Sordid Cinema Podcast #447: An Invitation To The Dance: 'The Exorcist III’ at 30

William Peter Blatty, author of The Exorcist, wrote and directed this creepy thriller, based on his novel Legion. Thankfully he ignored the events of John Boorman’s disappointing Exorcist II: The Heretic, and abandoned cheap scares altogether, instead allowing the events to unfold like a detective story about one man’s search for faith. The Exorcist 3 isn’t quite as good as the first film, but thanks to some powerful performances by Brad Dourif and George C. Scott, Blatty directs a picture that is just as frightening.

There are several stand-out scenes: The dream sequence with George C. Scott moving through Heaven, delivers a strong punch, and the moment where George C. Scott enters the ward and the camera pans upwards to reveal one of the patients crawling on the ceiling, is spooky as hell. However, the most memorable scene comes when a nurse investigates strange noises during her graveyard shift. Director Blatty shows great patience in holding a far shot for an ample amount of time while making good use of ominous sounds heard in the distance. The sequence culminates with not one, but two of the best jump scares you’ll ever see; both will have you jolt from your seat. On the climactic exorcism scene, Blatty fought with the producers who demanded a frenzy of special effects. In retrospect, this might be one of the rare times in which the studio made the right choice and not the director. After all, what is an Exorcist film without an exorcism?

The picture is also extraordinarily well-acted by the likes of George C. Scott, who provides some of his best work, and Brad Dourif (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), who is equally riveting as The Gemini Killer. Gerry Fisher’s widescreen lensing is put to excellent use within the narrow corridors and caged cells of the asylum and Barry De Vorzon’s eerie score will make the hairs on your arms stand up. Those looking for a truly creepy picture, look no further. On this episode of the Sordid Cinema Podcast, we’ll go over all this and explain why The Exorcist 3 will surely get under your skin.