ONE of the most controversial films ever made is to be shown in Irish cinemas for the first time this week.
The Devils, directed by Ken Russell, was banned in several countries following its release in 1971 and subjected to heavy edits before being screened in other territories.
The historical psychological horror drama was never officially banned in Ireland as distributors never formally submitted it for classification, presuming it would be rejected anyway.
However, a new 4K version of The Devils, believed to be the closest of the numerous versions to the late Russell's vision, is set to hit Irish cinemas on Friday.
The film was granted an 18 certificate from the Irish Film Classification Office last week, with a warning that it contains 'strong sex and nudity… strong violence, scenes of torture and disturbing images'.
"Ken Russell's The Devils is one of the most notorious and controversial films in cinema history," said Kevin Coyne of the Irish Film Institute.
Starring Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave, the film is inspired by the true story of 17th-century priest Urbain Grandier, accused of bewitching a convent of nuns.
The film lays bare the collusion of Church and State through a searing vision of religious persecution, collective hysteria and institutional corruption.
Despite winning directorial awards for Russell and proving popular with many cinema-goers upon release, the film was widely criticised for its explicit sexual and violent content.
The Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, said it included 'images and sounds of such an obscenity as had never been seen before on the screen, in order to accomplish a crude lynching of the Church'.
However, the film has since been reappraised by many critics and has been championed by artists and film historians including Guillermo del Toro and Mark Kermode.
The new version is said to be a definitive cut of the film as no official director's cut exists.
This cut was originally reconstructed in 2004 under the supervision of Russell himself and the film's editor Michael Bradsell, in collaboration with Kermode and filmmaker Paul Joyce.
It was completed using the original camera negative with audio restoration completed using original composite 35mm magnetic film.
It includes previously cut footage, including two controversial scenes that even producers Warner Bros wanted excised from the film before it was submitted for classification in Britain.
The new version is being released in cinemas in Ireland and Britain by BFI Distribution in partnership with Warner Bros Clockwork, who will releasing the film in other territories.
BFI said the release 'marks the first time Russell's defining masterpiece has been made officially accessible to the public'.
Coyne said that after 55 years, Irish cinema audiences will finally be able to 'decide for themselves' if the notoriety surrounding the film is merited.
"At least half a dozen versions exist, all censored to some extent, while theatrical screenings have been perfunctorily refused and few efforts made at release on physical media of a film not even submitted to the Irish censor for an inevitable ban," he said.
"“Now, finally, in what is being promoted as the director's preferred cut, audiences can decide for themselves if this grand guignol set against a backdrop of sexual jealousy amongst an order of nuns deserves its reputation."
The film will run daily at the Irish Film Institute in Temple Bar from Friday, October 30 until Thursday, November 5, while it is also being screened at selected cinemas across Ireland.
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