The Exorcist
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	William Friedkin
Produced by	William Peter Blatty Noel Marshall
Written by	William Peter Blatty
Starring	Ellen Burstyn Linda Blair Max von Sydow Jason Miller
Music by	Steve Boeddeker
Cinematography	Owen Roizman
Editing by	Norman Gay
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	December 26, 1973
Running time	Theatrical cut 122 min. Director's Cut 132 min.
Country
Language	English Assyrian Neo-Aramaic Latin Greek French German Arabic
Budget	$12 million
Gross revenue	$441,071,011
Followed by	Exorcist II: The Heretic
Official website
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

The Exorcist is an Academy Award-winning 1973 American horror film, adapted from the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty, dealing with the demonic possession of a young girl, and her mother’s desperate attempts to win back her daughter through an exorcism conducted by two priests. The film features Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, Kitty Winn, Lee J. Cobb and Jason Miller. Both the film and novel took inspirations from a documented exorcism in 1949, performed on a 14-year-old boy. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... William Friedkin (born August 29, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois) is an Academy Award-winning American movie and television director, producer and screenwriter best known for directing The Exorcist and The French Connection in the early 1970s. ... William Peter Blatty (born January 7, 1928) is an American writer. ... William Peter Blatty (born January 7, 1928) is an American writer. ... Ellen Burstyn (born December 7, 1932 as Edna Rae Gillooly in Detroit, Michigan) is an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... Linda Denise Blair (born January 22, 1959 in St. ...  , (born April 10, 1929) is an Academy-Award nominated Swedish actor, known in particular for his collaboration with filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. ... Jason Miller, (April 22, 1939 – May 13, 2001) born John Anthony Miller in Queens, New York, USA to a Catholic family, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright and actor. ... Owen Roizman, born 22 September 1936, is a celebrated cinematographer and a Member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. ... “WB” redirects here. ... is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events The Marx Brothers Zeppo Marx divorces his second wife, Barbara Blakely. ... A directors cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials or video games, that is supposed to represent the directors own approved edit. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Assyrian Neo-Aramaic is a modern Eastern Aramaic or Syriac language. ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Arabic redirects here. ... Exorcist II: The Heretic is a 1977 American horror film and the sequel to The Exorcist. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... // Events The Marx Brothers Zeppo Marx divorces his second wife, Barbara Blakely. ... “Horror Movie” redirects here. ... The Exorcist is a horror novel written by William Peter Blatty first published in 1971. ... William Peter Blatty (born January 7, 1928) is an American writer. ... Demonic possession, in supernatural belief systems, is a form of spiritual possession whereby certain malevolent extra-dimensional entities, demons, gain control over a mortal persons body, which is then used for an evil or destructive purpose. ... Saint Francis exorcised demons in Arezzo, fresco of Giotto Exorcism (from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkizein - to adjure, correctly pronounced exercism) is the practice of evicting demons or other evil spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed (taken control of). ... Ellen Burstyn (born December 7, 1932 as Edna Rae Gillooly in Detroit, Michigan) is an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... Linda Denise Blair (born January 22, 1959 in St. ...  , (born April 10, 1929) is an Academy-Award nominated Swedish actor, known in particular for his collaboration with filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. ... Kitty Winn (born February 21, 1944 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA) is an American actress. ... Lee J. Cobb Lee J. Cobb (December 8, 1911 – February 11, 1976) was an American actor. ... Jason Miller, (April 22, 1939 – May 13, 2001) born John Anthony Miller in Queens, New York, USA to a Catholic family, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright and actor. ...

The film became one of the most profitable horror films of all time and has had significant impact on viewers, grossing $402,500,000 worldwide.^[1] The film earned ten Academy Award nominations—winning two, one for Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay. Although it did not win, it ran neck and neck with The Sting for Best Picture. Along with the novel on which it was based, Blatty's script has been published several times over the years. Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... The Academy Award for Sound Mixing is an Academy Award that recognizes the finest or most aesthetic sound mixing or recording, and is generally awarded to the production sound mixers and re-recording mixers of the winning film. ... The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. ... This article is about the 1973 film involving con artists. ...

Plot

Regan MacNeil, portrayed by Linda Blair.

Based on the 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty, The Exorcist marries three different scenarios into one plot. Image File history File links Exorcist-regan. ... Image File history File links Exorcist-regan. ... Linda Denise Blair (born January 22, 1959 in St. ... William Peter Blatty (born January 7, 1928) is an American writer. ...

The movie starts with Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow) on an archaeological dig near Nineveh. He is then brought to a nearby hole where a small stone head is found, resembling some sort of creature. After talking to one of his supervisors, he then travels to a spot where a strange statue stands, specifically Pazuzu, with a head similar to the one he found earlier. He sees an ominous man up a bit away, and two dogs fight loudly nearby, setting the tone for the rest of the film.  , (born April 10, 1929) is an Academy-Award nominated Swedish actor, known in particular for his collaboration with filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. ... , For other uses, see Nineveh (disambiguation). ... Pazuzu is a fictional character and the main antagonist from The Exorcist horror novels and film series, created by William Peter Blatty, a story about a young girl possessed by a demon. ...

Meanwhile, Father Damian Karras, a young priest at Georgetown University, begins to doubt his faith while dealing with his mother's terminal sickness. This article is about religious workers. ... Georgetown University is a Jesuit private university located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Bishop John Carroll founded the school in 1789, though its roots extend back to 1634. ...

