Search 鈥淭he Devils 1971 Ken Russell鈥� on archive.org. Look for the file labeled 鈥淭he Devils (1971) - UK Theatrical Cut.鈥� Download it. Share it. Warner Bros. won鈥檛.
: Various uploads have appeared on the site, often featuring the "Complete Uncut Extended Version" which includes infamous censored scenes like the "Rape of Christ" and the "femur scene" Removal Issues
The film's themes of persecution, mass hysteria, and the corruption of power resonated with audiences in the early 1970s, who were grappling with the aftermath of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. The film's portrayal of a society torn apart by fear, superstition, and dogma struck a chord with viewers, who saw parallels between the film's themes and contemporary events.
For decades, the cut material seemed lost forever. However, the film had already gained a formidable cult following. In 2002, film critic Mark Kermode鈥攚orking with documentarian Paul Joyce鈥攍aunched a methodical search through Warner Bros. storage vaults. After two and a half years of research, Kermode discovered a can of film that had been and forgotten. Inside were several minutes of previously unseen censored footage, including a restorable version of the 鈥淩ape of Christ鈥� sequence. The discovery was so significant that Russell鈥檚 former editor, Michael Bradsell, was able to reassemble the footage and, using other audio from the film, reconstruct a convincing soundtrack for the scene. the devils 1971 internet archive
In the UK, the film was initially given an X-rating, effectively restricting it to adult-only audiences. However, even this compromised version was later cut by several minutes, with the censors deeming certain scenes too intense for public consumption.
When "The Devils" was first released in 1971, it was met with widespread controversy and outrage. The film's explicit content, including scenes of graphic violence, sex, and nudity, shocked audiences and led to calls for it to be banned. In the UK, the film was heavily censored, with several scenes cut or edited to avoid offending audiences.
Have you found a working uncut copy on the Archive? Share the hash or link in the comments. Search 鈥淭he Devils 1971 Ken Russell鈥� on archive
For years, Ken Russell鈥檚 The Devils has been buried, banned, and butchered. The 1971 masterpiece鈥攂ased on Aldous Huxley鈥檚 The Devils of Loudun 鈥攔emains a holy grail for cinephiles. And the has become the primary digital sanctuary where its uncut legacy survives.
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Since that 2004 premiere, Warner Bros. has to bring The Devils to a wider audience. The British Film Institute (BFI) managed to release a region鈥�2 DVD of the cut theatrical version in the UK, but the uncut director鈥檚 cut has never been officially issued on any home video format. Offers from prestigious distributors such as The Criterion Collection were reportedly rejected by Warner executives who found parts of the film 鈥渄istasteful.鈥� In 2014, director Guillermo del Toro publicly lambasted the studio, stating: 鈥淭here are powers that be at Warner Bros. that refuse to allow the movie to be seen. It鈥檚 not an accident. It鈥檚 not because of lack of demand. It鈥檚 a true act of censorship鈥�. As of 2026, no official Blu鈥憆ay exists anywhere in the world, and the film is unavailable on any major streaming platform such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney+.
If you're a horror fan or simply interested in exploring the fascinating world of cult classics, be sure to check out The Devil's 1971 on the Internet Archive. This forgotten gem is sure to leave you on the edge of your seat, and its significance in film history makes it a must-see for anyone interested in the evolution of the horror genre.
Because Warner Bros. has largely kept the film out of official circulation鈥攕pecifically the "uncut" version鈥攖he Internet Archive