The Exorcist

The Exorcist
File:Exorcist2000poster.jpg
Directed by	William Friedkin
Written by	William Peter Blatty
Produced by	William Peter Blatty
Starring	Ellen Burstyn Max von Sydow Jason Miller Lee J. Cobb Kitty Winn Linda Blair
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release dates	December 26, 1973 (USA)
Running time	122 Min Theatrical Cut 132 Min Director's Cut
Language	English / Arabic
Budget	$12,000,000 (estimated)

The Exorcist is a 1973 film, based on the novel by William Peter Blatty first published in 1971.

The film was directed by William Friedkin and starred Max von Sydow as Father Lankester Merrin, Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil, Jason Miller as Father Damien Karras, Jack MacGowran as Burke Dennings, Lee J. Cobb as Lieutenant William Kinderman and Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil. Regan's voice when possessed was dubbed by Mercedes McCambridge. The theme music is a part of the composition Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield.

Blatty based his novel on a supposedly genuine exorcism from 1949, which was partially performed in both Cottage City, Maryland [1] and Bel-Nor, Missouri. [2] Several area newspapers reported on a speech a minister gave to an amateur parapsychology society, in which he claimed to have exorcised a demon from a thirteen-year-old boy named Robbie, and that the ordeal lasted a little more than six weeks. The film was voted by Entertainment Weekly as the scariest film ever made.

Plot

In the film, Father Lankester Merrin, an elderly Roman Catholic priest, is in northern Iraq studying ancient relics which are evidence of demon worship. His discovery of a bizarre sculpture seems to release an evil force. Meanwhile, a young girl named Regan, living in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., with her mother Chris (a famous actress), becomes inexplicably ill. She undergoes a series of physical and psychological changes.

File:Exorcist-regan.jpg

Regan MacNeil, portrayed by Linda Blair.

After unsuccessful medical tests and treatment, Chris turns to religion. The girl is examined by a priest, Father Damien Karras, who is convinced of the diabolical nature of the case. He turns to the local bishop, who appoints Father Merrin to perform an exorcism with Karras assisting. The lengthy exorcism tests the priests, both physically and spiritually. One of the more famous lines from the exorcism itself is the two priests chanting: "The power of Christ compels you!"

The film originally contained several key sequences from the novel, which were cut prior to release by director Friedkin over Blatty's protests. These scenes were later restored and —- along with a number of new digital effects —- inserted into the rerelease subtitled "The Version You've Never Seen" in 2000.

Cast

Jason Miller - Father Damien Karras

Ellen Burstyn - Chris MacNeil

Max Von Sydow - Father Lankester Merrin

Lee J. Cobb - Detective William F. Kinderman

Linda Blair - Regan MacNeil

Kitty Winn - Sharon Spencer

Jack MacGowran - Burke Dennings

Mercedes McCambridge - Voice of Pazuzu

Production

Casting

The agency representing Linda Blair overlooked her, recommending at least 30 other clients for the part of Regan. Blair's mother brought her in herself to try out for the role. The previous shortlist had included Pamelyn Ferdin as the most likely candidate. It is possible that Blair was cast because she had less visibility at the time than Ferdin, who had appeared on the TV series Star Trek and Night Gallery.

Jack Nicholson was originally up for the part of Father Karras before Stacy Keach had been hired by Blatty to play the role. Friedkin then spotted Miller in a Broadway play. Even though Miller never having acted in a movie before, Keach's contract was bought out by Warner Bros and Miller was cast in the role. Other actors considered for the role at the time included Gene Hackman.

Jane Fonda and Shirley MacLaine were approached to play the role of Chris MacNeil. Audrey Hepburn was also approached and only agreed to do it if it was filmed in Rome. Anne Bancroft was another choice, but she happened to be in her first month of pregnancy and was dropped.

William Peter Blatty has a cameo role as the producer of the film in which Chris is acting; he is briefly seen talking to Burke.

Direction

The studio initially wanted Stanley Kubrick to direct the film, but he turned it down. He later directed The Shining (1980). Following the success of The French Connection (1971) the studio finally agreed to sign William Friedkin for the film.

Music

Lalo Schifrin's score was rejected (see also 1979's The Amityville Horror). In the liner notes for the soundtrack to his 1977 film Sorcerer, Friedkin said that had he heard the music of Tangerine Dream earlier, he would have had them score The Exorcist.

