The Exorcist (1973)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

William Friedkin

Writers:

William Peter Blatty (screenplay)
William Peter Blatty (novel)

Release Date:

26 December 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Something beyond comprehension is happening to a little girl on this street, in this house. A man has been called for as a last resort to try and save her. That man is The Exorcist.

Plot:

When a teenager is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter.

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Actress | Faith | Washington D.C. | Psychiatrist

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Ellen Burstyn	...	Chris MacNeil
Max von Sydow	...	Father Merrin
Lee J. Cobb	...	Lt. Kinderman
Kitty Winn	...	Sharon
Jack MacGowran	...	Burke Dennings
Jason Miller	...	Father Karras
Linda Blair	...	Regan
Reverend William O'Malley	...	Father Dyer (as Reverend William O'Malley S.J.)
Barton Heyman	...	Dr. Klein
Peter Masterson	...	Dr. Barringer, Clinic Director (as Pete Masterson)
Rudolf Schündler	...	Karl
Gina Petrushka	...	Willi
Robert Symonds	...	Dr. Taney
Arthur Storch	...	Psychiatrist
Reverend Thomas Bermingham	...	Tom, President of University (as Reverend Thomas Bermingham S.J.)
Vasiliki Maliaros	...	Karras' Mother
Titos Vandis	...	Karras' Uncle
Wallace Rooney	...	Bishop Michael
Ron Faber	...	Chuck, Assistant Director / Demonic Voice
Donna Mitchell	...	Mary Jo Perrin
Roy Cooper	...	Jesuit Dean
Robert Gerringer	...	Senator at Party
Mercedes McCambridge	...	Demon (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Peter Blatty	...	Producer (uncredited)
Mary Boylan	...	First Mental Patient (uncredited)
Richard Callinan	...	Astronaut (uncredited)
Mason Curry	...	(voice) (uncredited)
Eileen Dietz	...	Pazuzu's Face (uncredited)
Yvonne Jones	...	Bellevue Nurse (uncredited)
John Mahon	...	Language Lab Director (uncredited)
Reverend John Nicola	...	Priest (uncredited)
Vincent Russell	...	Subway Vagrant (uncredited)

Directed by
William Friedkin

Writing credits
William Peter Blatty		(screenplay)
William Peter Blatty		(novel "The Exorcist")

Produced by
William Peter Blatty	....	producer
Noel Marshall	....	executive producer
David Salven	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Steve Boeddeker		(2000)

Cinematography by
Owen Roizman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Norman Gay
Evan A. Lottman		(as Evan Lottman)

Casting by
Louis DiGiaimo		(as Louis DiGiamo)
Nessa Hyams
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by
Bill Malley

Set Decoration by
Jerry Wunderlich

Costume Design by
Joseph Fretwell III		(as Joe Fretwell)

Makeup Department
William A. Farley	....	hair stylist (as Bill Farley)
Dick Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
William Kaplan	....	production manager: Iraq sequence

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Terence A. Donnelly	....	first assistant director
Alan R. Green	....	second assistant director (as Alan Green)

Art Department
Charles Bailey	....	assistant art director
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	property master (as Joe Caracciolo)
Edward Garzero	....	master scenic artist (as Eddie Garzero)
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Randle Akerson	....	dialogue editor (2000 re-release)
Randle Akerson	....	sound editor (2000 re-release)
Noah Blough	....	sound editor (2000 re-release)
Andrew Bock	....	assistant sound editor: 2000 rerelease
Steve Boeddeker	....	sound designer: theatrical re-release
Fred J. Brown	....	sound effects editor (as Fred Brown)
Richard Burton	....	sound editor (2000 re-release)
Susan Demskey	....	first assistant sound editor (2000 re-release) (as Susan Demskey-Horiuchi)
Matthew Dettmann	....	foley artist (2000 re-release) (as Matt Dettmann)
Richard Duarte	....	foley mixer (2000 re-release)
Jean-Louis Ducarme	....	sound: Iraq sequence
Bob Fine	....	special sound effects
Dana LeBlanc Frankley	....	adr assistant (2000 release) (as Dana LeBlanc)
Gonzalo Gavira	....	special sound effects
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (2000 re-release) (as Gary Hecker)
David C. Hughes	....	sound effects editor: re-release
Richard King	....	supervising sound editor (2000 re-release)
Robert Knudson	....	dubbing mixer (as Buzz Knudson)
Hal Landaker	....	sound consultant
James Matheny	....	sound editor (2000 re-release)
Ron Nagel	....	special sound effects (as Ron Nagle)
Christopher Newman	....	sound (as Chris Newman)
Timothy Nielsen	....	sound effects editor: re-release
Mark Pappas	....	foley editor (2000 re-release)
Mark Pappas	....	sound editor (2000 re-release)
Gary Rizzo	....	sound re-recording mixer (2000 special edition)
Doc Siegel	....	special sound effects
Donald Sylvester	....	sound editor: 2000 rerelease
Ross Taylor	....	sound effects editor
Robert Ulrich	....	adr supervisor (2000 re-release)
Robert Ulrich	....	supervising adr editor (2000 re-release)
Kerry Dean Williams	....	adr editor (2000 re-release) (as Kerry Williams)
Linda Yeaney	....	first assistant sound editor: 2000 rerelease
Sean England	....	machine room operator: 2000 re-release (uncredited)
Sharron Miller	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer (2000 re-release) (uncredited)
Ken Nordine	....	special sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Marcel Vercoutere	....	special effects
Rick Baker	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	2000 special edition digital effects artist: Pacific Title Digital
Marv Ystrom	....	optical effects
Martin Hall	....	paint/roto artist (uncredited)
Matt Linder	....	digital compositor: restoration (uncredited)

