For decades, “The Devils” existed somewhere between legend and censorship, a film spoken about almost as often as it was seen. Now, Ken Russell’s incendiary 1971 masterpiece is finally returning in a form closer to the one its creator originally intended.

Fresh from a celebrated presentation at Cannes Classics, “The Devils” has undergone a major 4K restoration and will reach U.S. audiences on October 16 through Warner’s newly launched Clockwork label. More significantly, the release restores elements from the longer version Russell privately assembled in 2004, bringing viewers closer than ever to the director’s uncompromising vision.

Starring Vanessa Redgrave and Oliver Reed, the film remains one of the most provocative works in British cinema, a feverish collision of religious hysteria, political manipulation, obsession, and institutional corruption. More than fifty years after its release, its themes feel disturbingly contemporary, which perhaps explains why the film continues to provoke such fascination.

A newly released teaser offers only a brief glimpse of the restoration, but it signals the return of a work that has spent much of its existence surrounded by controversy, edits, and restricted circulation. For many cinephiles, this release represents the first real opportunity to experience “The Devils” as something closer to Russell’s intended theatrical presentation rather than the compromised versions that circulated for decades.

The restoration was created from the original camera negative, while the soundtrack has been reconstructed using original 35mm magnetic film elements and additional archival sources where required. Picture and sound restoration were carried out by Warner Bros. Post Production Creative Services, Water Tower Color, and Warner Bros. Sound.

The reconstruction of Russell’s preferred cut was overseen by Lucida Productions in London, with producer Paul Joyce, editor Michael Bradsell, and online editor Brian King contributing to the project, alongside longtime “The Devils” champion Mark Kermode.

More than a restoration, this release feels like a long-delayed act of cinematic recovery. One of the most controversial films ever made is stepping back into the light, unfiltered, unrestored in spirit, and as confrontational as ever.

In theaters October 16.

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