The original soundtrack LP has only been released once on CD, as an expensive and hard to find Japanese import. It is noteworthy for being the only soundtrack to include the Tubular Bells theme, and the composition Night Of The Electric Insects.

Track listing

1. Iraq (Jack Nitzsche/Krzysztof Penderecki) (01:57)
2. Georgetown/Tubular Bells (Mike Oldfield) (05:27)
3. Five Pieces For Orchestra, Op. 10: Sehr langsam und aeusserst ruhig (Anton Webern) (01:16)
4. Polymorphia (Krzysztof Penderecki) (11:48)
5. String Quartet (Krzysztof Penderecki) (07:11)
6. Windharp (Harry Bee) (02:41)
7. Night of the Electric Insects (George Crumb) (01:38)
8. Kanon for Orchestra and Tape (Krzysztof Penderecki) (09:48)
9. Tubular Bells (Mike Oldfield) (00:27)
10. Fantasia for Strings (Hans Werner Henze) (02:11)

The Warner re-release (included in the 25th Anniversary collector's set) omits the main theme (Tubular Bells) and Night of The Electric Insects, for rights reasons, but includes 15 minutes of music which Lalo Schifrin originally composed for the film.

Re-release track listing

1. Iraq (Jack Nitzsche/Krzysztof Penderecki) (01:56)
2. Five Pieces For Orchestra (Anton Webern) (01:11)
3. Polymorphia (Krzysztof Penderecki) (11:49)
4. String Quartet No. 1 (Krzysztof Penderecki) (07:14)
5. Beginnings from "The Wind Harp" (Harry Bee) (02:41)
6. Kanon for Orchestra and Tape (Krzysztof Penderecki) (09:52)
7. Fantasia for Strings (Hans Werner Henze) (02:21)
8. Music from the Unused Trailer (Lalo Schifrin) (01:10)
9. Suite from the Unused Score to THE EXORCIST (Lalo Schifrin) (11:11)
10. Rock Ballad - Unused Theme from THE EXORCIST (Lalo Schifrin) (01:52)

Reception

The film was a huge international hit in 1973, becoming the highest-grossing film of the year. To date, it has a total gross of $402,500,000 worldwide (not adjusted for inflation). It was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and also won four Golden Globes, including the award for Best Picture – Drama (for the year 1974). McCambridge's role was originally uncredited; after Blair was nominated for her role, McCambridge initiated a lawsuit seeking redress.

The Exorcist is regarded by some critics as being one of the best and most effective horror films; admirers say the film balances a stellar script, gruesome effects, and outstanding performances. However, the movie has developed some detractors as well, including Kim Newman, Pauline Kael, and Vincent Canby, who have criticized it for what they see as messy plot construction, conventionality, and overblown pretentiousness, among other perceived defects. Writer James Baldwin provides an extended negative critique in his book length essay The Devil Finds Work.

The Exorcist contained a number of special effects, engineered by makeup legend and pioneer Dick Smith. Roger Ebert believed the effects to be so unusually graphic he wrote, "That it received an R rating and not the X is stupefying."[3]

The Exorcist was also accused of, among many other things, manipulation of its audience through the use of subliminal imagery. A detailed article in the July/August 1991 issue of Video Watchdog provides stills in support of this claim. The subsequent re-release of the film featured additional "subliminal" images, particularily in the form of Captain Howdy, a white-faced demon that appears on screen at various points during the film for very brief periods of time.

In the United Kingdom, the movie was included in the 'video nasty' phenomenon of the early 1980s. Although it had been released uncut for home video in 1981, when resubmitted for classification to the British Board of Film Classification after the implementation of the Video Recording Act 1984 it was refused a release and no video copies were to be sold in the UK. However, following a successful re-release in cinemas in 1998, the film was resubmitted and was passed uncut with an 18 certificate rating in 1999, signifying a relaxation of the censorship rules with relation to home video in the UK. The movie was shown on UK television for the first time in 2001, on Channel 4.

The British film critic Mark Kermode is famous for claiming The Exorcist is the greatest film ever made on his weekly film review program on Radio 5-Live.

