Mar 15, 2017 the violent, sexual, and religious content of director ken russells 1971 film the devils has long made it one of the most controversial horror movies of them all. The real devils of ken russell from sagaciy with love. Friends and admirers including glenda jackson, terry gilliam, twiggy, melvyn bragg, robert powell and roger daltrey recall a pioneering. Off screen 2011 interview with ken russell and lisi tribble ranker. The film is a dramatised historical account of the rise and fall of urbain grandier, a 17thcentury roman catholic priest executed for witchcraft following the. Why ken russells crazy, sexy, heretical shocker is a masterpiece in raising hell. Sep 08, 2017 the real devils of ken russell ken russells the devils is indeed a classic in occultcult circles.
More than forty years after its release, ken russells film the devils has still not been given the home video release it deserves by warner bros. In 1971, the late, great ken russell s masterpiece the devils was released in a highly censored form. Two years before the exorcist hits the screen, ken russell puts the catholic church in the spotlight by filming one of the most disturbing films of all times. I wish the people who were horrified and appalled by it had read the book, because the bare facts are far more horrible than anything in the film. The devils 1971 ken russells film of the devils the devils of loudun nonusa format, pal, reg.
Russells 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 huxleys book. Hysteria occurs within the city when he is accused of witchcraft by a sexually repressed nun. Vanessa redgrave, oliver reed, dudley sutton, gemma jones, georgina hale, kenneth colley, max adrian, murray melvin, michael gothard, brian murphy, ken russell, the devils 1971 ken russells film of the devils the devils of loudun, the devils. Ken russells widely banned the devils makes a surprise. Russell s overwrought adaptation of john whitings play and aldous huxleys book the devils of loudun, full of much spiritual and physical writhing, is best app.
Apr 28, 2011 as the devils turns 40, stuart jeffries talks to director ken russell about saints, sinners and the most frightening film he ever saw. Pdf download raising hell ken russell and the unmaking of the devils pdf online. In 17thcentury france, father urbain grandier seeks to protect the city of loudun from the corrupt establishment of cardinal richelieu. Ken russells infamous, blasphemous, sexy religious horror reaches new audiences just in time to take on new meaning in the trump era.
When ken russell began production on the devils during the summer of 1970, he was fresh off the critical and commercial success of women. It is also based off a book called the devils of loudun. With vanessa redgrave, oliver reed, dudley sutton, max adrian. Why ken russells the devils deserves divine resurrection. The film gives an overview of kens childhood and career, and has interviews with xavier russell kens son who edited some of kens films, judith paris, em. Ken russells film of the devils 1971 full download ken. In this episode, david is joined by richard doyle, josh hornbeck, jon laubinger and brad mcdermott to discuss the devils, directed by ken russell. Disturbing movies you wont be able to sit through duration. Stream free the devils full movie online on 123movies. Ken russell today is not the mischievous maverick of forty years ago. 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 huxleys book. The devils 1971 uncut ken russell controversial movie. Oct 26, 2016 ken russells film of the devils 1971 full download.
More than forty years after its release, ken russell s film the devils has still not been given the home video release it deserves by warner bros. Anyone who knows anything about this 1971 ken russell movie will know it was hacked to pieces by warner brothers us because it was deemed. Oct 25, 2019 in this episode, david is joined by richard doyle, josh hornbeck, jon laubinger and brad mcdermott to discuss the devils, directed by ken russell. Hell holds no surprises for them a dramatised historical account of the rise and fall of urbain grandier, a 17thcentury roman catholic priest accused of witchcraft following alleged demonic possessions of sexually repressed nuns. The movie follows the rise and fall of urbain grandier who was a roman catholic priest. Henry kenneth alfred ken russell 3 july 1927 27 november 2011 was a flamboyant british film director, noted for his oftencontroversial films, including. Ken russell and his wife elize lisi tribble were invited by new york film writer shade rupe on a sixweek journey across north america, beginning with a lifetime achievement award given by mitch davis at the fantasia film festival on 20 july 2010, followed by a screening of. An illustration of a computer application window wayback machine an illustration of an open book.
Something of a cult film, ken russells the devils is an early production of his in which the historical material is infused with an anachronistic attitude stemming. In the devils ken russell wisely avoids even attempting to show what 17th century france might have looked like, relying instead on futuristic sets and bizarre costumes to evoke the historical france thematically. Russell then made the boy friend 1971 and savage messiah 1972 before he again achieved a commercial. Perhaps even more importantly, one of his true masterpieces, 1971s the devils, remains out of print and out of the conversation. The film is a dramatised historical account of the rise and fall of urbain grandier, a 17thcentury roman catholic priest executed for witchcraft following the supposed possessions in loudun, france. Rare unrated cut of controversial 1971 film the devils just. Russells overwrought adaptation of john whitings play and aldous huxleys book the devils of loudun, full of much spiritual and physical writhing, is best app. For the first time ever, you can now stream the devils, the 1971 ken russell film that critic judith crist called a grand fiesta for sadists and perverts. The violent, sexual, and religious content of director ken russells 1971 film the devils has long made it one of the most controversial horror movies of. Ken russells film of the devils, the devils of loudun, diably, les diables. The devils 1971, based on the aldous huxley novel the devils of loudon, aroused even more vehement criticism with its story of mass sexual hysteria in a convent. Ken russells celebrated 1971 masterpiece, a landmark in british cinema finally available on special edition 2 dvd set. Ken russells film of the devils 1971 full download ken russell.
