The Devils (not yet)

[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?

[Perkins Cobb]

I'm just surprised they'd be that forthcoming about it. The Devils may have taken on enough notoriety within Warners for the ban to have survived Alan Horn's tenure, a la Song of the South at Disney. Ridiculous. Classic example of the folly of corporate ownership of art and/or argument for the abolition of copyright.

(Although, give it time ... it's not as if there was a cadre of people at Warners (unlike here) who were sitting around doing nothing but waiting to release The Devils as soon as the seat of Horn's chair got cold. Somebody over there will have to really want to put the thing out, and then fight that battle all over again with the new regime.)

[dx23]

Then why the fuck don't they license the title to any other company, like I don't know... Criterion?!? This corporate bs is just unbelievable.

[PillowRock]

Well, if they license it to somebody else and it becomes a huge seller for that other company, then they look like idiots for not having put it out themselves. If they just keep it locked in the vaults then they can't be proven wrong.

[MichaelB]

Then why the fuck don't they license the title to any other company, like I don't know... Criterion?!? This corporate bs is just unbelievable.

Approaches have been made on at least two occasions (and I'd be surprised if it was just the two that I know about) but the ball is firmly in Warners' court.

[j99]

I'm just surprised they'd be that forthcoming about it. The Devils may have taken on enough notoriety within Warners for the ban to have survived Alan Horn's tenure, a la Song of the South at Disney. Ridiculous. Classic example of the folly of corporate ownership of art and/or argument for the abolition of copyright.

My interest was reactivated when I watched again the film censorship docu on BBC 4. They didn't always object to its release because I still have the Warner Home Video they released back in the 90s. I noticed there have been a couple of DVD releases, complete with the reintroduction of the "Rape Of Christ" scene, but I assume they must be boots?

[MichaelB]

I noticed there have been a couple of DVD releases, complete with the reintroduction of the "Rape Of Christ" scene, but I assume they must be boots?

You assume correctly - and from what I hear they've simply cut the "rape of Christ" scene out of the Mark Kermode documentary and crudely plonked it in approximately the right place.

The only official edition (i.e. signed off by Ken Russell and editor Michael Bradsell) containing the 'rape of Christ' scene has only been screened in British cinemas as far as I'm aware - initially in 2004 (when it seemed as though an official DVD release was imminent), and more recently this year. But I'm not aware of any DVD release, legitimate or otherwise.

[j99]

You assume correctly - and from what I hear they've simply cut the "rape of Christ" scene out of the Mark Kermode documentary and crudely plonked it in approximately the right place.

Thanks for the info. I thought they were boots of the 2004 remastered version.

[MichaelB]

You assume correctly - and from what I hear they've simply cut the "rape of Christ" scene out of the Mark Kermode documentary and crudely plonked it in approximately the right place.

Thanks for the info. I thought they were boots of the 2004 remastered version.

At least one was in circulation before then.

[bigP]

I think we can change the name of this thread in March!

[Duncan Hopper]

My god I hope that happens! A BFI release? Surely Michael would have heard some rumblings? And only DVD? If it is a BFI release one would expect a blu.

[MichaelB]

Oh well, the cat's out of the bag, so here goes...