Academy Awards

The Exorcist was nominated for a total of 10 Academy Awards in 1973. At the 46th Annual Academy Awards ceremony, it won two statuettes.

Wins:

• Academy Award for Sound
• Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay

Nominations:

• Best Picture
• Best Actress for Ellen Burstyn
• Best Supporting Actor for Jason Miller
• Best Supporting Actress for Linda Blair
• Best Director for William Friedkin
• Best Cinematography
• Best Film Editing
• Best Art Direction

Sequels

John Boorman's poorly-received Exorcist II: The Heretic was released in 1977. Subsequent sequels ignore it.

Blatty directed The Ninth Configuration, a post-Vietnam War drama set in a mental institution. Released in 1980, it was based on Blatty's novel of the same name. Though it contrasts sharply with the tone of The Exorcist, Blatty regards Configuration as its true sequel. A minor character in The Exorcist, an astronaut named Lt. Cutshaw (he actually wasn't given a name in the first film, though Blatty has stated that they are the same person) is the lead character.

The more successful The Exorcist III appeared in 1990, written and directed by Blatty himself from his own 1983 novel Legion, the true sequel to the original novel. Exorcist III ignored the events of Exorcist II and presented a satisfying conclusion to the story after 15 years. Following the precedents set in The Ninth Configuration, Blatty turned a minor character from the first film into the chief protagonist — this time, it is the bumbling Detective Kinderman.

A parody entitled Repossessed was released the same year, with Blair lampooning the role she played in the original.

A made-for-television film entitled Possessed was broadcast on Showtime on October 22, 2000. It claimed to follow the true accounts that inspired Blatty to write The Exorcist. It was directed by Steven E. de Souza and written by de Souza and Michael Lazarou, from the book of the same name by Thomas B. Allen. Main characters were played by Timothy Dalton, Henry Czerny and Christopher Plummer.

A prequel, Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) attracted attention and controversy even before its release. John Frankenheimer was originally scheduled to direct the script by William Wisher and Caleb Carr. However, Frankenheimer voluntarily stepped down shortly before his death.

Paul Schrader was hired to replace Frankenheimer. He filmed a version called The Exorcist: Dominion (later retitled Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist), starring Stellan Skarsgård as a younger Father Merrin. Morgan Creek Productions disliked Schrader's rough final edit of the film. Roger Ebert writes that the company thought Schrader's version was "too complex and intelligent, although those of course were not the words they used, and not scary enough." Ebert adds, "it seems scary to me ... (it) is not a conventional horror film, but does something risky and daring: It takes evil seriously."[4]

Schrader was replaced by Renny Harlin. Harlin recast some of the parts, keeping Skarsgård, Julian Wadham, Andrew French, Ralph Brown, and Antonie Kamerling, and replacing Gabriel Mann with James D'Arcy (Mann had a scheduling conflict and was unavailable) and Clara Bellar with Izabella Scorupco. Alexi Hawley rewrote the script to make it more "conventionally scary". The New York Times quotes Skarsgård as saying that Hawley's contribution "wasn't really a script ... but just a bunch of ideas about how to make the film scarier, basically by throwing in unmotivated scares in every second scene. I didn't like it and I didn't want to do it. But then Renny Harlin came on, who I've worked with before ... who is a friend."[5]

Harlin's version was not widely screened for critics (and was generally panned by those critics who saw it). Blatty was quoted in the New York Times, saying his screening of Harlin's version "was surely the most humiliating professional experience of my life, particularly the finale. I don't blame Renny Harlin, for he gave Morgan Creek, I promise you, precisely what Morgan Creek demanded: not shocking obscenity, but shocking vulgarity." Harlin's version did disappointing business, grossing about $40 million (the budget was about $30 million for Schrader's unreleased version, and another $50 million for Harlin's).

Schrader's version was ultimately given a limited release, opening the same weekend as Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The film was renamed Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist and was released as a separate DVD on October 25, 2005. While general reaction to the film has been negative, most reviewers deemed it superior to the Renny Harlin version.

