[fortunato]

Ken Russell's The Devils (1971)

This film is so many things. An irreverent, pointed hack-job of historical account (not unlike this year's Inglourious Basterds). A politically-charged drama. An horrific display of primal madness. But in essence it is a mind-blowing monolith of vicious, insane genius. Easily one of the most uncomfortable, disturbing films I've ever seen.
Frightening in its implications, it's sure to move even the most thick-skinned, thick-headed viewer as it locates, then prods, then mutilates the area in which religion, love, madness, corruption, and redemption converge. Intermittently gorgeous and repulsive, but always outrageous, I'd say this film is for everyone, and especially for those with a confused, opaque (or perhaps obscured) worldview. But not everyone would realize that, or even make it through.

The Devils is grotesque and blasphemous, even prurient in its execution, but exalted in its mission.