In the central storyline, Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), an actress filming in Georgetown, notices dramatic and dangerous changes in the behavior and physical make-up of her 12-year-old daughter Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair). Regan exhibits strange, unnatural powers, including levitation and great strength. At first, Chris believes that Regan's rapid mental and physical changes are due to trauma from Chris's recent divorce. Regan is forced to endure a series of unpleasant medical tests as doctors try to find an explanation for her bizarre changes. During this time, several supernatural occurrences plague the household of the MacNeils, including violently shaking beds, strange noises and unexplained movement. When all medical possibilities of explaining Regan's worsening condition are exhausted, a doctor recommends an exorcism, explaining that if Regan's symptoms are a psychosomatic result of a belief in demonic possession, then an exorcism would likewise have the psychosomatic effect of ending such symptoms. Chris consults Father Karras, since he is both a priest and a psychiatrist. Despite an initial conclusion that Regan's problems are psychological, Damian is eventually convinced that Regan is possessed, after witnessing otherwise unexplainable events. Ellen Burstyn (born December 7, 1932 as Edna Rae Gillooly in Detroit, Michigan) is an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into The Exorcist. ... Linda Denise Blair (born January 22, 1959 in St. ... For other uses, see Levitation (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Supernatural (disambiguation). ... A psychosomatic illness is one with physical manifestations and supposed psychological cause, often diagnosed when any known or identifiable physical cause was excluded by medical examination. ... Saint Francis exorcised demons in Arezzo, fresco of Giotto Exorcism (from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkizein - to adjure, correctly pronounced exercism) is the practice of evicting demons or other evil spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed (taken control of). ... An MRI scan of a human brain and head. ...

Father Merrin, who in addition to being an archeologist is also experienced in exorcism, is summoned to Washington. He and Father Karras try to drive the spirit from Regan before she dies.^[2] Regan, or rather the spirit, claims she is not possessed by a simple demon, but by the Devil himself. This is an overview of the Devil. ...

At the climax of the exorcism, Father Merrin dies of heart failure and Father Karras shouts at the demon to enter him. The demon does enter Damian, but the priest immediately throws himself through Regan's bedroom window in order to stop the spirit from murdering Regan, killing himself in a fall down the steps outside. Regan is restored to her normal self, and according to Chris, claims she does not remember any of the experience. The film ends as the MacNeil mother and daughter leave Georgetown to move on from their ordeal.

Cast

• Jason Miller as Father Damien Karras
• Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil
• Max von Sydow as Father Lankester Merrin
• Lee J. Cobb as Det. Lt. William F. Kinderman
• Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil
• Kitty Winn as Sharon Spencer
• Jack MacGowran as Burke Dennings
• Mercedes McCambridge as Pazuzu (voice)
• Rev. William O'Malley as Father Joe Dyer

Jason Miller, (April 22, 1939 – May 13, 2001) born John Anthony Miller in Queens, New York, USA to a Catholic family, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright and actor. ... Father Karras played by Jason Miller Father Damien Karras, SJ (novel: 1928 - 1971; film: 1935 - 1990) is a fictional Greek-American character from the novel The Exorcist and its sequel The Exorcist III: Legion. ... Ellen Burstyn (born December 7, 1932 as Edna Rae Gillooly in Detroit, Michigan) is an Academy Award-winning American actress. ...  , (born April 10, 1929) is an Academy-Award nominated Swedish actor, known in particular for his collaboration with filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. ... Lee J. Cobb Lee J. Cobb (December 8, 1911 – February 11, 1976) was an American actor. ... Linda Denise Blair (born January 22, 1959 in St. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into The Exorcist. ... Kitty Winn (born February 21, 1944 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA) is an American actress. ... Jack MacGowran Jack MacGowran, (October 13, 1918 - January 31, 1973) was an Irish-born character actor. ... Mercedes Agnes Carlotta McCambridge (March 16, 1916 – March 2, 2004), nicknamed Mercy, was an Academy Award-winning American film actress, also known for her acting in radio dramas. ... Reverend William OMalley, is an Irish-American, Jesuit Priest,who is considered to be a celeberity of Fordham University. ...

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. Pamelyn Ferdin, a veteran of science fiction and supernatural drama, was a candidate, but the producers may have felt she was too well-known. Two other child actresses of the '70s, Denise Nickerson (who played Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory) and future Diff'rent Strokes star Dana Plato, were considered, but their parents pulled them out, troubled by the material. At one point the search for a young actress capable of playing Regan was so trying that Friedkin claims he even considered auditioning adult dwarf actors. The part went instead to Linda Blair, a relatively unknown actress. Blair's stunt double was Eileen Dietz, an older actress who was uncredited in the film and who later sued.^{[citation needed]} Pamelyn Ferdin (born February 4, 1959) is an outspoken animal rights activist and former child actress. ... Denise Nickerson (1 April 1959) is an American actress and former child star who is best known as Violet Beauregarde, the gum-chewing pre-teen from the 1971 movie, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (disambiguation). ... Diffrent Strokes is an American sitcom that aired on the NBC television network from 1978 to 1985, and on ABC from 1985 to 1986. ... Dana Michelle Plato (November 7, 1964 – May 8, 1999) was an American actress who became famous playing the role of Kimberly Drummond in the U.S. television sitcom Diffrent Strokes. ... This article is about the medical condition. ...