DVD releases

The Exorcist has been released three times on DVD:

• Originally, as a plain full screen DVD without special features.
• As a widescreen 25th Anniversary Special Edition, featuring commentaries from Freidkin and Blatty, storyboards and the 75 minute BBC documentary The Fear of God : The Making of the Exorcist. (This version has also been released in a Collector's Set, featuring the CD, a book on the making of the film, and reprints of the original lobby cards.)
• Strangely, the current release has been reverted to another widescreen edition with few special features, The Version You've Never Seen, with another new commentary from Friedkin, Dolby Digital 5.1 EX sound and some trailers. This version is subtitled, The Version You've Never Seen, because it has 12 minutes of extra footage including the "Spider Walk", and many added demon faces. Also added, a "nervous disorder", an alternate ending and more.

Hence, there is currently no definitive release of The Exorcist. The 25th Anniversary Edition contains a fine selection of extras, but only has the older cut of the film. The Version You've Never Seen release has far superior picture and sound, but only contains the newer cut and practically no special features.

Alternate and uncut versions

• In both the TV-PG and TV-14 versions of the network version, the image of the obscenely defiled statue of the Virgin Mary stays intact. It stays onscreen several seconds longer for the TV-14 version. On original TV airings, the shot was replaced with one where the statue's face is smashed in but without other defilement.
• The Special Edition released on DVD for the 25th Anniversary includes the original ending, not used in the theatrical release: after Father Dyer is seen on top of the steps behind the MacNeil's residence, he walks away and is approached by Lt. Kinderman. They talk briefly about Regan and the events that just took place there; Kinderman then invites Dyer to the movies to see Wuthering Heights and quotes Casablanca, telling Dyer "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship".
• The Special Edition DVD also includes a 75-minutes documentary titled The Fear of God on the making of The Exorcist. The documentary includes screen tests and additional deleted scenes, including: Chris MacNeil and Regan going sight-seeing in Washington; after Chris hears about Burke's death, Regan crawls down the stairs upside down on her arms and legs like a spider and then chases Chris and Sharon around the room; Karras and Merrin sit on the stairs during a break in the exorcism and exchange some words about what's happening to the girl.

Trivia

• The name "Captain Howdy" is also used as a killer's chat room alias in the film Strangeland (1998). This film was written by Dee Snider, the former lead singer of Twisted Sister. On the album "Stay Hungry" there is a song called "Stay Away from Captain Howdy."
• The scene wherein Father Merrin asks Chris the child's middle name (it's Teresa) was cut for the 1973 release, but there is still the scene where Merrin exorcises Regan and uses her first, middle, and last names.
• Father Karras, a member of the Jesuit order, does not share the same faith as his mother, a Greek Orthodox. An Orthodox icon is seen in her apartment.

The "spider walk"

• Contortionist Linda R. Hager was hired to perform the famous "spider walk" scene, filmed on April 11, 1973, but deleted by William Friedkin before the film's December release. He felt it was "too much" of an effect because it appeared too early in the film before the possession was fully established by the end of the first hour of the movie. Almost 30 years later, Friedkin changed his mind and restored the scene for the special edition DVD release. (In the book, the "spider walk" is precisely what establishes that Regan is possessed and not merely mentally ill). Ms. Hager was able to perform the scene by use of a harness and flying wires hung above the staircase used in the set; she would advise Friedkin when she was just barely touching the stairs with her hands and feet, and then she maintained that light touch as she was moved down the staircase by the harness and wires.
• There are actually three different versions of the "spider walk" sequence. The one ending with blood pouring from Regan's mouth is the one most frequently shown in clips. The second, actually more faithful to the book, has Regan flicking her tongue like a snake and chasing Chris and Sharon. A third take had Regan biting Sharon on the leg.
• The "spider walk" sequence, which was cut from the original version, was reworked for Ruby (1977) and other low-budget films. There are bootleg copies of the original (1977) film which include the "spider walk" scene, however this scene was not officially released until The Version You've Never Seen.

