Justin does The Exorcist III

“Gracious me. Was I raving? Please forgive me. I’m mad.”

The Scoop: 1989 R, directed by William Peter Blatty and starring George C. Scott, Ed Flanders and Brad Dourif

Tagline: Do you dare walk these steps again?

Summary Capsule: Demons + mental hospital + serial killer + mystery + exorcisms = 666

Justin’s Rating: “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” (Mark 5:10)

Justin’s Review: Sort of like how Halloween III: Season of the Witch was in no way related to the rest of the Halloween franchise, many movie buffs dismiss The Exorcist II as a lame mistake and move straight on to The Exorcist III as the “true” sequel to the creepy psychological horror classic.  It helps that William Blatty came back on board to pen the script from a novel (Legion) coincidentally also written by him.

Following the (literally) scary-as-hell exorcism of a nasty demon from a little girl in the first movie, Exorcist III picks up quite some time later, as Satan’s demonic army proves that they’re not quite out for the count.  A series of grisly murders seem to point to a notorious serial killer – who was supposed to be executed years ago.  World-weary Detective Kinderman (George C. Scott) follows the trail to a hospital/mental asylum, where the patients aren’t what they appear, and the priest killed at the end of the first film seems to be back… more or less.

If Exorcist III is anything, it’s talky.  Characters on the brink of an epic spiritual battle seem to prefer standing around, looking morbid, and passing the time with conversations that are rationed out to about one line per thirty seconds.  As a viewer, I wanted to physically leap into the movie and start pushing the characters to hurry up and get going, but a running leap at my TV set only produced a lump the size of a plum on my forehead.

Kinderman seems to be the wrong sort to go up against pure evil, having very little faith in God or man himself.  Still, once he starts conversing with the demon in Brad Dourif’s body, the tension ratchets up a notch as it did in The Exorcist, because we’re once again given good reason that this mere human is way, way over his head.  The action and horror uptick sharply in the final act, and the end result is something that could be liked or rejected, depending on how you flip a coin.

Blatty continues to impress me, because he was both a man of faith and a horror writer – two things that seemingly don’t go together.  Yet in these two Exorcist films and in his Ninth Configuration, Blatty uses the darkest aspects of the world as an investigatory tool of the nature of evil and its place in God’s plan.  No matter what your stance on this might be, his perspective gives these films more depth than the usual horror gauntlet, because evil and good exist to hold a purpose, not just to frighten scantily-clad schoolgirls and come up with a witty one-liner after they stab the killer for good.

Snakes... why'd it have to be snakes?

Didja Notice?

• Asked how he is able to get in and out of jail without being seen, Brad Dourif’s character replies: “It’s child’s play.” The camera cuts to a young, red-headed boy who looks a lot like the Chucky doll. Dourif played the voice of Chucky in the Child’s Play series.
• The story was inspired by the murders of the real-life serial killer, “The Zodiac.”
• Samuel L. Jackson’s (dubbed) cameo

Intermission!

• William Peter Blatty wanted the film to be titled simply “Legion”, just like his novel of the same name. Even though Blatty opposed, the title was changed to “The Exorcist III.”
• Hey kids!  This was serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer’s favorite film!

Groovy Quotes

Dt. Kinderman: My wife’s mother is visiting, Father. And Tuesday night, she’s cooking us a carp. It’s a tasty fish, I’ve got nothing against it. But, because it’s supposedly filled with impurities, she buys it live and for three days, it’s been swimming… up and down… in my bathtub. Up and down… and I hate it. I can’t stand the sight of it, moving its gills. Now, you’re standing very close to me, Father; have you noticed? Yes. I haven’t had a bath for three days. I can’t go home until the carp is asleep because if I see it, swimming… I’ll kill it.

Kanavan: Try and make a good confession, and remember, Christ forgives all our sins.
Penitent: Only little things. Nothing. Seventeen of them, Father. The first was that waitress in Candlestick Park. I cut her throat and watched her bleed. She bled a great deal. It’s a problem I’m working on, Father. All this bleeding.

Patient X: I still hear from her occasionally, screaming. I think the dead should shut up, unless there’s something to say.

The Gemini Killer: I like plays. The good ones… Shakespeare… I like Titus Andronicus the best; it’s sweet. Incidentally, did you know that you are talking to an artist? I sometimes do special things to my victims: things that are creative. Of course, it takes knowledge, pride in your work… For example, a decapitated head can continue to see for approximately twenty seconds. So when I have one that’s gawking, I always hold it up so that it can see its body. It’s a little extra I throw in for no added charge. I must admit it makes me chuckle every time. Life is fun. It’s a wonderfull life, in fact… for some.

Patient X: Gracious me. Was I raving? Please forgive me. I’m mad.

If You Liked This Movie, Try These:

• The Exorcist
• The Cell
• Silence of the Lambs