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The Devils (1971)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
16 July 1971 (USA)
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Tagline:
Hell holds no surprises for them. more
Plot:
This film focuses on an outspoken priest and a group of sexually repressed nuns in 17th-century France. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
2 wins
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NewsDesk:
(12 articles)
25 Most Disturbing Movies, #11: The Devils
(From GreenCine. 4 November 2009, 11:50 AM, PST)
Exclusive photos, director’s comments on Hepzibah
(From Fangoria. 19 October 2009, 1:16 PM, PDT)
(From GreenCine. 4 November 2009, 11:50 AM, PST)
Exclusive photos, director’s comments on Hepzibah
(From Fangoria. 19 October 2009, 1:16 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
astounding
more (73 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| 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 |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
111 min | USA:103 min (cut version)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
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:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
While preparing for the climactic demolition of the city walls, a technician mistook a signal from Ken Russell and detonated the explosives before the cameras were rolling. A large chunk of the set had to be rebuilt.
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Goofs:
Continuity: Early in the movie when Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed) is seen grooming his hair. It is a close-up of him supposedly looking at a mirror in the upper left hand corner of the screen, behind the viewer. Obviously there is no mirror as he consistently misses combing the more egregiously messed up parts of his hair and instead repeatedly combs the portions that are already groomed. In fact when he is done, his hair is still messed up.
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Quotes:
Baron De Laubardemont:
A nun is reported to be having commerce with your Isacaaron in the form of a three-legged dog.
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Movie Connections:
Version of Matka Joanna od aniolów (1961)
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (73 total)
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I love love love love love this movie. Ken Russell (along with Greg Araki) is probably my favorite director of all time. He is an absolute showboat! The Wagner of film. Russell never met a line he couldn't bend into a circle and a light bulb he didn't explode into a star burst supernova. Where most directors are ascetic, Russell is a glutton. Where many whisper their convictions with hushed words, Russell screams through a megaphone. This I adore about him.
And "The Devils" is (drum roll please) his masterpiece! Yes, this film is savage. It is shocking. It is perverse and violent and all of that. But it is also one of the greatest films ever made. Very similar to "The Crucible" (and if you haven't read that, stop what you're doing and read it instead of this).
A priest (brilliantly played by Oliver Reed) in rennaisance era France is caught in a political squeeze play and becomes the subject of a (literal) witch hunt. He is put on trial for being a demon and a group of nuns are bullied by a crazy exorcist into claiming themselves possessed. The whole thing plays out with the maximum amount of grotesque-ness imaginable. Even if one is used to Russell's films what is shown here could prove unwatchable for some.
We get: nuns ripping their clothes off and running around naked (pretending to be possessed), people burned at the stake, forced vomiting, nuns copulating with Jesus (just a hallucination though), physical torture of many different varieties. It's very in your face. However, the subject is topical (obviously) and it really deserves to be seen by more people.
Another great reason to see this movie is Vanessa Redgrave, who plays a hunchbacked mother superior. A very conflicted character attracted to Oliver Reed. I've never liked Vanessa Redgrave much, but she is magnificent in this movie. And her performance is one of the creepiest I have ever seen, rivalling Paul Smith's sweating smiling sinister jail-guard in "Midnight Express".
However, my selfish view remains: I hope this movie never ever gets released on DVD that way it will stay unknown and I (and the rest of the smart people on earth) will get to enjoy it as our treasure and ours alone. It will not spread to the masses and be diluted and trod upon and destroyed. This film is art. It is not junk put out by your local movie studio. This is a film of passion and meaning and sweat and blood. If you are reading this and you have no idea what I am talking about: stop reading and go away and never watch this film. Ever! You will merely dilute it with your stupid, reality-TV watching fingers.
Thank you.
Also, some of Ken Russell's other great beautiful films include: Savage Messiah, Altered States, The Music Lovers, Women in Love, and Mahler.