A police lieutenant in Georgetown mourns the anniversary of a priest’s death as a serial killer strikes.
Who’d of thought that after the abysmal feature that was “Exorcist II: The Heretic”, a film so bad it was laughed off screen at it’s own premiere, there would be a third entry in the franchise. I was honestly shocked when I heard there was a third instalment but curiosity got the better of me and I’m so glad it did or else I wouldn’t have witnessed one of the greatest horror/thrillers of the 90’s!
Now I’m sure we all had our reservations about the film and those doubts were well supported by the atrocity of “Exorcist II: The Heretic”, Who knew things could be turned around so well. Bringing William Peter Blatty in to direct was a gamble but who better to to do the book justice than the guy who wrote it (Originally William Friedkin was set to direct but he lost interest, William Peter Blatty also offered directorial responsibilities to John Carpenter, Carpenter turned him down), Kudos to him for doing a great job, just imagine what he could’ve done alongside William Friedkin if talks had gone through for the second feature. It’s a shame that Blatty never directed again, he created one of my favourite films, hey it was even the favourite film of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.
William Peter Blatty actually came up with the idea for the movie right after the success of “The Exorcist”, deciding to set it in a hospital after hearing about a priest who entered a health facility without his surplices and caused havoc among the patients. Since he could not convince director William Friedkin’ to film that story, he went to write a book about it, which was to become “Legion”. The book featured no exorcisms whatsoever which concerned the studio, after principal photography was completed the producers determined that additional scenes needed to be written and then added into the film in order to made it a more recognizable sequel. The last third of the movie had to be entirely redone, with the insertion of a new character and an exorcism scene that added an extra $4 million dollars to the budget.
I can’t talk about this movie without mentioning a few of my favourite scenes. The part where the old lady walks across the ceiling was burned in my brain for many years, you have no idea what effect that can have on a person visiting a relative in a care home. Also who can forget the infamous scene of the nurse being murdered in the hallway, that one can play with your head in a hospital (Hmmmm maybe this film affected me more than I think?!) and one of my all time favourite scenes in any movie, the face off between Father Damien Karras and The Gemini Killer, played by the amazing Brad Dourif. Dourif is a very talented man but his true talent lays within characters who are completely crazy and The Gemini Killer is one of his best performances (The Gemini Killer character was inspired by the real-life serial killer, “The Zodiac.”).
Unfortunately there is footage from the film we will never see, not even in any future release. William Peter Blatty had hoped to recover the deleted footage from the Morgan Creek vaults so that he might re-assemble the original cut of the film which he said was “rather different” from what was released. Unfortunately for all of who had been clamouring for the footage, it was never found. In 2007, Blatty’s wife stated the following: “My husband tells me that it is Morgan Creek’s claim that they have lost all the footage, including an alternate opening scene in which Kinderman views the body of Karras in the morgue, right after his fall down the steps. What a shame.”
The film is very close to being as amazing as “The Exorcist”, close but no cigar. It is a truly hypnotic film that will demand your attention from the get go and never lets go till the credits roll, a rarity in today’s films. I class this as a must-see film and if like many people you never watched it because of “Exorcist II: The Heretic” then I plead you give this a chance, I’m sure you’ll be very surprised!
Miscellaneous facts about the film:
The film features cameos from Samuel L. Jackson as a blind man in the dream sequence butis voice is dubbed for his one line. We also have Larry King as himself and Patrick Ewing and Fabio: as angels
William Peter Blatty wanted the film to be titled simply “Legion”, just like his novel of the same name. The producers, however, wanted the title to be “The Exorcist III” for commercial reasons. Blatty even tried to convince them to alter it to “Exorcist 1990” in order to distance it from Exorcist II: The Heretic, which he despised, but had to settle for “Exorcist III” notwithstanding.
Asked how he is able to get in and out of jail without being seen, The Gemini Killer (Brad Dourif) replies: “It’s child’s play.” The camera cuts to a young, red-headed boy who looks a lot like the Chucky doll. Dourif provides the voice of Chucky in Child’s Play and its sequels.
The University President claims that his favourite movie is The Fly. Lee Richardson, the actor who plays him, starred in The Fly II.
The lines recited by the Gemini Killer in the cell (“Death be not proud…”) are from a poem by John Donne.
Some lobby cards show scenes that were cut from the film, such as a scene with a beheaded Priest.
William Peter Blatty had to recast the central role of Lieutenant Kinderman as Lee J. Cobb, who played the part in The Exorcist, died in 1976. George C. Scott, who had never seen “The Exorcist”, signed up for the role after being impressed by Blatty’s “Legion” screenplay.
Ed Flanders was originally supposed to appear as the asylum warden, Dr. Temple, but assumed the role of Father Dyer as William O’Malley (who played the part in The Exorcist) was too busy to reprise the role.
Nicol Williamson, once considered by William Peter Blatty for the role of Colonel Vincent Kane in The Ninth Configuration, appears in this movie as Father Morning (a late addition to the film during production).
William Peter Blatty hand-picked Shakespearean-trained actor and Genie nominee Grand L. Bush to act opposite George C. Scott in the role of Sgt. Adkins.
Lines spoken by The Gemini Killer are used as the intro to the ‘Children of Bodom’ songs ‘Follow the Reaper’ and ‘Taste of My Scythe’. The ‘Cryptopsy’ song ‘Crown of Horns’ also employs a roar and dialogue heard in Cell 11.
Colleen Dewhurst, who was married to George C. Scott, was the voice of Father Kanavan’s killer but went uncredited.
Nicol Williamson (who plays Father Morning) is mentioned in William Peter Blatty’s original novel ‘Legion’ which was adapted for this movie.
In addition to the demand of an exorcism scene to be included at the ending, the producers also wanted an actor from the first movie to be part of “The Exorcist III”. Jason Miller, who had played Father Karras in the first movie and was unavailable to shoot “The Exorcist III” when principal photography started, was called to shoot a few scenes as “Patient X”. In order not to remove the work that had already been done by Brad Dourif in that role, director William Peter Blatty decided to use footage of both actors. Thus, Jason Miller can be seen as Patient X when he’s manifesting the Karras personality, and Brad Dourif can be seen when he’s conveying the Gemini Killer personality.
Father Dyer’s joke about being addicted to lemon drops is actually present in “The Exorcist” novel, not in “Legion”, in which this movie is based. Also, the inscription in Father Morning’s room (“What we give to the poor is what we take with us when we die”) can be read in Father Merrin’s wallet in “The Exorcist” novel. Lt. Kinderman’s rants about having a carp in his bathtub that won’t allow him to bath can be read in both “The Exorcist” and “Legion”.
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I got to check this one out!