Yes, I'm referring to the 1971 film:
As always, not everything I was hoping to see during a particular Spooky Season will have actually be watched. Thankfully, I was able to see the uncut version of The Devils; who would have thought in the past that this cut would receive an official release in mainstream American cinemas? I never would have thought this, or that two films from Ken Russell (no relation) would be seen at an AMC Cinema this year-the other was Tommy, back in March-or that I could use the chain's A-List app to view them both without paying extra for either.
I did view The Devils almost a decade (!) ago & reviewed it on Letterboxd; that was an edited version on Shudder. Seeing it in full now-along w/ a decade of having seen more movies & the theatrical experience perhaps influencing me also-makes me rate the film even higher than I did beforehand. Loosely based on actual events, this was a searing, unflinching look at actual events—the downfall of the charismatic priest Urbain Grandier in 1630's France.
It's a wild tale of how horny hunchbacked nun Vanessa Redgrave-what a phrase to type-was part of hysteria where Grandier was accused of witchcraft but according to this film, he had the wrong enemies in the church. There's plenty to love in what's not always an easy movie to watch due to its frank sexuality & violence; the frequent female nudity wasn't titillating in context. The direction, the music, the great sets that brought this world to life, the plot—it was all engrossing. The cast all did a swell job.
However, it was the performances of Redgrave and Oliver Reed that anchored the film. It was easy to despise her Sister Jeanne des Anges and not just for her destroying a priest's life because she sinfully lusted after him. Meanwhile, Reed was naturally full of charisma and was a fascinating, flawed character whose flaws didn't look so bad once the viewer saw the worst in humanity in those who conspired against him.... “this may be cinema's most damning indictment of humankind,” to steal a phrase from film critic Tim Lucas.
The film also showed the worst in Christianity, how it could be perverted by evil people to persecute and destroy innocent lives. There were Inquisitions in more than just Spain during the era, and there were witchcraft trials in many places other than Salem, Massachusetts, to list two of many examples. The full cut's most shocking moments are still outrageous 55 years later; IMO, they did serve some sort of purpose in presenting the hysteria-among other things-of certain characters. They weren't shock scenes in an attempt to elevate a mediocre or worse film... or to gain attention because otherwise the film doesn't have any noteworthy merits.
It's no small feat that this is the most controversial movie of '71... even more so than A Clockwork Orange or Straw Dogs. I'm glad this special release did so well that they added an additional week-that's why I saw it this past Sunday evening rather than earlier. It's a blessing that there's been more releases of older films in mainstream chains as of late; I wouldn't mind it happening even more often, especially if it's movies as challenging, transgressive and/or hard to track down like The Devils.
As mentioned in my review of Tommy, I should seek out more movies from my non-relative.
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