Ken Russell best scene

Murray Melvin as Mignon in The Devils

Wrestling from Women in Love
Marilyn Monroes from Tommy
Tchaikovsky seeing all the "music lovers" while dying in The Music Lovers
the extraordinary tracking shot in the studio during the "Rivera" number in The Boyfriend
stone and god in Aria
Daltry and the giant penis in Lisztomania
Alma Mahler quieting the countryside
the entire second half of The Devils
the public exorcism of Vanessa Redgrave in The Devils
the dream sequence in The Devils in which Oliver Reed appears as Christ

Liszt and his friends dive-bombing Wagner in Lisztomania
the dream in The Devils
the dance of the seven veils in Salome's Last Dance
China Blue, a policeman and a night-stick in Crimes of Passion
Gaudier's artwork revealed at the end of Savage Messiah
Hermione's Russian ballet in Women in Love
Mahler's funeral and cremation in a dream sequence from Mahler
Rambova's séance in Valentino
the Charlie Chaplin fantasy in Lisztomania
the 1812 Overture fantasy in The Music Lovers

"It's So Much Nicer in Nice" the musical number in The Boyfriend
King Louis XIII visiting the nuns in The Devils
Mary Shelley's five doors to the future in Gothic
the Gypsy Queen sequence by Tina Turner in Tommy
Shaw's dinner party in Savage Messiah
the opening sequence in The Music Lovers
Kevin's demise in Lair of the White Worm
asylum scenes in The Music Lovers
"Bye bye, Blackbird", Louis XIII shooting protestant blackbirds in The Devils
the seduction in Lair of the White Worm

the mass-crucifixion sequences in Altered States. Creepy.
the Nuns in The Devils
the first hallucination in Altered States
the 1812 Overture fantasy from The Music Lovers
the final shot in The Devils
Mahler - Alma burying musical creativity in a small coffin like box. Beautifully shot and acted by Georgina Hale
the death of Gaudier-Breszka from Savage Messiah
the Hugo Wolf waltz in Mahler
letters XYZ in ABC of British Music
the airplane sequence in Lair of the White Worm

the last quarter of Savage Messiah
Palmer finding the body in the ice house in Billion $ Brain, or the love scene with giant hypo needle in same film
anything in Devils or Women in Love
the incubus on top of the sleeping girl enacting Fuseli's painting in Gothic
the airplane sequence in Lair
the dream Sequence in The Devils
in Lisztomania when Wagner bites into Liszt's neck while the two composers are seated at the piano
the al fresco lunch where Rupert quotes the fig poem
the Piano Concerto performance in The Music Lovers
The Debussy Film: Arrows in St Sebastian women

Today it rained Champagne, the bean bath of Ann-Margret in Tommy
Glenda Jackson's delirious dance with the bulls, Oliver Reed catching her and their fatal bonding by the tree
can't help it . . . I'm fond of soap suds and baked beans in Tommy . . .
anything from The Devils
Bates & Reed wrestling in Women in Love
the "Room in Bloomsbury" number in The Boyfriend
all three scenes with Kevin the Scout in Lair of the White Worm
anything involving Amanda Donohoe - of course!
the Orpheus scene in Lisztomania (except the dumb piano lid ending). Particularly Liszt being sucked through the huge vagina of Princess Carolyne as an inflatable love doll
1812 Overture sequence in The Music Lovers

the "awakening to nature" night horseback ride in Mahler
most every scene in The Devils
Polly dreaming about dancing with Tony in the forest in The Boyfriend
The Book of Revelations hallucination in Altered States
Alan Bates discussing the proper manner to consume a fig in Women in Love
it changes - depends on the last film I watched. Currently - Salome and John the Baptist 'I was a virgin, and you raped me'
Hmmm...So many choices! Well, my favorite KR film is undoubtedly Lair of the White Worm, but I'm going to have to go with Salome's dance spectacular in Salome's Last Dance
the conversion scene in Mahler
the opening of Mahler where the hut bursts into flame
Women in Love where Gerald Critch walks to Gudrun's house and gets into her bed covered in mud

