PR in the Philippines

(SeaPRwire) –   Not long ago, there was concern that The Devils might never be released again. Although it was originally shown in theaters in 1971—particularly successful in the U.K., where it ranked as the fifth-highest grossing film of the year—by the early 2000s, Ken Russell’s highly stylized dramatization of a notorious 17th-century French witchcraft trial had become nearly lost media.

Interestingly, the studio responsible for making the film also played a role in its suppression: After releasing an edited version on pan-and-scan VHS in 1983, Warner Bros. shelved The Devils, declining to release it on any later home-video formats and rejecting offers from multiple distributors seeking to license it. According to Russell biographer Mark Kermode, studio executives found Russell’s film “distasteful.”

That stance has clearly shifted. On May 6, Warner Bros. announced it would re-release The Devils in theaters this October through its new sub-label, Warner Bros. Clockwork, led by former Neon marketing executive Christian Parkes. This follows news of Warner Bros.’ newly restored 4K version of the film, assembled from the original camera negative, which is scheduled to premiere in the Classics section at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. That itself is noteworthy, but the major update is that this new 4K restoration runs 114 minutes.

“So what?” you might ask. This brings us back to the issue of the film being deemed “distasteful.” Since its completion, The Devils has faced censorship and criticism, primarily due to accusations that it blends sexuality and religion in a blasphemous way. (To be fair, many supporters would agree—for them, the so-called blasphemy is precisely what makes the film compelling.) The Catholic Church denounced the film before its release, urging the Venice Film Festival to remove it from its lineup; they were unsuccessful, but their campaign influenced Warner Bros. enough that the studio cut the film down to 105 minutes for its theatrical debut.

Thanks to advocates like Kermode—as well as Russell’s widow, Lisi Tribble Russell, who has dedicated herself to promoting her late husband’s work after his death in 2011—The Devils has been screened with key scenes restored in recent years. It has also appeared intermittently on streaming platforms since Shudder secured distribution rights in 2017, though only briefly. Notably, this latest theatrical release runs three full minutes longer than previous “uncut” versions, which typically clock in around 111 minutes (give or take a few seconds depending on the encoding).

So what exactly has been restored? Before his passing, Russell admitted he removed “a few frames” here and there from the torture sequences. However, two specific scenes have consistently caused controversy. The more infamous is the “Rape of Christ,” a sexually charged orgy filmed in Russell’s exaggerated Baroque style, featuring nuns stripping nude and assaulting a statue of Jesus while a priest watches approvingly. Reports indicate this scene originally ran two and a half minutes. The other is shorter but equally provocative: co-star Vanessa Redgrave is seen masturbating with the charred femur of a man she previously accused of witchcraft (this “femur scene” has been recovered and appears in the 111-minute version; while not overtly graphic, it is undeniably disturbing).

Even the portions of The Devils that passed censorship remain controversial, such as the sequence in which Redgrave’s Sister Jeanne envisions local priest Father Grandier (Oliver Reed)—whom she secretly lusts for—as Jesus descending from the cross.

What truly makes The Devils provocative is not any single image, but the stark contrast it establishes between Grandier, who frequently breaks his vow of celibacy yet remains essentially good, and Sister Jeanne, who adheres strictly to Church rules but is spiteful and destructive toward others. In Russell’s interpretation, both the Church and the monarchy are equally corrupt, actively preventing believers from achieving genuine spiritual communion with God. No wonder the Catholic Church took issue with it.

At minimum, this marks a sign of the Church’s waning cultural influence and stands as a testament to the enduring cult following surrounding the film. In a press statement, Clockwork describes this new 4K edition as the “definitive” cut, noting it “[reflects] the edit [Russell] privately constructed in 2004” and represents “the uncut and unfiltered theatrical experience Russell always envisioned—and the first time the film will be presented restored and in 4K.”

The Devils returns to theaters in a limited release beginning October 17, 2026.