It’s finally time for a long-awaited, newly restored and uncensored version of Ken Russell’s wildly over-the-top, controversial classic The Devils! This hyper-stylized and notorious film is loosely based on a historical witch trial in France (the Loudun possessions). Set in the 17th century, it follows a Catholic priest (Oliver Reed) who is accused of devil worship, while a nun (Vanessa Redgrave) who lusts after the priest is suspected of being possessed by the Devil himself.

The Devils is a lot: think the naked, violent critique of power of Pasolini’s Salò mixed with Monty Python’s Life of Brian, the sexual melodrama of Black Narcissus, and Żuławski’s feverish nightmare Possession. The film is spectacularly brutal and relentlessly propulsive, jumping from one intense, pivotal moment to the next. The Devils is packed with carnivalesque violence, reflections on power, and transgressive desire. At last, we can experience it newly restored and uncensored on the big screen!

EEL