While Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salo is infamous for being a shockingly disturbing and sexually explicit horror film, many find Ken Russell’s 1971 movie The Devils even more unsettling. Banned or heavily censored in numerous countries, The Devils combines themes of religious repression, guilt, and sinful behavior with elements of witchcraft and brutal violence.
Ken Russell’s The Devils tells the story of Father Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed), a priest accused of witchcraft by the troubled nun Sister Jeanne des Anges (Vanessa Redgrave). The film is based on both a play by John Whiting and a non-fiction book by Aldous Huxley detailing the real-life events in Loudun, France. It’s a long-standing favorite of horror director Guillermo del Toro, who is still working to get a high-quality 4K version released, and it’s considered essential viewing for any dedicated horror fan.
‘The Devils’ (1971) Was Banned & Heavily Edited Upon Release
Warner Bros.
In 1971, renowned British director Ken Russell created one of the most debated films of all time, The Devils, for Warner Bros. The movie is set in 17th-century France and explores the suppressed sexuality and intense desires of Sister Jeanne des Anges, a nun who develops a powerful sexual attraction to the priest, Urbain Grandier.
When Jeanne learns about Grandier’s secret marriage and affair, she becomes consumed by jealousy and accuses him of witchcraft. This accusation brings Father Pierre Barre, a corrupt witch hunter, into the investigation. However, Barre isn’t genuinely interested in witchcraft; he uses the investigation as an excuse to exploit his power and indulge in perverse sexual acts.
Father Barre commits horrific acts, including sexually abusing nuns through forced enemas and orchestrating a group disrobing. He also conducts a disturbing exorcism that quickly turns into a graphic and frenzied sexual encounter involving religious symbols, a scene so shocking it originally earned the film an X rating – years before similar content was seen in The Exorcist.
The film faced bans in multiple countries during the 1970s because of its extremely graphic sexual content, which was considered pornographic. To be released, it needed over three minutes of footage removed. Even as late as 2001, Finland still prohibited the film.
‘The Devils’ Holds Up as One of the Scariest Movies Ever Made
As a film buff, I’ve always been fascinated by Ken Russell’s The Devils. It caused a huge stir when it came out, with all sorts of controversy and censorship, but incredibly, it earned Russell Best Director awards from both the National Board of Review and the Venice Film Festival. People often talk about the film’s depiction of sexual misconduct within the Catholic Church, and it is powerful, but honestly, the brutal violence and suffering inflicted on the character of Grandier is just as disturbing. Despite its initially scandalous reputation, thanks to Russell’s brilliant direction and the strong performances, The Devils has really stood the test of time and remains a compelling and important film.
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Grandier’s harsh punishment for alleged witchcraft has devastating consequences for Jeanne as well. By falsely accusing him of witchcraft to destroy his life, the nun ultimately brings about her own terrible end – she’s declared insane and committed to an asylum. Beyond the shocking and disturbing events, the story reveals the grim reality that women who dared to speak out within the 17th-century French Catholic Church faced severe repercussions.
I have to say, even with all the shocking violence and torture in The Devils, what really disturbed me was learning it’s based on a true story – the Loudon Possession back in 1634. Knowing that these kinds of awful things actually happened within the Catholic Church centuries ago makes The Devils one of the most frightening religious horror films I’ve ever seen.
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2026-01-01 00:39