Part of Shocktober
Censored for more than half a century, Ken Russell’s visionary masterpiece returns to the big screen fully restored in 4K and cut to Russell’s direction - the first publicly released version of the film as intended by the filmmaker. Unveiled at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, the definitive version arrives 55 years after the film’s original release.
An enduring masterpiece of cinema starring Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave, Ken Russell’s The Devils is a prescient epic of obsession and corruption, and a defining work of art from seminal filmmaker Ken Russell. Inspired by the true story of 17th-century priest Urbain Grandier, accused of bewitching a convent of nuns, the film lays bare the collusion of church and state through a searing vision of religious persecution, collective hysteria and institutional corruption.
In addition to powerhouse performances from Reed and Redgrave, Ken Russell’s The Devils showcases the stunning work of artists at the peak of their craft: Academy Award-winning cinematographer David Watkin (Out of Africa, Chariots of Fire); editor Michael Bradsell (Local Hero, Jabberwocky); and visual artist Derek Jarman (Jubilee, Caravaggio), whose work as production designer marked his feature film debut.
WARNING: The trailer linked to at the head of this page is not for everyone. It contains flashing lights or patterns that may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy.
“It's bold, individual and a landmark in British cinema, with outstanding performances from Oliver Reed as Grandier and Vanessa Redgrave as the possessed Mother Superior.” - Phillip French, The Guardian