The Devils (1971)

kroenen

kroenen

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Title: The Devils (1971)

Tagline: Hell will hold no surprises for them...

Genre: Drama, History, Horror

Director: Ken Russell

Cast: Vanessa Redgrave, Oliver Reed, Dudley Sutton, Max Adrian, Gemma Jones, Murray Melvin, Michael Gothard, Georgina Hale, Brian Murphy, Christopher Logue, Graham Armitage, John Woodvine, Andrew Faulds, Kenneth Colley, Judith Paris, Catherine Willmer, Izabella Telezynska, Niké Arrighi, Pat Ashton, Peter Avella, Imogen Claire, Barbie Denham, Hugh Elton, Harry Fielder, Selina Gilbert, Cheryl Grunwald, Charles Price, Charles Rayford, Jack Sharp, Doremy Vernon, Twiggy, Donald Campbell, Justin de Villeneuve, Fred Peck, Tony Allen

Release: 1971-07-16

Runtime: 112

Plot: A charismatic 17th-century French priest becomes the target of a sexually obsessed nun’s witchcraft accusations, which corrupt church and state officials are all too happy to exploit.
 
kroenen

kroenen

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This film is finally being released in an uncut 4K restoration after decades of censorship. Directed by Ken Russell and based on the real Loudun possessions in 17th-century France, the film follows priest Urbain Grandier, who becomes the target of political and religious persecution after the Mother Superior of a local convent accuses him of corrupting her and the other nuns through demonic influence. The town is swept up in hysteria, followed by exorcisms, accusations, and torture. While The Devils became infamous for its graphic violence, sexual content, and controversial religious imagery, what still makes it disturbing today is its atmosphere of mass hysteria, fanaticism, torture, and political persecution.

Long considered one of cinema's "holy grails" due to the lack of a complete official release, this new restoration is a big deal for film fans. Restored in 4K from the original camera negative, it's the first time the film has been officially released in its complete form. The release will also serve as the launch title for Warner Bros new Clockwork label, dedicated to restoring and reissuing classic films, with a theatrical release scheduled for October 2026.
 
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bolok

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Holy seizure trailer.
Still can’t find any details on theatres for the showings. :(
 
Chanur

Chanur

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kroenen said:


This film is finally being released in an uncut 4K restoration after decades of censorship. Directed by Ken Russell and based on the real Loudun possessions in 17th-century France, the film follows priest Urbain Grandier, who becomes the target of political and religious persecution after the Mother Superior of a local convent accuses him of corrupting her and the other nuns through demonic influence. The town is swept up in hysteria, followed by exorcisms, accusations, and torture. While The Devils became infamous for its graphic violence, sexual content, and controversial religious imagery, what still makes it disturbing today is its atmosphere of mass hysteria, fanaticism, torture, and political persecution.

Long considered one of cinema's "holy grails" due to the lack of a complete official release, this new restoration is a big deal for film fans. Restored in 4K from the original camera negative, it's the first time the film has been officially released in its complete form. The release will also serve as the launch title for Warner Bros new Clockwork label, dedicated to restoring and reissuing classic films, with a theatrical release scheduled for October 2026.
Click to expand...

I'll absolutely pick this up if it comes to disc.
 
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Adebisi

Adebisi

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Never heard of this movie until recently since apparently there's some buzz around it being censored for so long and lost scenes restored.

I wanted to see what the fuss was about and found it to be a very entertaining and stunningly shot movie. It feels insanely ahead of it's time with the brilliant and purposeful shot composition.
 
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Adebisi

Adebisi

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Screenshot_20261018_082947_Letterboxd.jpg
 
Szlia

Szlia

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Thanks for nothing. I was like "Oh! I saw this movie a couple years back at the NIFFF", checked... it was in 11 years ago :( I am not sure of the version I saw, but obviously not the 4k restauration. It might have been the early 2000 director's cut that was compiled from some archive that was found at Warner but was never released on home media and rarely screened. So, content-wise, probably somewhat similar to this restauration (without the restauration process obviously).

The film itself did not leave a big impression on me.
 
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kroenen

kroenen

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The Devils will be available as a 3-Disc 4K UHD + Blu-ray Collector’s Edition and Standard 4K UHD on April 20, 2027.


The 3-Disc 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Collector’s Edition includes:
  • The first ever 4K UHD presentation of Ken Russell’s The Devils – the uncensored, definitive director’s cut – encoded by Fidelity In Motion with a newly restored monaural soundtrack.
  • The first ever official Blu-ray presentations of Ken Russell’s The Devils, the uncensored, definitive director’s cut (114 mins); the UK X-Rated version (111 mins); and the US R-Rated version (108 mins), with a newly restored monaural soundtrack.
  • Unedited 2004 audio commentary with Ken Russell, Michael Bradsell, Mark Kermode & Paul Joyce
  • Never-before-seen extended scene
  • New extended version of the documentary Hell on Earth: The Desecration and Resurrection of The Devils (2002) featuring additional interview footage with Ken Russell
  • New 4K remaster of the short film Amelia and the Angel (1958) directed by Ken Russell
  • New compilation of camera slates
  • New interview with Guillermo del Toro on The Devils and the legacy of Ken Russell
  • New introduction by Kleber Mendonça Filho at the first ever screening of Ken Russell’s The Devils in Brazil
  • New extended interview with Mark Kermode on The Devils and the reconstruction of the definitive director’s cut
  • New behind-the-scenes featurette on the picture and sound restoration
  • Never-before-seen archival interviews with Vanessa Redgrave and Oliver Reed
  • Never-before-heard archival audio interviews between critic Richard Crouse and cast/crew
  • Never-before-seen costume sketches by Shirley Russell with audio commentary by Victoria Russell
  • Excerpt of Rupert Russell’s documentary Mad Dad, featuring never-before-seen Russell family photos
  • 2004 Q&A with Ken Russell and Mark Kermode following the first ever screening of Ken Russell’s The Devils at the BFI Southbank NFT1
  • 2010 Film at Lincoln Center Q&A with Ken Russell and Vanessa Redgrave
  • Director of Devils (1971) featurette with behind-the-scenes footage and a Ken Russell interview
  • Behind-the-scenes footage with commentary by Michael Bradsell
  • Archival Trailers
  • 2026 Theatrical Trailer
  • 96-page book with never-before-seen photography and production materials, excerpts of the original continuity script, new essays by Mark Kermode and Linda Ruth Williams, and newly unearthed archival crew interviews
  • and more…


The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Standard Edition includes:
  • The first ever 4K UHD presentation of Ken Russell’s The Devils – the uncensored, definitive director’s cut – encoded by Fidelity In Motion with a newly restored monaural soundtrack.
  • Unedited 2004 audio commentary with Ken Russell, Michael Bradsell, Mark Kermode & Paul Joyce
  • New interview with Guillermo del Toro on The Devils and the legacy of Ken Russell
  • 2004 Q&A with Ken Russell and Mark Kermode following the first ever screening of Ken Russell’s The Devils at the BFI Southbank NFT1
  • Behind-the-scenes footage with commentary by Michael Bradsell
  • Director of Devils (1971) featurette with behind-the-scenes footage and a Ken Russell interview
  • Archival Trailers
  • 2026 Theatrical Trailer
 
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Movie information in first post provided by The Movie Database
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