Eldergays, tell me all about Exorcist II: The Heretic

Did they intentionally hire Louise Fletcher because they thought that if they couldn't get Ellen Burstyn to return for the sequal they might as well get someone that everyone thinks is Ellen Burstyn?

It was not to be missed!

When I watched it, people openly booed, with many walking out of it after 15-20 minutes.

James Earle Jones dressed as a bee was briliant.

I love it. It is great fun to watch.

The acting, Fletcher, Blair, Burton, Kitty Winn.... All are beyond terrible. Nothing scary ever happens. The premise is paper-thin. Cinematography is ugly. The ridiculous scene where Regan meets her possessed double (played by non-lookalike Eileen Dietz) plays like a comedy, and is just one of many awful set pieces. Direction is heavy handed and absurd. Dumb resolution. Unlikable characters. Wailing soundtrack that comes complete with YODELING.... Did I mention that I absolutely LOVE this movie as well?

You bitches are heartless!

It is a total laugh riot from the moment at the beginning when that latina sets herself on fire and does that wacky scream with the flames around her head.

R2, I love how Regan just randomly mentions that she was possessed by a demon, as if it was the common cold.

Cracks me up everytime I see it.

Here at 02:14...

I never saw it.

Some of the only redeeming features of this film were the aerial sequences of the demonic locust storm flying over Africa.

Linda Blair was probably in her sluttiest phase during the filming of this movie.

She got some Grade A dick.

Saw it opening night with one ending, the movie ended it's run in theaters with a different one.

The Music

"Come, ride the wings of the demon"

Dana Plato in thT clip posted above.

How did John Boorman survive this?

I have never been able to understand how the same person who made Point Blank (which is a [italic]great[/italic] movie) did Exorcist II. It’s just beyond my humble cognitive abilities...

There's some scene where pudgy Linda Blair is tap dancing in a glittery outfit. WTF? Anyway, this film is regarded as one of the worst movies of all time. That's really all you need to know.

Poor Dana Plato :(

lmao. This film was a spoof, right?

Pazuzu!

I’m Austic.

Is there no hope for you? Once you have been brushed by Liz Taylor's... Er, I mean Pazuzu's wings??

Best line: “Kokomo can help me find Pazuzu!”

Poor Dana Plato didn’t even get her name in the credits. Girl was screwed from the get go.

Linda Blair's actual menstrual blood was used in several scenes...beyond creepy.

"You must rip out ber evil tampon!"

I consider it a cult classic.

I thought Richard Burton was still quite hunky in the movie.

Bump -- it's airing tonight on TCM (4:00am Eastern, 1:00am Pacific); set your dvr's!

This is a hilarious movie to watch stoned!

R14, how did that happen? Did WB finally send out the last reel?

Linda was robbed of an Oscar nomination for this role.

Didn't Pauline Kael LOVE this movie? I suspect Pauline may have been stoned when watching this film, too.

Blair was enjoying lots of primo blow and Rick James’ BBC during this, she was possessed by dat good dick and bad script!

The recut is by far the worse version, the storyline is changed but attempts to rectify the campy dialogue of the original make the recut version banal. Sharon's line muttering "stupid bitch" is cut. When describing the hypnosis session, Lamont's line of "horrible...and fascinating" is shortened to just "horrible." The rest of his conversation with Dr. Tuskin is snipped out. The scene where "evil Regan" and Father Lamont have a demonic necking session has been removed; so has the moment when Dr. Tuskin calls "help!" and runs up and down the street.

We still don’t know who played possessed Regan in this dreck. It’s a mystery.

Let's all be the press conference held after it. Anybody got a pic?

R36, Kael did defend it and said it might be a classic if we didn't speak English.

Boorman cut out the eyerolling scenes that elicited screams of laughter.

Hilarious, R41.

The who? The what? What the...?

It is one of the worst things I have ever seen. And what's weird is that John Boorman has directed two classics, Deliverance and Point Blank. And there was so much talent involved in the movie. And the score is by Ennio Morricone. It takes a special kind of stupid to ruin everything you're given.

This is Friedkin on the movie

The only effective scene in the entire movie is where Reagan is walking up on the balcony in her Manhattan apartment and you hear evil Reagan (or whoever) whispering.

Did Ellen Burstyn bow out because she knew the script was terrible?

Yes, r44, and I also love Excalibur and like Zardoz very much. Boorman may not have been a brilliant director but when things went right he could be a very good one. I wonder what really happened here.

Is the first version with all the excesses available on home video? Boorman recut the film a few days after the opening to remove the parts that had audiences throwing things at the screen. The first version is supposed to be a lot more fun.

R48, I think Boorman has a great sense for visuals. But the Exorcist II brings out all of his worst traits--robotic (yet, Baroque?) dialogue, unnatural human communiation. I'm sure the reaction to The Exorcist II really changed his approach to film. And I really need to watch Zardoz, it looks very interesting and quirky.

I like Zardoz but I figured out the plot twist immediately from the title, which evidently most people didn't at the time.

R50, if only Sean connery was like 10-15 years younger when he was in Zardoz, he would have looked even hotter (and just as ridiculous) in that red jock strap costume.

i have a Daddy thing and Sean Connery looked perfectly fine in Zardoz.

So is the first cut of Excorcist II available? And did people really not get the plot reveal in Zardoz from the title?

R53.

1) Yes. But it's complicated because most home video version don't reveal on the cover which version is contained and there was a third version, cut from both that was the first TV version, as well as the European version. You have to check IMDB and WP and Amazon reviews and Google to know what you're getting.

2) Yes, most people are that stupid.

Linda Blair's tittays looked nice.

One of Morricone's best:

R56, the only great thing about the entire movie is Morricone's music. Particulary, "Reagan's theme".

Awful!

The plot line involving Sharon was creepy.