Ken Russell, one of the most controversial and surreal filmmakers of Post-war Britain, died Sunday at the age of 84. Russell, dubbed the enfant terrible of filmmaking, made some of the most audacious films throughout a career that spanned over 50 years. In 1969, Russell received his only Oscar-nomination for his adaptation of D.H. Lawrence’s erotic tale, Women in Love. His Freudian imagery and no-holds bar look at the male and female form was revolutionary at a time when sex in the cinema was commonplace after the strain and censorship of the Hayes’ Code.
In 1971, Russell made his most controversial and gothic masterpiece, The Devils. Based on Huxley’s tale of the tug of war between the Church and State in 17th century France, the film shocked audiences, became the target for scrutiny by religious organizations, and was severely edited for international distribution. In particular, the ten-minute “Rape of Christ” sequence was edited due to its content that involved masturbation and ritualistic orgies within a church. It has since been restored and shown on bootleg copies, yet it hasn’t been restored for legitimate distribution.
Sex was not only on Russell’s roster as he combined the flamboyance and decadence of the rock stars of the seventies mixed with the lives of some of the most celebrated classical composers from Tchaikovsky (The Music Lovers), Mahler (Mahler), and Liszt (Lisztomania). In 1975, his filmed adaptation of The Who’s rock opera Tommy received two Oscar nominations and has since been praised as one of the great rock movies. Throughout the late-Seventies, Russell’s career waned with forgetful films, like Valentino, and successful thrillers like the sci-fi film, Altered States. In 1984, Russell reemerged with his campy and sexually charged Crimes of Passion, starring Kathleen Turner and the original Norman Bates, Anthony Perkins.
Russell’s last major motion pictures included The Lair of the White Worm and Whore. His prospects were not just directed at film, as he also directed staged productions on both sides of the Atlantic and directed the 2008 off Broadway production of Mindgame. In addition, he directed music videos for Bryan Adams and Elton John. His family collaborated with him on his films; his first wife, Shirley, designed costumes for Russell's earlier work before receiving Oscar-nominations for her clothing in films like Agatha and Reds. His daughter, Victoria, appeared in a few of her father's films, such as The Music Lovers, Tommy, and Crimes of Passion.
In my opinion, Russell was a sensational filmmaker, who pushed the envelope regardless of the size of his audience and managed to become a direct/indirect inspiration for filmmakers like Tim Burton and Darren Aronofsky. His work stands as profoundly shocking as it is beautiful. Before his death, he was in the early stages of working on an adaptation of Moll Flanders, and his demise leaves one wondering how he would have shocked or tantalized his audience once more. This year has been a sad one, in terms of the loss of great filmmakers, like Tim Hetherington and Sidney Lumet, and Ken Russell joins that list.
