Speaking of his father's death, son Alex Verney-Elliott said "My father died peacefully, he died with a smile on his face". Ken died on Sunday 28th November in hospital after a series of strokes. Ken's widow, Elize has said that she is "devastated" by her husbands death as it was "completely unexpected". Ken had recently agreed to direct Alice In Wonderland as a musical feature film and had started work the script and casting. Elize added that "He also had just completed an article for The Times on a review of the re-release of his film The Devils, so he was keeping himself very busy"
Often seen has having an eccentric view when filming, Ken was always entertaining with his creations as his 1970 'The Music Lovers' staring Richard Chamberlain as Tchaikovsky shows. The 1812 Overture sequence which is festooned with ribbons whilst peoples heads are being blown off by cannonballs is a vision only Ken Russell could have created. Despite his creative genius and success Ken found it difficult to get financing in later years but continued making his films. Ken was extremely important and influential in the 1960's and first part of the 70's, he brought a brightness to British Cinema.
Glenda Jackson who stared in Ken's Women In Love also featured in many more of his films including Music Lovers. Glenda who won an Oscar for her Women In Love performance said it was "just wonderful to work with him and to work with him as often as I did". "He created the kind of climate in which actors could do their job and I loved him dearly." Glenda belives that the British film industry had overlooked Ken and his abilities calling it "a great shame".
Joley Richardson is amongst those who loved Ken Russell and stared in his BBC TV series Lady Chatterley opposite Sean Bean in 1993. Joley said "I will forever feel privileged and honoured to have worked with the great Ken Russell." adding "More than that, I was extremely fond of the man himself."
Famed film maker Michael Winner added his tribute to Ken recognising his "enormous contribution" to British Cinema "He pushed the barriers completely and got away with it sometimes and didn't others, but he made some startling movies."
Ken later on in his career returned to more small budget films including Crimes of Passion, Gothic, Salome's Last Dance and The Lair of the White Worm a cult horror-comedy staring Hugh Grant. He also adapted DH Lawrence's The Rainbow which he followed with his gritty production Whore. Not wanting to limit his creativeness to one media Ken also tried to make music videos and is famed for making Nikita for Elton John.
Todays public might remember Ken from his 2007 appearance in Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother. Lasting only four days Ken quit the show after a disagreement with fellow contestant the late Jade Goody.
Article by Michelle.
Image via Wikipedia.