Production and casting details

• Vasiliki Maliaros had never acted in a movie before. She was discovered by William Friedkin in a Greek restaurant. Her only acting experience was in Greek stage dramas. Friedkin selected her because she bore an uncanny resemblance to his own mother and William Peter Blatty felt she resembled his mother too.
• The studio wanted Marlon Brando for the role of Father Merrin. Friedkin immediately vetoed this by stating that with Brando in the film it would become a Brando movie instead of the important film he was going to make.
• The part of Regan was originally offered to actress Dana Plato, whose mother refused to allow her to take it. Pamelyn Ferdin, a veteran of science fiction and supernatural drama, was another candidate, but the producers felt she was too well-known. The part went instead to Linda Blair, a relatively unknown who at that time could have been Ferdin's twin. Blair's stunt double in a few scenes was Eileen Dietz, an older actress.
• The archaeological dig site seen at the beginning of the movie is the actual site of ancient Nineveh in Hatra, Iraq. 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.
• The statue of Pazuzu was accidentally sent to Hong Kong, before arriving on location in Iraq.
• The scenes showing Father Karras in his room at Georgetown were filmed in Fordham University's freshman residence, Hughes Hall, fourth floor. Hughes was once the site of Fordham Preparatory school. Since there was no elevator at the time, the windows had to be removed in order to accommodate for the camera on a crane. Each year, Father William O'Malley (who played Father Dyer) talks about his experience with the movie after students watch it on the same floor where it was filmed.
• In the disturbing scene in which The Devil/Regan is stabbing her vulva with the crucifix, a stunt double was used rather than Linda Blair herself because it was felt that the scene would be too graphic for a child to perform. Blatty's script specified that the audience should understand what is happening, but that the child's body should not be shown.
• McCambridge's voice was reportedly not processed to make it sound more demonic. She had worked extensively in radio drama and had a flexible vocal range. In interviews, she described eating raw eggs, a pulpy apple, and experimenting with hot pepper sauce to get a properly rough, gurgling sound. Originally uncredited, she had to sue Warner Brothers to get credit for her voice work.
• Director William Friedkin went to some extraordinary lengths to get the effects he wanted, almost abusing the cast. He fired off guns behind the actors to get the required startled effect. Father O'Malley reports that Friedkin slapped him hard across the face before rolling the camera on the scene where Father Dyer finds Karras dying and blesses him (O'Malley's hand is noticeably trembling). In order to emphasize that one of the demon's qualities is superhuman strength, Friedkin put Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn in harnesses and had crew members yank them violently around. Both suffered back injuries, and their painful screams went right into the film. In the documentary included on the 25th Anniversary Edition, the actors reveal these details, and say that in many shots it was not necessary to "act", as what was captured on film were genuine reactions.
• In the scene in the language lab, a white banner is visible with the following letters TASUKETE written in red. Tasukete means "help me" in Japanese.
• The sound of the demon leaving Linda's body is actually the sound of pigs being herded for slaughter; a possible reference to the story of Christ driving out demons in Mark 5:13.
• In one scene, Karras’s mother, played by Greek actress Vasiliki Maliaros, is listening to a Greek radio station (possibly WNYE) broadcasting the song Ιστορία μου αμαρτία μου (My Story, My sin) by the late popular Greek singer Rita Sakellariou. He is originally from New York.
• The Greek song playing on the radio when Father Karras leaves his mother's house is called "Paramythaki mou" and is sung by Yiannis Kalantzis. Lyricist Leyteris Papadopoulos has admitted that a few years later when he was in financial difficulties he asked some compensation for the intellectual rights to the song.
• The demon mask used in the movie Onibaba (1964) inspired William Friedkin to use a similar design for the makeup in subliminal shots of a white-faced demon.
• The original teaser trailer, which consisted of nothing but images of the white-faced demon quickly flashing in and out of darkness, was banned in many theaters, as it was deemed "too frightening".
• This was the film in which makeup legend Dick Smith hired Rick Baker as his assistant.
• There were three separate beds built to do three separate movements.
• Max von Sydow was actually quite young (early forties) at the time of filming, and required several hours of makeup each day to appear as the frail, elderly Father Merrin.
• The last scenes of the movie to be filmed were the first you see in the movie. The opening sequences in Iraq were shot after other principal filming was completed in the United States.
• The substance that the possessed Regan (Linda Blair) vomits at Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) is actually thick pea soup. The soup used for the vomit scene was Anderson's brand. The crew tried Campbell's but didn't like the "effect". Linda Blair hated vegetables so much at that time, that the use of the soup actually did make her throw up. In a 1998 US TV interview on Access Hollywood about The Exorcist's 25th Anniversary, Blair stated "the pea soup sequence was difficult because if the pea soup hadn't shot out in perfect synch, the soup would have choked and killed me".
• The original shooting schedule was 85 days, but filming lasted for 224 days.
• Father Merrin's arrival was filmed on Max von Sydow's first day of work.
• Among the subliminal photos inserted throughout the film ("The Version You've Never Seen") are: when Regan visits Dr. Klein's office for the first time she sees the face of the demon for a second while she's getting her EEG recorded; when Father Karras has his dream there is a very quick flash of picture of a demon/devil, then the screen goes white, then the picture is briefly flashed again; when Chris Macneil comes home and finds the kitchen lights flickering, the same demon/devil picture, though much smaller, is superimposed on the overhead exhaust fan above the stove; seconds later, just before Chris Macneil enters her daughter's room a brief flash of the face that is featured on the statue in the beginning of the film appears on the door as it is opened; then, when Chris leaves the room, a full body image of the statue slowly becomes visible just to the left of the doorway, remains briefly, then fades away again; during the final exorcism scene there is another superimposition of the demon's face on Reagan's for a brief instant. This demon face is commonly known by fans as Captain Howdy, in reference to the name of Reagan's imaginary friend from early in the movie that could be assumed to be the demon in disguise.
