I still remember the first time I ever saw Ken Russell’s The Devils. I was probably about twelve, and it was airing on French TV here in Montreal on a show called Bleu Nuit, which broadcast erotica from around the globe, largely Tinto Brass movies and old Emmanuelle films. Russell’s The Devils was less skin-oriented but far more depraved, centering on the trial of a Catholic priest (played by Oliver Reed) who is accused of witchcraft by a hunchbacked, sexually repressed nun (played by Vanessa Redgrave). When it came out in 1971, it earned an X rating and was out of circulation for many years in North America, although it became popular in Europe, which is why it occasionally aired on French TV here in Canada.
Until now, the only way to really see The Devils was when the Criterion Channel would occasionally stream a censored, unrestored version of the R-rated recut. But in May, Warner Bros., through its new sub-label Clockwork, premiered a 4K restoration of Ken Russell’s original director’s cut at the Cannes Film Festival. The single screening quickly sold out, and now it has been programmed as part of the Toronto International Film Festival‘s Classics section ahead of its theatrical re-release on October 16.
It’s heartening to see Russell’s film finally get a proper restoration. Even though it has been largely unavailable for years, it has remained a touchstone for lovers of cult cinema. Battered 35mm prints have occasionally played repertory houses, while unofficial restorations have circulated on bootleg sites for years. Why did it cause such a stir? Because it was widely viewed as sacrilegious, with moments of provocative content so extreme they can’t really be described here. I urge anyone who’s curious to check this movie out when it gets re-released. It’s one of those films—like Caligula—where you can’t believe it actually exists. That said, Russell’s film has undeniable artistic merit, with Reed and Redgrave delivering astonishing performances. It’s one of the great midnight movies and a film that deserves to be rediscovered as a true classic of its era.
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