tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post5182081694856910804..comments2024-03-08T18:49:51.289-05:00Comments on Classic Film and TV Café: Exorcising Demons On and Off Screen in William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist”Rick29http://www.blogger.com/profile/08358116647815569722noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-32421146187371890842010-10-30T13:13:01.888-04:002010-10-30T13:13:01.888-04:00Sark, what a great review. This is one of the scar...Sark, what a great review. This is one of the scariest film I ever saw. My mother made me watch this as a child to warn me about the devil--don't laugh, it's true. "The power of Christ compels you" is what I kept hearing for days. Ever seen the South Park episode where Butters says this to the vampire kids? I almost fell off the couch I was laughing so hard. But believe me, I wasn't laughing when my mom made me watch this when I was about 7 or 8.Kimberly J.M. Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09078951928157843937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-20872722529838317162010-10-26T10:45:00.635-04:002010-10-26T10:45:00.635-04:00You hit it, Sark. It was Poltergeist I was trying ...You hit it, Sark. It was Poltergeist I was trying to remember. There were a lot of weird things happening, deaths, accidents. Curse? Or as Popeye would say "What a coinkidink!"ClassicBeckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03591715859057540467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-71466294945130047322010-10-26T08:39:28.772-04:002010-10-26T08:39:28.772-04:00Sark, Another wonderful moview review. I remember ...Sark, Another wonderful moview review. I remember the first time I saw the film, THE EXORCIST, it was on TV. I was painting the bathroom in our new house. My husband came in and told me the movie was soo scary he could not watch it alone.. I stopped what I was doing and said" I've got to see this". A movie that would scare my husband?! I thought it was an amazing story about a battle between good and evil. I still think it is amazing that they did not use computers and special effects. Instead, the film relies on story and performances to tell the story.Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03476174860119487509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-75328877688977587202010-10-26T06:53:39.968-04:002010-10-26T06:53:39.968-04:00Becky, I'm not sure of which movie you're ...Becky, I'm not sure of which movie you're thinking. Some movies are deemed "cursed" due to tragedy (TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE) or an associated tragedy (Polanski's MACBETH). But many people believe that POLTERGEIST was cursed from a great deal of misfortune. And I, too, agree with your EXORCIST summation!<br /><br />Anonymous 1, yes, the 2-disc edition is Blu-ray, but Warner Bros. has also re-released the director's cut on DVD (the cover is the first Linda Blair still in my write-up).<br /><br />Rick, the score is superb! Watching the movie again, I realized that little to no music is utilized in the bedroom scenes with the possessed Regan. Quite effective technique. The music is indeed reminiscent of Carpenter's HALLOWEEN. I think the Goblin score in Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA is also similar.<br /><br />Aki, have you read anything else from Blatty? I'm currently running an EXORCIST marathon. The first sequel is not very good, but it connects very well to the original.<br /><br />Anonymous 2, I think watching a horror film in the theater is a wonderful experience. I can recall watching Scorsese's CAPE FEAR in the theater and jumping twice, not because of the film, but because of the crowd of college girls screaming. Thank you for sharing your EXORCIST experience with us!sarkoffagushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00922698736476674377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-15692742640654000272010-10-25T20:57:51.848-04:002010-10-25T20:57:51.848-04:00Excellent write-up of one of the scariest films I ...Excellent write-up of one of the scariest films I have ever seen. I remember seeing it alone in a dark theater back in 1973 and I don't remember ever being so scared. The film was released when I was in college in a town not far from D.C. When some friends and I were visiting the Georgetown area of D.C. we made a special effort to hunt down the area where a lot of the film was shot. The stairs where the priest landed in the final scene is a particularly famous site in Georgetown and is located across from Key Bridge as you enter D.C. from Virginia. Later I pointed out the same area when my wife and I visited D.C. This review makes me want to revisit this classic film, just in time for Halloween.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-82949074889523693092010-10-25T20:46:38.632-04:002010-10-25T20:46:38.632-04:00Sark, this is an outstanding well researched revie...Sark, this is an outstanding well researched review. It is one of my favorite horror movies. I read the book by Blatty before going to the movie. The book is really good too. It has many creepy scenes. The ending is one I will never forget. Tubular Bells is creepy music and is on my iPod. I own the DVD but would like to see the uncut version. Becky, your take on the movies sums them up for me too. I really enjoyed your review, Sark. Now I need a watch an Exorist marathon before Halloween.Akihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03037507780056714337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-5489639357286285562010-10-25T18:00:25.512-04:002010-10-25T18:00:25.512-04:00Sark, this was a splendid, fact-filled review of a...Sark, this was a splendid, fact-filled review of a genuine horror classic! (Love your photos, too.) It’s a testament to the influence of THE EXORCIST that sequels were being made over 25 years later. You did a marvelous job of identifying the imitations it spawned (to include some pretty good ones like ABBY). The only thing I can add is to point out the appropriately-disturbing score by Mike Oldfield (which, to me, foreshadows Carpenter’s fine score for HALLOWEEN). If memory serves, Oldfield’s theme actually became a pop hit. By the way, I’ve seen THE NINTH CONFIGURATION multiple times and never noticed the connection with THE EXORCIST. (I recommend Blatty’s cult pic, by the way, though there’s a fight scene that’s pretty potent). Thanks for a superb review…I think the Blu-ray will make an ideal Christmas present for horror fans.Rick29https://www.blogger.com/profile/08358116647815569722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-69080766489159504912010-10-25T16:16:48.651-04:002010-10-25T16:16:48.651-04:00Smashing write up of one of the few horror classic...Smashing write up of one of the few horror classics. I'd heard about the spider scene,but not the other omitted scene described. Sounds like a must buy DVD. I assume it's blu ray?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-4758952918992967262010-10-25T10:39:59.250-04:002010-10-25T10:39:59.250-04:00Sark, your article is so well-researched and inter...Sark, your article is so well-researched and interesting that you should call it "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Exorcist But Were Afraid To Ask." I'd love to dig up some of the foreign versions you mentioned. I saw The Exorcist at first release at a drive-in theatre and was completely blown away. I agree that the staircase scene with the 2 priests was essential after seeing the 2000 version, and of course the spider walk was so chilling I had a nightmare about it.<br /><br />The background stories to these movies are fascinating. It seems to me that there was another movie that was supposed to be cursed, but I can't bring it to mind. It might have been the original Mummy, but I may be confusing that with the actual cursed dig of the 1920's. Shakespeare's Macbeth is considered a cursed play for performers, but that's not it. Do you know what I might be thinking of?<br /><br />My take on the movies: <br />Original Exorcist and re-release -- Incredible, groundbreaking, fantastic performances, terrifying, just one of the best.<br />Exorcist II -- Turkey with dressing.<br />Exorcist III -- Incredible, literary allusions abound, marvelous performances, 2 scenes that I still have nightmares about, flawed only by the exorcism scene at the end which I understand the studio insisted on tacking on so there would be an actual exorcism.<br />Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist: Good, held up mainly by Stellan Skarsgard's performance.<br /><br />I really enjoyed your article immensely, Sark. Hope maybe you can help me with another movie I am sure was also considered cursed.ClassicBeckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03591715859057540467noreply@blogger.com