• In "The Version You've Never Seen" a digital coat was added to Chris MacNeil in the scene where Karras and Merrin go to confront the demon for the first time. This addition was a fix of an obvious goof in the original release which showed Chris with and without the coat in different scenes happening around the same time.
• Other directors that Warner Bros. had approached to direct the film included 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 first scene to be shot was of a distressed Karras pacing the corridors of Bellevue psychiatric hospital, agitatedly discussing with his uncle (played by Titos Vandis) his mother's incarceration.
• The bedroom set had to be refrigerated to capture the authentic icy breath of the actors in the exorcizing scenes. Linda Blair, who was only in a flimsy nightgown, says to this day she cannot stand being cold.
• The refrigerated bedroom set was cooled with four air conditioners and temperatures would plunge to around 30 to 40 degrees below zero. 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.
• Director Friedkin eventually asked technical advisor Rev. Thomas Bermingham to exorcise the set. He refused, saying an exorcism might increase anxiety. This story may be apocryphal. According to Catholic doctrine, an exorcism has to be applied for and approved by Church authorities -- something Blatty knew perfectly well, since it's the foundation of the second part of the book. A blessing with holy water is all that is necessary. Rev. Bermingham reportedly visited the set, gave a blessing, and spoke briefly to reassure the cast and crew.
• The "Exorcist steps", 75 (or 74 - one is very small) stone steps at the end of M-Street in Georgetown, were padded with 1/2"-thick rubber to film the death of Father Damien Karras. The stuntman tumbled down the stairs twice. Georgetown University students charged people around $5 each to watch the stunt from the rooftops.
• Gonzalo Gavira was called on to create many of the special sound effects after William Friedkin recalled his work from the movie, Topo, El (1970). One of the more memorable sounds, the 360-degree turning of Regan's head, was actually made by twisting a sound crew member's old leather wallet in front of a microphone.
• There are tales about ominous events surrounding the year-long shoot, including the deaths of nine people associated with the production and stories about a mysterious fire that destroyed the set one weekend. Much of these tales may be fakelore and were either deliberately released by the studio for publicity, or concocted by tabloid writers. They are the source of the rumor that the film was cursed. [6] Blatty, Schrader and von Sydow have discounted such tales as nonsense.
• Actors Jack MacGowran and Vasiliki Maliaros died before the film was released.
• The network TV version was edited by William Friedkin who shot a replacement insert of the Virgin Mary Statue showing her face painted like a harlot (instead of the more obscene version in the theatrical film, faithful to the book). The looping of the Demon voice to remove the profanity was also done by Friedkin himself because of his unwillingness to work with Mercedes McCambridge again. Lines like "Your mother sucks cocks in hell, Karras" and "Shove it up your ass you faggot" were re-dubbed by Friedkin to be "Your mother still rots in hell" and "Shut your face you faggot." By and large, this network TV version is not used for TV and cable showings today.
• The Prospect Avenue apartment where the story takes place was once inhabited by the author, William Peter Blatty, while he was a student at Georgetown University. The house was owned by Ms. Florence Mahoney and is at the corner of 36th and Prospect. During shooting of the exterior scenes the crew had to build special sets to allow sunlight in to avoid her garden plants from dying.
• The nurse who comes into Dr. Taney's office after the arteriogram is actress Linda Blair's mother.
• John Boorman had been offered the chance to direct The Exorcist but declined because he felt the storyline was "cruel towards children". He did, however, accept the offer to direct Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977).
• Ellen Burstyn agreed to doing the movie only if her character didn't have to say the scripted line: "I believe in the devil!" The producers agreed to eliminate the utterance.
• The language lab scene was filmed in a room in the basement of Keating Hall at Fordham University in The Bronx. The same room was used as a Pentagon office in A Beautiful Mind (2001). [7]
• Father Dyer is played by Reverend William O'Malley, an actual priest who still teaches to this day at Fordham University. [8]
• The film was edited at 666 Fifth Avenue in New York. [9]
• The poster image and important scene where Father Merrin arrives at the MacNeil house was inspired by René Magritte's 1954 painting L'Empire des lumières (Empire of Light, several versions) [10] [11]. The painting has a daylight sky but the house below in darkness. The director explained (in the film documentary A Decade Under the Influence) it took all day and all night to set up the lighting and they shot the following night.
• Also in A Decade Under the Influence William Friedkin talks about the original poster that the studio created for the film. It was a drawing of Regan's hand holding the bloody crucifix that she stabs herself with. The original tagline was "God help this girl". Friedkin rejected the poster, stating that the word "God" should not be used in a movie tagline.
• William Friedkin allowed very little behind the scenes footage of the film to be shown because he thought it would have taken the effect of the film away from the viewer.
• The phrase said by Regan after she is asked by Karras if she speaks Latin is Ego te absolvo, "I absolve you", the first words of the absolution blessing in the sacramental rite of Confession. These words are also spoken by Father Dyer as he blesses the dying Father Karras.
• In order to bring some levity to the shoot, William Peter Blatty suggested shooting a "blooper" scene for the rushes in which Father Merrin would enter the house, take off his hat, and reveal himself to be Groucho Marx, a friend of Blatty's. The parody would even go as far as featuring an appearance by the duck from "You Bet Your Life". Groucho was keen, but Friedkin got sick that day and the idea was abandoned.

