Review of The Devils (1971) by Joseph F — 28 Jun 2013
Bizarre pseudo-true story of a conspiracy by an ambitious Catholic cardinal to bring the town of Loudun into the fold of an expanding ecclesiastic empire, and the downfall of the town's charismatic, lascivious, heroically reasonable protector, Father Grandier.
This is a grand, fun story told with stagey, over the top sets and costumes, high melodrama, abrupt shifts in tone, and a good helping of weird humor and insanity. It kinda feels like a Terry Gilliam epic.
Oliver Reed is fantastic as Grandier and steals the show even with the abundance of memorable personalities. It's significantly uneven in almost every aspect, but it's never not captivating and befuddling.
+1 for Ken Russell.
This review of The Devils (1971) was written by Joseph F on 28 Jun 2013.
The Devils has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