the naked wrestling scene from Women in Love
I'm Free from Tommy
the Chaplin scene from Lisztomania
The Devils compleat
The motorcycle fight in Tommy. Ken Russell is the best director EVER!!!!! I like his strange movies a lot!!!!
Savage Messiah- Dorothy Tutin chopping rotting veggies while remembering rotten past
the dream in The Devils
The Music Lovers- honeymoon in the train, the asylum sequences, the 1812 overture
Ann-Margret in all-white fur & jewels in all-white room singing & then being lambasted by a baked bean storm in Tommy
ending scenes and credits in The Boy Friend

when the soap suds, chocolate and beans are coming out of Ann-Margret's TV in Tommy
when Father Barre is in the middle of a crowd of crazed, grateful nuns who he as just reprieved in The Devils
Ken Russell is the best. Double feature The Devils and The Boyfriend and you will see ALL of films; the two epitomize every possible extreme - never a moment not PACKED with information
Pinball Wizard in Tommy
Ollie Reed's trial in The Devils
the nude wrestling scene in Women in Love
the overnight sculpture in Savage Messiah, with the "little bird" fable that at least two other films have cribbed
all of Women in Love and all of Tommy
I would like to suggest another best image for Lair of the White Worm. You feature a picture of Amanda Donohoe hissing on the crucifix. When she draws back there is a shadow on the wall from a spider plant. It forms a man's head with a starburst for an eye. It's a neat image. And quite low budget
the whole 2nd half of The Devils

Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed and the relatives in the Christmas sequence from Tommy
sur la plage from The Boyfriend and the scene right before it's nicer in nice
the dance in Salome or general nun frenzy in The Devils
the last scene of Altered States
Just about every scene in Crimes of Passion involving China Blue and/ or Reverend Peter Shayne, particularly the reaction shot of Shayne when China Blue pulls the large metal vibrator ("superman") out of the bag and reveals it for the first time. Another wonderful scene is the silhouetted sex scene between China Blue and the leading man. The film just gets creepier and more disturbing each time I watch it. I Love it! (Love the musical score, too). Most underrated Russell film is also his BEST
the scene where the doctor is being interrogated for his fears in Gothic
Mahler meeting Hugo Wolf
Ann-Margret rolling around with baked beans, pudding and champagne in Tommy
the plane scene in Lair of the White Worm
the newlyweds drowning in Women in Love

hallucinations from Altered States
Anthony Perkin´s psycho character on Crimes of Passion
the dressing room anecdotes in The Boy Friend
the transformation from the "Ceremonial" to the operating theatre in Aria
the fantasy scene in The Devils where Vanessa Redgrave sees Father Grandier as Jesus healing her kyphotic back
Gaudier's "bird in shit" soliloquy in Savage Messiah. A close second: Gaudier "delivering" the sculpture
the boat sequence in French Dressing with James Booth and Alita Naughton
the final scene of Women in Love
the final sequences of The Devils and The Music Lovers but there are dozens more that are the best!
the whole sequence in The Music Lovers where Chamberlain is playing the piano at his concert and each character has his or her different fantasy. Excellent!

The Lair - the drowning of the boy scout
hallucinations in The Devils and Altered States
the boat scene under Herne Bay ("Gormleigh") pier in French Dressing, with James Booth and Alita Naughton. Other great scenes in the same film: Alita roller-skating in the pier pavilion as the balloons fall; the brawling men entering and emerging from Marisa Mell's gigantic projected mouth in the film-within-a-film, "Pavements of Boulogne"; the exhilarating opening credits, with James Booth cycling furiously along the pier
Glenda Jackson dancing in Women in Love in front of the bull
when Percy Shelley (Julian Sands) looks into the 'eyes' of Claire and finds them peering at him from her nipples (Gothic)
Vanessa Redgrave screaming "take away my hump!" in The Devils
the opening scene in Elgar showing the composer as a boy riding his pony over the glorious Malvern Hills
when they dance in Salome's Last Dance
Anything from Song of Summer
Tchaikovsky and the Piano Concerto sequence (The Music Lovers)

