I remember seeing this on Swedish TV sometime in the
middle of the 1990's, and i think i did something else, working
or something, and i only watched parts of it. What i do remember however
where the 2 scenes that made me feel very
uncomfortable, and these scenes where the ones that got stuck with me
also when re-watching this in September 2016.
Ouch, they hurt and i feel bad just thinking about them, forever stuck
in my head they are ... thanks, William Peter
Blatty, just like only a handful of similar scenes from the horror movies
i've seen in my life .... Suspiria, thanks Dario
Argento .... the knife into the eye scene in Chien Andalou, thanks Salvador
Dali & Luis Buñuel ....
So, even though this film is all over the place ....
sorry, Exorcist 3 lovers .... it has got some Undisputable Visual
Power
and if Blatty had been a more trained director this film could've been
one of the scariest of all time. And, not to be hated
by this films Legion of admirers, i must state that the Film Company
probably ruined the chances of this and had bad
re-filming done and new scenes forced in. They even forced the Exorcist
tie-in on Blatty, who wanted to do Legion.
What i don't like: The growling demon sounds on the soundtrack all from
the begining, not very subtle, the forever going
on scenes with Brad Fourif/Jason Miller in the asylum cell (and yes,
Dourif is good i know) and the stupid exorcism scene
at the end, and just a thought - if this demon has so strong psychokinetic
powers he can flung people high up in the air and
rip their limbs off, he still can't remove his own straitjacket shackles?
Well, what i liked: was the 2 scenes i mentioned above,
both very short but very effective. 1. The Old Lady
in the church,
the confession booth scene when this sweet old woman's voice changes
into something .... not of this earth. Yuck! Scary
and very disturbing, and for some strange reason this scene was very
short and with an abrupt ending, and it seems like
there has been cuts to the following murder of the priest. Why would
the film company or Blatty cut this? And,
2. No surprise here, the Legendary Hospital
Corridor scene with the nurse, Yuck again, it only last for
seconds but ...
Also, i liked the extremely dark and disturbing atmosphere
that pervaded this whole movie. And, the OLD WOMEN,
the nasty lady in the church and our own Viveca Lindfors at the end
as a demented old woman and a killer nurse.
Oh, yes, the long dream scene was pretty outstanding also, if not scary
but funny, with i.a. model Fabio in it.
The Story:
Police inspector Bill Kinderman (George C. Scott) is
investigating some strange and very brutal killings. A young boy
has been found crucified, with his head chopped off and with a statue
of christ forced down in the place of his head.
His friend, the priest Joe (Ed Flanders) is found dead in his hospital
room emptied of all his blood. Some signs tell
Kinderman that the murder is the Gemini Killer, but he was executed
15 years earlier, so ...?
In a locked security ward a mental patient (Brad Dourif and Jason Miller)
has got some spectacular psychokinetic
powers .... and there are a lot of religios mumbo jumbo and Samuel L.
Jackson can be seen in a dream scene too
This Blu-ray in anamorphic widescreen 1.78:1 with an
english audio DTS-HD MA 5.1 with english subtitles and with
only a trailer as extra. There's a digital download opportunity included
also (use the code inside the sleeve)
