Recent Posts

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Savage Messiah: Ken Russell / Re: Music Videos by Jon Sorensen
« Last post by Jon Sorensen on December 31, 2025, 04:44:41 PM »
Wishing you all a very happy 2026 and that you keep your Sense Of Wonder.

An interim feature length music and visuals, "What Dreams May Come" (2026).

Inspired as per usual by Ken's love of visuals and music. It may be of some interest to a handful of you since Ken features in it.

Stay well guys!

Link below:

www.jonsorensencreative.com

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Athol Fugard discussion / Fugard Festival in Los Angeles, USA
« Last post by Iain Fisher on December 18, 2025, 11:50:08 AM »
The Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles present a Fugard Festival from 15 July- 6 September 2026.



The festival includes Sizwe Bansi is Dead as well as staged reading of Exits and Entrances, The Island, Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act and The Road to Mecca.

Sizwe Bansi is Dead is directed by Simon Levy.

"It's 1972 in Port Elizabeth. With only days to secure work- and avoid deportation- Sizwe Banzi uses every resource he has to fight for identity and dignity under apartheid".

For the theatre website click here
https://www.fountaintheatre.com/

For more on Sizwe Bansi is Dead click here
https://iainfisher.com/fugard/athol-fugard-statements.html

For more on Exits and Entrances click here
https://iainfisher.com/fugard/athol-fugard-plays-sorrows.html

For more on The Island click here
https://iainfisher.com/fugard/athol-fugard-statements.html

For more on Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act click here
https://iainfisher.com/fugard/athol-fugard-statements.html

For more on The Road to Mecca click here
https://iainfisher.com/fugard/athol-fugard-plays-exile.html
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Savage Messiah: Ken Russell / Netflix, Warner Bros and The Devils
« Last post by Iain Fisher on December 10, 2025, 06:53:38 PM »
An interesting article on Netflix Buying Warner Bros.

"In recent years, the rise of film culture among younger viewers has ignited a renewed interest in DVDs and Blu-rays" but "Not only does Netflix's acquisition call into question the future of theatrically run Warner Bros. releases on physical media, but also the future of Warner Archive, who are some of the last bastions in keeping the studio's history alive... Under Netflix, I doubt there would be any interest to give Ken Russell's "The Devils" a proper Blu-ray release, for example, in spite of it being one of the most important and provocative films of the 1970s".

The article is by Quinn Bilodeau, 8 Dec 2025, SlashFilm.  For the article click here
https://www.slashfilm.com/2044433/netflix-warner-bros-acquisition-physical-media-blow-devastating/
For more on The Devils click here
https://iainfisher.com/russell/ken-russell-film-the-devils.html


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Savage Messiah: Ken Russell / Ken Russell on BBC Radio 4x (and Internet)
« Last post by Iain Fisher on December 08, 2025, 01:33:14 PM »
You can hear Ken talking on "those musical moments which stir strong emotions... From Elgar to Leonard Bernstein, the film director also looks back over his life and career".

It is on BBC Radio 4X on 8 Dec 2025 and on Internet
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b04v9kl7
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Savage Messiah: Ken Russell / Updates to Lotte Lenya Sings Kurt Weill
« Last post by Iain Fisher on December 03, 2025, 07:01:12 PM »
Ken Russell's film for Monitor about legendary singer Lotte Lenya.  She performs songs by Kurt Weill and Bertold Brecht,

Ken Russell says "it was in the early 60s that I met the legendary Lenya herself and was able to talk her into appearing on the BBC Arts programme Monitor.  I staged four numbers for her including Surabaya Johnny and The Alabama Song of which I still have dazzling memories".

Click here for the film (bottom of the page)
https://iainfisher.com/russell/ken-russell-tv-monitor-shorts.html



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Savage Messiah: Ken Russell / Re: Ken Russell - Alice In Russialand
« Last post by Jr on November 02, 2025, 05:05:16 AM »
OH MY GOD!!! I cannot believe it took so so many many years to finally watch this. More than 10 years looking for this.

Quote from: alicia on January 09, 2025, 04:29:49 AM
Quote from: Kseniya on September 12, 2023, 09:56:15 AM
Hi there. I accidentally found this topic and I am very glad that people are interested in finding this rare film. Personally, I would like to see it not so much because of Ken Russell (sorry ;D ) but because of Steve Pemberton in it (my favorite British actor plays at least two roles in there). I see that no one has offered this clip here yet, so... This is the announcement of the TV Cultura channel for 1994: https://youtu.be/ArMaXRh7oow?si=D8gNgkQEXBh9zaL6 Starting from 1:05. VHSRip quality I suppose.

