The Devils

The Devils

A provocative masterpiece, presented for the first time in a version closest to the filmmaker’s vision

In 1634, in Loudun, the charismatic and controversial priest Urbain Grandier finds himself at odds with King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu. Grandier’s popularity among the townspeople and his opposition to the authorities’ plans make him a convenient target for a political conspiracy. When Sister Jeanne des Anges claims to have been visited by an incubus taking Grandier’s form, a series of brutal exorcisms begins. Soon, other Ursuline nuns accuse him of seducing them through black magic, and the case develops into a spectacle that draws crowds of onlookers, even from Paris. The public exorcisms become a theatrical spectacle, sealing the priest’s fate as an alleged emissary of Satan.

“The Devils” is one of Ken Russell’s most important and provocative works, widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements of post-war British cinema. It is also a haunting tale of obsession, lust and corruption, whose consequences lead to tragedy. Russell approached the story of Loudun as a tale of brainwashing and a warning against the dangerous union of Church and state. In his interpretation, the events are not the result of supernatural forces, but rather of political corruption and hysteria exploited to achieve specific ends. Derek Jarman’s monumental sets, Shirley Russell’s costumes, David Watkin’s dazzling cinematography and Peter Maxwell Davies’s music combine to create one of the most visually extraordinary spectacles in cinema history.

From its release, the film sparked controversy, and some of its most intense and provocative scenes were cut from versions shown to cinema audiences. The new 4K restoration was created using the original camera negative and draws on the version Ken Russell privately edited in 2004. For the first time since its release, audiences can see “The Devils” in its most complete available form, offering the closest possible reconstruction of the vision Ken Russell intended to present to the public.

Ken Russell, one of the most important figures in post-war British cinema, wrote and directed the film. Oliver Reed stars as Grandier, with Vanessa Redgrave as Sister Jeanne des Anges. The cast also includes Murray Melvin, Michael Gothard, Christopher Logue and Graham Armitage. The film is based on John Whiting’s play and Aldous Huxley’s book “The Devils of Loudun”.