Episode 14 ken russells the devils 1971 celluloid junkies. Except from being a sheer technical and aesthetic masterpiece, the devils provokes as a film with its relentless sense of anarchy. This movie is based partially off of a play with the same name. At the time of its release, and later, the film has been regarded as. Ken russell and his wife elize lisi tribble were invited by new york film writer shade rupe on a sixweek journey across north america, beginning with a lifetime achievement award given by mitch davis at the fantasia film festival on 20 july 2010, followed by a screening of russell s most notorious film, the devils.
Ken russell portrait of a maverick is a documentary by chris wade. Nov 21, 2011 anyone who knows anything about this 1971 ken russell movie will know it was hacked to pieces by warner brothers us because it was deemed. Ken russell and the unmaking of the devils, movie critic richard crouse argues that. Ken russells banned 1971 religious horror film finally gets streaming release.
Ken russells film of the devils, the devils of loudun. For years, an uncut version of ken russells delirious, provocative 1971 witchcraft drama the devils has been a movie lovers holy grail no pun intended on the level of orson welles unfinished later works. Ken russells bold account of religious hysteria, political persecution and the corrupt marriage of church and state. Richard crouse its fun for the whole family as we talk about ken russells controversial 1971 film the devils. Well, cinematic miracles do happen, and the day after netflix announced it was restoring welles unfinished, largely unavailable film the other side of the wind, the devils has. It sounds shocking but in the context of the film it is a key scene. The film was shredded to pieces by censors, who removed several scenes, including one that russell himself referred to as the heart of the film. Jan 16, 2015 ken russell at the bbc ken russell in conversation duration. The devils 1971 full movie free watch online with english subtitles. Perhaps even more importantly, one of his true masterpieces, 1971s the devils. Since the film combines religion with full frontal nudity and graphic violence, it was hardly surprising that the movie provoked controversy when it was first shown at cinemas. The devils is a 1971 film directed by ken russell about the events leading up to the trial and execution of father urbain grandier in loudon in france in 1634. The devils is a 1971 british historical drama horror film directed by ken russell and starring oliver reed and vanessa redgrave. Vanessa redgrave, oliver reed, dudley sutton, gemma jones, georgina hale, kenneth colley, max adrian, murray melvin, michael gothard, brian murphy, ken russell, the devils 1971 ken russell s film of the devils the devils of loudun, the devils.
French republic of xvii century, the time period of the war of catholics with the huguenots. The devils ken russell 1971 time capsule of almost. The devils dvd 1971 special uncut by ken russel oliver reed. With alan yentob, ken russell, don boyd, melvyn bragg. If youre a fan of this film you might have heard of the new unrated and restored version of the film that you can see by joining shudder. In a few years, i will hopefully give him a run for his money, but his devotion to this criminally neglected and censured film is the driving force behind raising hell.
It is also known as the devils of loudon and the story was adpated from the aldous huxley book of that name. Joining us is special guest cohost filmmaker vincenzo natali. The devils dvd 1971 special uncut by ken russel oliver. Ken russell interview in 1971 on the making of the devils. The devils 1971 full movie 123movies free watch online with english subtitles,stream free the devils full movie online on marvel biggest movie. Aug 11, 2015 when ken russell began production on the devils during the summer of 1970, he was fresh off the critical and commercial success of women in love, his adaptation of d. The regular version isnt a totally bastardized work, it just doesnt give you everything ken russell intended. Oliver reed, vanessa redgrave, dudley sutton, max adrian distributor. Ken russells film of the devils 1971 full download. The devils 1971 ken russell s film of the devils the devils of loudun nonusa format, pal, reg. The real devils of ken russell ken russells the devils is indeed a classic in occultcult circles.
Russell described the devils as a harsh filmbut its a harsh subject matter. The devils is a british historical drama that can also be considered to be a horror film. Ken russell at the bbc ken russell in conversation duration. Nov 25, 2014 guillermo del toro has slammed warner bros. Aldous huxley wrote a book about it, and john whiting wrote a play about it, but only ken russell has made a movie about it. He is a regular fixture at north american film festivals, and is obviously a huge fan of ken russell. In short, mel gibsons concoction is just as phony as russells. Criterion reflections episode 62 ken russells the devils. Vanessa redgrave, oliver reed, dudley sutton, imdb rating. Ken russells twisted classic about a nun who accuses a priest of using witchcraft is one of the most controversial horror films of all time. Following the recent death of ken russell, alan yentob looks back over the career of the flamboyant film director responsible for women in love, tommy and the devils. The book features new recollections from russell collaborators like murray melvin, who looks back on the devils, his son xavier russell, rick wakeman and many more, plus pictures provided by kens wife lisi. The devils 1971 ken russell the devils 1971 ken russell the devils is a film directed by ken russell and starring oliver reed and vanessa redgrave. Ken russell s film of the devils, the devils of loudun.
In 1971, the late, great ken russells masterpiece the devils was released in a highly censored form. Vanessa redgrave, oliver reed, dudley sutton, max adrian, gemma jones language. Aug 24, 2010 ken russell today is not the mischievous maverick of forty years ago. Also explored in depth is kens final era, the gorsewood years, his time as a truly independent filmmaker. Women in love 1969 the devils 1971 the boy friend 1971 tommy 1975. Censored for over 40 years because of content, the devils tells the tale of urbain grandier the priest of loudun, france who in 1634 was persecuted through an unholy mix of church, state and sex. As the devils turns 40, stuart jeffries talks to director ken russell about saints, sinners and the most frightening film he ever saw.
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