One of the hottest films of 2026 was originally released more than 50 years ago. Ken Russell’s “The Devils” (1971) is spoken of in hushed tones, so instantly controversial upon its release and difficult to watch in the decades since that it’s all but passed into the realm of urban legend. Based on Aldous Huxley’s documentary novel “The Devils of Loudun,” “The Devils” stars Vanessa Redgrave as the demented Sister Jeanne, whose obsession with the charismatic, progressive Father Grandier (Oliver Reed) leads to a case of mass, psychosexual hysteria among the nuns and an equally lascivious show trial. “The Devils” scandalized press and studios alike; the version which eventually made it to screens was heavily edited (Russell referred to the final product as “damaged goods”), and it has never been released in its unexpurgated form — until now. Starting Friday, the Somerville Theatre will present at long last present “The Devils” as Russell intended, remastered in 4k with several minutes of previously unseen footage, including the fabled (and self-explanatory) “Rape of Christ” sequence. If you’ve never seen this notorious masterpiece, this is absolutely the way to see it.
If you prefer your fantasy fare a little lighter, journey over to the Brattle Theatre for its continuing series Fablecore and More, which explores the intersection between fairy tale aesthetics and offbeat, personal narratives. The centerpiece of the series, making its local theatrical debut, is Julia Jackman’s instant cult favorite “100 Nights of Hero” (2025, screening Friday and Saturday), a feminist revisionist fairy tale starring Maika Monroe, Emma Corrin, and Charli XCX. In keeping with the newly named subgenre, many of the films in the series are of a recent vintage, such as Emilie Kristine Blichfeldt’s Oscar-nominated Cinderella horror story “The Ugly Stepsister” (2025, Saturday) and the delightfully bonkers low-budget kiddie film “Riddle of Fire” (2024, Sunday). The series also explores some of Fablecore’s antecedents, including Jacques Demy’s lush fantasia “Donkey Skin” (1970) and Walerian Borowczyk’s rarely screened X-rated “Beauty and the Beast” riff “The Beast” (1975), both of which screen Saturday. For a complete list of the strange and wonderful offerings, cast your crystal ball toward the Brattle’s website.
On Sunday, organist Jeff Rapsis returns to the Somerville Theatre for a slightly unusual installment of the theater’s ongoing “Silents, Please” series. James Whale’s famous 1931 adaptation of “Frankenstein” is, of course, not a silent film, as anyone who has quoted Colin Clive’s timeless cry of “It’s alive!” should know. It was, however, released early enough in the talkie era that wall-to-wall musical scores were not yet standard, and the film’s soundtrack contains practically no music. To that end, Rapsis will be on hand to fill in the gaps, improvising a musical counterpoint to Boris Karloff’s iconic monster. Will Rapsis’s new score prove to be a graveyard smash? Come to the Somerville and find out.
On Tuesday, the Somerville’s Cult Cinema Tuesdays continue with a double feature of demented hard-rock classics. First up is Brian De Palma’s “Phantom of the Paradise” (1974), a glam-rock take on “Phantom of the Opera,” starring singer-songwriter Paul Williams as a sinister record producer and the late Gerrit Graham as a dim-witted rock star named Beef. It’s paired with Alex Cox’s punk rock classic “Repo Man” (1984), a gonzo neo-noir featuring Harry Dean Stanton, a Chevy Malibu with a trunk full of alien corpses, and a soundtrack filled with some of the greatest LA hardcore singles ever assembled. Both were designed to be watched big and loud in a room full of like-minded weirdos, and their killer tunes are bound to sound amazing through the Somerville’s sound system.
On the new release front, moviegoers have their choice of riveting and timely documentaries. On Sunday, Cambridge-based filmmaker Ross McElwee stops by the Harvard Film Archive to introduce a screening of his new film “Remake” (2026), in which the director simultaneously reckons with the legacy of his 1986 breakthrough “Sherman’s March” and the tragic death of his son. On Tuesday, the Boston Palestine Film Festival sets up shop at the Brattle with “Traces of Home” (2026), in which filmmaker Colette Ghunim attempts to bring her parents back to the homes they had to flee as children. On Wednesday, filmmakers Stephen Maing and Eric Daniel Metzgar will be present at the Somerville for a Q&A following a screening of “The Great Experiment” (2026), their striking and impressionistic look at the American political landscape during the first Trump era. Finally, on Thursday, director Connie Field takes the Q&A seat at the Somerville for her film “Democracy Noir: A New Dawn” (2026), documenting the rise and fall of Hungarian dictator Viktor Orbán. At this moment in time, one could argue that documentary filmmaking is one of the most important art forms, and all four of these films are perfect examples of why.
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