The studio wanted Marlon Brando for the role of Father Merrin.^[3] Friedkin immediately vetoed this by stating that with Brando in the film it would become a "Brando movie." 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 had never acted in a movie before, Keach's contract was bought out by Warner Bros. and Miller was cast in the role (Blatty would later give Keach the leading role in The Ninth Configuration). 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. Fonda reportedly called the project a "capitalist piece of shit."^[4] Audrey Hepburn was approached, but said she would only agree if the film were to be shot in Rome. Anne Bancroft was another choice, but she happened to be in her first month of pregnancy and was dropped. Ellen Burstyn agreed to doing the movie. Marlon Brando, Jr. ... John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937), known as Jack Nicholson, is a three time Academy Award-winning American actor internationally renowned for his often dark-themed portrayals of neurotic characters. ... Stacy Keach (born Walter Stacy Keach, Jr. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... The Ninth Configuration, (also known as Twinkle, Twinkle, Killer Kane) is an American-made film, released in 1980, directed by William Peter Blatty (most famous as the author of The Exorcist). ... Eugene Allen Gene Hackman[1] (born January 30, 1930) is a two-time Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Jane Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is a two-time Academy Award-winning American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. ... Shirley MacLaine (born April 24, 1934) is an Academy Award-winning American film and theatre actress, well-known not only for her acting, but for her devotion to her belief in reincarnation and aliens. ... Audrey Hepburn (4 May 1929 - 20 January 1993) was an Academy Award and Tony Award winning Anglo-Dutch actress of film and theatre, Broadway stage performer, ballerina, fashion model, and humanitarian. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... Anne Bancroft (September 17, 1931 – June 6, 2005) was an iconic Academy, Tony, and Emmy Award-winning American actress. ...

Vasiliki Maliaros, who played Father Karras' mother, 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.

Direction

Warner had approached 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). John Boorman said he didn't want to direct it because it was "cruel towards children". Following the success of The French Connection (1971) the studio finally agreed to sign William Friedkin for the film. Arthur Penn (born September 27, 1922 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a film director of thoughtful films that dont always find an audience. ... Peter Bogdanovich Serbian Cyrillic Петар Богдановић (born July 30, 1939) is a Serbian-American film director, writer and actor. ... Mike Nichols (born Michael Igor Peschkowsky) is an Academy Award winning movie director of films such as The Graduate and Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. He was born on November 6, 1931 in Berlin, to a Jewish Russian family. ... John Boorman (born January 18, 1933 in Shepperton, Surrey, United Kingdom), is a British filmmaker, currently based in Ireland, best known for his feature films such as Point Blank, Deliverance, Excalibur, and The General. ... The French Connection is a 1971 Hollywood film directed by William Friedkin. ...

Friedkin went to some extraordinary lengths, reminiscent of D.W. Griffith's manipulation of 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 later reported that she had permanent back injury after landing on her coccyx when a stuntman jerked her via cable during the scene when Regan slaps her mother. 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. He also fired a gun without warning on the set to elicit shock from Jason Miller for a take. Lastly, he had Regan's bedroom set built inside a freezer so that the actors' breath could be visible on camera, which required the crew to wear parkas and other cold-weather gear. David Lewelyn Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 - July 23, 1948) was an American film director (commonly known as D. W. Griffith) probably best known for his film The Birth of a Nation. ... The coccyx is formed of up to five vertebrae. ... Reverend William OMalley, is an Irish-American, Jesuit Priest,who is considered to be a celeberity of Fordham University. ...

Music

Lalo Schifrin's score was rejected, and a frustrated Friedkin reportedly threw the reels out into the street, dubbing the score "f***ing Mexican marimba music" and deeming the parking lot the best place for such music (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. Instead he used modern classical compositions, including portions of the 1971 Cello Concerto by Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki. The Amityville Horror - A True Story is a best-selling book by the author Jay Anson, published in September 1977. ... Sorcerer is a 1977 film produced and directed by William Friedkin, starring Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal and Amidou. ... Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music group founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. ... Krzysztof Penderecki. ...

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 Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield, which became very popular after the film's release, and the composition Night Of The Electric Insects, from George Crumb's string quartet Black Angels Michael Gordon Oldfield (born May 15, 1953 in Reading, England) is a multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music and more recently dance. ... The Black Angels , a subset of Onterio Varrio Sur (OVS) of South Ontario (OnterioSurX3) and are one of the biggest, strongest and most notorious Chicano gangs from the Inland Empire (San Bernardino County) in Southern California, and dates back to the start of the Mexican Mafia in the 1950s. ...

Filming locations

Exorcist steps

The archaeological dig site seen at the beginning of the movie is the actual site of ancient Nineveh in Hatra, Iraq. Friedkin had to take an all-British crew to film in Iraq because the U.S. had no diplomatic relations with Iraq at that time. They were allowed to film on conditions that included teaching Iraqi filmmakers advanced film techniques and special effects.^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links Exorcist_Steps. ... Image File history File links Exorcist_Steps. ... , For other uses, see Nineveh (disambiguation). ... Hatra (al-aar الحضر) is an ancient ruined city in the former Iranian province of Khvarvaran, today part of Iraq, located at 35°34′ N 42°42′ E. It was an important fortified city of the Iranian Parthian Empire, and withstood repeated attacks by the Roman Empire. ...

The scenes showing Father Karras in his room at Georgetown were filmed in Fordham University's freshman residence, Hughes Hall, second floor, room 215.^{[citation needed]} Fordham University is a private, coeducational research university[3] in the United States, with three campuses located in and around New York City. ...

The "Exorcist steps", stone steps at the end of M Street in Georgetown, were padded with 1/2"-thick rubber to film the death of Karras. The stunt man tumbled down the stairs twice. Georgetown University students charged people around $5 each to watch the stunt from the rooftops. The name M Street refers to two major thoroughfares in the United States capital of Washington, D.C. Because of the Cartesian-coordinate-based street-naming system in Washington, the name M Street can be used to refer to any east-west street located twelve blocks north or south of... Georgetown University is a Jesuit private university located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Bishop John Carroll founded the school in 1789, though its roots extend back to 1634. ...

