Phallic Frenzy

By Joseph Lanza and sub-titled Ken Russell and his films, the first full length book on Ken since 1984.  As well as the films it covers Ken's opera and video work.

Southampton People

By John Edgar Mann, 1989.  A book about famous people who lived in Southampton.  Ken is covered, mainly via John Baxter's book "Success in art... was 90 per cent drudgery, nine per cent luck and one per cent inspiration".

Ken's fellow Sotonians (as the book states people from Southampton are called) include Jane Austen, General Gordon and Benny Hill.  One other is significantly the Rev. Harold Davidson- did this book inspired Russell's film about Davidson- Lion's Mouth?

Ken Russell´s Films

By Ken Hanke, 1984.  The most comprehensive account of Ken´s work, films and television, up to Crimes of Passion. The last chapter on Ken´s influence covers, as well as Jarman, people like Fellini and Lynch.

Ken Hanke was rumoured to be writing a new biography Nymphomaniacs, Nuns and Messiahs: The Fantastic Life and Times of Ken Russell but this is no longer going ahead.

Ken Russell

By Gene D. Phillips, 1979.  Covers some of the early TV work in detail, and the films up to Lisztomania. Ken dedicated his novel to Gene Phillips, a Catholic priest.

.....

Ken in 1956 interviewing people, and Ken at home in the Lake District.

Ken Russell: a guide to references and resources

By Diane Rosenfeldt, 1978.  Mainly a listing of articles about Russell, with small quotes (one-liners) from some of them. For example in Life in 1971 Richard Schickel reviews The Devils: "nothing but disgust...There is no human decency to be found in it; Russell has wasted his rare gift on this film".

Ken Russell

Edited by Thomas R. Atkins with sections by Atkins, Gene D. Philips, John Baxter, Jack Fisher and Joseph A. Gomez, 1976.  Good sections on the early television work.

"His best work combines the graphic immediacy and simplicity of the comic strip with the subtlety and suggestiveness of music".

"Like Hitchcock he is one of the few directors whose name usually guarantees lines at the box office".

Ken in the Royal Air Force, and directing Savage Messiah.

Ken Russell: The Adaptor as Creator

by Joseph Gomez, 1976.  Gomez looks at the adaptations of Russell from the first amateur films up to Lisztomania.

Ken in early photographer days, and filming Tommy.

Ken Russell: A Director in Search of a Hero

By Colin Wilson, 1974.  A Short book based on the interview Wilson did of Russell for Westward Television. In the film Wilson is introduced as a close friend of Russell but in the book it is clear he has never met Russell before, and has only recently seen his films. The interview with Russell is made up of well known anecdotes, and the film criticism is poor.

Russell wears enormous rings, the same as John Justin in Savage Messiah, being filmed at the time.

An Appalling Talent : Ken Russell

By John Baxter, 1973.  This covers the early television and films up to Savage Messiah. About half is made up of an interview with Ken including some good insights. There is also an interview with Huw Weldon, Russell´s supervisor at the BBC.  The title, An Appalling Talent, is a phrase used by critic Dilys Powell about Russell.

The photographer Ken, and directing French Dressing.