Five Questions I Had Re-Watching The Exorcist (1973)

Nashville, TN showing in 1973

I've never blogged about 1973's The Exorcist before, but it's a movie that I rewatch every few years, usually around Halloween time or in October. Recently, I watched it on a big screen in a theater for the first time, along with an audience/crowd. I felt less frightened with a crowd around, but I'm sure viewers in the 70s were horrified; I always remember the accounts I read about of "around-the-block" lines and how people walked out of the theater out of fear, disgust, or physical sickness/illness. I was hoping to re-live or re-capture that feeling in 2022 somewhat, but was a little distracted by the numerous cell phones flashing by enthusiastic millennials/Gen Z'ers taking pictures at key moments. And after several viewings of the movie, I guess I'm not as frightened as I once was of this film. However, I still think it's a great piece of filmmaking with great writing, directing, and performances.5 lingering questions that came to mind after this last re-watch.

1. If the mom character (Ellen Burstyn) is such a big movie star, and the British director "Burt" is fairly well known, wouldn't the murders and strange phenomena happening near the set attract and create extensive media and tabloid attention? This wasn't addressed in the film and not sure if it was mentioned in the book (I never read it). A minor issue, but it seems like it would be a big deal for a movie director's horrendous death to be national/world news. But there were no media reporters or crews outside the house at any time.

2. The alcoholic director "Burt" uses a profane adjective several times in the film and it's strange because I never heard it used by anyone in any film or real life. Is this a phrase unique to this director or something? Like when everyone says "broomhead" on the TV show Degrassi but no one else in world uses that term? Or was "c---ing" a common slang term in the 70s? Seriously, it's so bizarre. 

3. I don't quite understand the relationship between the live-in workers in the house. Are the German workers there full time, and attend to each new renter? Is Reagan's mom only renting the house? Are the Germans the owners? This still remains fuzzy. I don't get who the lady with the typewriter is either - is she Ellen Burstyn's personal assistant? Is she the older daughter (like the older daughter in Poltergeist?) Update: According to the commentary by William Friedkin, they are Ellen Burstyn's assistants that travel with her (but I don't think it's explicitly stated in the movie) 

4. When the detective (Lee J. Cobb) inspects the stairs for the first time, he picks up a small sculpture off the ground...I never noticed that before. Apparently, it's one that was made by Reagan and is suspiciously at the bottom of the stairs. Did Burt pick it up which prompted Reagan to throw him out the window? Was it a sculpture of a demon? 

5. Who put the crucifix under Reagan's pillow? Everyone in the house say they didn't, so I wonder if someone at the hospital gave it to Reagan (maybe a priest) and she kept it in the blanket with her as she came home, and put it under her pillow herself. That's my interpretation.  

What do you think?

Photos from Chicago Comic-Con 2010

I couldn't believe how many celebrities there were at this year's Chicago Comic-Con (AKA "Wizard World"). I attended on Saturday Aug 21, the second full day. The biggest draws this year were William "Kirk" Shatner and Adam "Batman" West, and I wanted to see if I could catch a glimpse of them (I did--photos below). I didn't get their autographs; photo op fees were expensive, and autographs were also costly. Though I like them, I was not planning on spending my whole paycheck on them. I did see alot of happy fans, though, patiently waiting in line.



Shatner and West moved around from room to room today, posing for various photo ops and doing interviews, so I had a hard time finding them. Eventually, I caught up with them. West and Burt "Robin" Ward were doing a special photo op session (probably for a hundred bucks) together with a replica of the "Batmobile". They were behind a red curtain, but I managed to sneak a few pics of them before I was told to put away my camera.

<---retro adam="" also="" and="" b="" batman="" disgraced="" everyone="" fool="" former="" getup="" governor="" guy="" had="" he="" hoping="" i="" idea="" illinois="" in="" into="" is.="" it="" just="" no="" not="" ps="" s="" some="" superman.="" that="" the="" thinking="" to="" west="">Rod Blagojevich was going to be there today. Thankfully, I didn't see him while I was there, but according to news reports, he was. Apparently the whole appearance was planned at the last minute. He must have felt right at home with the the ghouls, creeps, and zombies who also showed up:



There were a few people from the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises. Representing Star Wars, Jake Lloyd was there - he was the kid who played young Annakin Skywalker in 1999's "Episode 1".



The guy who was choked by Darth Vader in the first movie (from 1977) was there. Don't ask me what the actor's name is; I'm guessing that scene was his 15 minutes of fame. There were probably a few more bit players from the movies but I have no idea who they are. These guys I recognized:




Representing Star Trek, other than the aforementioned Mr. Shatner, I saw Walter Koening ("Chekov"), Brett Spiner ("Data"), and Avery Brooks, who played one of the captains on a spinoff show that I never watched. There were some other people but I'm not that much of a Trekkie to know them.

Every second person there was in costume. As for me, I just went as myself. About 50% of the costumes I didn't recognize, but these I did:






There were lots of TV stars there from the 1970s and 1980s. Micky Dolenz from "The Monkees". Roj and Dee from What's Happening were there. (I forgot their real names). John Schnieder ("Bo Duke") was there. Lindsay Wagner ("The Bionic Woman") was there, as was her co-star Richard Anderson. Christopher Knight ("Bobby Brady") was there, and nearby at other tables were Beth Horn from "American Gladiators", Julie Newmar from "Batman", Ian Ziering, Lorenzo Lamas, Angie Everhart, and some wrestling stars such as the Iron Sheik. .






Representing the Terminator series, Michael Biehnn and Linda Hamilton from the first movie (she was in T2 also) and the female terminator from the third movie. Also some people from the "Twilight" movies, but I have no idea who they are.



Linda Blair (The Exorcist) was there; I had already met her at another previous event. She is involved with an animal charity and always gives proceeds to the cause. (Sorry that some of these pics are so blurry). John Savage from The Deer Hunter was there too.



I only met three celebrities today, which was the highlight of the day. First, I just had to meet Richard Roundtree, AKA: Shaft. I had a movie poster that I wanted to get him to sign for me. He was such a nice guy, and was talking with everyone for really long periods, so the wait was long. Two cast members of Back to the Future were there, and I had them sign my other poster that I brought. Claudia Wells who played Jennifer in the first movie was there. She was as nice as could be. This was pretty much her only hit film, I think. She said her mother was sick when they filmed the sequels and that's why she wasn't in them. Then I met Mr. Strickland, James Tolkan and he was a nice guy. But he looked so much older than I remembered him in the films. I told him I also liked him in Dick Tracy and he said he was surprised that people remember him in that. He said he's good friends with his co-star from that movie Al Pacino.



The inscriptions read:

To Thomas, Richard Roundtree, "Shaft"
To Tom, James Tolkan "Mr. Strickland"
To Tom, How about a ride, Mister? Blessings, Claudia Wells "Jennifer Parker"