The Debussy Film is among my favourites, but it’s all that I’ve seen from Ken Russell thus far… it’s a strange yet alluring film, oddly structured (a film within a film), and a must-see for Debussy fans imo.
I’m also very interested in seeing some other composer films by Russell, such as the Elgar one.
RIP – a sad loss
Made some great films earlier in his career, I think The Devils may be his best
Bwaaahhh???
—DiB
How apropos, I yesterday watched Elgar, The Debussy Film & Always on Sunday.
RIP
what a touching obituary Kenji. LOL
a true legend of English cinema! very sad news
How odd. I just acquired Whore and was preparing to watch it.
Oh man.
aww i’m sorry to hear it. he was a one of a kind. i shall watch the music lovers in his honor. recently saw the boy friend and adored it. rip
I once went to an opera he’d directed. To my surprise, I found myself seated next to him. He was the only person in the audience who giggled all the way through.
His version of Tommy came to me at a particular time in my youth and dramatically increased my love of film. Here’s to excess! RIP
this is truly sad for a number of reasons
I watched Whore a few weeks ago. That movie will always stay with me, what an underrated work.
As someone who has suffered from bipolar disorder the majority of his life, Russell did the mentally ill a great honor by making The Music Lovers, the most accurate representation of the disease on film. He will be missed.
How unfortunate that his death comes so close to the first widespread release of The Devils.
The beautiful young Alexi is played by Bruce Robinson — who went on to play Lieutenant Pinson in Truffaut’s L’Historie d’Adele H. andthen went on to direct Withnail and I and most recently The Rum Diary
“He was the only person in the audience who giggled all the way through.”
See this is exactly why I’ll miss him. I wanted to sit beside him watching one of his works and giggle with him too!
—PolarisDiB
I saw “Whore” when I was around 10 or 11. Life was never the same afterwards…
one of russell’s last interviews
another at theartsdesk
and a nice gallery of his work at the guardian
Muleyhaven: yeah the threadstarter was short and not very sweet; that did occur to me, my internet access went off (very frustrating) as i was gonna add some more, then i had to go out. By coincidence as i type this the BBC News has started talking about him now..saying Women in Love was a masterpiece, The Devils was “widely panned” and Tommy “typically overblown”, then about his problems getting films made, and that his musical The Boyfriend with Twiggy was “wonderfully entertaining.” Described as passionate and difficult, a perfectionist, not one to suffer fools gladly, sacked the make up artist and assitant director very quickly on Mahler. Twiggy saying he was lovely, funny, a genius, changed British cinema completely
I remember my tutor on a French course in the early 80s loved the nude wrestling scene in Women in Love. That scene, Tommy and the Nikita video are among his most familiar work.
I saw The Devils for the first time within the last year and it was easily one of the most powerful viewing experiences I’ve had in that time frame. I’ll be seeking out more of his work now.
Ken Russell came to my cinema a few months back (though I got the impression his wife was dragging him there). He watched Thor, it was such an odd thing seeing him sat there with 3D glasses on. He said afterwards he hated every minute of it.
@ admin: can Nikita, directed by Russell, be added to database, like many other pop videos?
Devastated by the news. Russell was one of the director’s whose work made me who I am today. Always wanted to meet him.
Now he is gone.. And to think that George bush is still breathing….
Moderated
RIP Ken
two of my favorites
Not exactly my favorite either but good enough…
Kenji
Not among my favourite directors, but now passed away
I prefer his early musical documentaries like Elgar to the later self-indulgence but he had many admirers, e.g of Devils, while Women in Love may be his most assured and famous feature