Ken Russell’s ‘The Devils’ Returns in 4K Restoration After 50 Years of Censorship

The Return of a Cinematic Provocation: ‘The Devils’ in 4K

For decades, film preservationists and cinephiles have mourned the loss of Ken Russell’s 1971 film The Devils in its intended form. Condemned by the Vatican, banned in multiple countries, and censored relentlessly, the movie has remained a mythic, half-seen artifact of cinematic transgression. Now, a new 4K restoration of the film is set to change that, premiering at Cannes before a global theatrical release more than 50 years after its original debut.

Ken Russell: The Maverick Behind the Madness

Ken Russell, the filmmaker behind such provocative works as Women in Love, Altered States, and Lisztomania—a film infamous for its dream sequence featuring a giant foam penis—has long been celebrated (and reviled) for his boundary-pushing style. The Devils, however, stands as his most notorious achievement. A film so depraved, violent, and sacrilegious that it was met with immediate condemnation, it was also a critical and commercial failure upon release. Yet, over time, it has cemented its reputation as a cult classic and a defining work of 1970s cinema.

The Story and Its Historical Roots

The Devils is loosely based on Aldous Huxley’s 1952 book The Devils of Loudun and John Whiting’s subsequent stage adaptation. While the film draws from real historical events—the 17th-century Loudun possessions, in which a priest named Urbain Grandier was accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake—Russell’s approach prioritizes spectacle, transgression, and bombast over strict historical accuracy.

The film stars Vanessa Redgrave and Oliver Reed, who had previously collaborated with Russell on Dante’s Inferno and Women in Love. Their performances anchor a narrative that explores the dual themes of sexual repression and abuse of power. The film’s most infamous scene, “The Rape of Christ,” depicts a statue of Jesus being assaulted by a group of naked nuns, a moment so controversial that it was cut from the original release.

A History of Censorship and Struggle

The Devils faced censorship even before its 1971 release. Scenes deemed too explicit, including the notorious “Rape of Christ,” were excised, leaving the film in a fragmented state. Over the decades, it has been released in various censored and uncensored versions across theaters, television, and home media. The most widely circulated home release was the 2012 British Film Institute (BFI) DVD, which featured the still-censored UK cut. For many film enthusiasts, this disc became a prized possession—a grainy but essential link to Russell’s vision.

Occasional transfers of the film have appeared on streaming platforms like Shudder, FilmStruck, and The Criterion Channel, but none have matched the quality of the new 4K restoration. This version promises to restore the film to its original glory, offering audiences a chance to experience The Devils as Russell intended—unfiltered, uncompromising, and undeniably shocking.

Why This Restoration Matters

The 4K restoration of The Devils is more than a technical upgrade; it is a cultural correction. For generations, audiences have been denied the full experience of Russell’s masterpiece due to censorship and poor-quality transfers. This restoration ensures that the film’s visceral imagery, bold performances, and unflinching critique of power and repression are finally accessible to a new generation of viewers.

As Russell himself might say, it’s about time.

"The Devils is not just a film—it’s a provocation, a challenge, and a testament to the power of cinema to unsettle, provoke, and endure."