Ken Russell Tributes Pour In Following Death

Tributes have been pouring in for late director Ken Russell, the extrovert British film director who sadly passed away aged 84 on Sunday (November 27th 2011). Russell was known throughout the industry for his thought-provoking and often controversial films, the most famous perhaps being 1969's 'Women In Love' which - at one stage - sees two of the film's main actors Oliver Reed and Alan Bates wrestling in the nude. A film adaptation of D.H Lawrence's book, the film went on to be Oscar nominated. Glenda Jackson, who won the 'Best Actress' award at those same Academy Awards for her role in the film, was among those who paid homage to Russell, reports The Press Association, saying it was a "privilege" to know him and describing his "incredible visual genius."
Guitarist of The Who, Pete Townshend, also paid homage to the late director - the pair had worked together on the London rock group's 1975 musical 'Tommy' - by saying "Ken was a joy. I adored and respected Ken because he believed all artistic work could be made to come alive over and over again." Lord Melvyn Bragg meanwhile commented "He was a glorious director at his best, his best films will be remembered. He was a tremendous ornament to the rather supine British film industry and he was the glory of the television arts industry."
Among those the director's left behind include widow Elize, who expressed her shock at what was a sudden death, she told the Bbc "He had just completed an article for The Times on a review of the re-release of his film The Devils, so he was keeping himself very busy."