Controversial film director Ken Russell passed away suddenly this week at the age of 84. Russell has long been considered the bad boy of British cinema or the original ‘enfant terrible’ of the empire, but for almost as long as I can remember he’s been one of my favorite filmmakers.

I was introduced to his work as a young pre-teen after stumbling across TOMMY (1971) playing on television one balmy afternoon. His visionary rock opera based on the music of The Who rocked my world and I was immediately drawn to his work, which I found imaginative, thoughtful, incredibly creative and just damn fun to watch. Russell was unconventional, indebted to romanticism and a true British visionary in every sense of the word. During his long career behind the camera he was also a punching bag for film critics. Many of them didn’t appreciate the subversive nature of his work and often regarded his films as confusing uncouth spectacles that were unworthy of recognition and financial support. But you might not know that if you’ve read all the critical praise Russell’s received since his death. Film critics, much like art critics, often ignore their greatest talents until they leave this world so we’re left embracing ghosts. And the shimmering spectre of Ken Russell will be haunting us for a very long time. He was an incomparable presence and his death has left a gapping hole in the cinematic landscape that can’t be filled. Instead of writing one more obituary detailing the man’s fascinating life and making note of his extraordinary body of work, I thought I’d let Russell speak for himself. The following are some of the director’s best quotes borrowed from Altered States: The Autobiography of Ken Russell, which was originally published in 1989.

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