ON THIS DAY IN HORROR - December 26th
"THE EXORCIST" released in 1973
"THE EXORCIST" released in 1973
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Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow) is a veteran Catholic priest who is on an archaeological dig in Iraq. When he finds an amulet that resembles the statue of Pazuzu, a demon whom Merrin had defeated years before, Merrin realizes the demon has returned to seek revenge.
Meanwhile, in Georgetown, actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is living on location with her pre-teen daughter Regan (Linda Blair), where Chris has just wrapped the final scene of a film about student activism directed by her friend and associate Burke Dennings. After playing with a Ouija board and contacting a supposedly imaginary friend named "Captain Howdy", Regan begins acting strangely, including making mysterious noises, stealing, constantly using obscene language, and exhibiting abnormal strength. Chris hosts a party, only for Regan to come downstairs unannounced, telling one of the guests, who is an astronaut, "You're gonna die up there", and then urinating on the floor. Regan also causes her bed to shake violently, much to her and the mother's horror. Chris consults physicians, but Dr. Klein and his associates find nothing medically wrong with her daughter, despite Regan undergoing a battery of diagnostic tests.
One night when Chris is out, Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran) is babysitting Regan, only for Chris to come home to hear he has died falling out the window. Although this is assumed to have been an accident, given Burke's history of heavy drinking, his death is investigated by Lieutenant William Kinderman (Lee J. Cobb), who interviews Chris, as well as priest and psychiatrist Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), who has lost faith in God after his frail mother died.
The doctors, thinking that Regan only believes she is possessed, recommend an exorcism to be performed. Chris arranges a meeting with Karras. After recording Regan speaking backwards and witnessing the etching of the words "Help Me" on her stomach, Karras is convinced Regan is possessed. Believing her soul is in danger, he decides to perform an exorcism. The experienced Merrin is selected to do so instead, with Karras present to assist. The questions become whether Fathers Merrin and Karras have a strong enough faith to exorcise the demon and what they are willing to do to achieve their mission?
Meanwhile, in Georgetown, actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is living on location with her pre-teen daughter Regan (Linda Blair), where Chris has just wrapped the final scene of a film about student activism directed by her friend and associate Burke Dennings. After playing with a Ouija board and contacting a supposedly imaginary friend named "Captain Howdy", Regan begins acting strangely, including making mysterious noises, stealing, constantly using obscene language, and exhibiting abnormal strength. Chris hosts a party, only for Regan to come downstairs unannounced, telling one of the guests, who is an astronaut, "You're gonna die up there", and then urinating on the floor. Regan also causes her bed to shake violently, much to her and the mother's horror. Chris consults physicians, but Dr. Klein and his associates find nothing medically wrong with her daughter, despite Regan undergoing a battery of diagnostic tests.
One night when Chris is out, Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran) is babysitting Regan, only for Chris to come home to hear he has died falling out the window. Although this is assumed to have been an accident, given Burke's history of heavy drinking, his death is investigated by Lieutenant William Kinderman (Lee J. Cobb), who interviews Chris, as well as priest and psychiatrist Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), who has lost faith in God after his frail mother died.
The doctors, thinking that Regan only believes she is possessed, recommend an exorcism to be performed. Chris arranges a meeting with Karras. After recording Regan speaking backwards and witnessing the etching of the words "Help Me" on her stomach, Karras is convinced Regan is possessed. Believing her soul is in danger, he decides to perform an exorcism. The experienced Merrin is selected to do so instead, with Karras present to assist. The questions become whether Fathers Merrin and Karras have a strong enough faith to exorcise the demon and what they are willing to do to achieve their mission?
TRIVIA: William Friedkin had to take an all-British crew to film in Iraq because the US had no diplomatic relations with Iraq at that time. They were allowed to film on conditions that included teaching Iraqi filmmakers advanced film techniques as well as how to make fake blood.
Top and Above: Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) is possessed by an ancient evil demon, faced once before by Father Lancaster Merrin (Max von Sydow)
William Peter Blatty based his original novel were inspired by the 1949 exorcism performed on an anonymous young boy known as "Roland Doe" or "Robbie Mannheim" (pseudonyms) by the Jesuit priest Fr. William S. Bowdern, who formerly taught at both St. Louis University and St. Louis University High School. Doe's family became convinced the boy's aggressive behavior was attributable to demonic possession, and called upon the services of several Catholic priests, including Bowdern, to perform the rite of exorcism. It was one of three exorcisms to have been sanctioned by the Catholic Church in the United States at that time. Blatty's novel changed several details of the case, such as changing the gender of the allegedly possessed victim from a boy into a girl and changing the alleged victim's age.
