Billion Dollar Brain 1967 N/R, 105 min. Genre: Action / Adventure / Drama / Thriller
Director: Ken Russell Cast: Michael Caine, Karl Malden, Ed Begley, Oskar Homolka, Francoise Dorleac, Guy Doleman, Vladek Sheybal, Milo Sperber, Mark Elwes, Fred Harwood, Donald Sutherland, Janos Kurutz, Alexei Jawdokimov, Paul Tamarin, Iza Teller
Former British agent Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) has become a private investigator and accepts an assignment to deliver a thermos flask to a friend in Finland. Once there, he becomes involved in a billionaire's plot to upset the balance of the Cold War. This is the third in the series of Harry Palmer films; the others are "Ipcress File" (1965) and "Funeral in Berlin" (1966).
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Crimes of Passion 1984 R, 101 min. Genre: Drama / Romance / Thriller
Director: Ken Russell Cast: Kathleen Turner, Anthony Perkins, John Laughlin, Annie Potts, Bruce Davison, Stephen Lee, John G. Scanlon, Gordon Hunt, Pat McNamara, Dan Gerrity, Terry Hoyos, Vince McKewin, Norman Burton, James Crittenden
Prostitute or fashion designer–Joanna Crane (Kathleen Turner) cannot seem to decide which way to go. She works as designer "Joanna" by day but at night is streetwalker "China Blue." When Bobby Grady (John Laughlin) is given the job of looking for evidence that Joanna is stealing designs, he sees her turning into China Blue at night. Unhappily married to his wife (Annie Potts), Bobby falls in love with Joanna. But, a fanatic preacher, Rev. Peter Shane (Anthony Perkins), is determined to prevent Bobby and Joanna from ever getting together.
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Gothic 1986 R, 90 min. Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Ken Russell Cast: Natasha Richardson, Julian Sands, Gabriel Byrne, Myriam Cyr, Timothy Spall, Alec Mango, Andreas Wisniewski, Ken Russell
An 1816 meeting of friends and cohorts–Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Godwin, and Lord Byron–at their Swiss villa brought on the challenge to write ghost stories. The culmination of that meeting was Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley's tale of "Frankenstein," which was completed two years later. This is the story of that 1816 meeting. It's a sex-filled, blood-and-guts-filled weekend.
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Lady Chatterley 1992 N/R, 110 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Ken Russell Cast: Joely Richardson, Sean Bean, James Wilby, Shirley Anne Field, Amanda Murray, Ken Russell, Ben Aris, Judith Paris, David Sterne, Soo Drouet, Brian Blessed
Based on three related D.H. Lawrence novels, this is the story of Lady Chatterley (Joely Richardson) who is married to the sickly, old Sir Clifford Chatterley (James Wilby). Bored with her life, she starts an affair with hired hand Mellors (Sean Bean). Originally a British TV miniseries, the film was cut for theatrical release.
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The Lair of the White Worm 1988 R, 93 min. Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Ken Russell Cast: Amanda Donohoe, Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenberg, Peter Capaldi, Sammi Davis, Stratford Johns, Paul Brooke, Imogen Claire, Chris Pitt, Gina McKee, Christopher Gable, Lloyd Peters
Bram Stoker's last novel is adapted for film by Ken Russell who plays it just for fun. An archeologist digs up an odd-looking skull, which is followed by the premature return to town by the mysterious Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe). A local legend tells of a giant worm-like creature that wreaked havoc in the area before it was killed by an ancient ancestor of Lord James D'Ampton (Hugh Grant)–who lives next door to Lady Sylvia. When the skull turns up missing and the townsfolk begin to disappear or act strangely, the indications are that the creature has returned.
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Prisoner of Honor 1991 PG, 88 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Ken Russell Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Oliver Reed, Peter Firth, Jeremy Kemp, Brian Blessed, Kenneth Colley, Catherine Neilson, Peter Vaughan, Lindsay Anderson, Christopher Ashley, John Bennett, John Cater
This made-for-TV film provides an account of the French "Dreyfus Affair" in the last decade of the 19th century. Captain Alfred Dreyfus (Kenneth Colley) was court-martialed and sent to Devil's Island for espionage. Colonel Picquart (Richard Dreyfuss) was assigned the task of justifying the sentence; but, instead, he uncovered the fact that the Jewish Dreyfus was a scapegoat for a General Staff member. Picquart's efforts ruined his career but resulted in the release of Dreyfus.
