Director: Ken Russell
Screenplay: Ken Russell, based on the book The Devils of Loudun by Aldous Huxley and the play The Devils by John Whiting
Starring: Oliver Reed, Vanessa Redgrave, Dudley Sutton, Max Adrien, Gemma Jones,
Running Time: 103 minutes (original cut) and 117 minutes (restored cut)
Genre: Drama, historical, horror
In 17th Century France, a convent of nuns in the small provincial town of Loudun, led by the hunchbacked, deeply repressed Sister Jeanne (Redgrave), fall victim to a bizarre hysteria, which is blamed on demonic possession. The town's charismatic but controversial priest Urbain Grandier (Reed) is blamed, as the town falls victim to horrific mass exorcisms and a hysterical witch hunt, all of which is being carefully orchestrated by the highest powers in the land.
This is probably the most controversial film in writer/director Ken Russell's controversial career. The film has been celebrated, despised and censored, and in fact a full uncensored cut of the film has never been released. Given the film's lurid and still shocking violence and sexual imagery, it's easy to overlook the fact that it is a powerful and important piece of work, which has valid point to make about belief and the abuse of power. It's based on true events that happened in Loudun in 1634, and it is notable that in the film the "possessions" are not supernatural, but are the product of Sister Jeanne's obsession with Grandier and then whipped up by the state who want to discredit Grandier so they can demolish Loudun's protective walls. The film's religious themes have proven problematic for censors, but there are deeply spiritual moments in the film (Russell was a practicing Roman Catholic and he considered the film his "most Catholic" work). The film is visually striking, the impressive sets were designed by future film director Derek Jarman. There are times when the film goes so far over the top it just becomes ridiculous, with scenes of nuns rolling their eyes and lolling their tongues to sounds of bells, whistles and birds, as well as the insane exorcist (and David Bowie look-a-like) played by Michael Gothard and King Louis XIII (Graham Armitage) having shooting parties where the targets are people dressed as blackbirds.
This is one of those films which you will either hate or love but which you will not be able to easily forget.
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