r/criterion • u/Successful_Buddy1809 • 1d ago

Discussion Just saw “The Devils” (1971) in theaters

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607 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

69 comments sorted by

89

u/Barbafella 1d ago

Lol, nice. I’ve been a champion of this film for decades, I can’t believe the turn of events surrounding it now

50

u/mr_dammit 1d ago

just a year ago it was consensus that this would never happen

31

u/Successful_Buddy1809 23h ago

I know, it’s incredible. I’ve been complaining for years about the only again version of the film being an extremely poor quality DVD.

The fact that it got this new restoration and I got to see it IN THEATERS was incredible

37

u/WhiteWolf222 1d ago

It’s kind of surreal seeing a film that’s been next to impossible to legally watch for decades suddenly showing in dozens of theaters near me. I thought I would have to plan out my viewing in advance, but every major chain near me is playing it for at least a week.

12

u/bliss8966 20h ago

I first saw it about 40 years ago, and saw it on the big screen years ago at the BFI when Mark Kermode first had the discovered footage reinstated - and there were cast members there who had never seen it. Already booked to see it in the UK next weekend.

But it’s fun seeing all these responses from people who haven’t seen it before, I’m realising a lot of people have no idea what this is. 😊

35

u/Efficient_Variety_28 1d ago

After finding out the consequence of being with a woman: and so it ends...

39

u/HowdyDoodily 17h ago

“Do you love the church?”

“Not today”

25

u/JGDC 1d ago

I saw it last night and was grinning like a fool the whole time. We had a really good humored and well behaved audience, it was excellent.

26

u/International-Sky65 Apichatpong Weerasethakul 1d ago

Saw it today! So fucking good.

66

u/AxlandElvis92 22h ago edited 22h ago

I just got out of the theater. My god it was glorious.

Edit, just wanted to say we had a wonderful appreciative audience, yet also not afraid to party the people next to me had a bottle of very good bourbon, which they were kind enough to share for which I was grateful especially having not driven.

3

u/jayjacoby3311 7h ago

I’ve never had this experience but would be memorable

3

u/IsmaelRetzinsky 5h ago edited 5h ago

I saw it today. The audience applauded. Glorious is precisely the word that came to mind.

16

u/RollingScone93 8h ago

Saw it last night. Absolutely amazing experience and the audience was great!!

13

u/MagnusCthulhu 16h ago

I also went and saw it last evening and I'm still in disbelief that I've seen it. In theatres. Uncut. Absolutely insane that this happened.

The restoration is immaculate and the cut footage that has been returned was truly a joy to see.

27

u/RoundAsk7598 21h ago

Oliver Reed as Urbain Grandier is Zaddy.

"There's a man worth going to hell for!"

12

u/Fran_Kubelik 19h ago

Oliver Reed looks so much like my husband. I'll have to tell him the internet is into it. Shaggy hair, big cheeks and sleepy eyes are back baby!

4

u/GraceJoans Ken Russell 8h ago

👀 lord I see what you've done for others. now I want you to do this for me lol

23

u/seamusjr 1d ago

In the book Grandier comes of as the kind of guy who is a little to big for his boots. He pisses off everyone, from local priests to the laymen to Cardinal Richelieu.

29

u/Successful_Buddy1809 1d ago

He is still a little too big for his boots in the movie too. Nobody likes him…except women haha

20

u/BunchOfScribbleLines 21h ago

I just saw it for the first time a few hours ago. I would let Father Grandier do unspeakable things to me.
Fantastic film.

9

u/Successful_Buddy1809 20h ago

It’s the mustache, isn’t it?

9

u/Aggravating-Click460 22h ago

Just got back home from seeing it for the first time. Absolutely brilliant film! That final shot will live rent free in my head for a while!

17

u/WeHaveHeardTheChimes Guillermo Del Toro 12h ago

Saw it last night, right after Digger. Hell of a “big swings and fantastic art direction” double feature!

4

u/FlyingDiscsandJams 9h ago

For all the things with Digger that didn't work for me, the production design was magnificent, it was like Wes Anderson & Terry Gilliam had a mutant baby.

6

u/Responsible-Inside92 14h ago

Driving an hour to Boston to see it after work Monday in 35mm. Have to

4

u/Successful_Buddy1809 11h ago

I’m 35mm? Oh man, jealous! Totally worth the drive

6

u/Competitive-Offer-41 21h ago

After only having seen a baaaaaad dvd transfer, seeing this opening scene in full glory was transcendent! When can I get a 4k?!

5

u/MannInnTheBoxx 21h ago

SO EXCITED to see this one this weekend. Pulling a crazy double feature Sunday night and seeing You Can See Everyrhing and The Devils back to back

5

u/dennishitchjr 14h ago

Saw it at IFC it was incredible

13

u/JohnTheMod Stanley Kubrick 23h ago

I am so EXTREMELY ANNOYED that I’ll have to drive the runtime of the film to a theater that has the balls to show it. Just think, when was the last time you remember seeing an NC-17 film get a theatrical release? One that doesn’t involve a former caffeine addicted Saved By The Bell actress and the line “everybody got AIDS and shit?”

