Ken Russels "The Devils" (partial spoilers)

Utterly remarkable film. There were times during it where I felt speechless, nay, breathless. Oliver Reed was outstanding, an awesome presence delivering a character who I felt at the start was to be the antihero of the piece, but who progressed to be enlarged by pathos and though thoroughly humbled by the end, his honesty as a human, honour as a man and integrity as an individual are completely and beautifully intact.
 Sexual repression in a Convent in 17th century France leads to mass hysteria and accusations of withcraft aimed at the towns elder, Father Grandier. An immoral man of the cloth who fears the repression of the state, yet finds love in the arms of a simple but honest young woman.
 It's a broken hearted story on many levels, but at its very core are just two or three scenes depicting his salvation through the soft eyes of Madeleine. These scenes, integral to the film could be separate and distinct in their own right.....a simple love story and beautifully portrayed.

 and yet the film is remembered for the controversy, the pain, the nudity and the blasphemy it portrays. Maybe that is what makes it such a powerful piece, the contrast between the tenderness and the brutality and vulgarity, and when things are powerful, people fear them. The orgy scenes are not titilating, the torture is the more vicious for the agony Reed delivers so well and the blasphemy is necessary.... as religion and its corruption are at the political heart of this film.

For me the only jarring note is just that, the soundtrack is difficult at times though may well conjour up the excess and decadence of 17th century France and some of the camera work may seem amateurish, but, clunky as it is, it does ad to the whirling fever of the film as a whole.

For me, cinema is about being moved, and falling in love with a performance is about as good as it gets. When a film can make you hold a hand to your mouth, sigh in despair and hold your breath in anticipation it has succeeded on the greatest of levels.

Utterly remarkable.