The Devils (not yet)

[MichaelB]

Worthless, in other words. Why on earth were the Spanish using the US cut?

[eltopo]

Spanish DVD: Screenshots

[Afrosecret]

Every screening I've been to or heard of has been a cut print. Even though I, as many other here have stated, was lured into seeing an "uncut" print at Anthology a couple years ago (even with Russell attending) it was still the cut version.

[HarryLong]

At least the image quality is an improvement over the bootleg...

[J Adams]

What image quality?

[antnield]

Video Watchdog's Tim Lucas reports on the Spanish disc on his Video Watchblog.

[SSF]

If it had these scenes...

Hmmm...Rape no, bone yes.

EDIT: Sorry, had them backwards.

[Jean-Luc Garbo]

Video Watchdog's Tim Lucas reports on the Spanish disc on his Video Watchblog.

I'm glad he took the time to report on it, but this is still troubling as I feel like this will be the only cut ever on home video. Is WB just testing the waters to see how we take the compromised cut or to test if it's still the controversial film it once was therefore only worthy of cut versions? I'm pissed as hell by WB's incalcitrance because the bootleg I have blew me away and I'd like a better version somewhere down the line. We need this film now more than ever.

[jsteffe]

I'm glad he took the time to report on it, but this is still troubling as I feel like this will be the only cut ever on home video. Is WB just testing the waters to see how we take the compromised cut or to test if it's still the controversial film it once was therefore only worthy of cut versions? I'm pissed as hell by WB's incalcitrance because the bootleg I have blew me away and I'd like a better version somewhere down the line. We need this film now more than ever.

Don't lose heart. I really can't say more, but the film does have advocates and they're working to make something great happen. Personally, I'm going hold out for something better than that Spanish DVD.

[HarryLong]

I really can't say more, but the film does have advocates and they're working to make something great happen.

Oh, very tantalizing indeed.

[Jean-Luc Garbo]

I really can't say more, but the film does have advocates and they're working to make something great happen.

That is good to hear. I hope that they've got Ken along with Mark Kermode in the fold for this. It seems like I post in anger every time I write on this thread, but dammit I want this movie! I'm usually a fan of the cool and clear damning critiques (Z and The Insider come to mind) but this movie blew my mind. It wasn't just the intensity of it, but the skill of it. I felt that it captured brilliantly what it set out to do. I can't say I'll ever forget it - and I saw it at home on my modest little TV rather than a tricked-out theatre. The movie immediately had me when the nuns were rounded up in the ditch in the forest - shades of Katyn? - and told to acccuse Grandier or get executed. That really got me. The level of emotional stress I felt in the film was pretty high, but when I think back on it and wonder, "How would X have directed this? How would this make sense if this or this were changed?" Then I realize I wouldn't change a thing and everything works as is. Just Reed and Redgrave make this film compelling. Their acting here is bar none. Thinking of this amazing movie with the stunning Reed and Redgrave being lost or locked away makes me sad and angry. WB's treatment of the film reminds me of Orwell's Ministry of Truth - I'm afraid that this would happen for real as it seems to be happening indeed. I know that Banned Books Week starts tomorrow here in America, but I'd like to see people come out of the woodwork for this (not banned, but censored and mutilated) masterpiece. I really hope this gets a legit release before Russell dies (although I'm sure Kermode will carry the torch).

[Numero Trois]

I guess God does exist after all. Or Satan:

President/COO Alan Horn leaves next April and becomes consultant until the end of 2013. An Office Of The President is created and shared by Jeff Robinov, Bruce Rosenblum, and Kevin Tsujihara. Those are the headlines from today's shakeup and succession announcement.

This sure sounds like good news.

The LA Times gets a little in depth into Horn's puritanism:

Horn has never been comfortable with cutting-edge movies. One studio rival liked to joke that "the kind of movie Alan most likes to make is the four-quadrant movie." In a way that's true, since if you pressed Horn to name his favorite Warners films, they'd largely be PG-13 comedies, thrillers and family-oriented entertainment, be it the hugely successful "Harry Potter" and "Ocean's Eleven" series, the Chris Nolan-directed Batman films, "Get Smart," "Sherlock Holmes" or family films like "Happy Feet" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Family."

In a word, Horn was always looking for crowd-pleasers. He was perhaps the first studio chief to get out of the specialty film business, closing down Warner Independent Films, largely because WIP, with the exception of "March of the Penguins," made dark, often downbeat movies he didn't like.

[swo17]

Charlie and the Chocolate Family

Now that would have been interesting.

[Cold Bishop]

Don't know who else is following this, but the director's cut is to get its second official screening Sunday at the East End Film Festival. So hopefully, this means that now that Alan Horn is gone, this may be coming out.

[Peacock]

Wow I didn't realize he'd left, just saw one of the articles now. That's great news. Clearly WB Home Video wanted to release it with their artwork, brief itunes upload (albeit the shortest cut), and that conversation on the HTF chat where they said they had tried but it was out of their hands...... so this really could be possible now. Thanks Cold B for the notification.

[dx23]

Does anyone really think Horn leaving is going to change things at WB? If there is one company that has certainly regressed since the early days of DVD, it has been Warner. Seeing at how catalog titles have been shunned in the now Blu-ray/digital era, how the company is going over the top with family friendly films and 3-Deeing everything and how WB has been discontinuing titles for the past 2 years, it seems really doubtful the new regimen is going to change things and suddenly release a controversial film like The Devils on DVD or BD, who has going against it the fact that is a catalog title and a controversial film.

[Cold Bishop]

The fact that this played at all is a pretty monumental change, even if that's as far as it gets.

[Duncan Hopper]

The BFI are screening this is July, from 'high quality videotape' Not a good sign. Russell and Kermode are expected to be there, so I'm sure the whole WB situation will be raised. Hopefully they'll have some good news?

[MichaelB]

The screening in 2004 was also from videotape - though it was very watchable even in NFT1.

But this suggests that the restoration doesn't actually exist on film - which wouldn't surprise me that much. Sadly, it may also not exist on an HD format...

[John Hodson]

BTW, not sure if it's available again in the US store, but The Devils (the short version) is available for download from the UK iTunes store...

[willoneill]

BTW, not sure if it's available again in the US store, but The Devils (the short version) is available for download from the UK iTunes store...

It's also up on the Canadian store ... run time of 108 minutes.

[MichaelB]

I'm guessing this is 24fps, and that it's the butchered US cut. If it was the 111-minute British theatrical cut as the source, PAL speedup would have reduced it to 106-107 mins - and I don't think speedup is an issue with iTunes downloads.

I've never seen the US cut, but nothing I've read about it, coupled with the fact that Ken Russell disowns it, has tempted me to take the plunge.

[Peacock]

Still, if this remains up, and if someone can confirm whether it's on the US itunes store as well... then it looks like the old CEO really was the problem with The Devils not getting released, and that now he's gone, a proper DVD/Blu could materialize (maybe even with the extended cut?). Although, this is WB we are talking about.

[AlexHansen]

It doesn't seem to be on the US store.

[Peacock]

In response to a gentleman begging for The Devils on Blu-ray, referring to a petition with over 2000 signatures online.

This is a long-standing corporate issue, and unfortunately it is a matter out of our hands.

For me this is quite surprising, I figured it was the old CEO who was preventing it getting a release, now it looks as though it's some shareholders or something?