Hopelessly and unrequitedly in love with Father Grandier, Sister Jeanne cannot cope with his very un-priestly conduct with women. She wants to be his lover, and when she realises this won't happen, she accuses him of all sorts of perversions. An exorcism occurs, then the nuns all go collectively crazy and throw off their habits and robes, getting sexual with both each other and a statue of Christ. The authorities are gunning for Grandier and they torture and burn him, handing over a charred bone to Sister Jeanne as a souvenir. Ken Russell's anticlerical masterpiece is both enthralling and distressing to watch. It has graphic scenes of Oliver Reed's Father Grandier having his legs crushed and being burnt to death, while Reed gives a powerhouse performance as Grandier. Here, repressed sexuality ignites a powder keg of perverse behaviour.
My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!