Mahler - 1) Exploding hut sequence 2) "We are going to live for ever"
Women in Love - the scene beginning with Oliver Reed lying down to die in the snow
the scene in Tommy where Ann-Margret gets covered in soap bubbles beans and chocolate. I love that scene
the acid queen sequence of Tommy
it would be the rape of Christ sequence from The Devils (if it were actually included in a print I could access)... I personally like the conversion of Gustav by Cosima Wagner in Mahler, although the mushroom hallucination in Altered States is quite nice, as is the end sequence in the gallery in Savage Messiah
so many, it is difficult to choose. Forced, however, I would say the scene (Song of Summer) when Delius is taken up the mountain, accompanied by Song of the High Hills. Also, the final scene (the exhibition) in Savage Messiah. But SO MANY others
I can remember so many beautiful scenes! 1) Aria 2) the 1812 overture from The Music Lovers 3) the C. Chaplin-like scene from Lisztomania 4) the ending from Song of Summer
the "Charlie Chaplin" scene from Lisztomania
Chamberlain playing Tchaikovsky (The Music Lovers) and the psychedelic pictures from Altered States
in Aria, when the viewer realizes that the bejewelled princess is really a car crash victim

Fenby trying to take down music from Delius, in Song of Summer
the "Rape of Christ" sequence in The Devils
the last ten minutes of The Devils (Grandier's death, aftermath)
Alan Bates and Oliver Reed wrestling (Women in Love)
there are so many it's not easy to pick one. Maybe Redgrave's rosary scene in The Devils
in Tommy when Ann-Margret's TV starts gushing out soap bubbles all over her
1812 overture in The Music Lovers
the short movie in Crimes of Passion
I agree with you, the Hugo Wolf scene in Mahler is great! beautiful! but the BEST OF THE BEST is the conversion scene in Mahler!!!
the nude fight between to men in Women in Love: Oliver Reed and Alan Bates

wrestling from Women in Love
Gaudier Brzeska's sculpting of his mistress with a jack hammer (Savage Messiah)
the end of The Music Lovers
the end scene of The Devils
Helen Mirren walking naked down the stairs in Savage Messiah
Richard Chamberlain performing Piano Concerto No. 1, with Russell intercutting reactions and daydreams of the audience members, from The Music Lovers. This is the best site devoted to a filmmaker
Ann-Margret writhing on the floor covered in soap suds and beans and chocolate in Tommy
Ann-Margret rolling in Baked Beans
the Heinz Baked Beans part of Tommy
in Salome´s Last Dance - 'my fan'

Ann-Margret basking in beans/suds/chocolate. Awesome site
Franz Liszt's hallucination where he's gassed then led to the guillotine in Lisztomania. That's tied with the Richard Wagner and Cosima's duet which involves nude women, a bald Aryan, and kids in supermen uniforms. Tuff choice!
Percy Grainger throwing a ball over the roof in Delius (Song of Summer)
Gaudier - sculpting: furiously chipping away . . . coaxing a beautiful female torso to emerge from a stolen marble tombstone - while he eloquently describes the importance of art . . . of creating art (Savage Messiah)
1812 overture - The Music Lovers, Oliver Reed's final scenes in The Devils
Valentino's funeral. I have profound memories of almost all of Ken's films. If I succumb to alzheimers, Ken's cinematic visuals would be the last to leave my addled brain
baked beans, soap suds, and chocolate bath with Ann-Margret in Tommy
Gosh-Boyle walking down the stairs (Savage Messiah)
When Bill Hurt says "I love you" at the end of Altered States. It should be absurd. Actually, it IS absurd! But it is emotionally satisfying. It works
the firelight wrestling scene (Women in Love). He is vastly superior because he SEES his films, before he commits one frame to action. The man is his own, best, storyboard

