Your mother ranks films in hell…
As a Catholic kid, The Exorcist held some kind of strange power over me and my friends at school. As it was still banned until 1999, we couldn’t have watched it even if we wanted to, and there was no internet to speak of in South Yorkshire in the ’90s, so everything we knew of The Exorcist was rumour and hearsay. Stories of people passing out in the cinema. Paramedics camped out at multiplexes. Crucifixes, spinning heads and demons. It was intoxicating. It was probably inevitable then that when I finally saw William Friedkin’s masterpiece I was to be underwhelmed. As a child raised on A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Evil Dead, The Exorcist felt a little tame, especially as I had started to discover more transgressive films like Cannibal Holocaust and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the former of which being probably the most upsetting film ever made). But something kept me going back to The Exorcist, and over the years it has retained its place in my consciousness, to the point that Regan MacNeil and Father Karras are never far from my thoughts.
But what of the sequels? Aside from the prequel released in 2005, I knew nothing of them. And so, with the nights drawing in and Halloween fast approaching, autumn 2023 felt like the perfect time to become acquainted with the other films in the The Exorcist franchise. Let’s dive in…
4. Exorcist: The Beginning / Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2004)
Weird story for this one. The studio hated Paul Schrader’s original cut of Exorcist: The Beginning so much that they brought in Renny Harlin to add in more scares and more gore. After the final product was critically panned, Schrader persuaded the studio to release his version… which was also panned. The fact that we have two completely different versions of the same movie and neither of them is very good is a truly bizarre situation.
For my money, despite Schrader’s undoubted pedigree, Harlin’s version is actually superior. They are both overly long and overly tedious, but Harlin’s version is at least unsettling in places, and it feels closer to the other films in the franchise. In the end, both of these movies feel like a non-event but if you’re going to watch one of them, make it Harlin’s version.
3. Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
Many people may be surprised to discover that The Exorcist had a direct sequel at all, such is the lack of attention paid to this abject failure since its release in 1977. Before I lay into Exorcist II: The Heretic, however, let me first acknowledge the fact that there is some serious talent involved in this movie. Linda Blair and Kitty Winn return from the first film as Regan and Sharon respectively, and they are joined by Richard Burton, Louise Fletcher (playing the inverse of her despicable character in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Ned Beatty and James Earl Jones. When taking into account that we also have John Boorman (Deliverance) behind the camera and an original score from the legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone it is quite astonishing just how bad this movie is. But by God, is it bad.
Blair tries her best and provides the film’s few competent moments, but Burton looks utterly lost throughout, not helped by an incomprehensible and frankly racist screenplay that takes in African tribes, plagues of locusts and a ludicrous hypnosis machine.
When judged against the original, Exorcist II must go down as one of the worst sequels of all time. It renders the sacrifices of Merrin and Karras pointless, it contradicts numerous moments from the original, and worst of all, it sexualises the 17-year-old Linda Blair in a way that is genuinely uncomfortable. When judged on its own merits it isn’t much better, but at least it does have some so-bad-its-good-moments, and this ensures that while it is fucking terrible, it often avoids being fucking boring as well. If that’s the only thing a film has going for it, however, I think we can safely say that that film shouldn’t exist. The power of Christ compels me to confirm that this film is rotten.
3. The Exorcist: Believer (2023)
It’s a testament to how bad the The Exorcist sequels are that this film is the third best despite being utterly terrible.
Read my full review here.
2. The Exorcist III (1990)
After the horrorshow that was Exorcist II, it’s pretty bizarre that The Exorcist III landed 23 years later, and it’s even more bizarre how much talent was involved in this threequel. William Peter Blatty, the author of the original book and screenplay, takes over directing duties, and he is not the only familiar face. Detective Kinderman and Father Dyer from the first film, albeit played by new actors (George C. Scott and Ed Flanders respectively), Jason Miller makes a sensational return as Father Karras and even the original score makes a brief appearance. All this talent results in a film that is endearingly odd, and Blatty’s screenplay is genuinely unique and enjoyable. Infamously, The Exorcist III also features one of horror’s most notorious jump scares, and it is a doozy. Search it up on YouTube if you don’t want to sit through the entire film, you won’t be disappointed. The final exorcism scene, forced on Blatty by the producers, is unnecessary, but up until that point, The Exorcist III is a solid sequel. Oh, and it also features a wonderful central performance from horror legend Brad Dourif complete with an overt reference to the Child’s Play franchise. Horror nerd heaven.
1. The Exorcist (1973)
In 1973, The Exorcist kicked off a run of horror films that would take in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Jaws (1975), Carrie (1976), Suspiria (1977), Halloween (1978), Alien (1979), The Shining (1980), The Evil Dead (1981) and The Thing (1982). That ten-year period would go on to define the horror genre for the next fifty years. And yet, The Exorcist might just be the best of the lot. Linda Blair’s heart-wrenching turn as Regan should have earned her an Oscar, but the supporting cast is incredible across the board. Ellen Burstyn is convincingly beleaguered as Regan’s mother, but it is Jason Miller as Karras who really shines. What a performance. And that’s without mentioning Max von Sydow or Lee J. Cobb. An astonishing array of talent.
Aside from the acting, The Exorcist features incredible practical effects, some stunning cinematography and editing, and of course, Mike Oldfield’s haunting score. The great thing about William Peter Blatty’s book, and therefore his script for this film, is that each character is utterly fascinating in their own way. Karras, Merrin and Kinderman could all be the central character here and the film would be just as compelling, just as captivating.
Quite simply, The Exorcist is one of the greatest films ever made. A true work of genius.
Bonus: The Fear of God
Mark Kermode has always been The Exorcist’s biggest champion, and so, it makes sense that he is also the man to have created the definitive documentary on the subject. Made for the BBC in 1998 to celebrate 25 years since the film was released, The Fear of God reunites the entire cast and crew for an exhaustive run-through of the genesis of the film, maverick director William Friedkin’s vision, and the conflict he enjoyed with writer William Peter Blatty. As with many classic films, it appears the director put his cast through hell, but everyone seems delighted with the final product, and it is enlightening to hear some of the fascinating stories from behind the camera on one of the most iconic horror films ever made.
The Exorcist sequels won’t be for everyone, but I highly recommend this documentary to everyone who enjoyed the original movie. Grab it on BBC iPlayer while you still can.