Stunts
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Linda R. Hager	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Chuck Waters	....	stunts: Jason Miller (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Quinlan	....	gaffer (as Dick Quinlan)
Ed Quinn	....	key grip (as Eddie Quinn)
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer
Billy Williams	....	director of photography: Iraq sequence
Gary Muller	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Kelvin Pike	....	camera operator: iraq sequence (uncredited)
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Robert Schoenhut	....	camera operator (uncredited)
David Wynn-Jones	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bill Beattie	....	wardrobe: men
Aldo Cipullo	....	jewelry designer: Cartier, New York
Florence Foy	....	wardrobe: women

Editorial Department
John C. Broderick	....	supervising editor (as Jordan Leondopoulos)
Michael Goldman	....	assistant editor
Terry Haggar	....	color timer (special edition)
Ross Levy	....	assistant editor: Iraq sequence
Craig McKay	....	assistant editor
Bob McMillian	....	color consultant (as Robert M. McMillian)
Darrin Navarro	....	assistant editor (theatrical re-release)
Jonathan Pontell	....	assistant editor
Ray Sabo	....	negative cutter (special edition)
Bud S. Smith	....	editor: Iraq sequence (as Bud Smith)

Music Department
Robert Garrett	....	music editor (2000 re-release)
Eugene Marks	....	music editor (as Gene Marks)
Jack Nitzsche	....	composer: additional music
Ken Nordine	....	vocal coach: Linda Blair (uncredited)

Other crew
Reverend Thomas Bermingham	....	technical advisor (as Reverend Thomas Bermingham S.J.)
Norman E. Chase M.D.	....	technical advisor: Professor of Radiology, New York University Medical Center
Anne Mooney	....	production office coordinator
Reverend John Nicola	....	technical advisor (as Reverend John Nicola S.J.)
Reverend William O'Malley	....	technical advisor (as Reverend William O'Malley S.J.)
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Nicholas Sgarro	....	script supervisor (as Nick Sgarro)
Albert M. Shapiro	....	administrative assistant (as Albert Shapiro)
Arthur I. Snyder M.D.	....	technical advisor
Herbert E. Walker M.D.	....	technical advisor
Eileen Dietz	....	double: Regan MacNeil (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hoya Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Varus Video (19??) (Russia) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (2000) (USA) (theatrical) (director's cut)
• Warner Bros. (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical) (director's cut)
• Warner Bros. (2001) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1998) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (director's cut)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Switzerland) (DVD) (director's cut)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS) (director's cut)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Sogefilms A.I.E. (2001) (Spain) (theatrical) (director's cut)

Special Effects

• Pacific Title (additional visual effects) (special edition)

Other Companies

• Révillon  furs
• Cartier  jewelry

Also Known As:

