"Ken Russell's The Devils" REVIEW

Published on 10/16/2026 

Written by: Braylon Mitchell 

Directed by: Ken Russell 

Cast: Vanessa Redgrave, Oliver Reed, Dudley Sutton, Max Adrian, Georgina Hale, etc. 

Plot: In 17th-century France, Father Urbain Grandier's protection of the city of Loudun from the corrupt Cardinal Richelieu is undermined by a sexually repressed nun's accusation of witchcraft. 

REVIEW 

Released in 1971 to scathing reviews, extreme controversy, and worldwide bans/censorship, the restored director's cut of "Ken Russell's The Devils" has, after decades of an infamous reputation as one of the taboo corners of cinematic history, been re-released on the big screen and instantly become an event for arthouse theaters across the country populated by audiences of cinephiles fascinated to see the "misunderstood masterpiece" that crashed and burned at the time of its release. Over fifty years later, it feels quite cathartic to say that this film has finally received its due. This film is just as, if not more so, insane than I'd imagined or read. It's in equal parts an absolutely decadent historical epic exploring a time in history where the line between politics, power, and religion was non-existent and drenched in depravity, and a highly ambitious exercise in artistic expression and a visionary speech of cinematic language. I found that balance of this film's essence of purposes to be fascinating, understandable to dismiss as pure shock value or misguided in intention, but to the eyes of those open to its means of expression and just twisted enough to find enjoyment in its virtues of obscenity—this is a bold masterwork. The atmosphere and meanings of this film jump out as visceral, gross even. Rooms of hundreds of people engaged in animalistic mob-mentalities that in reality are more human than they are animal, acts of grimy indulgence into unfiltered sexual pleasures and carnival theatrics of lust, a political labyrinth of hoaxes and coerced lies under the disguise of righteousness—all of which express the epitome of sin in a film that wishes to ball up the primeval sinfulness of humanity's coils and repressions with the desire to wildly showcase how shocking and meaningfully meaningless hurtful human pursuits can be. With all the cheesiness in the world intended, I say with earnestness that my primary takeaway from this film is that maybe the devils within humanity are more often than not of our own design and freedom. Ken Russell envisioned this wild nightmare of a film with cloudy yet striking marksmanship of brutal messaging with even more of brutal cinematic execution with massive-scale production value, unique cinematography, an ensemble of bold performances, and a dramatically flaired screenplay. It's a genuine wonder that a major studio such as Warner Bros. allowed a film such as "Ken Russell's The Devils" to be made in the first place; it's no wonder that it was met with such reactionary hatred when released, and it's even less of a wonder that all these years it's found adoration and respect with a modern audience of cinephiles that recognize it as the exquisite piece of filmmaking that it is. Folks, one of the best films released in 2026 is from 1971. 

THREE BEST ELEMENTS

• The production design and costumes. Both massive in scale and detail as immersive gateway into 17th century and artistically original, encapsulating the film's very essence as a historical epic and unique expression. The set pieces are masterfully designed, with certain locations filled with so much life and originality that they're instantly burned into your subconscious. That goes for the costumes as well, the costuming on the nuns in particular is a key element of some of the film's images that stick with you most prevalently. Masterful production design and costumes, some of the finest I've ever seen. 

• The cinematography. Full of unique camera movement, lighting, and framing inspired by the epics that came before it and spawn its own devilish concoction of visual intensity, this film's cinematography is stunning—especially seeing it via a glorious 35mm print. 

• Ken Russell's direction. There's no dancing around using any other word besides visionary to describe Russell's direction of this film, even if you're in the camp of people who still hate the film, you can't skip around the frankness of that word's relation to the boldness of Russell's helm over this film. He's firing off all cylinders when it comes to making the most of excessiveness. This is the type of personalized, ambitious holy grail of a project that most directors can only dream of achieving. 

WORST ELEMENT 

• Some of the film's messaging through its key characterizations, particularly of Father Urbain Grandier and Sister Madeline, felt too compressed to fit what the narrative required. More of a longer-winded, layered approach to certain characters would've been even more effective. 

RATING

9/10

If you're in this film's wheelhouse it's a must see, buddy!