Ken has started writing for the Tuesday issue of The Times rather than Thursday's issue. I have taken the opportunity to open a new thread.  But comments on this one are still welcome.

Ken writes "I am probably the only film-maker in England today. “And how can that be?” you ask incredulously. Well, you need look no farther than these pages. Everyone even remotely connected to the movie business is at the Cannes Film Festival, all enjoying a sun-drenched freebie."

This is from The Times, 22 May 2008.  Ken goes on to write about Billion Dollar Brain and Aria and finally The Fall of the Louse of Usher

"...the last time I strolled along the Croisette, the circumstances were completely different. A small distributor was handling the release of my low-budget production Fall of the Louse of Usher, a portmanteau of updated Tales of Mystery & Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe. No posh hotels such as the Majestic or Carlton, but a small bed-and-breakfast with bunk beds, full of Japanese tourists, in a suburb a long bus ride out of town. But at least the company also flew out my wife and daughter. No party on a yacht, just drinks with a bunch of freeloaders in a pokey office with a windswept balcony, where my wife was mistaken for Frances McDormand. The action was “hi”, “bye” and a silent “why?”. And drama, when the receptionist had her purse stolen by a partygoer in a daring grab-and-run.
Seven years on, you might wonder if there were profits. Yes, there were. And as soon as I’ve finished paying off the expenses for that week spent at the B&B and the entertainment on the balcony, I will be eligible for royalty payments. Don’t talk to me about Cannes!"

Iain

Ken writing in The Times on 10 Apr 2008 (sorry, I am catching up here).

Mainly autobiographical this article mentions Ken as a child playing with a boy who later became famous as a British comedian, Benny Hill.

Ken writes of his five years at the International Ballet School "under the tutelage of Maestro Nicholas Sergeyev, late regisseur generale of the Imperial Maryinsky Ballet".  This lead to a job in Annie Get Your Gun which folded after three weeks.

Iain

As well as his regular column, on 20 Mar 2008 Ken Russell was one of the people paying tribute to the film director Anthony Minghella.

Ken's tribute is quite personal "I grew up on Minghella's dad's ice-cream in Rhyde, Isle of Wight"  And some good insights "His films were romantic in a very English sense and that's why he appealed to the Hollywood studios- stiff upper lip, elegant sex".

Ken ends, "He's welcome (as in Truly, Madly, Deeply) to come and watch videos in my living room anytime".

A good tribute from one director to another.

Iain

I've always thought that Welles was a much better actor than director. He is purely brilliant even in small but important roles (like in the nowdays little known, though very effective and moving Stuart Rosenberg-drama, Voyage Of The Damned). Citizane Kane has never succeded to win me over. I accept that from a technical point of view it's a groundbreaking effort, but the story is too simple and boring. I've found his obscure adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello a lot more interesting in every aspect. It's a film I can truly recommend to everyone who loves "uneven" movies.

I really like Citizen Kane.  As you say it is technically groundbreaking, but I also found it profound and moving, with lots of scenes I remember.  And a good political undertone with the isolation of Kane reflecting the neutrality of America before it entered the war.

I have problems with Othello, both the Welles version and the Olivier version, namely white people "blacked up".  It now seems so unreal that I have difficulty seeing beyond that.  I don't have Welles version but I will try and watch it again, see if I change my mind.  Welles was of course superb as an actor in The Third Man, and he demonstrates his power in Peter Brook's King Lear, but for every Catch-22 there is also a Muppet Film.  He must have despaired at the stuff he had to accept.

As a director I really like Kane, Chimes at Midnight, The Trial, Macbeth (with its faults) and F for Fake.  Things like Ambersons and Touch of Evil I keep alternating between "love it" and "pretentious".

Iain

Ken writing in The Times 13 Mar 2008 reveals he has just had an operation for a new knee.  He has had a bad time recently, but still comes through.  Typical Ken.

He went into the hospital with a number of DVDs.  The best, IMHO, is the original The Kingdom by Lars von Tier.  As Ken says it is 10 hours (a mini series) set around a Danish hospital where "the ghosts mingle with bewildered patients and eccentric doctors".

Iain

I've always thought that Welles was a much better actor than director. He is purely brilliant even in small but important roles (like in the nowdays little known, though very effective and moving Stuart Rosenberg-drama, Voyage Of The Damned). Citizane Kane has never succeded to win me over. I accept that from a technical point of view it's a groundbreaking effort, but the story is too simple and boring. I've found his obscure adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello a lot more interesting in every aspect. It's a film I can truly recommend to everyone who loves "uneven" movies.

Nothing by Ken in The Times this week.

Iain