The fact that I was able to see this, uncut, in 4k, at my local cinema tonight is something that I frankly NEVER in my WILDEST of imaginations would have predicted.
'The Devils' is Ken Russells masterpiece. a 'Rosetta Stone' of the directors eccentricities, observations and razor sharp bleakness pressed into a mold depicting a bold and striking adaptation of the accounts of 'The Devils of Loudon'. The film was completed in 1971, and on its completion, the execs at Warner bros at the time reviewed it shortly before release, watched aghast with horror at what they thought was blatent and overt blasphemy (Kens Panchen). they truncated some scenes and lopped others out entirely, before doing a VERY quick theatrical release and then 'vaulting' the movie for the better part of 54 years.
The long prevailing rumour was that a senior executive at Warner Bros who had the power to sanction distribution rights, blocked the films restoration or release for the full time he/she remained in the position citing Blasphemy and offense. BUT! with Warner bros and paramount merging, the old guard have been promptly swept out, and the new guys in charge didnt care less about some 50+ year old religious film…THE FOOLS!
And so! not only did they sanction the film to be fully restored and remastered in 4k, but they also made a point of reinserting the shortened and cut scenes FINALLY restoring Russells original vision to its full glory.
At first, it had a VERY limited 'indie' cinema run. Which promptly sold out so fast that the cinemas couldnt book enough slots to ensure everyone who wanted to see it could see it. Then; they widened the net, allowing some chain cinemas to screen the film (for which, I for one am VERY grateful)…Then; those sold out too…So, as of the time of writing, Warner Bros official stance on this is 'we'll keep adding screenings, as long as it keeps making ungodly amounts of money'. Which is INSANE to think its doing well enough that THAT is the official stance of the studios in 2026. But! Its not without good reason.
I personally was first introduced to 'The Devils' and by extension the works of Ken Russell by my long time friend Ben. Who is a huge Russell fan. And ever since first catching it on a VERY murky washed out DVD bootleg on a 30 inch screen back in 2012. I've spent over a decade trying to see this film in its full glory. I've been swindled by bootleggers, had dealings with Romanian film preservationists, travelled miles for upscaled bluray copies and devoured Russells other films in between. But the one thing I thought was a GUARENTEE to never EVER happen…was 'The Devils' in ANY format getting a wide theatrical release.
This…This is a very special time to be a cinephile. and you owe it to yourself to check this film out at your soonest convenience.
I wont got into the plot here because that will only spoil the marvellously bleak story being told…But what I will say is across the board this is about as close to perfect as a film can get really.
The pacing is a wonderfully painful slowboil, a slow motion car crash of complex and imperfect characters making bad choices that we as the audience can see is setting up their downfall. Making it all the more harrowing that we see every inch, centimetre and grain of suffering, torture and agony this film contains
A BEYOND compelling script that balances Russells signature heady blend of the bleakest subjects you'll encounter in cinema of this era, contrasted by a degree of whimsy and eccentricity that studios are really too nervous to explore these days. Its themes on the corruption of power, how patriarchal power structures are designed to oppress and cannibalize themselves, and how the church and state work in lock step in increasingly deplorable ways are engaging, compelling and clearly close to Russells heart as he makes every jab at the church feel like a dagger to the chest. and ICY reception thats only warmed and soothed by surreal moments, bizarre dance sequences and at one point, blackbird shooting.
The direction is incredible. Especially in 4k, as the walled city of Loudon is brought to life in bright and shining detail by Derek Jarman, who's set work here is probably the greatest work I personally have ever seen. When I say it gives 'Lawrence of Arabia' a run for its money, please note that I am not being hyperbolic.
A furious and flaming vision from Russell, the raw energy behind the lens here feels like a gateway into the mind of the director himself. and in its newly restored form, I think its the most compelling and gorgeous depiction of decay that I personally have ever seen.
The cine is frankly incredible, deep, vivid and colourful shots rich in detail, incredibly composed with mesmorising transition work and some astounding transisitons between colour and black and white film create a gorgeous work. After years of seeing washed out and heavily compressed bootleg prints. the 4k remaster here really does elevate the film to the next level, scraping years of neglect from the celluloid and revealing nothing short of a work of art. Lovingly crafted with an edit thats as sharp as its script writer.
As for the performances? This is a career defining turn for Oliver Reid, who is frankly astounding here. Easily his best role (and given Oliver Reid's filmography, thats saying something!) he's astounding here. any other descriptive is sheerly too small. Vanessa Redgrave is also mesmorisingly amazing here, giving a performance again, is career defining…and given Vanessa Redgraves filmography that again…is saying something.
A supporting cast mix British acting staples of the time with up and comers, with astounding results. again. I cant emphisise enough how amazing the cast of this film is, and how deep and rich their performances go…even the smallest of cast members seemingly get a LOT of detail to work with. its incredible.
And the score? brilliant, an ode to the music of the era, it takes its inspiration from music of the 'early modern' era, but then modernises it to a more contemporary sensibility. it fits the tone of the film perfectly, its edited with precision and care, for me? it doesnt ALWAYS land successfully…But 8 out 10 times is pretty good going honestly.
My Dad used to be a choir boy in the local catholic church, and when 'The Devils' released, the priest told the congregation that if you watched this film, you'd be damned to hell for eternity. Well…if sinning is this good, then my tickets pre-booked. 'The Devils' is a master work. a lightning in a bottle, once in a lifetime production of which a generation will seldom recieve. Its return to cinemas is almost as miraculous as its success. And I sincerely hope that alongside a comprehensive physical media release of this movie, that other works from Ken get the limelight shone on them too. What I would give for a nationwide run out of 'Lizstomania', 'Tommy' or 'Crimes of Passion'…
In the mean time…Please. While its in the cinemas. Go and see 'The Devils'. I cannot recommend you do this enough.