Ann-Margret getting covered and rolling around in baked beans in Tommy
Glenda Jackson in the mad house (The Music Lovers)
Bates walking nude, being romantic et al. (Women in Love)
either the Wrestling scene or the Glenda Jackson in the market scene in Women in Love
airplane fantasy in Lair of the White Worm
redemption scene in Tommy (the last image)
Dogboys is the worst film. Mindbender's not as bad. Best scene – Nude wrestling (Women in Love). And Gaudier sculpting all night (Savage Messiah)
the rape of Christ in The Devils - it was cut by Trevellian but was his best summary with the roadside communion out takes
the ending of The Devils when she walks up the road
ending scenes of The Boy Friend

the best scene is when Gaudier-Brzeska does the improv song and dance number with Helen Mirren's character at the Vortex in Savage Messiah, to the complete utter disgust of the crowd, ending with a nice FU gesture and both of them getting thrown out on their bums
it's been said before but nothing beats the nude wrestling scene in Women in Love
the scene in Women in Love where Reed and Bates wrestle in the nude
the whole movie Tommy!!!! He's really talented, he gets hands to help the mood and tone of his films
yeah, the wrestling, naked O.R and A. B. (Women in Love)
Imogen Millais Scott as Salome tempting John the Baptist (Salome´s Last Dance)
Glenda Jackson dancing seductively in front of the bulls in Women in Love and then proceeding to go into a neurotic fit in front of Oliver Reed while the camera moves and cuts insanely. CLASSIC RUSSELL
"It's Nicer in Nice" from The Boyfriend
Ann-Margret "beans and chocolate" scene in Tommy
any scene in Women in Love

the spaghetti-worm scene in Gothic
Anthony Perkins in Crimes of Passion
the one we aren't allowed to see, of course-- "The Rape of Christ" from The Devils
nude males on a roof in Gothic-also liked bulls and Glenda (Women in Love), Isadora Duncan with Singer and kids (Isadora)
Gothic's optical nipples
Rick Wakeman as the god Thor (Lisztomania)
the nude wrestling scene in Women in Love
the trippy cave scene in Altered States
Poor Little Pierette from The Boyfriend, or anything from Women in Love
The scene between Oliver Reed and Alan Bates in Women in Love

Grainger throwing the cricket ball over the house in Song Of Summer
Most scenes that have a visual balanced and "composed" painting quality. Anything that not a talking heads close up usually- far too many to list individually
all and any from The Music Lovers and The Devils. These are two of the finest cinematic rides one will ever experience
there are way too many!
the surrealistic scenes in Altered States
Gaudier sculpting in Savage Messiah when he says something like "They don't know what working hard means" and the waltz in Mahler. Savage Messiah is one of my favourite films ever, I remember the first time I watched it on tv when I was fifteen, it seemed a masterpiece to me, full of poetry, beauty, sense of absurd and the very original view of a visionary film maker, I never saw something similar. Except from Russell himself
Glenda in the madhouse in The Music Lovers
Where is the restored The Devils DVD?
Where is the DVD of The Music Lovers? Savage Messiah?
MGM, Warner's- if you don't want to put them out, license them to Criterion or something! Jesus, before I die!
Grandier (Oliver Reed) addressing the crowd at the beginning of The Devils
the end credits of The Boy Friend

even though I didn't care for Fall of the Louse of Usher because of the excessive goriness, I still consider him the best film director of the twentieth century. I hope to find the earlier BBC short films available on DVD, as I have never had the chance to see them. Also, I'd very much like a DVD of The Boy Friend with as much extra material as humanly possible- my VCR version is wearing out, and my laserdisc player is not currently connected
the bit where Ann Margret rolls around in soap, beans and chocolate in Tommy
the giant penis castration in Lisztomania. From the moment Roger Daltry enters the ante chamber and is gassed to the moment the keyboard slams down on his.... finger. This is a great site!~ I am so glad it is here, not enough Ken Russell sites out on the internet. I think there should be a collection to help fund Ken's movies by his die hard fans. But the word has to get out and his movies have to be released on DVD!!!
the scene where there are all these nuns impaled on spikes and the worm lady is licking the spikes. that is good (Lair of the White Worm)
the church orgy sequence in The Devils
the nude wrestling scene between OLiver Reed and Alan Bates in Women in Love
Oliver Reed being burnt at the stake in The Devils
the 1812 Overture sequence of The Music Lovers
Elton John as The Pinball Wizard in Tommy
TV throwing up soap, baked beans and liquid chocolate at Tommy's mother in Tommy and the creativity scenes of Mahler