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The Russia House 1990 R, 123 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Fred Schepisi Cast: Sean Connery, Roy Scheider, Michelle Pfeiffer, James Fox, John Mahoney, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Ken Russell, J.T. Walsh, David Threlfall, Michael Kitchen, Mac McDonald, Nicholas Woodeson, Martin Clunes, Ian McNeice, Colin Stinton
While in Russia for a book conference, publisher Barley Blair (Sean Connery) is handed a manuscript that reveals Soviet military secrets. British Secret Service agent Ned (James Fox) coerces Blair into finding information about the author and the authenticity of the manuscript. Reluctantly, Blair agrees and is pulled into a complex world where he becomes involved with Katya (Michelle Pfeiffer) who is a pawn in the deadly game.
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Tommy 1975 PG, 111 min. Genre: Musical / Drama / Fantasy
Director: Ken Russell Cast: Roger Daltrey, Ann - Margret, Oliver Reed, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Keith Moon, Robert Powell, Tina Turner, Jack Nicholson, Ben Aris, Pete Townshend, Keith Moon, Paul Nicholas, John Entwistle, Barry Winch
The story in this rock opera involves young Tommy (Roger Daltrey) who became deaf, dumb, and blind when his father was murdered. Tommy's mother Nora (Ann-Margaret) and stepfather Frank (Oliver Reed) take Tommy to a specialist (Jack Nicholson), but nothing happens–until Tommy discovers pinball. Tommy becomes a world champion pinball player. He even beats the Pinball Wizard (Elton John) and gains fame and fortune. The film is based on the Who's rock opera and features great performances by Eric Clapton, Elton John, and Tina Turner. Ann-Margret was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actress.
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Valentino 1977 R, 132 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Ken Russell Cast: Rudolf Nureyev, Leslie Caron, Michelle Phillips, Carol Kane, Felicity Kendal, Seymour Cassel, Peter Vaughan, Huntz Hall, David de Keyser, Alfred Marks, Anton Diffring, Jennie Linden, William Hootkins, Bill McKinney, Don Fellows
This biopic of famous sex idol Rudolph Valentino's (Rudolf Nureyev) life begins with his funeral, and then the story is told through flashbacks. Valentino started out as a dishwasher, then found employment as a dancer, and quickly rose to stardom. Along the way, Valentino serves time in prison before finding work in films. Valentino died in 1926 after a short life during which he became a national celebrity.
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Women & Men: Stories of Seduction 1990 TV, 90 min. Genre: Drama aka: Women and Men: Stories of Seduction
Director: Frederic Raphael, Tony Richardson, Ken Russell Cast: Beau Bridges, Elizabeth McGovern, Molly Ringwald, Peter Weller, James Woods, Melanie Griffith, Kyra Sedgwick, Philip O'Brien
This made-for-TV film is really three different stories taken from works of Mary McCarthy, Dorothy Parker, and Ernest Hemingway. Frederic Raphael, Ken Russell, and Tony Richardson each directed one segment. Overall, well done, and a follow-up was made the following year.
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Women in Love 1969 R, 132 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Ken Russell Cast: Glenda Jackson, Oliver Reed, Alan Bates, Jennie Linden, Eleanor Bron, Alan Webb, Michael Gough, Vladek Sheybal, Catherine Willmer, Phoebe Nicholls, Sharon Gurney, Christopher Gable
Glenda Jackson won the Academy Award for Best Actress in her role of Gudrun, whose cruel treatment of her husband, Gerald (Oliver Reed), leads to his suicide. Set in England during the 1920s, Gudrun's marriage is contrasted to her sister Ursula's (Jennie Linden) happy wedded life. A nomination was received for Best Director.
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| 1. Altered States (1980)
2. Billion Dollar Brain (1967)
3. Crimes of Passion (1984)
4. Dante's Inferno (1967)
5. Gothic (1986)
6. Lady Chatterley (1992)
7. The Lair of the White Worm (1988)
8. Lisztomania (1975)
9. Prisoner of Honor (1991)
10. The Russia House (1990)
11. Tommy (1975)
12. Valentino (1977)
13. Women & Men: Stories of Seduction (1990) aka: Women and Men: Stories of Seduction
14. Women in Love (1969)
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