Very good sequel retains the high standard Blatty's original screenplay set! In going through the original 'Exorcist' trilogy (I have the DVD 6-pack, with the two versions of the remarkable original, as well as the two recent prequels, so far unwatched), I was intrigued of seeing Oscar-winning writer William Peter Blatty's second stint behind the camera (for the record, I adored his 'The Ninth Configuration', done a decade prior), especially for the franchise that became his bread-and-butter (though I loved two films he earlier had co-wrote: 'A Shot in the Dark' and 'The Omega Man'). He once again does quite a credible job--both with the writing and in helming the picture. To me, it didn't matter much that Linda Blair wasn't involved--I like how it became a search for an already-dead serial killer--and I have been a great fan of George C. Scott in genre films since the likes of 'Dr. Strangelove' and 'The Changeling'. The scares and shocks were genuine, and the suspense and interest were there. It made me wish that even more sequels had been made, it was THAT good.
What's good in this film we can attribute to William Peter Blatty's script and direction and to the casting, especially Brad Dourif and George C. Scott; what's bad, to Executive Meddling – in particular the last minute exorcism performed by a last minute priest; it says a lot that Burton's Father Lamont from Exorcist II: The Heretic is more memorable than Nicol Williamson's Father Morning. Unlike The Heretic, III looks and feels – except for a bizarre dream sequence featuring cameos by Fabio and Patrick Ewing as angels – like it belongs in the same world as The Exorcist; that is to say, it knows the words and the music. There are haunting visuals that stay with you long after the film is over (the crucifix opening its eyes, the old woman crawling on the ceiling, Scott's daughter's near decapitation). At the same time, the film has a sense of humor that I would call shakespearean; Father Joseph Dyer (Ed Flanders), whose dialogue includes a reference to Mel Brooks's Spaceballs, is akin to the gravedigger in Hamlet or the porter in Macbeth. What bothers me about III is the same that troubles me about The Heretic – though to a much lesser degree –, and it's the 'how.' Specifically, how Patient X, alias Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), ends up in a cell in a hospital's psychiatric ward for the past 15 years. It's a good thing that Blatty decided to have X played by both Miller and Dourif – more so the latter than the former –, because Dourif, as James 'The Gemini Killer' Venamun, has a long, expository, loose-end-tying monologue which proves that sometimes you can indeed polish a turd; it doesn't, even after allowing for supernatural intervention, make a lick of sense (the corpse of a beloved local priest bursts out of his "cheap little coffin" and goes missing, and no one is the wiser? Yeah, right), but it's all in the delivery. Dourif turns in a blood-curdling, bone-chilling campfire tale (at one point he even briefly reflects "is this true?", as if he finds it hard to swallow himself). Now, I'm not saying Miller couldn't have done this, but in retrospect I don't see how he or anyone else could have; I only know Dourif did it because I watched him do it in a movie-stealing performance that doubled the considerable respect I already had for him and his craft.
This was the best sequel to The Exorcist they made, and that isn't really saying much. The second one was horrible and the ones that followed were horrible. In fact, I think they were so bad it was instantly remade. But, this one was decent, it felt the most like an actual sequel to the Exorcist, it was unsettling, it was intelligent, it was pretty memorable in its own way. But it still was a bit too much, not underplayed enough to really feel like the one that started it all. And, honestly, compared to what we have in the theaters today it is a great film
Dennis Rosen disappeared on September 19th, 2020, while filming an episode for his urban exploration channel 'Dennis the explorer'. He was exploring Darkbluff, Maryland, a town that authorities discovered abandoned during their search for Dennis. They also discovered a camera. This footage was on that camera.
Movie Star Rating : 7.8 Read More
After three British women went missing from a motel in California, detectives are on the hunt for the cryptic killer but will they find him in time before he strikes again.
Movie Star Rating : 0 Read More
An elderly, venerable priest goes over the side of the Golden Gate Bridge and everyone except his nurse, Sister Benecia, believes that it was suicide. Sister Benecia finally manages to convince the police department to assign a detective, the cynical, irascible Paul Silver, to investigate. The "Mad Nun" and the "Mad Cop" become a formidable investigative team - and much, much more.