in Savage Messiah where Gaudier-Brzeska creates his first sculpture, and the closing appreciation of his work at the end of the film
Mahler- the crucifixion
the second half of The Devils
the asylum sequence in The Music Lovers
Harry Palmer's arrival in Finland (Billion Dollar Brain)
when Blair Brown meets William Hurt (Altered States) for the first time. He's standing in the doorway with the bright light behind him. The Doors is on the soundtrack. It's short, but it's the perfect meld of sound and image. That's why I love Russell
hard to have just one... Helen Mirren's gloriously naked scene in Savage Messiah comes instantly to mind. I probably liked his films too much in my 20's back in the 1970's when his films would come back again and again to art theaters in San Diego, and I'd go every time they did. I just wish all of his pictures could have been in stereo, though many have been. Ken represents the cinema as "trip" more than anyone, except Kubrick. I have kept his Savage Messiah on my personal 10 best list all these years. I'm as much a film fanatic as one can be and still live a somewhat normal life. sincerely="arch", a true russell fan
the final Scene of The Devils; also Oliver Reed's 'Frozen Death' scene in Women In Love
Ann-Margret rolling around in baked beans (Tommy). No contest
the monologue of John the Baptist at the end of Salome

Roger Daltrey's shirtless scenes in Tommy. I'm Free & Sensation! And Listening To You!
Oliver Reed on the cross in The Devils
the closing moments of Women in Love (Rupert and Ursula beside the fire - after Gerald's death) remain (for me) the most powerful stuff ever produced by *any* director on *any* film
pinball wizard scene from Tommy. Re-release Tommy in the theatres fir a new audience. Ken Russell is a genius, Tommy is the greatest rock film of the 20th century
when Grandier comes down from the cross The Devils
dream sequence in The Devils
the unspeakably grim final shot of The Music Lovers when Glenda Jackson has stopped repeating: 'He hated me!' and simply stares out of her prison at the camera. With the closing shot of The Devils, surely about the bleakest in Film history
Fenby and Delius composing a song in Song of Summer, with Delius giving Fenby a hard time
Peach in Music Lovers
Savage Messiah last scene

Ann-Margret throwing Roger Daltry inside the mirror, in Tommy
Glenda Jackson dancing to the bulls in Women in Love
Bates and Reed wrestling scene in Women in Love
most of The Boyfriend musical scenes
probably the train scene in Music Lovers. Keep standing, Ken. You're one of the greatest directors in all cinema history!
the pixies in the Room in Bloomsbury number in The Boyfriend
the King shooting the protestant 'blackbirds' in The Devils
the "possessed" nuns in The Devils
cop scene Crimes of Passion
Mary searching for the others in Gothic

I have enjoyed, been embarressed, scared, stimulated, and beside myself by Ken's films. There's always an illustration of the imperfection of human beauty that smacks of potency, that I love
Probably Theresa Russell's monologues to camera in Whore. I know that's more than one scene, and doesn't have the usual Ken Russell flair, but they're very affecting. This is a very well-research and maintained site. Good on you for spreading the word!
Jennie Linden and Alan Bates naked, running towards each other in the field while the camera is turned sideways
the Acid Queen (Tommy)
the BEAN BATH, baby! REX BEANS!!! Fit for a king! (Tommy)
at the top is the scene in Woman in Love where Gerald encounters Gudrun after the stampede
the nun exorcism in The Devils
The Acid Queen sequence from Tommy
Tommy falling through the mirror into the pool. Thanks for site
final scene in The Devils

