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.
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.
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.
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:
This is not cinema designed to immerse—it is cinema designed to unsettle.
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.
Much of the controversy surrounding this work stems from its...
