Raising Hell: Ken Russell and the Unmaking of The Devils

Raising Hell: Ken Russell and the Unmaking of The Devils by Crouse, Richard. paperback edition. ISBN: 9781770410664.

The definitive story of the most notorious banned film of the 1970s — now returning to theatres in a restored director’s cut! Film critic and broadcaster Richard Crouse uncovers the extraordinary story behind the making (and unmaking) of the cult classic For decades, The Devils existed more as a legend than a movie. Infamous for its religious imagery, political provocation, and long-suppressed scenes that audiences were never meant to see, Ken Russell’s 1971 masterpiece is so contentious that even decades after its release, Warner Brothers kept its most incendiary scene under lock and key. Featuring a rare exclusive interview with director Russell before his death, and new interviews with cast, crew, and historians, Raising Hell examines this beautifully blasphemous movie about an oversexed priest and a group of sexually repressed nuns in 17th-century France. From the film’s inception through its headline-making production and controversial reception, Richard Crouse explores what it is about Russell’s rarely seen cult classic that makes it a cinematic treasure. Raising Hell is the inside story of the banned masterpiece that refused to disappear.