I love the dream sequence in Mahler where Cosima Wagner is goose-stepping before a crucifix. Also love all of The Devils, esp. the nuns' orgy and the "doctors." And who can forget Ann-Margaret swimming in baked beans (Tommy)? How about reissuing restored versions of all the films on DVD?
Jessup's hallucinations in Altered States
so many.....how about.....how about the procession along the beach on The Debussy Film? With the beautiful Vladek Sheybal as the film director and Oliver Reed as Debussy??? Well ????????. I have written to KR 3 times over the past few years about 1. The Debussy Film (of which eventually Melvin Bragg got me a copy)2. The Devils and 3. The Music Lovers...... each time he replied with a beautiful postcard..... i reckon not only are his FILMS f***** brilliant...he is such a good man .....thats what i think
the train scene in The Music Lovers
the onirical sequence in Mahler about Cosima Wagner
the first hallucination in Altered States
the Ciajkovskij music-sequence in Women in Love
in Lisztomania... I loved the scene where Wagner is performing the superman theme and Franz infiltration into the castle
any scene in which Glenda Jackson and/or Oliver Reed appear
the wrestling scene from Women in Love

many -- But the naked boxing match between Oliver Reed and Alan Bates in Women in Love is hard to beat. I think Ken Russell is one of the most, if not the most, influential modern director since the Fil Noir group. I would put him up on the top of the list which includes few peers -- perhaps, Kubrick, David Lean, and the director of Midnight Cowboy- his name slips my mind (John Schlesinger)
the best scene in The Devils was when Oliver Reed was burnt. The effects were great
Acid Queen in Tommy
when sophie starts singing 'two fleas' at the dinner party... (Savage Messiah)
the finale to Lair Of The White Worm
Tchaikowsky death (The Music Lovers)
with my Jesuit boarding school backgroud it HAS TO BE the PROCESSION along the beach in The Debussy Film (with Vladek Sheybal playing the director). I saw it on TV when I was 17 and it changed my view of the arts, education, religion and life. THANK YOU KEN
the "Dante" sequence from Altered States. Although Ken nixed topical footage from an older Harry Lachman film, the blending of it with natural phenomena (volcanoes, tropical cyclones, eclipses) is terrifying in a beautiful way
the dream sequence in The Devils where Vanessa Redgrave ravishes Grandier as the crowd watches. I would love to see the uncut version of The Devils. I saw a version shown in London in the summer of 1971
Dorothy Tutin as Mme Brzeska telling her life story to Henri Gaudier while she chops cabbage. For some reason, this manages to be sexier than Helen Mirren strolling around totally naked and looking glorious

the moment in The Devils when hunchbacked Sister Jeanne (Vanessa Redgrave) first appears in the doorway of the stark, whitebrick monastery. Thanks for liberating British cinema with your musical imagination - and for the eye-popping visuals of your movies: camerawork, production design and costumes (or lack of them, in some cases!)
Roger Daltrey's growing of a giant penis in Lisztomania while the horny Czarina sings a creepy song.
the resurrected Hitler-Wagner-Frankenstein's Monster mowing down greedy crook-nosed top hatted
Jews with an electric guitar machine gun while his army of master-racy blond and cute supergirls and -boys in Superman-costumes march on, from Lisztomania
the arrival of the message of Captain Walker's death in the opening sequence of Tommy, with Ann-Margret collapsing into the silver ammunition
the return of Tommy's father up to his murder followed by the song "Amazing Journey"
any and all of Millais-Scott's Salomé scenes, but the best film scene is the hallucinatory dance Salomé does as hermaphroditic body-doubling
in Lisztomania, when the holy water doesn't exorcize Wagner, because religion is only a play. Lisztomania changed my life at the age of 19. I got free of religious manipulation. As I tried to understand which facts were historical an which artistical interpretation I learnd a lot about music. Nowadays I am opera fan! An I didn't committed suicide until now!
Oliver Reed hate-fucking Glenda Jackson in Women in Love
Twiggy singing The Boyfriend while swinging

Listening To You from Tommy
The gold rush scène in Lisztomania
when will the later films of Russell be more widely available?
We're Not Gonna Take It from Tommy. Though in recent years I've had a falling out with Russell and his films, there's no escaping how influential his work has been on my own. His way of mixing crowd-pleasing spectacle with intellectually challenging themes is unmatched and unique - Never too sensory, never too esoteric. I certainly hope more people are exposed to his films as time presses on.