Ken Russell: Devils Worship

The UK's foremost censor-baiter talks to Calum Waddell about Hitler, Oliver Reed and his time as public enemy number one...

Ken Russell maybe best known to younger readers for his turn in 2007’s Celebrity Big Brother but the great man has helmed some of the most shocking and surreal slices of modern British celluloid.

When Total Sci-Fi catches up with the 83-year-old-filmmaker it is at the annual Edinburgh Film Festival, although the fine fellow can frequently be found touring the UK and the USA showcasing his photography…

Let's begin with your most famous film: when are we going to see The Devils on DVD?

Um, you're not. It’s not Warner's favourite movie let's just put it that way. [Laughs] They won't release it. I'd like them to but they won't. And they aren't going to budge on that any time soon.

Can you talk about this conflict of interest?

They've just never liked it. It is as simple as that. They didn't like it back in 1971 and they don't like it today. They want nothing to do with it.

Because it's blasphemous?

No, it is not blasphemous. I never thought it was going to be called blasphemous. The critics just said that. And they were wrong. Warner might think it’s blasphemous but I don't think it is. It is about a situation dating back hundreds of years. It is about the inability of sex and religion to marry. It is about sexual frustration and persecution.

There have been rumours for years of a seriously sick uncut version...

Oh yes, I know where everything is. All the good stuff. [Laughs] I could easily put my hands on it and give people the full uncut version. But Warner doesn't want to do it. It's a lost film now. You'll never see it the way I wanted you to. Never.

What was Oliver Reed like to work with? You made a handful of films with him – Women in Love, The Devils and Tommy…

He was just Oliver Reed. He was everything you would expect. I had a method when it came to working with him. You see, he had a certain acting prowess and you had to play to that. He was a bit crazy. He said to me when we were working on The Devils, "You can just call me Jesus." So I'd have to say, "What do you want to do today Jesus?" And he had "mood one", "mood two" and "mood three." That was what he did.

Funnily enough you worked with Warner Bros again when you did Altered States in 1980. Did that cause any friction?

That was a bit of an accident. You see, Warner had the rights to the novel, which was written by Paddy Chayefsky, and they thought it had possibilities. The only problem is that they didn't want me to be involved. However, Chayefsky was the producer and he told them he wanted me to direct it. He felt I was essential to the project.

Well at least they agreed with him. Eventually.

Well, yes, but not before they went through 27 other directors. Steven Spielberg had passed. Arthur Penn, who did Bonnie and Clyde, passed. Everyone in Hollywood had passed. So Warner said to Paddy, "We want to make this film, but can you think of anyone other than Mr. Russell? Surely there is still someone else we can ask?" Of course there wasn't and they were far from happy about working with me again.

But you fell out with Paddy Chayefsky when Altered States was finally released didn't you?

No, no – it was actually during the shooting that we fell out. [Laughs] We didn't really speak and he was angry at me for not making the sort of film he wanted. He took his name off it. Oh well... What can you do?

You’ve made a few enemies in your time. How do you cope with that?

You just get on with it I suppose. You grin and bear it.

Ever miss Mary Whitehouse, even for old time's sake?

No.

Are you against censorship?

No, I'm all for censorship actually. I think it's a necessary evil.

That's a shock...

I know. Not something you would think Ken Russell would say! It's maybe a bit hypocritical because I've been upset over the censoring of my work in the past: The Devils and Crimes of Passion. They cut out the sex in Crimes of Passion. That was annoying. It was good sex. [Laughs]

Just to put you on the spot – what’s the most shocking thing you've ever shot?

Funnily enough it wouldn't be any of that. I did a film a couple of years back that was much more bizarre. Just a short film. It was called A Kitten for Hitler. It is about a young boy but I couldn't get anyone to play the part. No parent would condone their son doing a part like this so I hired a midget instead.

It's nice to see you’re still being surreal and provocative in your old age...

Well, you never have any problem with midgets. [Laughs]

Anyway, it is about a Jewish boy in the 1940s who goes to the movies with his mum around Christmas time and he sees a newsreel on the Nazis. He says to his mum, "Why does no one like that man?" His mum says, "It's Hitler darling. No one likes Hitler." And the little boy says, "That's a shame. He doesn't look like such a bad man to me." His mum replies, "But Hitler is a monster." Then the boy asks, "What will Hitler get for Christmas?" And his mum says "Nothing. No one will give anything to Hitler."

So the little boy thinks it would be nice if someone gives Hitler a little kitten. Consequently, he gets on a boat, during the war, and manages to travel to Germany – and he gets arrested by the Gestapo and presents Hitler with his new kitten. However, Hitler discovers that the boy has a tiny birthmark on his stomach that looks like a swastika. So Hitler has him made into a table lamp. That way when he's in bed with Eva Braun at night and he switches on the light it's the boy's stomach which projects the swastika.

And then finally, after the war, it is presented back to the boy's mum by a GI. She keeps it as a present and she lives happily ever after...