More than half a century after its initial release ignited global controversy, Ken Russell’s boundary-pushing 1971 feature The Devils is making its triumphant return to the big screen. Newly restored in 4K and presented entirely uncut and uncensored by Clockwork, a specialized imprint of Warner Bros., the film is once again challenging audiences. Following recent screenings at both the Cannes Film Festival and the London Film Festival, this theatrical re-release is offering an entirely new generation of filmgoers the opportunity to discover the visionary work of Ken Russell, a cinematic pioneer frequently remembered as the untamed "wild man" of British filmmaking.
The return of The Devils to cinemas arrives at a pivotal moment in the reevaluation of the late director’s extensive catalog. Timed precisely with the theatrical roll-out—and paving the way for a comprehensive retrospective of his work slated to be presented next year by the British Film Institute (BFI)—the director’s son, fellow filmmaker Rupert Russell, has officially unveiled Mad Dad. Described as the definitive portrait of Ken Russell, the feature-length documentary explores the complex legacy of a man who continually pushed the boundaries of art, religion, and censorship on screen.
For Mad Dad, Rupert Russell has collaborated with a formidable team of producers. He teamed up with Anna Hashmi, the producer and founder of The Corner Shop, alongside Andy Starke of Anti-Worlds Films and Sam Cryer of Intermission Films. Additionally, Daniel Bergmann of Stink Films has boarded the high-profile project as executive producer, ensuring robust industry backing for the deeply personal cinematic exploration.
In Mad Dad, Rupert embarks on a poignant and tragicomic journey to uncover who his enigmatic father truly was behind the headlines and notoriety. The documentary explores the multifaceted identity of the man: the father and the director, the art and the artist, the myth and the man, alongside the accolades and the inherent absurdity of his extraordinary life. At the emotional and structural core of the story are unprecedented family archives, featuring hundreds of deeply personal letters, thousands of rare photographs, and a treasure trove of home movies. The archive also incorporates Ken Russell’s own autobiographical docudrama, A British Picture, a remarkable production in which the elder Russell played his own antagonists while a four-year-old Rupert portrayed the young Ken.
The documentary features an extraordinary lineup of contributors, blending rare, previously unheard family perspectives with commentary from towering legends of film and music. Among those sharing their insights and experiences are visionary directors Guillermo del Toro, Steven Soderbergh, and Oliver Stone, alongside celebrated performers Kathleen Turner, Twiggy, and Ann-Margret, as well as rock icon Pete Townshend, among many others who crossed paths with Russell during his illustrious and tumultuous career.
Director Rupert Russell brings a distinguished documentary pedigree to Mad Dad. His previous directorial work includes Freedom for the Wolf, a critically acclaimed feature that captured the Audience Award at the Slamdance Film Festival and earned a nomination for the prestigious Cinema for Peace Most Valuable Film of the Year Award during the 2019 Berlinale. His subsequent documentary, Price Wars, was developed alongside a book of the same name published by Doubleday and subsequently broadcast internationally on ARTE. More recently, his gripping film The Last Sacrifice secured a theatrical release and was acquired for streaming audiences by the prominent horror platform Shudder.
Meanwhile, The Corner Shop continues to expand its ambitious and critically acclaimed film production slate across the international cinematic landscape. The company recently secured vital BFI production funding for The Mammoths That Escaped the Kingdom of Erlik Khan, a promising project directed by two-time Academy Award-nominee Tamara Kotevska. This collaboration builds upon the momentum of last year’s release of another feature spearheaded by Kotevska, The Tale of Silyan. That film enjoyed a stellar festival run, premiering at both the Venice International Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, before securing a distribution deal with National Geographic. The Tale of Silyan went on to claim numerous accolades at the International Documentary Association (IDA), Cinema Eye, Venice, Humanitas, and the Chicago International Film Festival, ultimately culminating in two prestigious Emmy nominations, further cementing the production banner’s reputation for delivering world-class, critically revered cinema.