Aspects of the character Father Merrin were based on the British archaeologist Gerald Lankester Harding, who had excavated the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls had been found and whom Blatty had met in Beirut. Blatty has stated that Harding "was the physical model in my mind when I created the character [of Merrin], whose first name, please note, is Lankester."
A bestseller on its release, Warner Bros. quickly optioned the film rights to the novel. Originally Stanley Kubrick wanted to direct the film, but only if he could produce it himself. As the studio was worried that he would go over budget and over schedule, as was his reputation, Warner's approached other directors, including; Arthur Penn (who was teaching at Yale), Peter Bogdanovich (who wanted to pursue other projects, subsequently regretting the decision) and Mike Nichols (who didn't want to shoot a film so dependent on a child's performance). The studio eventually hired Mark Rydell, and where in final talks on the project when Blattey convinced the studio to watch the just released The French Connection (1971), directed by William Friedkin. Friedkin was supposed to attend a dinner the night he received Blatty's screenplay, when, out of curiosity, he started reading the first few pages and ended up missing his dinner engagement completely. Impressed with the Academy Award-winning picture and Blattey's endoresment, Friedkin was hired to helm The Exorcist.
Aspects of the character Father Merrin were based on the British archaeologist Gerald Lankester Harding, who had excavated the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls had been found and whom Blatty had met in Beirut. Blatty has stated that Harding "was the physical model in my mind when I created the character [of Merrin], whose first name, please note, is Lankester."
A bestseller on its release, Warner Bros. quickly optioned the film rights to the novel. Originally Stanley Kubrick wanted to direct the film, but only if he could produce it himself. As the studio was worried that he would go over budget and over schedule, as was his reputation, Warner's approached other directors, including; Arthur Penn (who was teaching at Yale), Peter Bogdanovich (who wanted to pursue other projects, subsequently regretting the decision) and Mike Nichols (who didn't want to shoot a film so dependent on a child's performance). The studio eventually hired Mark Rydell, and where in final talks on the project when Blattey convinced the studio to watch the just released The French Connection (1971), directed by William Friedkin. Friedkin was supposed to attend a dinner the night he received Blatty's screenplay, when, out of curiosity, he started reading the first few pages and ended up missing his dinner engagement completely. Impressed with the Academy Award-winning picture and Blattey's endoresment, Friedkin was hired to helm The Exorcist.
Demon: I'm not Regan.
Father Damien Karras: Well, then let's introduce ourselves. I'm Damien Karras.
Demon: And I'm the Devil! Now kindly undo these straps.
Father Damien Karras: If you're the Devil, why not make the straps disappear?
Demon: That's much too vulgar a display of power, Karras.
Top and Above: Regan's mother Chris is horrified at the "changes" in her daughter, and in desperation seeks out the help of Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) a priest struggling with his own faith.
Pamelyn Ferdin, a veteran of science fiction and supernatural drama, was a candidate for the role of Regan, but was ultimately turned down because her career thus far had made her too familiar to the public. April Winchell was considered, until she developed pyelonephritis, which caused her to be hospitalized and ultimately taken out of consideration. Denise Nickerson, who played Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, was considered, but the material troubled her parents too much, and they pulled her out of consideration. Although the agency representing Linda Blair did not send her to audition for the role, Blair's mother took her to meet with Warner Bros.'s casting department and then with Friedkin, who loved her energy and cast her in the challenging role of Regan MacNeil.