The MacNeil residence interiors were filmed at CECO Studios in Manhattan. The bedroom set had to be refrigerated to capture the authentic icy breath of the actors in the exorcizing scenes. The temperature was brought so low that a thin layer of snow fell onto the set one morning. Linda Blair, who was only in a thin nightgown, says to this day she cannot stand being cold.^[5] This article is about the borough of New York City. ...

Taglines

The Exorcist had some notable taglines, including: A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. ...

Something almost beyond comprehension is happening to a girl; on this street, in this house. A man has been sent for, as a last resort, to try and save her. That man is THE EXORCIST.

Urban legends and on-set incidents

Several tales about ominous events surrounding the year-long shoot, including the deaths of nine people associated with the production are probably fakelore and were either deliberately released by the studio for publicity, or concocted by tabloid writers, as no evidence exists for any freakish occurrences. These stories are the source of the rumor that the film was cursed.^[6] Blatty, Schrader and von Sydow have all discounted such tales as nonsense {citation]. However Blatty has stated on video^[7] some strange occurances. Ellen Burstyn has indicated that some of these rumors are true in her 2006 autobiography Lessons In Becoming Myself. The interior sets of the MacNeil residence, except for Regan's bedroom, were indeed destroyed by a studio fire and had to be rebuilt. Director William Friedkin also notes that the set sometimes appeared "cursed." He has also claimed that a priest was brought in numerous times to "bless" the set. Filming would go smoothly for a short while, before the priest would have to be brought back again when things went wrong again.^[8] Fakelore is inauthentic, manufactured folklore which is created in the hope that it will be accepted as genuine and/or legitimate. ... Ellen Burstyn (born December 7, 1932 as Edna Rae Gillooly in Detroit, Michigan) is an Academy Award-winning American actress. ...

Cut scenes

The scene wherein Father Merrin asks Chris the child's middle name (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.

The film's original ending had Kinderman meeting Father Dyer after the departure of Chris and Regan; the two converse and strike up a friendship as they walk down the street. This was cut for timing reasons, and the release version ended slightly earlier, with Dyer looking down the staircase where Karras had died. For the 2000 re-release, the longer ending was restored, in order to tie the film in better with the events of The Exorcist III. The Exorcist III (also known as The Exorcist III: Legion or Exorcist III: Legion), is a 1990 horror movie directed by William Peter Blatty and based on Blattys novel Legion, the sequel to Blattys original Exorcist novel. ...

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 theatrical release. Hager used a harness and flying wires hung above the staircase used in the set. Contortionist performing Contortion (sometimes contortionism) is an unusual form of acrobatic display which involves the bending of the human body into positions that would be impossible for most people to achieve. ...

There are a few different versions of the "spider walk" sequence. The one ending with blood pouring from Regan's mouth is the one used in the 2001 re-release of the film. Since the previously unused scene had been published in a documentary several years earlier, the bloody version was used instead for shock value. The second, actually more faithful to the book, has Regan flicking her tongue like a snake and chasing Chris and Sharon. This can be seen in the 25th Anniversary documentary 'The Fear of God'. A third rumored take had Regan biting Sharon on the leg. The sequence has been copied in Ruby and other low-budget films.

Network TV version

The network TV version was edited by Friedkin. He dubbed the Demon's more obscene lines himself because he didn't want to work with Mercedes McCambridge again.^{[citation needed]} "Your mother sucks cocks in hell" became "Your mother still rots in hell" and "Shove it up your ass, you faggot" became "Shut your face, you maggot". In filmmaking, dubbing or looping is the process of recording or replacing voices for a motion picture. ...

Track listings

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 that Lalo Schifrin originally composed for the film. This article is about the Mike Oldfield album. ... Lalo Schifrin Lalo Schifrin (born on June 21, 1932) is an Argentine Jewish pianist and composer, most famous for composing the burning-fuse theme tune from the Mission:Impossible television series. ...

Reception

Upon its release on December 26, 1973, the film received mixed reviews from critics, “ranging from ‘classic’ to ‘claptrap'."^[9] Stanley Kauffmann, in The New Republic, wrote, “This is the most scary 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 hell out of you.”^[10] 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.”^[11] In Castle of Frankenstein, Joe Dante opined, “[A]n amazing film, and one destined to become at the very least a horror classic. Director William Friedkin’s film will be profoundly disturbing to all audiences, especially the more sensitive and those who tend to 'live' the movies they see…Suffice it to say, there has never been anything like this on the screen before.”^[12] Stanley Kauffmann (24 April 1916 – ) is an American film critic and author. ... For other uses, see New Republic. ... Variety is a daily magazine for the entertainment industry. ... Castle of Frankenstein was a fantasy film magazine, distributed by Kable News and published in New Jersey from 1962 to 1975 by Calvin Thomas Becks Gothic Castle Publishing Company. ... Joe Dante (born November 28, 1946 in Morristown, New Jersey) is an American film director and producer of films generally with humorous and scifi content. ...

