Hell on Earth (Devils in Disguise)

A British television programme about the 1971 movie "The Devils".

Contains interviews with the producers, actors and censors. Shows many clips from the film including never before seen footage. Fit for British public television but not X rated theaters or uncut DVD releases.

An Amazon.com review:

"The Devils" is his account of corruption in religion and is based on a true story set in France in 1634 about the evils of the union of the church and state; both were controlled by those who were hungry for power and who prey on fear and faith. Father Grandier was a priest who tried to protect the liberties of his city, Loudon. Cardinal Richelieu wanted him destroyed and does so by setting him up as a warlock in control of a nunnery where the residents are possessed by the devil and the mother superior is sexually obsessed with him.

When the film was released in 1971 it was given an X rating not because of s*ex or v*iolence (although there are both in the film) but because the film is so overpowering. What has been released now on DVD is only a mere fraction of the original film. Technically and aesthetically the film is a masterpiece filled with religious hysteria and illusions as it shows the horror of human arrogance and depravity. This is a movie that stays with you forever--for some as a horrible display of savages at work and for others as an intense look at a city taken over by madness.

The story of Grandier, a highly influential priest in Loudon, France shows us a magnetic man with strong pride and opinions and who lusted after many women and especially after a disfigured nun. The church authorities felt that he was a risk and falsely accuse him of many disgusting sexual crimes for which he is to be burned at the stake.

The film never received the credit it deserved and looking at now in 2010, it is hard to understand what the big deal was.

None of us should be opposed to the truth and everything--burning at the stake, induced vomiting, ripped out tongues, hand screws, douching with boiling water, dead children and human target practice, rape, transvestism and orgies at the nunnery--actually happened once. Everything in this film is based upon true events. What else did Russell do in this film? He showed us what really went on in an Ursuline convent, he introduces Cardinal Richelieu as schemer and plotter, he destroyed any illusions about Louis XIII and we are filled with religious indignation. Finally someone had the courage to tell the truth and here is Ken Russell with a book by Aldous Huxley throwing it at us. There is a message here and that is that we must claim responsibility for global violence. Ken Russell is a director who is not afraid to speak and to show us who we are and we must admire him for that.

Number of files: 1
Run time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Video codec: xvid, 764 kbps, 854x480, 4:3, 30 fps
Audio codec: mp3, 96 kbps, 44 kHz, stereo, vbr
Source: VHS TV recording on the movie's original DVD (NTSC, 4:3 letterboxed)