Ken Russell's The Devils gets a 4K restoration release

Warner Bros. Clockwork has released a new trailer for the 4K restoration of Ken Russell’s 1971 film “The Devils.” The restoration includes never-before-seen footage and represents Russell’s intended cut, assembled from the original camera negative and based on the private edit he made in 2004. The film stars Vanessa Redgrave and Oliver Reed and dramatizes the alleged 1634 possessions in the French city of Loudun.

The studio says this version is uncensored and has been rated NC-17 by the MPA, making it the first film with that rating to be released by Warner Bros. in the company’s 103-year history. The restoration follows festival screenings at Cannes, Il Cinema Ritrovato, TIFF, and Sitges.

“Ken Russell’s The Devils” opens in North American theaters on October 16 for a one-week engagement, including select 35mm screenings. A UK release is set for October 30.