However, 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...”^[13] Andrew Sarris complained that “Friedkin’s biggest weakness is his inability to provide enough visual information about his characters…whole passages of the movie’s exposition were one long buzz of small talk and name droppings…The Exorcist succeeds on one level as an effectively excruciating entertainment, but on another, deeper level it is a thoroughly evil film.”^[14] Writing in Rolling Stone, Jon Landau felt the film was, “[N]othing more than a religious porn film, the gaudiest piece of shlock this side of Cecil B. DeMille (minus that gentleman’s wit and ability to tell a story)…”^[15] Vincent Canby (July 27, 1924 – September 15, 2000) was an American film critic. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... Andrew Sarris is a film critic and a leading proponent of the Auteur theory of criticism. ... This article is about the magazine. ... Jon Landau is an American music critic, manager, and record producer, most known for his association in all three capacities with Bruce Springsteen. ... Cecil Blount DeMille (August 12, 1881 – January 21, 1959) was one of the most successful filmmakers during the first half of the 20th century. ...

The film earned $66,300,000 in distributors' domestic (U.S. and Canada) rentals during its theatrical release in 1974, becoming the second most popular film of that year (trailing The Sting).^[16] After several reissues, the film eventually earned $89,000,000 in domestic rentals.^[17] The film was a huge international hit in 1974, becoming the highest-grossing film of the year.^{[citation needed]} To date, it has a total gross of $402,500,000 worldwide; if adjusted for inflation, this would be the top-grossing R-rated film of all time.^[18] 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. A Film distributor is an independent company, a subsidiary company or occasionally an individual, which acts as the final agent between a film production company or some intermediary agent, and a film exhibitor, to the end of securing placement of the producers film on the exhibitors screen. ... This article is about the 1973 film involving con artists. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama has been awarded annually since 1944 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ...

Some theatre patrons reportedly screamed and fainted while viewing the film, requiring paramedics to be called to theaters.^{[citation needed]} Theaters provided "Exorcist barf bags".^[19] 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.^{[citation needed]}

Due to death threats against Linda Blair, Warner Bros. had bodyguards protecting her for six months after the film's release.^[5]

Over the years, The Exorcist’s critical reputation has grown considerably. The film has a 89% favorability rating on the Rotten Tomatoes website, out of 37 reviewers surveyed.^[20] Some critics regard it 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 its detractors as well, including Kim Newman who has criticized it for 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. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... “Horror Movie” redirects here. ... Kim Newman (born July 31, 1959) is an English journalist, film critic, and fiction writer. ... James Arthur Baldwin (August 2, 1924 – November 30, 1987) was an American novelist, short story writer, playwright, poet, and essayist, best known for his novel Go Tell It on the Mountain. ... The Devil Finds Work is a book length essay by writer James Baldwin. ...

The Exorcist contained a number of special effects, engineered by makeup legend and pioneer Dick Smith. Roger Ebert, while praising the film, believed the effects to be so unusually graphic he wrote, "That it received an R rating and not the X is stupefying."^[21] Special effects (also called SPFX or SFX) are used in the film, television, and entertainment industry to realize scenes that cannot be achieved by live action or normal means. ... Dick Smith (born June 26, 1922 in Larchmont, New York) is a make-up artist known for his work on such films as The Godfather, The Exorcist, Taxi Driver, and Little Big Man. ... Roger Joseph Ebert (born June 18, 1942) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American film critic. ...

The Exorcist was also accused of manipulation of its audience through the use of subliminal imagery. A detailed article in the July / August 1991 issue of Video Watchdog provides still frames identifying several usages of subliminal "flashing" throughout the film. ^[22] Friedkin explained, "I saw subliminal cuts in a number of films before I ever put them in The Exorcist, and I thought it was a very effective storytelling device... The subliminal editing in The Exorcist was done for dramatic effect — to create, achieve, and sustain a kind of dreamlike state."^[23] The subsequent re-release of the film featured one additional flash of this demonic face in another part of the film.^{[citation needed]} However, the quick, scary flashes illustrated in the magazine which Friedkin referred to as "subliminal" (invisible to the naked eye; Subliminal Messages., Subliminal Perception., Subliminal Advertising.) were actually quite visible^{[citation needed]}, and there remains no evidence of any subliminal messages or manipulation ever existing in "The Exorcist".^{[citation needed]} A subliminal message is a signal or message embedded in another object, designed to pass below the normal limits of perception. ... The cover of Video Watchdogs first issue Video Watchdog is a film magazine started in 1990 by publisher/editor Tim Lucas and his wife Donna. ...

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 terrestrial television in the UK for the first time in 2001, on Channel 4. This led to "Exorcist Bus Trips" where enterprising travel companies organized buses to take groups to the nearest town where the film was showing.^{[citation needed]} Video nasty was a term coined in the United Kingdom in the 1980s that originally applied to a number of films distributed on video cassette that were criticised for their violent content by elements in the press and commentators such as Mary Whitehouse. ... British Board of Film Classification logo The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), originally British Board of Film Censors, is the organisation responsible for film and some video game classification and censorship within the United Kingdom. ... The Video Recordings Act is a UK Act of Parliament that was passed into law in 1984. ... The 18 certificate is issued by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to state that, in its opinion, a film or video recording should not be seen or purchased by a person under 18 years old. ... For other uses, see Censor. ... This article is about the British television station. ...

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 BBC Radio 5 Live.^[24] 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.^{[citation needed]} Mark Kermode (born Mark Fairey[1] on 2 July 1963) is an English film critic who regularly writes for Sight and Sound magazine and The Observer newspaper. ... BBC Radio Five Live is the radio service providing live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries. ... Manoj Nelliattu Shyamalan (born August 6, 1970), known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, //, is an Academy Award nominated screenwriter and director, who also performs smaller roles in his own movies. ...

Awards and recognition

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

The Academy Award for Sound Mixing is an Academy Award that recognizes the finest or most aesthetic sound mixing or recording, and is generally awarded to the production sound mixers and re-recording mixers of the winning film. ... The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. ...

