From Rolling Stone · David Fear · · 3m
Ken Russell's The Devils Returns as Masterpiece
Mark Kermode finds missing scenes of Ken Russell's 1971 film The Devils after 55 years.
In brief
Mark Kermode finds missing scenes of Ken Russell's 1971 film The Devils after 55 years. Mark Kermode recovered the 'Rape of Christ' scene from Ken Russell's The Devils after decades of searching, restoring the film to its director's cut for a 2026 Cannes premiere. Originally reported by Rolling Stone.
Mark Kermode's film obsession
Mark Kermode first saw Ken Russell's The Devils in 1983 at a London theater with a friend who was terrified by the film.
The Devils' troubled history
The 1971 film was banned in Britain and cut for an R rating in the US after the BBFC and MPAA rejected it.
The missing Christ scene
Russell filmed a scene where nuns and a crucifix were central to the 'Rape of Christ' sequence that was thought destroyed in 1971.
Kermode's search for 25 years
Mark Kermode spent 25 years chasing leads to find the missing footage after Russell claimed it was destroyed in 1971.
The 2026 Cannes premiere
The restored 'director's cut' of The Devils premiered at Cannes 2026 after being found in Warner Bros. archives.
The 1971 film's legacy
The Devils was Ken Russell's only political film but was labeled 'damaged goods' due to censorship cuts that removed key scenes.
The 1971 film's restoration
The restored version includes the 'Rape of Christ' scene and other missing sequences that Russell considered his best work.
The 2026 Cannes screening
The Devils premiered at Cannes 2026 with Russell and his family present for the first public showing.
The 2026 restoration process
Warner Bros. Clockwork used a 2004 digi-beta copy to create a new 4K restoration for the 2026 Cannes premiere.
The 1971 film's impact
The Devils was Russell's only political film but was labeled 'damaged goods' due to censorship cuts that removed key scenes.
The 2026 premiere reaction
Russell described seeing the restored film as giving him 'his rhythm back' after believing it was lost forever.
The 2026 restoration timeline
The restoration was completed in 2026 after Kermode found the missing footage in Warner Bros. archives in 2026.
The 1971 film's censorship history
The film was banned in Britain and cut for an R rating in the US after the BBFC and MPAA rejected it.
The 2026 restoration significance
The restored version of The Devils is now considered a masterpiece after being missing for 55 years.
The 2026 restoration process
Warner Bros. Clockwork used a 2004 digi-beta copy to create a new 4K restoration for the 2026 Cannes premiere.
The 2026 premiere impact
The Devils premiered at Cannes 2026 with Russell and his family present for the first public showing.
The key point
Mark Kermode recovered the 'Rape of Christ' scene from Ken Russell's The Devils after decades of searching, restoring the film to its director's cut for a 2026 Cannes premiere.
