I first watched this in 1995 on the BBCs forbidden weekend. I was 14. And yes, television was way better. I never watched The Devils since. It left me with an intense feeling and imagery of sexual and scary things. I gave it another go now many years later, expecting no more than a revisit of a movie I'd now probably find laughable. No. It's still as brutal as I remember. Less so on the sexual aspects now I'm older but more on the actual story and meaning. This movie starts conventional enough, it gets really twisted as the story unfolds, and finally it become a movie that make you think. It make me think about societies past and present, and how destructive and disturbing they are. This movie is based on true events. It also made me think about our animalist desires vs self control, and that in this movie it's a constant battle. It make me think about the nature of morality itself; it's origins and use in ordered society. It makes us but what make it, and how to some is it to concrete and too users interchangeable ideals when selfish gains or sexual satisfaction is at stake.
Also, it's beautifully shot and the cast is superb. I don't think we'll ever see a movie like this again.