Movie of the Year: 1971

The Devils

Why The Devils (1971) Still Provokes

In this episode of Movie of the Year, Ryan and Mike confront The Devils, Ken Russell’s incendiary historical drama that remains one of the most controversial films ever made. More than fifty years after its release, the film continues to shock and challenge audiences—not simply for its imagery, but for its ruthless examination of power and religion as intertwined systems of control.

Set in 17th-century France but unmistakably modern in its fury, this 1971 production exposes how institutions weaponize belief, morality, and fear. The conversation centers on why its reputation for scandal has so often eclipsed its intelligence, craft, and relevance.

Guest Spotlight: Brian Eggert of DeepFocusReview.com

Joining Ryan and Mike is special guest Brian Eggert, editor and lead writer at DeepFocusReview.com. Brian brings a historically grounded, analytical perspective that helps reframe the movie beyond its notoriety.

Brian discusses Ken Russell’s place in 1970s cinema, the long history of censorship surrounding the film, and why its critique of power and religion feels increasingly urgent today. His insight clarifies why this work endures not as shock cinema, but as a rigorously argued piece of political art.

Power and Religion as Systems of Control

At its core, this film is about power and religion—and how faith becomes an instrument of domination when fused with political authority. What begins as a case of alleged demonic possession in Loudon evolves into a portrait of institutional violence, where truth is irrelevant and spectacle is essential.

Ryan and Mike, with Brian’s input, analyze how religious authority operates alongside the state. Confessions are coerced, belief is staged, and punishment is public. Spiritual language masks political intent, turning faith into theater and theater into violence.

Russell and Jarman: Cinema Built to Confront

One of the most radical elements of the movie is the collaboration between Ken Russell and Derek Jarman. The pairing of Russell and Jarman produces a visual world that rejects period realism in favor of aggressive symbolism.

The episode breaks down how this partnership:

1. replaces historical authenticity with stark modernist design
2. uses white, brutalist architecture to deny comfort
3. transforms religious iconography into provocation
4. employs excess as both aesthetic strategy and political critique

This is not cinema designed to immerse—it is cinema designed to unsettle.

The Citizens of Loudon and Collective Responsibility

Beyond its powerful figures, the story is deeply concerned with the citizens of Loudon. Crowds gather, whisper, watch, and ultimately participate in the machinery of destruction.

Ryan and Mike explore how the film portrays moral panic as a communal process. Fear spreads socially. Violence becomes normalized. The narrative suggests that institutional cruelty only succeeds because ordinary people allow it to happen. The townspeople are not just victims of authority—they are active participants in its enforcement.

Sex, Blasphemy, and the Machinery of Scandal

Much of the controversy surrounding this work stems from its explicit sexuality and sacrilegious imagery. The episode emphasizes that these choices are not gratuitous, but structural.

By placing repression alongside excess, the film exposes hypocrisy at the heart of moral absolutism. The more rigid the institution, the more grotesque its rituals become. Provocation is not the point—it is the method.

Why Listen to This Episode?

Listeners will hear:

1. a clear breakdown of The Devils (1971) and its historical context
2. an analysis of power and religion as intertwined systems
3. insight into Russell and Jarman’s radical artistic partnership
4. a discussion of the citizens of Loudon and collective guilt
5. expert commentary from Brian Eggert of DeepFocusReview.com

FAQ

Why was the film so controversial?

Its explicit imagery and direct critique of religious and political authority led to widespread censorship and bans.

Who made it?

It was directed by Ken Russell with production design by Derek Jarman.

What is it ultimately saying about religion?

That religion becomes dangerous when it is used to justify unchecked power.

Why The Devils Still Matters

More than half a century later, The Devils remains one of cinema’s most confrontational achievements. Through its unsparing depiction of power and religion, the uncompromising collaboration of Russell and Jarman, and its portrayal of the citizens of Loudon as both victims and enablers, the film continues to challenge audiences to question authority, belief, and spectacle.

🎧 Listen now to hear Ryan and Mike—joined by Brian Eggert—take on The Devils and its enduring relevance.

📬 Share your thoughts on this episode or the 1971 season at popfilterco@gmail.com, and subscribe to Movie of the Year for more fearless film analysis.