Jane Fonda, Audrey Hepburn (who was Friedkin's first choice), and Anne Bancroft were under consideration for the role of Chris. Blatty also suggested his friend, Shirley MacLaine, for the part, but Friedkin was hesitant to cast her, given her lead role in another possession film, The Possession of Joel Delaney (1971) two years prior. Ellen Burstyn received the part after she phoned Friedkin and emphatically stated she was going to play Chris. Warner Bros. wanted Marlon Brando for the role of Father Lankester Merrin, but Friedkin immediately vetoed this by stating it would become a "Brando movie." Jack Nicholson was also up for the part of Karras (although Friedkin reportedly thought he was "too unholy" to ever play a priest), before Stacy Keach was cast in role. Sometime later, Friedkin spotted Miller following a performance of Miller's play That Championship Season in New York, and even though Miller had never acted in a film, Keach's contract was bought out by Warner Bros, and Miller was signed to play the part. Legendary Swedish actor Max von Sydow was always William Friedkin's first choice to play Father Merrin. Although at that point in his career von Sydow was usually typecast in the villian role (including being considered play the now-iconic Dr No in the James Bond debut film, Dr. No), Friedkin eventaully persuaded the studio to hire him. Despite playing the title role, von Sydow had less screen time than the rest of the main cast.
Friedkin originally intended to use Blair's voice, electronically deepened and roughened, for the demon's dialogue. Although Friedkin felt this worked fine in some places, he felt scenes with the demon confronting the two priests lacked the dramatic power required and selected legendary radio actress Mercedes McCambridge, an experienced voice actress, to provide the demon's voice.
Jane Fonda, Audrey Hepburn (who was Friedkin's first choice), and Anne Bancroft were under consideration for the role of Chris. Blatty also suggested his friend, Shirley MacLaine, for the part, but Friedkin was hesitant to cast her, given her lead role in another possession film, The Possession of Joel Delaney (1971) two years prior. Ellen Burstyn received the part after she phoned Friedkin and emphatically stated she was going to play Chris. Warner Bros. wanted Marlon Brando for the role of Father Lankester Merrin, but Friedkin immediately vetoed this by stating it would become a "Brando movie." Jack Nicholson was also up for the part of Karras (although Friedkin reportedly thought he was "too unholy" to ever play a priest), before Stacy Keach was cast in role. Sometime later, Friedkin spotted Miller following a performance of Miller's play That Championship Season in New York, and even though Miller had never acted in a film, Keach's contract was bought out by Warner Bros, and Miller was signed to play the part. Legendary Swedish actor Max von Sydow was always William Friedkin's first choice to play Father Merrin. Although at that point in his career von Sydow was usually typecast in the villian role (including being considered play the now-iconic Dr No in the James Bond debut film, Dr. No), Friedkin eventaully persuaded the studio to hire him. Despite playing the title role, von Sydow had less screen time than the rest of the main cast.
Friedkin originally intended to use Blair's voice, electronically deepened and roughened, for the demon's dialogue. Although Friedkin felt this worked fine in some places, he felt scenes with the demon confronting the two priests lacked the dramatic power required and selected legendary radio actress Mercedes McCambridge, an experienced voice actress, to provide the demon's voice.
[repeated lines]
Father Merrin, Father Damien Karras: The Power of Christ compels you!
Top: Father Joseph Dyer (Father William O'Malley), a close friend of Karras's who tries to help him deal with his mother's death and reaffirm Karras's faith;
Above: Lieutenant William F. Kinderman (Lee J Cobb) a police detective investigating the death of Burke Dennings.
Principal photography for The Exorcist began on August 14, 1972, in New York (as a stand-in for Washington DC). The shooting schedule was estimated to run 105 days, but ultimately ran over 200! Friedkin went to some extraordinary lengths, reminiscent of some directors from the old Hollywood directing style, manipulating the actors, to get the genuine reactions he wanted. Yanked violently around in harnesses, both Blair and Burstyn suffered back injuries and their painful screams went right into the film. Burstyn in particular injured her back after landing on her coccyx when a stuntman jerked her via cable during the scene when Regan slaps her mother, and although the injury did not cause permanent damage, Burstyn was upset the shot of her screaming in pain was used in the film.
Miller also frequently experienced Friedkin's "unique" style of actor-motivation. Miller stated that he had a major verbal confrontation with Friedkin after the director fired a gun near his ear to get an authentic reaction from him while listening to taped recording of Regan's demonic speech. He told Friedkin that he is an actor, and that he didn't need a gun to act surprised or startled. Later for the scene where Regan projectile vomits at Father Karras only required one take. The vomit (which was thick green-pea soup) was intended to hit him on the chest. Instead, the plastic tubing that sprayed the vomit accidentally misfired, hitting him in the face. The look of shock and disgust while wiping away the vomit is genuine!
