The Exorcist III
If Alan J. Pakula made a horror flick, it’d be The Exorcist III. Part police procedural/detective drama with some supernatural flavor to spice things up. Prince of Darkness meets All the President’s Men.
William Peter Blatty won an Oscar for writing the original Exorcist, but wanted nothing to do with Exorcist II until, quote, “when the scale of that failure became apparent, he set to work on a follow-up screenplay in an attempt to restore some dignity to the franchise.” Blatty makes the wise decision to pretend the sequel doesn’t exist, giving III a seamless direct correlation to Friedkin’s mainstay. Helps that Blatty writes and directs this go-round as he creates a distinct clarity of vision sensation all the way through.
And the script is good. Blatty’s got a great Nicholas St. John Addiction feel submerged in devout Catholic sensibility. What I admire most about both writers is their refreshing authenticity. Hahrad hits the nail on the head by highlighting that, quote:
The film isn’t a group of suits sitting around a table trying to cash-in on the latest horror trend; it’s a man exploring a demonic force capable of reaching out to us from hell, and dragging us towards eternal damnation. Blatty believed this stuff, and his belief is infectious. As with the first film, evil has a black gravity. Again there is that cold hand.
The Exorcist terrified me as a kid where The Exorcist III frightened me as an adult. This is the grown-up version. And instead of pure visceral reaction, it’s after your mind. For me, III’s most unnerving beats occur during conversation. Yes, there’s gore, gross stuff, and jump-scares; but beneath them is something under-the-skin horrifying. A killer you can’t quite see.
“Incidentally, I can help.”
“Help what?”
“Your unbelief.”
In sum: I’ve always had a soft spot for movies that take religious themes seriously and come from a place of wrestled faith. The fact that Blatty (like St. John) also infuses the dialogue with English major speak full of nods to Shakespeare and John Donne is bonus points alongside George C and Brad Dourif’s revelatory performances. Amazed that Dourif is never included in people’s best lists. Watched his monologue scenes twice each, even though they made me want to hide under the bed and never return.
When a demon starts making sense, it’s time to get the hell outta Dodge.