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

©A.M.P.A.S.® The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to artists working in the motion picture industry. ... Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. ... Ellen Burstyn (born December 7, 1932 as Edna Rae Gillooly in Detroit, Michigan) is an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is one of the awards given to male actors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Jason Miller, (April 22, 1939 – May 13, 2001) born John Anthony Miller in Queens, New York, USA to a Catholic family, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright and actor. ... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the awards given to actresses working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Linda Denise Blair (born January 22, 1959 in St. ... The Academy Award for Directing is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; the awards are voted on by other people within the industry. ... William Friedkin (born August 29, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois) is an Academy Award-winning American movie and television director, producer and screenwriter best known for directing The Exorcist and The French Connection in the early 1970s. ... Charles Rosher the first recipient in 1928 The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is awarded each year to a cinematographer for his work in one particular motion picture. ... The Academy Award for Film Editing was first given for films issued in 1934. ... The Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. ...

Other awards

• Saturn Award Best Horror Film of 1973.
• Entertainment Weekly voted it the scariest film ever made^[25]
• American Film Institute rated the film in #3 out of the most thrilling movies. The film was right behind Jaws and Psycho.
• Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments rated the film #3, right behind Alien and Jaws.

The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy and horror in film, television and home video. ... The following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Horror Film: ... Entertainment Weekly (sometimes abbreviated EW) is a magazine published by Time Inc. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Jaws is a 1975 thriller/horror film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on Peter Benchleys best-selling novel inspired by the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916. ... Psycho is a 1960 suspense/horror film directed by auteur Alfred Hitchcock from the screenplay by Joseph Stefano about a psychotic killer. ... This article is about the U.S. cable network. ... This article is about the first film in a series. ... Jaws is a 1975 thriller/horror film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on Peter Benchleys best-selling novel inspired by the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916. ...

Sequels and related films

John Boorman's Exorcist II: The Heretic was released in 1977, and re-visited Regan four years after her initial ordeal. The plot dealt with an investigation into the legitimacy of Father 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 re-edited the film immediately after its premiere. Both versions have now been released on video. John Boorman (born January 18, 1933 in Shepperton, Surrey, United Kingdom), is a British filmmaker, currently based in Ireland, best known for his feature films such as Point Blank, Deliverance, Excalibur, and The General. ... Exorcist II: The Heretic is a 1977 American horror film and the sequel to The Exorcist. ... // Events In the Academy Awards, Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight win Best Actor and Actress and Supporting Actress awards for Network. ... John Boorman (born January 18, 1933 in Shepperton, Surrey, United Kingdom), is a British filmmaker, currently based in Ireland, best known for his feature films such as Point Blank, Deliverance, Excalibur, and The General. ...

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 the story of Father Karras. Following the precedents set in The Ninth Configuration, Blatty turned a minor character from the first film — in this case, Det. Kinderman — into the chief protagonist. Though the characters of Karras and Kinderman were only related through the murder investigation in The Exorcist, and that Kinderman was fond of Karras, in Exorcist III Blatty has Kinderman remembering Karras as "his best friend". The Exorcist III (also known as The Exorcist III: Legion or Exorcist III: Legion), is a 1990 horror movie directed by William Peter Blatty and based on Blattys novel Legion, the sequel to Blattys original Exorcist novel. ... The Exorcist III is a 1990 horror movie directed by William Peter Blatty and based on Blattys novel Legion. ...

A parody entitled Repossessed was released the same year, with Blair lampooning the role she played in the original. Repossessed was a 1990 comedy film that spoofed The Exorcist. ...

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. Possessed is the name of a 2000 Showtime original movie starring Timothy Dalton, based on actual events which inspired the novel The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty. ... This article is about the pay TV channel. ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Steven de Souza is among the handful of screenwriters whose films have earned over two billion dollars at the box office. ... Thomas B. Allen (1928 - 2004) was an American painter and illustrator known for a moody and expressionist style that pushed the boundaries of commercial art in the 1950s and 60s. ... Timothy Peter Dalton (born March 21, 1946[1]) is an English actor of stage and screen, best known for portraying James Bond in The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989) and in his roles in Shakespearean related films and plays. ... Henry Czerny(Chur-nee) (born February 1959) is an actor, born to Polish parents in Toronto, Canada. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

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. The lead character is the astronaut from Chris' party, Lt. Cutshaw. The Ninth Configuration, (also known as Twinkle, Twinkle, Killer Kane) is an American-made film, released in 1980, directed by William Peter Blatty (most famous as the author of The Exorcist). ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... This article is about the literary concept. ... For other uses, see Astronaut (disambiguation). ...

A prequel, Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) attracted attention and controversy even before its release. It went through a number of directorial and script changes, such that two versions were actually produced. Paul Schrader was originally hired as director, but the studio ultimately rejected his version. Renny Harlin was then hired as director, and permitted to reuse Schrader's footage, and shoot new footage as he saw fit, to create a more conventional shocker film. Harlin's film, Exorcist: The Beginning was released, but was not well received. Schrader's original version was named Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist and subsequently released. Like Exorcist III, both films made significant changes from the original storyline. The plot of these films centered around 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 referenced in the 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 Beginning and Dominion centered around Merrin's exorcism in Africa, they both took a significant departure from the original story, making no effort to be faithful to those original details. Categories: Movie stubs | 2004 films | Horror films | Exorcism ... Paul Joseph Schrader (born July 22, 1946 in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American screenwriter and film director. ... Renny Harlin (born Lauri Mauritz Harjola on March 15, 1959 in Riihimäki, Finland) is a film director and producer mostly known for action movies. ... Categories: Movie stubs | 2004 films | Horror films | Exorcism ... The Exorcist III is a 1990 horror movie directed by William Peter Blatty and based on Blattys novel Legion. It stars George C. Scott and Brad Dourif. ... The Exorcist is a horror novel written by William Peter Blatty first published in 1971. ... Exorcist II: The Heretic is a 1977 American horror film and the sequel to The Exorcist. ... Assyrian demon Pazuzu, 1st millenium BC, Louvre Museum. ...

