RIP Ken Russell

[Prospero]

The british film director ken Russell died today. he made many great films including The Devils, Mahler, The Music lovers and Women in Love - plus some pretty bad ones. At his best a demented genius.

[Stavros]

I don't think its the quality of his films that made his name, rather he is part of that group of English directors -Lindsay Anderson, Ken Loach, Derek Jarman, for example- whose film-making was idiosyncratic, not tied to any prevailing fashion in Hollywood -Russell's attempt to make American films, notwithstanding the under-rated Altered States, fell foul of his temper and their intolerance. His pioneering tv programmes introduced a lot of people to the music of Delius, for example, whom I had never heard of before, but I would like to see them again -assuming the BBC kept the tapes-to see if they have lasted. I loathed his films on Tchaikovsky and Mahler, mainly because like all 'biopics' stuff is left out and other stuff exaggerated, but he was a unique stylist, and his films are worth watching, for all their faults. I understand an uncut version of The Devils will be released next year.

[Prospero]

His Delius film "Song of Summer',and his film on Elgar do still exist. The Delius film with its revelation about the role of Eric Fenby in helping the ailing composer realise his latter works was terrific. I like the idiosyncracy of films like Mahler - a preposterous portrait of the composer but a visually delerious work. His later films however were totally awful. At a preview screening of "Lair Of The White Worm" i heard another well known director mutter - "that was quite possibly the worst film ever made.' (I think that's a lofty claim in the present world but it was remarkably dreadful.)
Latterly Russell got no work at all and had taken to filming in his back garden.

[bassman2546]

RIP

Do not forget his masterpiece, The Who's 'Tommy'.

[giovanni_hotel]

Back into the ether.

[GroobySteven]

RIP

Do not forget his masterpiece, The Who's 'Tommy'.

I'd totally forgotten that he'd directed that. It seems like a strange choice but it obviously worked.

[Prospero]

I'd forgotten it too - and now remembered who can forget Elton John and the giant piano and shoes.

[GroobySteven]

I'd forgotten it too - and now remembered who can forget Elton John and the giant piano and shoes.

Tina Turner and her drug costume.
Eric Claption strolling down the church strumming.
Keith Moon as the kiddy fiddling, Uncle Ernie.

We were just talking about Olly Reed also right? Makes sense with the Ken Russell connection.

[Prospero]

Oliver Reed's finest performances were in Russell movies - Women In Love and The devils.

[GroobySteven]

Oliver Reed's finest performances were in Russell movies - Women In Love and The devils.
And Oliver the musical for pure childhood nostalgia.

[Jericho]

His later films however were totally awful. At a preview screening of "Lair Of The White Worm" i heard another well known director mutter - "that was quite possibly the worst film ever made.' (I think that's a lofty claim in the present world but it was remarkably dreadful.)


I loved that film..It was brilliant! :hide-1:

[Prospero]

... which is what makes horse races Jericho.... but remind me not to accept any invitations you might offer to see a movie (an unlikely notion I agree)

[Jericho]

... which is what makes horse races Jericho.... but remind me not to accept any invitations you might offer to see a movie (an unlikely notion I agree)

Indeed..Highly unlikely! :lol:

[Dirky]

Ironically, it was just recently announced that The Devils will finally be legitimately released on DVD early next year. That was his masterpiece, IMHO.

He was uneven and frustratingly indulgent at times but also one of the most unique directors of all time. A mad genius behind the camera who left a body of work that will be talked about for decades to come. RIP.

[Stavros]

His Delius film "Song of Summer',and his film on Elgar do still exist. The Delius film with its revelation about the role of Eric Fenby in helping the ailing composer realise his latter works was terrific. I like the idiosyncracy of films like Mahler - a preposterous portrait of the composer but a visually delerious work. His later films however were totally awful. At a preview screening of "Lair Of The White Worm" i heard another well known director mutter - "that was quite possibly the worst film ever made.' (I think that's a lofty claim in the present world but it was remarkably dreadful.)
Latterly Russell got no work at all and had taken to filming in his back garden.


Hmmm..David Puttnam? I think we all know what the attraction was in The Lair of the White Worm, and it wasn't Hugh Grant. Salome's Last Dance with its transgendered substitute can be seen in the link below. If anyone could incorporate transexuals into a film it would have been Russell. Wilde's play is an oddity, plays with poetic lines haven't worked since Shakespeare, and perhaps because of the Strauss opera (which is an improvement on the play) Russell made a film about Strauss too, Dance of the Seven Veils, also on Youtube

Salome's Last Dance (Oscar Wilde) - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkLnlXf8a5k&feature=related)

[Prospero]

What - David Putnam who made the remark or you think that Im Dvid Putnam (lol) Neither. I think that it was Ken Loach - but don't make me swear to that.

Russell's film about Strauss was the last one he did for TV and pre-figured the baroque absurdities of his cinematic biopics (if it is fair to call them that. Rather more they were fantasias)

[Dino Velvet]

RIP Ken Russell

http://sharetv.org/images/posters/the_devils_1971.jpg http://www.ratingmovies.com/dvds/468/Crimes_Of_Passion_%281984%29.front.jpg

http://www.obscurehorror.com/lairofwhiteworm.jpg http://sharetv.org/images/posters/altered_states_1980.jpg

[Ben]

I watched Altered States years ago. I liked it.
But what we frequently omit with respect to films is that it's a collaboration.
The film was penned by Paddy Chayefsky. Who also wrote Network. The cinematographer or director of photography was Jordan Cronenweth. Who was also the director of photography for the classic sci-fi film Blade Runner. So, a film isn't a one man/woman operation, as it were.
RIP....

Altered States - Trailer - 225 kbps - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbYT3UclhNY)

[Stavros]

I agree, and some of the most famous and best films are as indebted to the cinematographer as the director -but Russell and Chayefsky had such volcanic rows on set it may have hurt Russell's reputation for being 'difficult' or it caused him to leave the US. He was a cantankerous old sod but had an ability to entertain, I think Charefsky was one of those people who take themselves too seriously. Its just a movie, dude.

[bassman2546]

Of course today, to be politically correct, the lyric should be, "...that hearing, speaking and sight impaired kid, sure plays a mean pinball."

The Who - Pinball Wizard - Tommy - 1969 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK33CY68s1w&feature=related)

[txjr3]

I loved that film..It was brilliant! :hide-1:

me too! Amanda something as the kinda bdsm matriarch - classic!