The portuguese title of "Alice in Russialand" was "Alice no PaĂ­s dos Russos". Hope that can help you a bit. Cheers!

hello! i found it and uploaded to youtube! :)
https://youtu.be/PhgDLCkBkJQ?si=xj0nsecNzbwOJXRm
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Steven Berkoff discussion / updates to Remembering Nigel film
« Last post by Iain Fisher on October 23, 2025, 05:27:17 PM »
Remembering Nigel, a comedy from 2015 written and directed by Frank Howson.  It attempted to get crowd funding but failed to reach the target.

More on the film is here
https://iainfisher.com/berkoff/berkoff-film-2010s-2.html


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Savage Messiah: Ken Russell / John Woodvine passes away
« Last post by Iain Fisher on October 12, 2025, 02:42:04 PM »
John Woodvine who played Louis Trincant in The Devils has passed away.

Woodvine has over 180 film and television credits including a leading role in An American Werewolf in London and an extensive career in theatre for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the English Shakespeare Company.  I saw him on stage playing three plays in a day, Falstaff in Henry IV parts 1 and 2 and Henry V playing the Chorus.  He was magnificent.
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Savage Messiah: Ken Russell / The Boyfriend in many cinemas in Australia
« Last post by Iain Fisher on October 12, 2025, 12:56:24 PM »
The British Film Festival present The Boyfriend at various cinemas in Australia between 6 November- 4 December 2025.

"Step into the dazzling world of Ken Russell’s The Boy Friend (1971), a lavish, tongue-in-cheek homage to the golden age of musicals. Adapted from Sandy Wilson’s hit stage production, the film stars Twiggy in a radiant screen debut as Polly Browne, a shy understudy suddenly thrust into the spotlight when the lead actress collapses. What follows is an exhilarating mix of backstage chaos, soaring fantasy numbers, and affectionate satire of 1920s musical extravaganzas. Russell pulls out all the stops, blending lush art-deco sets, kaleidoscopic costumes, and ingenious choreography that seamlessly oscillates between reality and dream".

The festival is on various dates at various sites:

  • Melbourne: The Astor Theatre, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Penny Lane, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema, Palace Church St
  • Ballarat: Palace Regent Ballarat
  • Canberra: Palace Electric Cinemas
  • Brisbane: Palace Barracks, Palace James Street
  • Adelaide: Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas
  • Perth: Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Leederville and Windsor
  • Byron Bay: Palace Byron Bay, Ballina Fair Cinemas
  • Sydney: Palace Norton Street, Palace Moore Park, Chauvel Cinema, Palace Central

For the Festival site click here
https://britishfilmfestival.com.au/
For more on The Boyfriend click here
https://iainfisher.com/russell/ken-russell-film-the-boyfriend.html


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Savage Messiah: Ken Russell / Altered States on UHD and Blu-Ray
« Last post by Iain Fisher on October 10, 2025, 05:53:15 PM »
Altered States issued on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray by Criterion in UK and USA editions.

"The ultimate cinematic head trip of the 1980s, British renegade Ken Russell’s first Hollywood film—adapted by the legendary screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky from his own novel—is part hallucinogenic freak-out, part gonzo creature feature, part transcendent love story, all played at a fever pitch. When researcher Eddie Jessup (William Hurt) begins using himself as a test subject for his mind-expanding psychological experiments, it sends him on an increasingly dangerous, substance-fueled odyssey from humankind’s primordial past to the outer limits of consciousness. It’s all visualized by Russell in a psychedelic supernova of out-there imagery that encompasses everything from the pagan to the cosmic sublime, culminating in a brain-wave-blasting battle between the mind and the heart".

The features include
  • New 4K digital restoration, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
  • Alternate 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
  • One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • New audio commentary featuring film historian Samm
  • Archival interviews with director Ken Russell and actor William Hurt
  • New interview with special-visual-effects designer Bran
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
For more on Altered States click here
https://iainfisher.com/russell/ken-russell-film-altered-states.html

To buy on Amazon UK click here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0FJYJJ9ZK/savagmessiakenru
To buy on Amazon USA click here
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0FHSC1TK8/savagemessiah
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