Introduction: The Cursed Masterpiece Ken Russell’s The Devils is not merely a film; it is a historical scar. Based on John Whiting’s play The Devils and Aldous Huxley’s non-fiction book The Devils of Loudun, the film dramatizes the 1634 persecution of Father Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed). In Russell’s hands, it becomes a punk-rock opera of religious hysteria, state-sanctioned sadism, and sexual mania. Upon release, it was banned, cut, censored, and effectively excommunicated by Warner Bros. For decades, it has been a holy grail of “lost cinema”—unavailable on official Blu-ray in its uncut form, and often reduced to grainy VHS rips.
🔗 Link: [Insert direct Internet Archive link here] the devils 1971 internet archive
If you want, I can summarize a specific print or release notes from the Internet Archive entry for The Devils (1971). Review: Ken Russell’s The Devils (1971) – The
Guide to watching:
As of 2025, there are faint glimmers of hope. Criterion Collection has hinted for years that they would love to release it. Shout! Factory has expressed interest. The primary barrier is Warner Bros.’ fear of backlash from religious groups and their own legal department’s reading of "obscenity" laws. Upon release, it was banned, cut, censored, and