Ken Russell’s The Devils is heading back to cinemas in a new 4K restoration, 55 years after its original release. This version is uncensored and uncut, and will receive an NC-17 rating for its graphic depictions of sex and violence.
A landmark release for Warner Bros.
The restoration will arrive in North American cinemas on October 16 under Warner Bros. Clockwork, the studio’s relatively new imprint. It is the first NC-17-rated film released by Warner Bros.
The cinema run will last for one week, with selected 35mm screenings included. A United Kingdom release will follow on October 30. The Australian release details have not been announced in the supplied information.
A new trailer offers a look at previously unseen footage from the restored print. Its imagery is deliberately intense, and viewers who are prone to seizures should take care because of the trailer’s strobing effects.
Why The Devils remains so controversial
Set in 17th-century France, the film dramatises the story of Urbain Grandier, a Roman Catholic priest accused of witchcraft following the Loudun possessions. Oliver Reed plays Grandier, while Vanessa Redgrave portrays Sister Jeanne des Anges, a sexually repressed nun whose accusations help drive the proceedings.
Russell’s film draws on two earlier works: Aldous Huxley’s non-fiction book The Devils of Loudun and John Whiting’s play The Devils. When the film was released in 1971, it received an X rating and was banned in several countries.
A restoration admired by Guillermo del Toro
The scale of the new restoration has attracted the attention of filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. He compared the work involved to “cleaning the Sistine Chapel with saliva” and described the film’s visual ambition as epic.
“I’ve seen it on the big screen in Telluride at a theater – but I’ve never seen the movie until I saw this restoration.”
For collectors who enjoy the presentation and preservation of older screen culture, RETROCADE’s arcade news and editorial coverage explores similar stories from the wider entertainment and gaming world.
An unexpected Space Jam connection
One of the film’s nuns also appeared in 2021’s Space Jam: A New Legacy. The character can be seen alongside Mr. Freeze from Batman & Robin, Pennywise from It and a flying monkey from The Wizard of Oz.
The film’s return is a reminder that restoration projects can radically change how landmark works are experienced. For anyone planning a dedicated home entertainment space, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide can help with the practical side of choosing equipment, while virtual pinball machines offer another cinematic centrepiece for a games room.
Release schedule
- North America: October 16, with a one-week cinema engagement and selected 35mm screenings.
- United Kingdom: October 30.
- Rating: NC-17 in the United States, reflecting the film’s graphic sex and violence.
With its uncut presentation, new 4K restoration and unusually prestigious cinema treatment, The Devils is receiving the kind of archival release that its long and difficult history has rarely allowed.
For enthusiasts building a display around classic film, games and physical media, full-size arcade machines and arcade parts for restoration projects can help create a room with the right period-focused character.
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