British writer/director Donald Cammell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1934, to a wealthy shipbuilding family. He initially pursued a career as a painter, and by the mid-1960s, he had gained recognition among the "Swinging London" crowd for his artistic talents.
Cammell's foray into the film industry began when he wrote the script for The Touchables (1968),a narrative that, in retrospect, appears dated and pretentious. The story revolves around a rock singer who is kidnapped by four beautiful female fans.
Following the release of The Touchables, Cammell wrote the script for Duffy (1968),a film that focuses on an aging hippie who assists two brothers in robbing their wealthy father.
In 1970, Cammell made his directorial debut with Performance, a film that tells the story of a London gangster who seeks refuge in the home of a peculiar rock star. The film stars Mick Jagger in one of his earliest dramatic performances and has since become a cult classic.
Cammell's next project, Demon Seed (1977),was initially intended to be a comedy but was ultimately transformed into a bizarre sci-fi thriller by the studio. The film did not satisfy anyone, including Cammell himself.
After a decade-long hiatus, Cammell returned to filmmaking with the atmospheric White of the Eye (1987),a serial killer thriller.
His final film as director, Wild Side (1995),was a thriller that underwent extensive re-editing by the producers. Cammell was so dissatisfied with the final product that he had his name removed from the credits, and the film was credited to the fictional "Frank Brauner".
In April 1996, a despondent Donald Cammell took his own life by shooting himself in the head.