After asking Reverend William O'Malley if he trusted him and being told yes, Friedkin slapped him hard across the face before a take to generate a deeply solemn reaction that was used in the film as a very emotional Father Dyer read last rites to Father Karras; this offended the many Catholic crew members on the set.
Miller also frequently experienced Friedkin's "unique" style of actor-motivation. Miller stated that he had a major verbal confrontation with Friedkin after the director fired a gun near his ear to get an authentic reaction from him while listening to taped recording of Regan's demonic speech. He told Friedkin that he is an actor, and that he didn't need a gun to act surprised or startled. Later for the scene where Regan projectile vomits at Father Karras only required one take. The vomit (which was thick green-pea soup) was intended to hit him on the chest. Instead, the plastic tubing that sprayed the vomit accidentally misfired, hitting him in the face. The look of shock and disgust while wiping away the vomit is genuine!
After asking Reverend William O'Malley if he trusted him and being told yes, Friedkin slapped him hard across the face before a take to generate a deeply solemn reaction that was used in the film as a very emotional Father Dyer read last rites to Father Karras; this offended the many Catholic crew members on the set.
TRIVIA: On the first day of filming the exorcism sequence, Linda Blair's delivery of her foul-mouthed dialogue so disturbed the gentlemanly Max von Sydow that he actually forgot his lines.
Top and Above: Father Merrin and Karras perform the rites of exorcism to save Regan!
The actual residence in Georgetown that is used for the exterior shots has a rather large yard between it and the infamous steps (located at the corner of Prospect St NW and 36th St NW, leading down to M Street NW), with the window that leads to Regan's room being at least 40 feet from the top of the steps. This distance would make it impossible for anyone "thrown" from the window to actually land on the steps, so for the production, the set decorators added a false wing to the house, so that Regan's supposed window would in fact be close to the infamous steps. The stairs were then padded with 1/2"-thick rubber to film the death of the character Father Karras. The stuntman tumbled down the stairs twice, and both times Georgetown University students charged people around $5 each to watch the stunt from the rooftops.
Exteriors of the MacNeill house were filmed at 36th and Prospect in Washington, using a family home and a false wall to convey the home's thrust toward the steps, with the interiors created on sound stage at CECO Studios in Manhattan. The refrigerated bedroom set was cooled with four air conditioners and temperatures would plunge below 30 degrees. It was so cold that perspiration would freeze on some of the cast and crew. On one occasion the air was saturated with moisture resulting in a thin layer of snow falling on the set before the crew arrived for filming. Blair, who was only in a thin nightgown, says to this day she cannot stand being cold.
The Exorcist contained a number of special effects, engineered by maestro makeup artist Dick Smith. In order to make Max von Sydow appear much older than his then age of 44, Smith applied generous amounts of stipple to von Sydow's forehead, eyes and neck. His facial skin was then manually stretched as liquid latex was applied. When the latex dried, his taut skin was then released causing the film of rubber to corrugate. This daily make-up procedure lasted three hours and was apparently the cause of much anguish for von Sydow. In one scene from the film, von Sydow is actually wearing more makeup than Blair! In the scene where the words "help me" arise out of Regan's torso, the effect was achieved by constructing a foam latex replica of actress Linda Blair's belly, writing the words out with a paint brush and cleaning fluid, then filming the words as they formed from the chemical reaction. Special effects artist Dick Smith then heated the forming blisters with a blow dryer, causing them to deflate. When the film was run backwards, it appeared as though the words were rising out of young Regan's skin in an attempt to summon intervention.
Exteriors of the MacNeill house were filmed at 36th and Prospect in Washington, using a family home and a false wall to convey the home's thrust toward the steps, with the interiors created on sound stage at CECO Studios in Manhattan. The refrigerated bedroom set was cooled with four air conditioners and temperatures would plunge below 30 degrees. It was so cold that perspiration would freeze on some of the cast and crew. On one occasion the air was saturated with moisture resulting in a thin layer of snow falling on the set before the crew arrived for filming. Blair, who was only in a thin nightgown, says to this day she cannot stand being cold.
