The Devils
Dir: Ken Russell
Star: Oliver Reed, Vanessa Redgrave, Dudley Sutton, Max Adrian

[3] Faintly reminiscent in parts of Name of the Rose; Reed is the priest, framed on witchcraft charges for getting involved with Cardinal Richelieu's political machinations. Some heavy religious imagery means it occasionally looks like a Christian Death video though it's salvaged by excellent performances by Reed (to my surprise) and Michael Gothard as the obsessive witch-hunter; watch out for Brian Murphy (George & Mildred) as a torturer! The sets, designed by Derek Jarman, are also breathtaking and, overall, it's a pity that it was suppressed for so long, due to it's 'blasphemous' imagery.

9/10

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