A 1974 Turkish movie Şeytan (Turkish for Satan, the original movie was also shown with the same name) is almost a scene-by-scene remake of the original. It has gained a reputation among cult movie enthusiasts as the "Turkish Exorcist". That same year the German film Magdalena, vom Teufel besessen was also released with an Exorcist plot. This article is about the concept of Satan. ...

Similarly, a blacksploitation film was also released in 1974 titled Abby. While the films Seytan and Magdalena, vom Teufel besessen were more legally free to be made due to being filmed in other countries, Abby (filmed in Louisiana) was sued by Warner Bros. and was pulled from theatres, but not before making 4 million dollars at box office. Blaxploitation is a controversial film genre developed in the United States in the early 1970s. ... Many people have the name Abby. ...

Also in 1974 a film about a mother who becomes possessed by a demon, Beyond the Door was released, starring Juliette Mills. Beyond the Door is a 1974 horror film directed by Ovidio G. Assonitis (credited as Oliver Hellman). ...

Alternate and uncut versions

There have been several versions of The Exorcist released and altered. 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 on screen 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 the new one used in the "Version You've Never Seen". 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. The Exorcist: The Complete Anthology (box set) was released in October, 2006. This DVD collection includes the original theatrical release version The Exorcist, the extended version; The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen, the sequel with Linda Blair; Exorcist II: The Heretic, the supposed end of the trilogy; The Exorcist III, and two different prequels: Exorcist: The Beginning and Dominion: A Prequel to The Exorcist. A box set (sometimes referred to as a boxed set) is one or more musical recordings, films, television programs, or other collection of related things that are contained in a box. ...

The 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set

The box set that was released in 1998. It was limited to 50,000 copies, only some are avaliable on the internet on Amazon.com and Ebay.com. There are two versions, one that has the special edition VHS (on Amazon.com is selling for less than $15.00) and one that has the special edition DVD (on Amazon.com is selling for more than $100.00) The only difference is the DVD or VHS, everything else is intact, and those features include:

(On the DVD)

• The film THE EXORCIST with picture and sound newly restored and digitally mastered in 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio, introduced by director William Friedkin
• The 1998 BBC documentary THE FEAR OF GOD: THE MAKING OF THE EXORCIST
• 2 Audio Commentaries
• Interviews with the director and writer
• Theatrical Trailers, and TV Spots

(In the box)

• Commemorative 52-page THE EXORCIST tribute book, covering highlights of the film's preparation, prodcution and release and featuring historical data and archival photographs never before published.
• Brand New Limited Edition Soundtrack CD of the film's score, including the unused soundtrack.
• 8 Limited-Edition Lobby Card repints.
• Exclusive Senitype Film Frame with enlargement (it is a picture, and and original piece of the 35 mm film)

(ON THE CD, TUBULAR BELLS AND NIGHT OF THE ELECTRIC INSECTS HAVE BEEN OMITTED FROM THE CD)

Site to purchase the box set:

• http://www.amazon.com/Exorcist-Limited-Collectors-Set/dp/6305662371/ref=pd_bbs_12?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1204768553&sr=8-12

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2008)

• At least three alternate endings were considered by Friedkin and William Peter Blatty, with Blatty concerned that the audience might leave the theater after the more ambiguous ending that was ultimately used "thinking the Devil won". One was the scene between Father Dyer and Lieutenant Kinderman on the street, which was eventually used in The Version You've Never Seen, with added special FX and a musical sting at the end. Another brief alteration was considered, showing Father Karras' spirit ascending the Georgetown steps as Father Dyer looks down them at the close of the film. The other possible ending was conceived by Blatty but never scripted or shot, in which, after the climax, Father Dyer is running track on the university grounds. A jogger arrives to keep pace with him, and strikes up a conversation with Dyer. They discuss fate, destiny, and the afterlife, and Dyer would slowly realize that the jogger running beside him is in fact Father Karras. Dyer would then look up to see the sky lit up with stars, with Karras intoning, "we are the light, Joe". None of these alterations were deemed necessary by William Friedkin, who preferred the quiet, thought-provoking ending of the final cut. Friedkin and Blatty did however come together to add the Dyer/Kinderman "beautiful friendship" scene to the re-release years later.
• The quick flashes of a white-faced demon occurring at several moments in the film were inspired by a demon mask used in Onibaba (1964). The mask was originally used in a teaser trailer, but was considered too frightening.
• Actors Jack MacGowran and Vasiliki Maliaros died before the film was released.
• In the scene where Fr. Karras is saying Mass, the words of consecration he uses reflect an earlier version of the rite, one of a few intermediate stages between the Tridentine Rite and the Mass of Paul VI.
• The Rite of Exorcism as performed in the film is a condensed version of the actual rite.
• 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 film was edited at 666 Fifth Avenue in New York.^[26]
• The name of the boy who was subject of the "true" exorcism that inspired Blatty's novel was Ronald Hunkeler. After he was "cured" he went on to attend Gonzaga High School in Washington, DC, graduating in 1954. He was later a scientist with NASA. Understandably, he refuses all interviews regarding his exorcism. At last account, he was rumored to be living in Laurel, MD.
• In an interview on the January 12, 2007 broadcast of the Mr. KABC radio program it was revealed that actress/comedienne April Winchell was being seriously considered for the part of Regan MacNeil however she had developed a serious kidney infection which caused her to be hospitalized and ultimately taken out of consideration.^[27]
• The movie's eerie opening sequence was filmed in the Iraqi town of Sinjar, just below the Syrian border. The people of Sinjar are mostly Kurdish members of the ancient Yezidi sect, which worships a deity often equated with the Devil.^[28]
• When "The Exorcist" was first released, four minutes of Mike Oldfield's music from his "Tubular Bells" album was lifted without his knowledge, although Warner Bros. did license the music from his publisher. In early soundtrack releases, "Tubular Bells" was not included in the other music selections. In later releases, the song title and artist's names are featured in the end credits. This information was printed in his biography booklet that came with his 4 CD set.

