Double Feature #4: 'The

Devils'/'Phantom of the

Paradise'

 

Two films about the impact of the Devil on us selfish, greedy, horny, envious and power-mad humans. Written and directed by filmmakers known for elaborate visual flourishes and a willingness to tackle controversial subject matter, neither was a success on its initial release. And though Phantom of the Paradise has grown to become a respected cult hit, The Devils remains a largely unseen curiosity. Banned and censored in England, re-cut and ineptly marketed in America, The Devils is available in its (more or less) uncut version only on a desaturated bootleg that barely hints at the visual splendor of the film.

 

In MY fantasy revival theatre, we're screening a pristine print of the director's cut. Because of course we are.

 

Directors Ken Russell and Brian DePalma are notorious for routinely tackling subject matter less daring filmmakers would shy away from, exploiting and exploring it without restraint. In The Devils and Phantom they examine the nature of evil and temptation, using the spectre of the Devil (real and imagined) to dissect human desire.

 

Based on the book by Aldous Huxley, The Devils tells the true story of Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed), a priest in the Protestant stronghold of Loudun, France in the 17th century. Grandier protects the town from the influence of the Catholic church, making him a target for Cardinal Richelieu. Unfortunately for Grandier, he is also a man of great apetites which become the subject of gossip within the town - and the local convent. Sister Jeanne (Vanessa Redgrave), head of the convent, becomes sexually obsessed with Grandier and is gripped by insanity when she learns of his secret marriage to another woman. Sister Jeanne accuses Grandier (whom she has never met) of possessing her and the other nuns, forcing them to perform Satanic acts. Seeing an opportunity, Richelieu sends his inquisitors to Loudun, where they create a spectacle of excorcising the nuns to manufacture evidence against Grandier, which they use to railroad him in a public trial. Grandier is convicted and burned at the stake, and Loudun's protective walls are demolished - and with them the city's autonomy. 

 

Phantom of the Paradise presents its Faustian tale as a rock n' roll fantasy filled with outrageous comedy and Paul Williams' brilliant songs. William Finley plays Winslow Leach, an aspiring songwriter who longs to have his cantata of the Faust legend catch the ear of legendary but reclusive music mogul Swan (Williams). He gets his wish - unfortunately. Swan steals Leach's music, has the composer thrown in jail and re-writes the cantata to be performed by surf-rock band The Juicy Fruits at the opening of his massive new theatre, The Paradise. Leach escapes prison, attempts to blow up the Juicy Fruits during rehearsal (in a typically brilliant use of split-screen by DePalma) and haunts the Paradise. Swan hunts Leach down and promises to use his original version of Faust to open the theatre, and to let beautiful and innocent singer Phoenix (Jessica Harper) perform it. But things aren't what they seem, Swan betraying Leach and corrupting Phoenix - planning to marry (and assassinate) her at the re-opening of the Paradise. Learning that Swan has signed a deal with the Devil to remain forever young, Leach kills Swan during the wedding, sacrificing himself to save Phoenix.

 

At first glance these films would seem to have very little in common, and tonally that's true. The Devils is often brutal and shocking, while Phantom tells its story with the flash and spectacle of early 70's glam rock. But both dissect what happens when people let their desires rule their actions, allowing evil - in the form of real and imagined demons - to destroy themselves and those around them. In both films those in power (Richelieu, Swan - even Grandier before his spiritual awakening) manipulate the hunger of others to achieve their own ends. Each film sees its hero destroyed by the evil he's fought, but it's only the lighthearted fictional story that presents that sacrifice as a victory. The true story of The Devils does not provide such comfort, with Grandier mocked and jeered during his execution, the city walls blown to rubble as the priest is reduced to ashes. 

 

Visually these films are as vibrant and alive as anything either director has ever done. Russell and DePalma are directors with a large cinematic vocabulary, and each pull out all the stops to create unforgettable images. The aforementioned split-screen attempted assassination of the Juicy Fruits in Phantom, and the sequences in The Devils as the nuns release every ounce of pent-up repression to display their supposedly Grandier-influenced possession are particularly potent. 

 

While both directors are more celebrated for their extravagant styles, they manage to oversee brilliant performances by actors both legendary and up-and-coming. Oliver Reed gives his best performance as Grandier, managing to convey the embattled priest's strength and vulnerability, and Vanessa Redgrave is unforgettable as Sister Jeanne - pathetic, infuriating, calculating, out of control and completely mad. It must be seen to be believed. In Phantom DePalma didn't have such established star power at his disposal, but William Finley steals your heart as the sad and doomed Winslow Leach, while Paul Williams is surprisingly powerful and charismatic as Swan. And no discussion of Phantom is complete without mentioning the genius of Gerrit Graham as 'Beef' - the swaggering, monstrous, cowardly and effeminite rock star who meets a shocking end at the hands of the Phantom.

 

Two very different films addressing the same themes in very different ways, directed by two of the great visual stylists of modern cinema. 

 

(For the record, I'd show The Devils first. Save Phantom for last - send 'em out smiling and humming.)