Mr_Ectoplasma And I'm serious. Ken Russell's infamous masterpiece, "The Devils," focuses on a seventeenth century French village where a group of Ursuline nuns incite chaos, sacrilege, and full-blown Catholic hysteria after they accuse a local priest of witchcraft.If anyone has read Aldous Huxley's brilliant historical novel on which the film is based, then they are well familiar with the story, which is actually based on historical fact. Was it possession, or merely good old-fashioned religious mania? Ken Russell would contest the latter, and he's probably right.In any case, this oft-discussed, little-seen film is Russell's magnum opus, and it's disgusting that he never lived to see the film receive proper treatment from the Warner Bros. cronies who have vainly kept the film under wraps for decades. "The Devils," in all of its controversial imagery, histrionics, and shocking thematics, is truly a work of high art, and deserves to be treated as such. In a perfect world, this film would be regarded with the same level of praise we give "The Exorcist." The problem is that, in spite of all its vulgarities, a film like "The Exorcist" reifies the religious establishment, while "The Devils, at the very least, challenges it; at the most, it seeks to dismantle it; and that is the reason it's had so much opposition from its corporate containers.As far as the film itself is concerned, the cinematography here is surreal and at times hallucinogenic, with bizarre frames of desert landscapes, and the stone, white-walled dwellings of the nuns which evoke the sanitized environs of a psych ward. The narrative unspools at an even pace, and the audience sees a car crash coming from a mile away, yet the entire ride there is engrossing, both visually and thematically. Oliver Reed turns in a fantastic performance as Father Grandier, though I feel that Vanessa Redgrave is the real star here; her performance is terrifying and electric. She is perhaps the most vulnerable character in the film, and yet the most dangerous; the worlds she inhabits are projected by Redgrave with unbelievable dynamism. Counter to her is Gemma Jones as Grandier's naive "bride." Michael Gothard is even more over-the-top than Reed, playing a mad witch hunter, and Georgina Hale is fantastic and sinister as Grandier's sidelined sexual exploitee.As far as my claim that "The Devils" may be the most religious film ever made, by that I mean that it is profoundly critical of institutionalized religion and its turning in on itself. The film is admittedly vulgar, over-the-top, and profane—but it plays out the extreme, unchecked hysteria that threatens the integrity of a religious populace. The film is not so much "anti-religion" or "anti-Christian" as it is anti-institution (and anti-nationalist, while we're at it). The film is highly critical of not just the church, but is also laden with various themes of nationalism, church and state relations, governance and secession, and various other political topics. The film is rife with these various commentaries, and this is likely one of several reasons aside from its more blasphemous elements that Warner Bros. have padlocked it."The Devils" is one of the most spiritually politically significant films I've ever seen, yet, as of 2016, your only odds of watching it in North America are via a widely-circulated bootleg, or a scant VHS put out by Warner in the eighties (which features a heavily edited version of the film, no less). I pray the film will someday be given the credit and treatment it deserves (pun intended). Russell didn't live to see it happen. 10/10.

jaime de la garza I loved this film, greatly enjoyed itIt's got a good story, beautiful sets, great dialogue, amazing acting by the majority of the actors, especially by leads Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave. It's the kind of film that draws in and doesn't let go until its inevitable endingHaving said that, what surprises me most about this film is that it almost escaped my radar. It doesn't pop up in any of the disturbing movie sites I've seen or lists I've read of similar matter. If it wasn't for this random guy I came across surfing YT that briefly recommended this film to his viewers, I fear I would have never seen it, in my entire life, and that, to me, would've been a shame; yep, this film is that goodThough the moment the torture starts on Oliver's Grandier the movie slowly but surely descends into such savagery that may only appeal to psychos and very open-minded people (I'm one of the latter) from that point on. I mean, what was the point of seeing his blistering face as he burns to death? And his genitals getting crushed moments before this scene takes place. The only reason: to shock the audience, should've made do without it. It's not really a complaint, though, I'm open- minded, but it does make you feel like you're watching a completely different movie Still, the movie's solid, well made and enjoyable. It's actually funny, some of the stuff I found in this movie could compete with and even surpass that of Cannibal Holocaust's brutality. Yet CH's widely known, due to said brutality, and The Devils has almost sunk into oblivion, except to those that already know where it is!So try and become one of these and take a look at this powerful movieJaime A. De la Garza https://www.amazon.com/author/jaimeadlagarza

C.H Newell I know people act grand about films sometimes, like they're the be all end all of life, but sometimes they just are. The Devils is one such film for me. I love everything about it, and I always hope to hear more people are seeing it. Recently I got a copy of it on DVD; though it's not the full version, it does have a few of the cut scenes. I have scene the completely uncut version before, and it was glorious.First of all, this was my introduction to Ken Russell. I've since seen a few more of his films, and I've got to say, at the very least Russell is intriguing. I mean, I know why some people feel how they feel about his work in general; it's all a bit wild when it comes down to it. I haven't seen all his films, but what I've seen has been intense. I think he's got magic in him. The Devils is a visual treat. There's something so medieval even about the way it's filmed.This is also the film where I fell in love with both Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave. There are several really good performances here; it's like an orgy of near over-the-top acting, but just near enough to still be cracking. However, it's Redgrave and Reed who really knock this one out into the parking lot. They're intense, real, raw, emotional. Redgrave, as a fanatical, Manson family-esque nun, is astounding, and though I love her films I really think this is the one role where she really gets me the most. Reed- where do I start? The man is one of the most intense, wild actors on and off the screen in the history of film, as far as I'm concerned. Here he plays the priest Urbain Grandier, accused of possessing a group of nuns and basically sexually destroying them, or so the nuns claim anyways. He does an amazing job, and some of the scenes are just agonizing to watch him in.What gets me here is the plot. It is based on true events; another stellar film, Mother Joan of the Angels, is based upon the same event. What I enjoy is how gritty the story is, and how terrifying the sense of religious power overtaking all these people is. It often reminds me of similar feelings I get while reading or watching Arthur Miller's The Crucible; the injustice and inhumanity, the lack of free thinking, rational thought of any kind, is just mind boggling and so frustrating. It really makes for a great film, combined with Ken Russell's visionary work. I highly recommend anybody seeing this- even if you can't see the fully uncut version, it's still worth it. Yet I still urge you to see it uncut, with The Rape of the Christ scene still in tact; that's the ultimate viewing of Russell's The Devils. 10 out of bloody 10.

petarmatic Just like film Caligula and Brazil which film establishment tried so hard to sideline from the mainstream of the film history.Sometimes they make films on the borderline what is acceptable not to be given X rating. This is one of the films which is worth watching because film art rearly ventures in these waters.Plot is based on the historical events, but it has been given a modern touch which so well interacts with the plot. Well done! Acting is also excellent, I can not single out any of the actors, the whole ensemble is just fantastic.I strongly recommend that you obtain copy of this film and watch it, since it so rare that film making goes on the edge like it did with this film.