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... William Friedkin (born August 29, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois) is an Academy Award-winning American movie and television director, producer and screenwriter best known for directing The Exorcist and The French Connection in the early 1970s. ... William Peter Blatty (born January 7, 1928) is an American writer. ... Captain Howdy is the name popularly associated with the white faced demon featured in several nearly subliminal shots (less than a second long but still consciously observable) in the 1973 horror film The Exorcist. ... Onibaba ) is a 1964 Japanese horror film, directed by Kaneto Shindo and starring Nobuko Otowa, Jitsuko Yoshimura and Kei Sato. ... Jack MacGowran Jack MacGowran, (October 13, 1918 - January 31, 1973) was an Irish-born character actor. ... Vasiliki Maliaros (born October 16, 1883 in Athens, Greece-died February 9, 1973 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA) was a woman who only appeared in one memorable acting role in The Exorcist as Father Karras Mother. ... Tridentine Rite refers to the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church as promulgated by the Council of Trent (December 13, 1545 till December 4, 1563). ... The Mass of Pope Paul VI is the liturgy of the Catholic Mass of the Roman Rite as revised after the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). ...  , (born April 10, 1929) is an Academy-Award nominated Swedish actor, known in particular for his collaboration with filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. ... For other uses, see Number of the Beast (disambiguation). ... is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Marc Germain as Mr. ... April Terri Winchell (born on January 4, 1960 in New York City, New York, USA) is an American actress, writer, voice actress, radio talk show host, and commentator living in the greater Los Angeles area. ... The Republic of Iraq is a Middle Eastern country in southwestern Asia encompassing the ancient region of Mesopotamia at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. ... Sinjar is a small town in northwestern Iraq near the Syrian border, with an estimate population in the 2006 census of about 39,875 residents [1]. The wall and other evidence at a huge mound in northeastern Syria known as Tell Hamoukar indicate a complex government dating back at least... Languages Kurdish Religions Predominantly Sunni Muslim also some Shia, Yazidism, Yarsan, Judaism, Christianity Related ethnic groups other Iranian peoples (Talysh Baluch Gilak Bakhtiari Persians) The Kurds are an ethnic group who consider themselves to be indigenous to a region often referred to as Kurdistan, an area which includes adjacent parts... The Yezidi or Yazidi (Kurdish; Êzidî) are adherents of a small Middle Eastern religion with ancient origins. ...

In popular culture

• Like many other horror movies, The Exorcist was spoofed in Scary Movie 2.
• In The Simpsons the famous "head spinning scene" was parodied twice by Maggie Simpson in the episode "Treehouse of Horror I","Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily and once by Homer Simpson in "Treehouse of Horror XVI".
• American death metal band Possessed recorded the song "The Exorcist" for their first album, Seven Churches. The song was inspired in part by the film, and includes the intro from Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells".

Scary Movie 2 is a 2001 American comedy film and is the second film of the Scary Movie franchise. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... For the singer-songwriter, see Maggie Simpson (musician). ... Treehouse of Horror (onscreen title: The Simpsons Halloween Special) was the first Halloween-themed episode of The Simpsons. ... Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily is the third episode of The Simpsons seventh season, which originally aired October 1, 1995. ... Homer Simpson is also a character in the book and film The Day of the Locust. ... Treehouse of Horror XVI is the fourth episode of the seventeenth season of The Simpsons, as well as the sixteenth Halloween episode. ... This article is about the musical genre. ... Possessed is a death metal band that formed in 1983 in El Sobrante, California. ... Seven Churches is Possesseds debut album, released in 1985. ...

References

29. http://www.snopes.com/business/hidden/popcorn.asp Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Village Voice is a New York City-based weekly newspaper featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ... The term box office can refer to either: A place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to a venue The amount of business a particular production, such as a movie or theatre show, does. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Tim Lucas is a film critic, novelist, blogger, and publisher/editor of the video review magazine Video Watchdog. ... The cover of Video Watchdogs first issue Video Watchdog is a film magazine started in 1990 by publisher/editor Tim Lucas and his wife Donna. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

30. http://www.csicop.org/si/9204/subliminal-perception.html

31. http://people.uleth.ca/~vokey/pdf/Submess.pdf

32. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9012094

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

The Exorcist

• Official site
• The Exorcist Fansite
• The Exorcist at the Internet Movie Database
• The Exorcist at Allmovie
• The Exorcist at Box Office Mojo
• The Haunted Boy of Cottage City: The Cold Hard Facts Behind the Story that Inspired The Exorcist, by Mark Opsasnick