Films
When I redesigned Skin Two magazine, I found myself in a unique position where I could create almost anything I wanted in terms of imagery. During this time (1985–1987), someone remarked, “You should make these images move.”
Film was something I had never seriously considered, but once the idea took hold, I couldn’t ignore it. This led me to create my first film, AXEL (1987), followed by Visions of Ecstasy (1989) and Faustine (1990). Unfortunately, Visions of Ecstasy became embroiled in controversy when the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and the UK Government deemed it potentially blasphemous. The film was refused classification, effectively banning it in the UK and abruptly halting my filmmaking career.
If I couldn’t make my own films, I decided I would at least release the kinds of films I loved, and so I formed Redemption. Over time, running Redemption and later Salvation consumed much of my life, but I did manage to return to filmmaking occasionally, with projects like Sacred Flesh (2000) and several films with the Satanic Sluts.
I often wonder how things might have unfolded had Visions of Ecstasy not been banned. It was a turning point, both creatively and professionally, that forever shaped my career.
Cover Artwork and Stills
AXEL
Visions of Ecstasy
