Ken Russell, director of The Who movie Tommy, has died at the age of 84.
Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, The Who. photo by Ros O'Gorman
Ken Russell, one of the most controversial directors of our time, was born on 3 July, 1927.
His movies included the Oscar winning ‘Women In Love’ (1969), The Devils (1971), Tommy (1975) and Altered States (1980).
‘Women In Love’ was a ground-breaking film in its day and the first mainstream movie to show male genitalia. It won an Oscar and made a name for Glenda Jackson.
In 1975, Russell made his first musical, a film version of The Who rock opera ‘Tommy’. His cast included Elton John, Eric Clapton Jack Nicholson. Ann Margret, Oliver Reed and Roger Daltrey as Tommy.
This next movie was ‘Lisztomania’, also starring Roger Daltrey, a movie about composer Franz Liszt.
Tommy was the forth album for The Who. Australian Robert Stigwood was behind bringing the movie to the screen with Ken Russell.
Session musicians on the movie in movie included Ronnie Wood, Nicky Hopkins and Kenney Jones.
Watch The Who perform Tommy here:
Roger Daltrey will perform Tommy In Australia in 2012 for Bluesfest.