Reactions

• When released in 1973, the film caused mass hysteria, with people screaming, fainting and paramedics being called to theaters, making it one of the most controversial films ever made. Theaters provided "Exorcist barf bags".
• A filmgoer who saw the movie in 1974 during its original release fainted and broke his jaw on the seat in front of him. He then sued Warner Brothers and the filmmakers, claiming that the use of subliminal imagery in the film had caused him to pass out. The studio settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
• The film was not released on video in the UK for 14 years. When released in the UK a number of town councils imposed a complete ban on the showing of the film. This led to the bizarre spectacle of "Exorcist Bus Trips" where enterprising travel companies organized buses to take groups to the nearest town where the film was showing.
• Due to death threats against Linda Blair, Warner Bros had bodyguards protecting her for six months after the film's release.
• Linda Blair received her Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination before it was widely known that previous Supporting Actress winner Mercedes McCambridge had actually provided the voice of the demon. By Academy rules, once Blair was given the nomination, it could not be withdrawn. But the controversy about Blair being given credit for another actress's work ruined her chances of winning the award.
• If adjusted for inflation, this would be the top-grossing R-rated film of all time.
• Entertainment Weekly voted this the Scariest Movie of all time.
• Photos of Regan's face in her fully possessed form are commonly used in screamers on the internet.
• During a 2004 interview, filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan said that the scene in the film with Burstyn in the attic with the exploding candle was one of the scariest scenes he had ever seen.

External links

• The Exorcist (1973) at IMDb
• Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) at IMDb
• The Ninth Configuration (1980) at IMDb
• The Exorcist III (1990) at IMDb
• Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) at IMDb
• Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005) at IMDb
• Virtual Tour of the Exorcist Steps
• The Haunted Boy of Cottage City: The Cold Hard Facts Behind the Story that Inspired The Exorcist, by Mark Opsasnick
• The Exorcist Fansite
• The Rev. J.C. Smith, official exorcist for the International Chaplains Association