The Exorcist contained a number of special effects, engineered by maestro makeup artist Dick Smith. In order to make Max von Sydow appear much older than his then age of 44, Smith applied generous amounts of stipple to von Sydow's forehead, eyes and neck. His facial skin was then manually stretched as liquid latex was applied. When the latex dried, his taut skin was then released causing the film of rubber to corrugate. This daily make-up procedure lasted three hours and was apparently the cause of much anguish for von Sydow. In one scene from the film, von Sydow is actually wearing more makeup than Blair! In the scene where the words "help me" arise out of Regan's torso, the effect was achieved by constructing a foam latex replica of actress Linda Blair's belly, writing the words out with a paint brush and cleaning fluid, then filming the words as they formed from the chemical reaction. Special effects artist Dick Smith then heated the forming blisters with a blow dryer, causing them to deflate. When the film was run backwards, it appeared as though the words were rising out of young Regan's skin in an attempt to summon intervention.
Above: In a last, desperate act, Karras sacrifices himself to save Regan!
Actress Mercedes McCambridge, who provided the voice of the demon, insisted on swallowing raw eggs and chain smoking to alter her vocalizations. Furthermore, the actress who had problems with alcohol abuse in the past, wanted to drink whiskey as she knew alcohol would distort her voice even more, and create the crazed state of mind of the character. As she was giving up sobriety, she insisted that her priest be present to counsel her during the recording process. At Friedkin's direction, McCambridge was also bound to a chair with pieces of a torn sheet at her neck, arms, wrists, legs and feet to get a more realistic sound of the demon struggling against its restraints. McCambridge later recalled the experience as one of horrific rage, while Friedkin admitted that her performance - as well as the extremes which the actress put herself through to gain authenticity -terrifies the director to this day. McCambridge later had to sue Warner Bros for credit as the voice of the demon. Friedkin, on the Diane Riehm Show in 2012, said that originally McCambridge didn't want a credit, saying that she wanted the audience to believe the voice was Regan's. However, after it was released she changed her mind, and was given the credit.
As advised by a studio executive, Friedkin made several cuts to the movie prior to the release, citing that the scenes were unnecessary. This offended Blatty, who thought these scenes formed the heart of the movie. Blatty even refused to speak to Friedkin for some time, but they eventually made amends. Many years later, when the immense popularity of the movie warranted a re-release, Friedkin agreed to re-evaluate some of the deleted scenes and put several of them back as a favor to Blatty, creating an extended "Version You've Never Seen". By his own admission, Friedkin tends to see this extended version as his favorite. Amongst one of the scenes cut included the infamous "spider-walk" scene performed by contortionist Linda R. Hager. Friedkin deleted this scene because it was technically ineffective due to the visible wires suspending Hager in a backward-arched position as she descends the stairs. According to Friedkin, "I cut it when the film was first released because this was one of those effects that did not work as well as others, and I was only able to save it for the re-release with the help of computer graphic imagery."
As advised by a studio executive, Friedkin made several cuts to the movie prior to the release, citing that the scenes were unnecessary. This offended Blatty, who thought these scenes formed the heart of the movie. Blatty even refused to speak to Friedkin for some time, but they eventually made amends. Many years later, when the immense popularity of the movie warranted a re-release, Friedkin agreed to re-evaluate some of the deleted scenes and put several of them back as a favor to Blatty, creating an extended "Version You've Never Seen". By his own admission, Friedkin tends to see this extended version as his favorite. Amongst one of the scenes cut included the infamous "spider-walk" scene performed by contortionist Linda R. Hager. Friedkin deleted this scene because it was technically ineffective due to the visible wires suspending Hager in a backward-arched position as she descends the stairs. According to Friedkin, "I cut it when the film was first released because this was one of those effects that did not work as well as others, and I was only able to save it for the re-release with the help of computer graphic imagery."
TRIVIA: After several reissues, The Exorcist eventually grossed $232,671,011 in North America, which if adjusted for inflation, would be the ninth highest-grossing film of all time and the top-grossing R-rated film of all time. To date, it has a total gross of $441,071,011 worldwide.
