgar

    Self (archive footage)

  2. 2006

    The Real Blue Nuns

    Self

  3. Brothers of the Head

    Himself

  4. 2003

    100 Greatest Sexy Moments

    Self

  5. Celebrity Naked Ambition

    Self - Contributor

  6. 2002

    Hell on Earth: The Desecration & Resurrection of The Devils

    Self

  7. Elgar: Fantasy on a Composer on a Bicycle

    Narrator (voice)

  8. 2001

    Celebrity Big Brother

    Self · 1 episode

    46
  9. 2000

    The Real Oliver Reed

    Self

1990s

  1. 1997

    In Search of the English Folk Song

    Self

  2. 1995

    Music for the Movies: Georges Delerue

    Self

  3. 1993

    Frank Stubbs Promotes

    Self · 1 episode

1980s

  1. 1988

    Ken Russell's ABC of British Music

    Himself

  2. 1986

    A Turnip Head's Guide To The British Cinema

    Self

  3. 1984

    Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait

    Self

1970s

  1. 1979

    The Who: The Kids Are Alright

    Self

  2. 1978

    The South Bank Show

    Self · 1 episode

1960s

  1. 1967

    Omnibus

    Self · 3 episodes

  2. 1966

    Don’t Shoot the Composer

    Himself

Thanked in the credits1

2010s

  1. 2016

    Kitsune

    Thanks