6. Don't Deliver Us From Evil (1971) - Anne And Lore
This little gem of French transgressive cinema showcases immoral schoolgirls as its main selling point. Anne and Lore are two convent schoolgirls who begin to slide into depravity and eventually give themselves up to Satan by performing a weird, black mass-like ceremony. Their immoral deeds include arson, sexually taunting a farmer, playing evil games with a man of subnormal intelligence by killing off his pet birds one by one. When they go back to school after wreaking havoc all summer long, they take part in a school play, recite a poem together and then immolate themselves. A scathing attack on the Catholic Church, director Joel Seria uses Anne and Lore as vessels to demonstrate his hatred of formal religion and authority. It is telling that no one keeps an eye on the girls' immoral antics - the parents are disconnected from their children and the girls can manipulate the symbols and accoutrements of Catholicism for their own mirth when they are at school. In the end, they are forced into burning themselves alive for people to notice that they are here and they have a demonic agenda. The two girls who play Anne and Lore were actually 19/20 years old when they played the characters but they both look disturbingly young in the film. Touted as 'The French Film Banned in France' Don't Deliver us From Evil was a missing film for years and is only now getting the attention it is due. The fresh faces of Anne and Lore are a good cover for their wicked immorality. The title of the film also gives you clues about their behaviour. A fantastic film, I cannot recommend it highly enough.