# 2026’s Most Visionary Masterpiece Is a 55-Year-Old Uncensored Re-Release | Review

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/2026s-most-visionary-masterpiece-is-a-55-year-old-uncensored-re-release-review/
- Published: 2026-10-28T19:34:28+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-28T20:21:17+00:00
- Original publisher: Collider
- Original article: https://collider.com/the-devils-review-ken-russell/
- Topics: Film

## Key points

- The first official uncensored release of *The Devils* has arrived.
- A restoration brings back footage once censored or feared lost.
- The film has found renewed critical acclaim and an extended run.

## Summary

A new 2026 theatrical release of Ken Russell’s *The Devils* presents the first officially available uncensored version of the 1971 film. The reviewer says restored footage transforms the experience, revealing a technically bold work with satire, psychological horror and spiritual themes; the film’s renewed acclaim contrasts with its initially controversial reception.

Oliver Reed plays Father Urbain Grandier, a powerful priest in 17th-century Loudun, while Vanessa Redgrave portrays an abbess whose accusations of witchcraft help political leaders move against him. Inspired by Aldous Huxley’s non-fiction book and John Whiting’s play, the story draws on events in western France around 1634. The restoration uses material from Russell’s personal copy and the original negative, and the film’s theatrical run was extended beyond its planned one-week engagement.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.