No, THIS is pure evil:
The devil is sooo taking notes.
Posted on 08/12/2004 5:59:12 PM PDT by missyme
Did the Classic Horror Flick Haunt More Than Just the Audience?
When The Exorcist was released late in 1973, it sparked a visceral reaction from the public--literally. There were reports of people vomiting from the fright of a story about a young girl possessed by a demon.
The movie went on to become a massive hit, but few of those who flocked to the film knew about its grueling, nearly yearlong shoot or the tragedies that befell some of the cast and crew. Misfortune also followed the movie's sequels, leading some to wonder: Was there a curse on The Exorcist?
As its prequel, Exorcist: The Beginning, makes its way to theaters, E! delves into the mystery with a new E! True Hollywood Story, premiering Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. We go behind the scenes of the controversial film and reveal just why some believe the movie was cursed.
Whether you buy into curses or not, one thing is indisputable: The filming of The Exorcist was tough on all concerned. From a director who liked to startle his cast to a 12-year-old actress spouting some truly disturbing dialogue to the infamous "pea soup" scene, few escaped the production unscathed.
Subsequent Exorcist films had their share of bad luck as well--although many critics believe that's a result of questionable filmmaking more than any curse. Still, the mystery surrounding the films remains.
Think you can turn heads with your Exorcist knowledge? Then take our devilishly designed quiz, and watch the the Story to find out more about The Exorcist.
I can't remember which one I saw, but whichever one it was in the series, it was not scary at all.
And I don't watch much scary stuff, so you think I would be freaked. But it was just not scary.
No, THIS is pure evil:
The devil is sooo taking notes.
"This movie looks awful."
Did you get a pre-screening?
The Excorist remains one of the greatest horror flicks ever - that, and Rosemary's Baby. Scary without blood and guts spewed everywhere.
It is hard to believe for some people, but in scary movies like this, there often is some REAL weird stuff that goes on....I guess the devil likes to make his presence known.
Now, now, let's not excoriate someone for a simple speling error...
Susane Sarandon did not play the mother of Megan? wasn't that her name it was another Actress I cannot think of her name??? The movie was based on a little girl in Maryland that was possesed by the devil I think it was sometime in the early 60's...
Please don't bring up that liberal argument.
I didn't say it WAS awful. I said it LOOKS awful.
Me too!
'The Exorcist': The Story Behind the Movie FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS
Last week, Straight Answers addressed the issues of diabolical possession and exorcism. Concerning both the book and the movie versions, The Exorcist was based on a true account of diabolical possession. One must remember that the book and especially the movie have certain sensational, "hollywoodesque" elements which are purely fictional.
The true story began in January 1949 and involved a 13-year-old boy named Robbie who lived with his parents and grandmother in Mt. Rainier, Maryland. Robbie was very close to his aunt who visited the family frequently from St. Louis, Missouri. She was a medium and attempted to communicate with the spirit world. Not only did she spark Robbie’s interest in this practice, she also taught him how to use the Ouija board.
Strange phenomena began happening on Jan. 10, 1949. The family heard scratching on the walls; however, exterminators found no evidence of pests of any kind. Objects moved by themselves: a table would turn over, a chair would move across the room, a vase would fly through the air, and a picture of Christ would shake. At night, Robbie felt scratching in his bed, and he suffered nightmares frequently.
After the aunt died suddenly on Jan. 26, Robbie continued to use the Ouija board to communicate with her and others. The strange phenomena also continued. Moreover, Robbie’s disposition changed — he become unsettled, agitated, and angry.
In February, his parents took Robbie to visit their Lutheran minister, Rev. Schulze. Being interested in parapsychology, he thought perhaps a poltergeist was tormenting the family. Pastor Schulze allowed Robbie to move into his house for observation for a couple of days. The minister witnessed chairs and other objects moving by themselves. After he saw the bed shake, he moved the mattress to the floor, where it glided along by itself. Pastor Schulze became suspicious of the presence of evil.
Upon Pastor Schulze’s recommendation, the family took Robbie to the Mental Hygiene Clinic of the University of Maryland for testing. After two rounds of testing, nothing abnormal was discovered. Pastor Schulze then advised the family to contact the local Catholic priest.
Robbie and his parents visited Father Hughes of St. James Catholic Church in Mt. Rainier. While interviewing Robbie, Father Hughes saw the telephone and other objects in his office move by themselves. Robbie also cast obscene and blasphemous remarks at him in a strange, diabolical voice. The room became eerily frigid. Father Hughes was convinced that Robbie was possessed. After reviewing the facts of the case and the medical evidence, Cardinal O’Boyle authorized an exorcism.
