From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia 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 overobsessed 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 He is best known for his Oscarwinning film Women in Love 1969 The Devils 1971 The Whos Tommy 1975 and the science fiction film Altered States 1980 One noted admirer the British film critic Mark Kermode attempting to sum up the directors achievement called Russell somebody who proved that British cinema didnt have to be about kitchensink realism it could be every bit as flamboyant as Fellini He now makes very strange experimental films like Lions Mouth and Revenge of the Elephant Man and they are as edgy and out there as the work he made in the 1970s Description above from the Wikipedia article Ken Russell licensed under CCBYSA full list of contributors on Wikipedia