Director Ken Russell, whose groundbreaking, gritty filmography – which includes The Devils, Altered States, Tommy and Women in Love – helped put British film on the map, died today at the age of 84.

Described as “somebody who proved that British cinema didn’t have to be about kitchen-sink realism—it could be every bit as flamboyant as Fellini,” Russell explored a range of subject matters close to his heart – from anti-semitism and gender roles to christianity and domestic violence. Stream two of his biggest hitters, The Whore and Savage Messiah, below: