The Devils

[Mao5]

who has seen the devils (directed by ken russell) ?

it seems to be a very controversial and disturbing film

The Devils is a 1971 British historical drama horror film directed by Ken Russell. Russell's screenplay is based partially on the 1952 book The Devils of Loudun by Aldous Huxley, and partially on the 1960 play The Devils by John Whiting, also based on Huxley's book. The film is a dramatised historical account of the rise and fall of Urbain Grandier, a 17th-century Roman Catholic priest executed for witchcraft following the supposed possessions in Loudun, France. Reed plays Grandier in the film and Vanessa Redgrave plays a sexually-repressed nun who finds herself inadvertently responsible for the accusations.

The film faced harsh reaction from national film rating systems due to its disturbingly violent, sexual, and religious content, and originally received an X rating in both Britain and the United States. It was banned in several countries, and eventually heavily edited for release in others. The film has never received a release in its original, uncut form in various countries, and is largely unavailable in the home video market.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devils

Edited October 6, 2013 by Mao5

[Guest Len B'stard]

I've seen it, a couple of times actually, Oliver Reed plays Grendier, its fuckin' amazing, it's so fucking underrated and under recognised and almost kinda forgotten nowadays and it really shouldn't be. I'm pretty sure it has been released uncut now though.

Here's an interview with Oliver Reed where they discuss it, among other things:

Oliver Reed sober on a talkshow, see, it did happen sometimes

Edited October 6, 2013 by sugaraylen

[dalsh327]

Have a copy from a few years ago but haven't watched it. BFI put an official release out in the UK last year with a booklet and a bunch of bonuses on the discs, no Blu Ray. It sounds like Warners grudgingly allowed it to be released.

[Guest Len B'stard]

You should really check it out Dalshie, it's fantastic

[dalsh327]

You should really check it out Dalshie, it's fantastic

Which version did you watch?

[Guest Len B'stard]

To be quite honest i have no idea but i looked on wiki and it had pretty much all the fucked up bits they mentioned. First time i saw it was a long long time ago on pirate video as a lad and since then i downloaded it like a year or so ago online of a torrent and watched it there.

[dalsh327]

To be quite honest i have no idea but i looked on wiki and it had pretty much all the fucked up bits they mentioned. First time i saw it was a long long time ago on pirate video as a lad and since then i downloaded it like a year or so ago online of a torrent and watched it there.

In case you decide to watch it again, this is the official one out there:

http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/info_21668.html

[Mao5]

To be quite honest i have no idea but i looked on wiki and it had pretty much all the fucked up bits they mentioned. First time i saw it was a long long time ago on pirate video as a lad and since then i downloaded it like a year or so ago online of a torrent and watched it there.

In case you decide to watch it again, this is the official one out there:

http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/info_21668.html

according to wikipedia, this bfi version hasn't the complete rape of christ sequence:

The British Film Institute released the UK theatrical version (111 minutes) on DVD on 19 March 2012. BFI licensed the film from Warner Brothers but was not permitted to include the additional Kermode-found footage from 2002 nor issue the film on Blu-ray.

In 2002, Mark Kermode found the complete "Rape of Christ" sequence and several other deleted scenes (including the fuller version of Sister Jeanne's masturbation scene as well as additional sequences of naked nuns lounging around the convent and a bawdy dance performed by travelling players mimicking the bizarre events whilst Grandier is being led to his death). The artist Adam Chodzko made a video work in which he traced and interviewed many of the actresses who had played the nuns during the orgy scene. Although some material may have been lost forever, the NFT was able to show The Devils in the fullest possible state in 2004.

[Guest Len B'stard]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yz2WFh9yNE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_XzhAUchh8

[Mao5]

thanks for those videos

[dalsh327]

I finally got around to watching it, definitely worth watching, and I could see how it was based in fact. I don't think it's anything too shocking for people.

Next Ken Russell flick (not sure when) I'm checking out is "Lair of the White Worm" with Hugh Grant from the late 80s and "Savage Messiah" with Helen Mirren which was made after "The Devils"..