Robbie was admitted to Georgetown hospital, where Father Hughes began the ritual of exorcism. The boy became violent, with spitting and projectile vomiting. He cast obscenities and blasphemies at Father Hughes. Although restrained to the bed, Robbie broke loose and wrenched out a metal spring with which he slashed Father Hughes from his left shoulder to wrist. The wound required over 100 stitches to close it. Robbie seemed calm after this attack, not remembering the ordeal. He was then released and sent home.
The strange phenomena soon resumed at their home. One night, when Robbie was changing for bed, he screamed. A bloody word had been scratched on his chest, Louis. His mother asked if this meant, "St. Louis," and another bloody word appeared, yes.
Almost immediately, the family journeyed to visit their cousin in St. Louis, Missouri. The same strange phenomena began to happen. The cousin, a student at St. Louis University, talked with one of her priest professors, Father Bishop, S.J., about the situation. Father Bishop then contacted one of his close friends, Father Bowdern, S.J., pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church.
The two priests and a young Jesuit scholastic went to interview Robbie on March 9, 1949. They noticed bloody zig-zig scratches on his chest. They heard scraping sounds. They saw a large bookcase move and turn around by itself and a stool move across the floor. Robbie’s bed would shake as he lay on it. He hurled obscenities and blasphemies at them. The priests knew they were confronting evil.
They petitioned Cardinal Ritter for permission to perform an exorcism. After reviewing all of the evidence including medical and psychiatric exams, he granted permission on March 16.
As the priests began the Rite of Exorcism, Robbie became violent. He made howling and growling noises. The bed shook up and down. On his chest appeared bloody scratches with the words hell and devil, and even an image of Satan. Robbie spit at the priests as he hurled obscenities and blasphemies, with intermittent fiendish laughter.
For his own safety and for the family’s welfare, Robbie was then transferred to the Alexian Brothers Hospital and placed in the psychiatric ward. Father Bowdern, continued to perform the exorcism. With the family’s consent, Robbie was baptized a Catholic. When Father Bowdern tried to give him First Holy Communion, Robbie five times spit out the Sacred Host; they then paused to say the Rosary, and Robbie finally received the Holy Eucharist.
On April 18, Easter Monday, the exorcism came to a climax. As Father Bowdern continued the ritual, the demon recognized the presence of St. Michael the Archangel, and was expelled from Robbie. A sound like a gunshot was heard throughout the hospital. After this whole ordeal, Robbie remembered nothing of the diabolical phenomena, except the vision of St. Michael. Certainly, this story is frightening, but is nevertheless true.
So to answer the reader’s original questions, yes, the devil really can possess someone, and yes, the Church really does exorcisms. Be on guard! Stay away from anything dealing with the occult, including Ouija boards. Use the weapons of the holy arsenal that protect us from evil: pray, attend Mass, receive Holy Communion, live by the commandments and the teachings of the Church, and confess sins frequently. If we rely on this holy arsenal for God’s graces, we have no need to fear: the love of God will always triumph over evil.
I think your right...Linda Blair played in the Heretic later that with Richard Burton scarry too but not as bad...
she also has had some bad luck in her life...
Absolutely! I read the book, saw the movie. NOTHING has equalled it.
Had the opportunity to see the movie several years ago. Of course, given today's "special effects", it was no where near as scary; but given the time in which it was made, NOTHING has been as scary.
The Blob scared the liver out of me when I was a kid, up 'til when I saw The Haunting of Hill House.
The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby etc don't hold a candle.
I stayed up until 5 AM listening to the radio and playing my guitar! No way I could sleep.
A convenient way to explain her plunging into drug abuse.
Most boring movie I ever saw. The book was terrifying. I stayed up all night reading it, because I was afraid of turning off the light. I went to work the next day.
It was Ellen Burstyn. Susan Sarandon was only 27 in 1973. The book was based on a true story. The victim was a 14-year-old Lutheran boy from Mount Rainier, Md. He became a Catholic during the exorcism, which took about six months. He had an aunt who was into spiritualism, Ouija, etc., who died shortly before the strange events began.
Or, "Pigs in the Parlor".
IIRC, the Priest (a real Priest) who was not involved in the dramatization of the exorcism on film, and who made an on screen appearance when he paid a visit to the family once the exorcism had been sucessfully completed, had to get a special dispensation from the Catholic Heirarchy to act in the movie.
The actress' name was Ellen Burstyn.
It was a most frightening flick. The scene that freaked me out the most was when the demon transformed the child into the Priest's mother.
...and liberalism. She's a big "animal rights" activist.
WOW! I did not know that..What happened to this little boy?
Like Mel Gibson said Evil presents itself in such a sublte form it is frightening, and I think we have to beware of this type of evil that prevails on the earth...
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