Ken Russell's THE DEVILS ever released on dvd?

Does anyone know if there ever has been a dvd release of Ken Russell's classic THE DEVILS???

I have the widescreen PAL Warner VHS tape released in the late nineties which allegedly was identical with the cinema release version, although trimmed, much more complete than the prevous VHS pan-and-scan heavily cut version.

It is also a big question mark why so few of Russell's classic films of the Seventies still are not released on dvd.

Warner Brothers has a new uncut Special Edition DVD in the works, and it will include the Mark Kermode documentary about the film that I believe only aired on the BBC once--I'm uncertain if it's due out this year or sometime next year.

This post has been edited by Nicholas Halo on May 31 2006, 02:52 PM

There is a bootleg of THE DEVILS out there. I haven't touched it for the usual reasons, to discourage bootlegging and encourage a superior legitimate release. I believe it's just a copy of a British TV airing of the British version (which is still cut), and the documentary which contains some of the footage left out of that version. I've read that the video is vastly inferior for anyone expecting a good viewing experience.

I think there was a Video Watchdog article a few years back which detailed the cuts made to the film, and I hope some people at Warners Home Video do their research right, refer back to it, and recreate Ken Russell's original cut. Hopefully as few people as possible will pick-up the bootleg. I wouldn't want its existence to deter Warners from going forward with their own version. My personal prediction is that we shall see an authentic Warners version in the UK that's as close to the real source as we'll ever get, with the remaining excised footage that upset the censors so much hopefully included as extra features on a bonus disc, long before we'll see a complete release in the U.S. I think Warners still has a policy to not release anything harder than an R on video, and if I'm right THE DEVILS (despite its many incisions, zoom-ins, and altogether unholy treatment by the execs at Warners) still originally garnered an X rating in the U.S. But someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Here's a simple solution for Warners. Sub-release the title through New Line Home Video which they also distribute. NC-17 titles like CRASH (the good CRASH, the one directed by Cronenberg, not the imbecilic stab at Hollywood style controversy that landed the Oscar) and John Waters films have been released through New Line Home Video already. And Warners licensed off the NC-17 version of NATURAL BORN KILLERS years ago to a separate label. What's the big deal if they do the same with THE DEVILS? Do they expect Jerry Falwell to start boycotting their video releases? Would that really make a difference now that THE DA VINCI CODE film has opened to such huge boxoffice numbers? Maybe a little religious controversy will look like a good investment to Warners again. (Well, just so long as they don't give us another EXORCIST sequel.)

I think there are a lot of us out here who would love to own THE DEVILS on DVD in a version as close to Ken Russell's vision as possible. And at least they won't have a 1993 laserdisc master they can claim is their only source for the material. Actually, there's a good possibility not all of the original materials exist. At least not officially in the Warner vaults in the U.S. So whatever hands this falls in, they're going to have to do a lot of digging and digital remastering to get it into the kind of shape a lot of collectors would like to see it in. Look at all the time they took with the original KING KONG. I think Warners has a pretty good idea the landmine they're sitting on, and know if they don't get it right the first time, they're going to lose a lot of potential sales.

This post has been edited by David Allen Jackson on May 31 2006, 06:20 PM

I agree. He ain't getting any younger so time is of the essence.

I assume Warner now controls THE BOY FRIEND and the vastly underrated SAVAGE MESSIAH. If so, maybe Warner can do a Russell box set with THE DEVILS, LISZTOMANIA, and throw in ALTERED STATES as well.

And I'm still waiting for THE MUSIC LOVERS which is my all-time favorite Russell film (and one of my favorite films - period), to see the light of day. I lost all hope of ever seeing this get released when Sony took over the MGM library, but now that MGM seems to be pulling out of that deal, there is renewed hope! I would love to retire my WS laserdisc of this one.

This post has been edited by Jeff McKay on May 31 2006, 07:09 PM

Sony lost distribution only with this new deal. Fox gets the distribution, but Sony still handles the sales and marketing ( ie: they decide what gets released and when ). Still, there is always room for hope!

Ya, I've seen it discussed that it's simply a "distribution" change, but some of the articles definitely indicate that MGM is reorganizing and taking back control of their library. I have a feeling this is a lot more than a simple distribution change. I've read several articles on this today and, although none are 100% clear, the quotes from the Sony rep as well as the MGM rep do seem to indicate that because of poor performance on Sony's part over the last year, MGM used a clause in their contract which allowed them to nullify their arrangement. MGM is putting together a staff to handle things (why would they need that if Fox was just going to take over?) It doesn't sound like Sony cared at all about the library anyway - all they wanted were the bigger films to release on Blu-Ray (which apparently they will still do with MGM) and participation in the Bond franchise (which they still have). Sony only has 20% ownership of MGM. The majority stockholders didn't like their performance and basically took back control. Forgive me if I am reading this incorrectly, but that's how I see it. Maybe I just desperately WANT that to be what's going on that I'm being too optimistic. We'll see in the coming months, I guess.

And I'm sorry for derailing this thread - so let's get THE DEVILS out there!

They can't really do that. Even though it's the same corporate owners, New Line is a wholly autonomous entity that has no relationship to Warner Bros, and as such neither is beholden to the other. WB cannot switch over any hot-button title to New Line, nor would New Line want to be WB's "dumping ground."

Because technically, WB didn't license it out. Arnon Milchan's Regency Enterprises, who principally financed the film, invoked their right to license out the uncut version to the former Trimark, now Lionsgate; WB basically just agreed not to interfere. THE DEVILS is a wholly owned WB property, and WB flat out does not sublicense their films. Ever.

Warners will be releasing the uncut version of EYES WIDE SHUT later this year in region 1, so apparently they've changed their tune.

Vincent

WOW! That's great news. I'll definitely be picking up the unaltered EYES WIDE SHUT dvd. That move opens up a lot of possibilitits for WB, including an eventual reconstructed THE DEVILS. And I love to see LISZTOMANIA on DVD too. The LD was one of my favorite repeat views when it was first released. THE MUSIC LOVERS was released on LD too, and unfortunately I sold that off some time ago, but I do have a hunger to see it again. It would be nice to think that since these titles were released on LD back in the 90's, and letterboxed, thay might still be candidates for eventual DVD release.

Thanks for all the perspectives and/or corrections on WB's relationship with New Line, and the rest of its home video licensees. It's definitely got me thinking.

Well, Warner Bros. never seemed to get around to it, but the British Film Institute is releasing the uncut THE DEVILS next year.

http://twitchfilm.com/news/2011/11/ken-rus...dvd-in-2012.php

William - this is not the uncut version, its the UK theatrical release version which is subtantially more complete than the US R rated version but is not uncut. See the posting on the 'General Films' tab that provides most deatil abotu this and explains why this version is not uncut.