9

u/Successful_Buddy1809 23h ago

Last NC-17 film I saw in theaters was “Shame” in 2011!

7

u/aninvisiblemonster 13h ago

Father Grandier would’ve loved Nomi Malone.

4

u/throwiemcthrowface 23h ago

Got tickets for tomorrow afternoon 👀

1

u/Successful_Buddy1809 23h ago

Nice! First time seeing it?

1

u/throwiemcthrowface 3h ago

Ooooweee, that was great but boy was it BLEAK

4

u/Saucey-jack David Fincher 21h ago

I saw it this afternoon. It was quite the experience.

4

u/thegalorian 21h ago

Same! Had never seen it before. An absolute masterpiece

5

u/vemmahouxbois Lizzie Borden 21h ago

just got back

1

u/Successful_Buddy1809 20h ago

Hell yes! What did you think?

11

u/Expired_Papi 20h ago

Hey I was in the same screening as you probably. I was surprised at how great it was. In my head I had lumped it together with Polanski's Macbeth which I think kinda stinks and the one person I know who had seen it said it was kinida gross. I was expecting more of a "they sure don't make em like that anymore" novelty. Of course, that still could be true but I wasn't expecting it to be so relevant. You watch a whole city's culture bend itself into madness out of sheer survival instinct. Definitely a movie that should continue to circulate

3

u/Successful_Buddy1809 20h ago

lol why do you think it was the same screening?

2

u/Expired_Papi 19h ago

I was just joking. It's playing nationwide. At best, I saw it at roughly the same time.

3

u/thekidinthegrey 1d ago

Going Sunday evening

1

u/Successful_Buddy1809 23h ago

First time seeing it?

3

u/cuti_citta 17h ago

Never saw this, but I think I’m in love 😍

6

u/Successful_Buddy1809 17h ago

You gotta see it! This picture does not do him justice by the way haha

2

u/Air_Hellair 13h ago

Having seen him in Women In Love, I’ve had about all the justice I can stand. However I’m driving to Atlanta to see this at the Plaza with my daughter this week!

3

u/Pitiful_Selection_16 14h ago

Can't wait! Seeing it on Tuesday!

2

u/biggest_ghost Japanese New Wave 20h ago

I'm going tomorrow myself. Really excited to see the whole thing!!

2

u/Express-Vast3680 17h ago

Ive been wanting this film to get its due for decades. Love to see it.

2

u/Forsaken_Aspect5815 13h ago

Just got my tickets. So hyped for this!

2

u/bad_aspirin Michael Haneke 21h ago

Is it worth seeing this in the theater? I’ve never seen it

12

u/bliss8966 20h ago

Yes. Go.

6

u/r34nimated 19h ago

You have a once in a lifetime opportunity.

6

u/Main-Recording-1129 12h ago

It’s a masterpiece

1

u/WhosDooley 10h ago

Can totally see why this was banned and called sacrilegious then. Invisible pearls were clutched

1

u/TheMemeVault Andrew Stanton 10h ago

It comes out two weeks later in the UK. As I don't drive, I've booked an overnight hotel for this. Can't wait!

1

u/BogoJohnson 7h ago

Bought my tickets today to see it in 2 weeks on 35mm.

1

u/Kittykatttt__ 28m ago

Suggested seeing this movie for a first date tomorrow. Should be fun

1

u/etattate 12h ago

Why is it in theaters right now?

11

u/WimbledonGreen 12h ago

New restoration of the director’s Cut

1

u/Puginator09 21h ago

Been hearing about ts movie for a bit, is it worth seeing> Might do a double feature with primetime

5

u/Successful_Buddy1809 20h ago

100% worth seeing. I think it’s one of the greatest films ever made, and seeing it in a movie theater was epic.

1

u/MagnusCthulhu 16h ago

I did a triple feature with Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother and Whalefall. It was a very excellent good day.

1

u/Superblue5 7h ago

Is there the typical 30 minutes of previews before it or does it start at the showtime since it’s kind of a special event screening?

1

u/Sparent180 5h ago

There was for me. Actually saved me because I was running late.

-2

u/drum365 Guillermo Del Toro 3h ago

I guess I'm a lone voice in the wilderness here, but I saw this in the theatres when it first came out and if it hadn't been for the fact that I had seen The Music Lovers the year before, I would have said this was the most embarrassingly self-indulgent piece of crap Ken Russell had ever done. Am I really going to have to watch this again to see if maybe I got it wrong? Ugh.

P.S. Huge fan of Women in Love, huge fan of Dante's Inferno (why isn't this listed in IMBD?) and Altered States, but this? Nope. Didn't work for me. At all.