The Devils (1971)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Ken Russell

Writers:

Aldous Huxley (novel)
Ken Russell (writer)

Release Date:

16 July 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Horror

Tagline:

Hell holds no surprises for them.

Plot:

Ken Russell's disturbing account of the Spanish Inquisition, focusing on an outspoken priest and a group of sexually repressed nuns in 17th-century France.

Plot Keywords:

Priest | France | Disturbing | Cardinal Richelieu | Nun

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Vanessa Redgrave	...	Sister Jeanne
Oliver Reed	...	Urbain Grandier
Dudley Sutton	...	Baron De Laubardemont
Max Adrian	...	Ibert
Gemma Jones	...	Madeleine
Murray Melvin	...	Mignon
Michael Gothard	...	Father Barre
Georgina Hale	...	Philippe
Brian Murphy	...	Adam
Christopher Logue	...	Cardinal Richelieu
Graham Armitage	...	Louis XIII
John Woodvine	...	Trincant
Andrew Faulds	...	Rangier
Kenneth Colley	...	Legrand
Judith Paris	...	Sister Judith

Also Known As:

Ken Russell's Film of The Devils (UK) (long title)
The Devils of Loudun

Runtime:

111 min | USA:103 min (cut version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Italy:VM18 (re-rated) | Finland:(Banned) (1985) (video release) | Finland:(Banned) (1971) (theatrical release) | Finland:K-18 (2002) (self applied) | France:-18 | Australia:M (video rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Ireland:(Banned) | Italy:(Banned) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R (edited for re-rating) (1979) | USA:X (original rating) | UK:X (theatrical rating, heavily cut) | UK:18 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Bamburgh Beach, Bamburgh, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Russo Productions

Trivia:

A major sequence in which the nuns tear down and ravish a life-sized icon of Christ in an orgiastic frenzy was cut from the film and subsequently vanished. Film critic Mark Kermode discovered the footage many years later. Director Russell was keen to reinstate the scene but found that Warner Brothers were not interested in doing a director's cut. The footage can be seen in a documentary Kermode made about Russell and was subsequently included in an uncut DVD release.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Judith Paris's character is referred to as Sister Agnes in the film but listed as Sister Judith in the credits.

Quotes:

Spectators: Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!
[Mignon gives Grandier the kiss of peace]
Spectators: Judas! Judas! Judas! Judas!

Movie Connections:

References Ivan Groznyy I (1944)

A Beautifully disturbing film

Ken Russell is one of those filmmakers whose work you can immediately identify. Whether your first was "Altered States" or (like me) "The Devils," you learn early on that if Mr. Russell's name is listed as director and/or writer, you can expect to be at least a little disturbed.

"The Devils" is, in my humble opinion, one of the best films ever made. I wish I hadnt been born so late because I can imagine how truly intense an experience it must've been to view "The Devils" in theater.

This film is the only film I've ever seen, regardless of genre, to take the viewer into the pit of hell and to hold her/him there unrelenting, uncompromising, and to make the viewer feel as s/he has actually experienced hell. I can only imagine how much difficulty Mr. Russell must have had when MPAA members saw this film. It's bleak, horrifying, shocking, disgusting and thoroughly delicious. Aldous Huxley (the author of the book on which this film was based) would have been proud to see that his true story of a Satanic Catholic church translated very well to film.

One last thing: I have never really been able to sit through the entire film since the first time I saw it. That is, odd as it sounds, extreme praise. What kind of hell would it be if I could sit comfortably?

Thank you, Ken Russell!