Movie Star Rating : 8 Read More
A young girl is possessed by a demon and her terrified mother enlists the help of the family doctor and a wise priest.
Movie Star Rating : 5 Read More
In 1950s Los Angeles, a special crime squad of the LAPD investigates the murder of a young woman.
Movie Star Rating : 5.9 Read More
A series of murders has shaken the community to the point where people believe that only a legendary creature from dark times – the mythical Golem – must be responsible.
Movie Star Rating : 6.2 Read More
Having lived through traumatizing events during WWII, Father Lankester Merrin takes a sabbatical from the Church to conduct archaeological excavations in British-administered East Africa. Merrin unearths an ancient Byzantine church believed have been built and then immediately buried to keep down evil from the crypt below. The natives are convinced that uncovering the church has unleashed a demon, and begin to violently clash with the British military troops. As the village rapidly disintegrates into chaos and war, Merrin must face-off with the demon which has taken possession of somebody close to him.
Movie Star Rating : 5.4 Read More
Remy McSwain is a New Orleans police lieutenant who investigates the murder of a local mobster. His investigation leads him to suspect that fellow members of the police force may be involved.
Movie Star Rating : 6.3 Read More
An FBI agent tracks a serial killer with the help of three of his would-be victims - all of whom have wildly different stories to tell.
Movie Star Rating : 6 Read More
After receiving bad news, Natalia, a young novice, returns home, where her sister Ángela asks her to travel with her and her friends to a mysterious place.
Movie Star Rating : 6.1 Read More
A Tribe Called Judah 2023 - Movies (Apr 19th)
Blood for Dust 2023 - Movies (Apr 19th)
Rebel Moon - Part Two The Scargiver 2024 - Movies (Apr 19th)
Asphalt City 2023 - Movies (Apr 19th)
Late Night with the Devil 2023 - Movies (Apr 19th)
Problemista 2023 - Movies (Apr 19th)
Ghostbusters Frozen Empire 2024 - Movies (Apr 19th)
The Christmas Break 2023 - Movies (Apr 19th)
The Christmas Detective 2023 - Movies (Apr 19th)
Meet Me in Paris 2023 - Movies (Apr 18th)
Never Alone For Christmas 2023 - Movies (Apr 18th)
Peppermint and Postcards 2023 - Movies (Apr 18th)
The Braid 2023 - Movies (Apr 18th)
A Royal Christmas Surprise 2023 - Movies (Apr 18th)
Civil War 2024 - Movies (Apr 18th)
The First Omen 2024 - Movies (Apr 18th)
All You Need Is Death 2023 - Movies (Apr 17th)
The Dive 2023 - Movies (Apr 17th)
Bad Hombres 2024 - Movies (Apr 17th)
Immaculate 2024 - Movies (Apr 16th)
An American Bombing The Road to April 19th 2024 - Movies (Apr 17th)
The ReidOut - (Apr 20th)
All In with Chris Hayes - (Apr 20th)
The Price Is Right - (Apr 20th)
S.W.A.T. - (Apr 20th)
Gold Rush- White Water - (Apr 20th)
Lets Make a Deal - (Apr 20th)
The Bold and the Beautiful - (Apr 20th)
The Talk - (Apr 20th)
MSNBC Reports Andrea Mitchell Reports - (Apr 20th)
Deadline- White House - (Apr 20th)
The Beat with Ari Melber - (Apr 20th)
This Old House - (Apr 20th)
Lovers and Liars - (Apr 19th)
The Kelly Clarkson Show - (Apr 19th)
Beyond Paradise - (Apr 19th)
So Help Me Todd - (Apr 19th)
Bargain Hunt - (Apr 19th)
The Spiderwick Chronicles - (Apr 19th)
Passenger - (Apr 19th)
After Midnight - (Apr 19th)