New trailer for Ken Russell's The Devils teases never-before-seen footage

"Do you remember the first time your thoughts turned to evil things?"

So begins the haunting new trailer for the uncut and restored version of Ken Russell's The Devils, one of the most controversial films ever created. The new trailer is packed with never-before-seen footage, prior to the film's October 16 theatrical release in North America. The film, which was just given an NC-17 rating by the MPA, is the version that Russell wanted audiences to see.

Check out the trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImeXlanF3iY&feature=youtu.be

The Devils stars Vanessa Redgrave and Oliver Reed, and it dramatizes the alleged demonic possessions that occurred in the French city of Loudun in 1634. Reed stars as Father Urbain Grandier, a priest who resists Cardinal Richeliu's campaign against the city. However, Redgrave's sexually repressed Sister Jeanne claims that Grandier visited her in the form of an incubus. And thus, a convent erupts into collective possession. This also gives the church more reason to target and destroy Grandier.

Besides the horror elements regarding possession, the movie also tackles political corruption. According to press notes, Russell referred to The Devils as his only "political film." However, audiences never saw his uncut version of the movie. Prior to its release, major sequences were cut, and even more cuts were made for American moviegoers. Warner Bros. Clockwork assembled Russell's definite cut in 4K from the initial camera negative, which references the private edit that Russell created back in 2004. This is the only version of the film that Russell wanted audiences to see. Additionally, the uncensored, NC-17 version is the first film with that rating in the history of Warner Bros.

In a statement, iconic director Guillermo del Toro said of the restoration, "The restoration of the material is like cleaning the Sistine Chapel with saliva," adding, "It is insane, the epic size of the film. I mean, I've seen it on the big screen in Telluride at a theater- but I've never seen the movie until I saw this restoration."

Following its rounds on the film festival circuit, including Cannes and the Toronto International Film Festival, the 4k, uncut version of Ken Russell's The Devil's opens in North America for one week only on October 16. It will then have a theatrical release in the UK on October 30.

Besides The Devils, Russell was also known for Alerted States and Tommy. The British director passed away in 2011.