To understand the controversy, you have to understand the film. The Devils is a British historical drama and psychological horror film written, produced, and directed by Ken Russell, starring the formidable Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave. It is a dramatized account of the real-life story of Urbain Grandier, a 17th-century Roman Catholic priest in the French city of Loudun. When Cardinal Richelieu sought to destroy the city's independence, he and the church conspired to bring down the charismatic Grandier. Their weapon was Sister Jeanne des Anges, a sexually repressed and physically deformed nun who, in a state of hysterical ecstasy, accused the priest of bewitching her and the entire convent.
For over 50 years, Warner Bros. refused to release the film in any complete or high-definition format, leading fans to dub the studio the film’s primary jailer.
The Devils’ continued relevance lies in its unflinching examination of mass delusion, political scapegoating, and the weaponization of religious faith—themes that have, if anything, become more urgent in the 21st century. As one critic observed, even without its most shocking sequences, the film “is offensive and an assault of good taste that is just as epic, bloody, erotic, and mad”. Oliver Reed, defending the film upon its release, told the Chicago Tribune : “We never set out to make a pretty Christian film. Charlton Heston made enough of those. The film is about twisted people”. And Russell himself later reflected: “The Devils is a harsh film—but it’s a harsh subject. I wish the people who were horrified and appalled by it would have read the book, because the bare facts are far more horrible than anything in the film”.
Because the British and Japanese releases sometimes differ from the American "R-rated" version, users upload these specific regional edits to preserve the film's original framing and intensity. Is it Currently Available? the devils 1971 internet archive
Here is the "story" of how this digital archive helps preserve a piece of forbidden art: The Hunt for the "Hell on Earth"
We hope you enjoy watching and exploring the vast collection of films available on the Internet Archive.
While official high-definition versions of Ken Russell's remain heavily censored or unavailable due to licensing restrictions by Warner Bros., several unofficial and fan-restored versions are frequently posted and archived on the Internet Archive . To understand the controversy, you have to understand
The IA's version of "The Devil's 1971" is a restored and digitized version of the film, which has been lovingly preserved from a 16mm print. The film's video and audio quality are remarkably good, considering its age and the fact that it was not originally shot in high-definition.
Even in compromised quality, the power of Russell’s direction is undeniable. Oliver Reed’s Grandier is a titan of pride and eros—a priest who loves sex and justice equally. His final scene, walking to the stake with his leg bones crushed, is the stuff of silent-film agony. Vanessa Redgrave as Sister Jeanne—a hunchbacked, necrophiliac prioress who projects her lust onto Grandier—gives a performance that transcends acting. Her contorted, ecstatic writhing during the “exorcisms” is both grotesque and pitiable.
In November 2004, 33 years after its original release, a restored premiered at London’s National Film Theatre, featuring the “Rape of Christ” sequence in its proper place. Russell endorsed this version as his authentic director’s cut. The event was a triumph for film preservation and a rare instance of a lost cinematic vision being resurrected. Yet, despite the success of the restoration, Warner Bros. refused to authorize a commercial release of this cut on DVD or Blu‑ray. When Cardinal Richelieu sought to destroy the city's
For those seeking to explore this film via the Internet Archive, you can search for "The Devils 1971 Ken Russell" to find various versions.
Watch this breakdown of the ongoing censorship struggles and why the full uncut version remains elusive on standard platforms: Kermode Uncut: What To Do About The Devils kermodeandmayo YouTube• Dec 16, 2014
Because of this corporate suppression, the Internet Archive has become a vital repository for various versions of the film that are otherwise inaccessible. What You’ll Find There