Top: Director William Friedkin;
Above: Friedkin on the refrigerated bedroom set with Max von Sydow
Upon its December 26, 1973, release, The Exorcist received mixed reviews from critics, "ranging from 'classic' to 'claptrap'." Stanley Kauffmann, in The New Republic, wrote, "This is the scariest film I've seen in years—the only scary film I've seen in years ... If you want to be shaken—and I found out, while the picture was going, that that's what I wanted—then The Exorcist will scare the… (shit) out of you." Variety noted that it was "an expert telling of a supernatural horror story ... The climactic sequences assault the senses and the intellect with pure cinematic terror." Roger Ebert gave the film a 4-out-of-4 star review, praising the actors (particularly Burstyn) and the convincing special effects but at the end of the review wrote, "I am not sure exactly what reasons people will have for seeing this movie; surely enjoyment won’t be one, because what we get here aren’t the delicious chills of a Vincent Price thriller, but raw and painful experience. Are people so numb they need movies of this intensity in order to feel anything at all?" Conversly Vincent Canby, writing in The New York Times, dismissed The Exorcist as "a chunk of elegant occultist claptrap ... a practically impossible film to sit through ... It establishes a new low for grotesque special effects ..."
Nevertheless, The Exorcist was nominated for ten Academy Awards in 1973, being the first horror to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. The Exorcist eventually won two Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay for William Peter Blatty and Best Sound for Robert Knudson and Chris Newman. The Exorcist was also nominated for seven catergories at the 31st Golden Globes ceremony in 1973, and winning four for; Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture (for Linda Blair), Best Screenplay (for William Peter Blatty), Best Director (for William Friedkin), Best Motion Picture – Drama.
The success of The Exorcist inspired a string of possession-related films worldwide. The first was Beyond the Door, a 1974 Italian film with Juliet Mills as a woman possessed by the devil. It appeared in the U.S. one year later. Also in 1974, a Turkish film, Seytan (Turkish for Satan; the original film was also shown with the same name), is an almost scene-for-scene remake of the original. The same year in Germany, the exorcism-themed film Magdalena, vom Teufel besessen was released. In 1975, Britain released The Devil Within Her (also called I Don't Want to Be Born) with Joan Collins as an exotic dancer who gives birth to a demon-possessed child. Similarly, a blaxploitation film was released in 1974 titled Abby. While the films Seytan and Magdalena, vom Teufel besessen were protected from prosecution by the laws of their countries of origin, Abby's producers (filming in Louisiana) were sued by Warner. The film was pulled from theaters, but not before making $4 million at the box office.
Nevertheless, The Exorcist was nominated for ten Academy Awards in 1973, being the first horror to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. The Exorcist eventually won two Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay for William Peter Blatty and Best Sound for Robert Knudson and Chris Newman. The Exorcist was also nominated for seven catergories at the 31st Golden Globes ceremony in 1973, and winning four for; Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture (for Linda Blair), Best Screenplay (for William Peter Blatty), Best Director (for William Friedkin), Best Motion Picture – Drama.
The success of The Exorcist inspired a string of possession-related films worldwide. The first was Beyond the Door, a 1974 Italian film with Juliet Mills as a woman possessed by the devil. It appeared in the U.S. one year later. Also in 1974, a Turkish film, Seytan (Turkish for Satan; the original film was also shown with the same name), is an almost scene-for-scene remake of the original. The same year in Germany, the exorcism-themed film Magdalena, vom Teufel besessen was released. In 1975, Britain released The Devil Within Her (also called I Don't Want to Be Born) with Joan Collins as an exotic dancer who gives birth to a demon-possessed child. Similarly, a blaxploitation film was released in 1974 titled Abby. While the films Seytan and Magdalena, vom Teufel besessen were protected from prosecution by the laws of their countries of origin, Abby's producers (filming in Louisiana) were sued by Warner. The film was pulled from theaters, but not before making $4 million at the box office.
Above: Friedkin with actress Linda Blair at the 40th Anniversary of The Exorcist
After the film's success, other exorcism films and sequels to The Exorcist appeared. John Boorman's Exorcist II: The Heretic was released in 1977, and revisited Regan four years after her initial ordeal. The plot dealt with an investigation into the legitimacy of Merrin's exorcism of Regan in the first film. In flashback sequences, we see Regan giving Merrin his fatal heart attack, as well as scenes from the exorcism of a young boy named Kokumo in Africa many years earlier. The film was so sharply criticized that director John Boorman reedited the film for a secondary release immediately after its premiere. The Exorcist III appeared in 1990, written and directed by Blatty himself from his own 1983 novel Legion. Jumping past the events of Exorcist II, this book and film presented a continuation of Karras' story. Following the precedent set in The Ninth Configuration, Blatty turned a supporting character from the first film—in this case, Kinderman—into the chief protagonist. Though the characters of Karras and Kinderman were acquainted during the murder investigation in The Exorcist and Kinderman expressed fondness for Karras, in Exorcist III Blatty has Kinderman remembering Karras as his "best friend". Jason Miller reprised his Academy Award-nominated role in The Exorcist for this film.
