The Exorcist

The Exorcist is an influential and successful 1973 horror film, adapted by William Peter Blatty from his 1971 novel of the same name.

Sequels

John Boorman's poorly-received ' was released in 1977.

Related Topics:
John Boorman - 1977

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1990's more successful The Exorcist III, 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 the previous sequel and presented a satisfying conclusion to the story after 15 years.

Related Topics:
1990 - The Exorcist III - 1983 - Legion

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

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A prequel, ' (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 died during the film's early casting.

Related Topics:
John Frankenheimer - William Wisher - Caleb Carr

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Paul Schrader was hired to replace Frankenheimer. He filmed a version called The Exorcist: Dominion (later retitled '), 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."http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050501/REVIEWS/50412001/1023

Related Topics:
Paul Schrader - Stellan Skarsgård - Roger Ebert - Horror film

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Schrader was replaced by Renny Harlin. He brought on a new cast, keeping only Skarsgård, while 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."http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/02/movies/02exor.html

Related Topics:
Renny Harlin - Alexi Hawley - New York Times

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Harlin's version was not widely screened for critics (and was generally panned by those critics who did see 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."

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Harlin's version did disappointing business, grossing about $40Million (the budget was about $30Million for Schrader's unreleased version, and another $50Million for Harlin's).

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Schrader's version was ultimately given a limited release, opening the same weekend as "Star Wars: Episode Three". The film was renamed "Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist" and will be released as a seperate DVD on October 25th, 2005. While general reaction to the film has been negative, most reviewers have considered it superior to the Renny Harlin version.

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