The Exorcist 2000 (Australia) (cable TV title)
The Exorcist: The Version You Haven't Seen Yet (USA) (recut version)
The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen (USA) (promotional title)
William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist (USA) (reissue title)
El exorcista (Argentina) (director's cut) (Spain) [es]
O Exorcista (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
хГЦНМЪЧЫХИ ДЭЪБНКЮ (Soviet Union: Russian title) [ru]
Ördögüzö (Hungary) [hu]
Der Exorzist (West Germany) [de]
Der Exorzist - Director's Cut (Germany) (director's cut) [de]
Der Exorzist - die neue Fassung (Germany) (video title (director's cut)) [de]
Egzorcysta (Poland) [pl]
Eksorcisten (Denmark) [da]
Exorcisten (Sweden) [sv]
Exorsisten (Norway) (DVD title) [no]
L'esorcista (Italy) [it]
L'exorciste (France) [fr]
L'exorciste - version intégrale (France) (director's cut) [fr]
L'exorciste 2000 (Canada: French title) [fr]
Manaaja (Finland) [fi]
O exorkistis (Greece) [el]
Seytan (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Vymýtac dábla (Czech Republic) (restored version) [cs]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and disturbing images. (edited version in 2000)

Runtime:

122 min | 132 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Latin | Greek | French | German | Arabic

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (1979 re-release) | DTS-ES (director's cut) | Dolby Digital EX (director's cut) | Mono (original release) | SDDS (director's cut)

Certification:

Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1998) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:R (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Malaysia:(Banned) | UK:(Banned) (original rating) | Italy:VM14 (director's cut) | Australia:MA (TV rating) | Brazil:14 | Singapore:(Banned) (original rating) | Singapore:R(A) (re-rating) (cut) | Canada:14A (re-rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:18 (original rating) | Canada:R (video rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (2000 re-release) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) (2000 re-release) | Canada:AA (Ontario) (2000 re-release) | Canada:R (Manitoba) (also 2000 version) | Chile:14 (re-rating) (2000) | Chile:18 (original rating) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 (director's cut) | France:-16 (original rating) | Germany:16 (bw) (2001 re-release) | Hong Kong:IIB | Hungary:18 | Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | Israel:18 | Italy:VM14 (re-release) | Mexico:C | Netherlands:16 (director's cut) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 (2000) | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 (video rating) (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (re-rating) (1990) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:18 (bw)

Filming Locations:

3600 Prospect Avenue, Georgetown, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Company:

Hoya Productions

Trivia:

Stanley Kubrick wanted to direct the film, but only if he could produce it himself. As the studio was worried that he would go over budget and over schedule, it eventually settled on Mark Rydell, but William Peter Blatty insisted on William Friedkin instead. After a standoff with the studio, which initially refused to budge over Rydell, Blatty eventually got his way.

Goofs:

Continuity: The final scene when the family is driving off in the black Mercedes, the badge naming the type of Mercedes changes from Sxxx to a longer German word.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Boy: [in Iraqi language] They've found something... small pieces.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Biography: Satan: Prince of Darkness" (????)

Soundtrack:

Study No. 2

Review of The Exorcist.

For as long as I can recall, I've always possessed (no pun intended) an innate feeling that there exists outside the realm of our established dogma things that defy conventional logic. When I was in the sixth grade, I read the book, "The Exorcist," which scared me senseless. The idea that the Devil could infiltrate the delicate core of one's being called a soul absolutely terrified me at such a young age. After seeing the movie, I was speechless. Have been ever since. William Friedkin's transformation of the book to the movie was superb, in my opinion. (Not all adaptations are.) Dick Smith's special effects, in contrast to today's make-up advancements in the film industry, are still able to stand the test of time. The acting was splendid, from Lee J. Cobb & Jason Miller, to Ellen Burstyn and Max von Sydow's limited appearance in the piece. Friedkin's slice-of-life direction enhances the essence of the fear-factor in an oddly subtle fashion, as though the viewer were actually alongside the characters in the film. Lending to the creepiness of the film is the fact that there exists a minimal musical score (Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" does accompany two nuns strolling gingerly down a Georgetown street in autumn, their robes billowing slightly in the wind). The palpability of what happens to a young Linda Blair has astounded me for over three decades. Having been so taken with the notion that inhuman entities DO stalk the earth and have never existed in human form, I've written a couple of novels on the subject matter, myself. I liken the new version that had been released a few years ago to the last nail in the proverbial coffin of effectiveness, making this one of the best horror-genre films of all time. Simply put: I've never seen any film that remotely comes close to what this movie has done to me (in terms of frightening me senseless). Linda Blair's cute Regan MacNeil is utterly transformed into a beast which is flat-out disturbing to behold. The movie has moved me ever since I had seen it at age fourteen, and I suspect will always. Put simply, at age forty-three I still have a difficult time watching it on my own. Great job, Mr. Friedkin and crew!