A prequel film attracted attention and controversy even before its release in 2004; it went through a number of directorial and script changes, such that two versions were ultimately released. John Frankenheimer was originally hired as director for the project, but withdrew before filming started due to health concerns. He died a month later. Paul Schrader replaced him. Upon completion the studio rejected Schrader's version as being too slow. Renny Harlin was then hired as director. Harlin reused some of Schrader's footage but shot mostly new material to create a more conventional horror film. Harlin's new version Exorcist: The Beginning was released, but was not well received. Nine months later Schrader's original version, retitled Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist, was given a small theatrical release. It received better, but still mostly negative, critical responses. Both films were made available on DVD. Like Exorcist II: The Heretic, both films made significant changes from the original storyline. The plot of these films centered on an exorcism that Father Merrin had performed as a young priest in Africa, many years prior to the events in The Exorcist. This exorcism was first referred to in The Exorcist, and in the first sequel Exorcist II: The Heretic, flashback scenes were shown of Merrin exorcising the demon Pazuzu from an African boy named Kokumo. Although the plot for both prequels Beginning and Dominion centered around Merrin's exorcism in Africa, they both took a significant departure from the original storyline, making no effort to be faithful to original details. For example: the African boy, though he appeared in the film was not named Kokomu, and eventually discovered not to actually be the possessed character.
On January 22, 2016, 20th Century Fox Television announced they were developing a television series of The Exorcist, with the series premiering on September 23, 2016. Starring Alfonso Herrera and Ben Daniels as Father Tomas Ortega and Father Marcus Keane respectively, the series follows Angela (an older Regan MacNeil played by Geena Davis), who is plagued by increasingly frightening nightmares, her husband is slowly losing his mind, her older daughter spends her time locked in her room and her younger daughter hears strange noises from inside the walls. The two priests are brought together, as all their fates become entangled in a battle against an ancient force of evil!
A prequel film attracted attention and controversy even before its release in 2004; it went through a number of directorial and script changes, such that two versions were ultimately released. John Frankenheimer was originally hired as director for the project, but withdrew before filming started due to health concerns. He died a month later. Paul Schrader replaced him. Upon completion the studio rejected Schrader's version as being too slow. Renny Harlin was then hired as director. Harlin reused some of Schrader's footage but shot mostly new material to create a more conventional horror film. Harlin's new version Exorcist: The Beginning was released, but was not well received. Nine months later Schrader's original version, retitled Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist, was given a small theatrical release. It received better, but still mostly negative, critical responses. Both films were made available on DVD. Like Exorcist II: The Heretic, both films made significant changes from the original storyline. The plot of these films centered on an exorcism that Father Merrin had performed as a young priest in Africa, many years prior to the events in The Exorcist. This exorcism was first referred to in The Exorcist, and in the first sequel Exorcist II: The Heretic, flashback scenes were shown of Merrin exorcising the demon Pazuzu from an African boy named Kokumo. Although the plot for both prequels Beginning and Dominion centered around Merrin's exorcism in Africa, they both took a significant departure from the original storyline, making no effort to be faithful to original details. For example: the African boy, though he appeared in the film was not named Kokomu, and eventually discovered not to actually be the possessed character.
On January 22, 2016, 20th Century Fox Television announced they were developing a television series of The Exorcist, with the series premiering on September 23, 2016. Starring Alfonso Herrera and Ben Daniels as Father Tomas Ortega and Father Marcus Keane respectively, the series follows Angela (an older Regan MacNeil played by Geena Davis), who is plagued by increasingly frightening nightmares, her husband is slowly losing his mind, her older daughter spends her time locked in her room and her younger daughter hears strange noises from inside the walls. The two priests are brought together, as all their fates become entangled in a battle against an ancient force of evil!
ROTTEN TOMATOES SCORE: 87%
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