EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC (1977)

3 stars

Arrow Video. Limited Edition Blu Ray. 7th October

I have something of a soft spot for the often (possibly rightly) pilloried EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC, John Boorman’s follow up to the now considered classic original. I saw it on it’s original release at the cinema, at a time when you couldn’t see Friedkin’s film and I thought this sequel was great – I would have been 15 or 16 at the time.

It was interesting to revisit it after all these years and whilst I can see why it is often criticised, at least it attempted something different, even if it wasn’t entirely successful in this endeavour. It opens with Father Lamont (Richard Burton) attempting to exorcise a demon from a young girl but it doesn’t go to plan and she ends up burning herself to death.

Meanwhile Regan (a cute Linda Blair) has grown up a bit – she attends sessions with Dr Gene Tuskin (Louise Fletcher) but doesn’t seem to remember any of the events that took place some years before. The doc believes they are repressed memories that can be drawn out using a new hypnosis machine – which comprises of a box with a couple of strobe lights on that oscillates. High tech!

Lamont has been given the task of looking into the circumstance surrounding the death of Father Merrin (Max Von Sydow). This leads him to speaking to Regan and for him to observe as she uses the new dangled bio feedback machine. Before long he’s hooked up to the oscillator as well and we are seeing Merrin, Africa and not forgetting the locusts…

A lot slower than I remember (or has the pace of modern films just got faster) this has much to actually recommend it. There’s Burton just about reining in the overacting, an interesting take on exorcism and the fabulous score by Ennio Morricone. Unfortunately this film, which is more science fiction than horror, wasn’t the story that audiences wanted. Is it a long lost classics due for reappraisal – probably not. The disc itself has an image that is often soft and grainy – as per source one assumes.

This release is a two disc affair with two versions of the film – the 118 minute premiere and the 103 minute international version (I wonder which version I saw at my local Odeon?)

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

4 stars

DISC ONE – ORIGINAL PREMIERE VERSION

4 commentaries: New one by film historian Lee Gambin and filmmaker David Kittredge, director of the forthcoming feature-length Exorcist II documentary, Heretics; New one by screenwriter and author Kelly Goodner and film historian Jim Hemphill; Archive one with director John Boorman; Archive one with special consultant Scott Michael Bosco

It’s Okay, He’s Gone, a new visual essay by film critics BJ and Harmony Colangelo (12 mins)

What Does She Remember?: archive interview with actress with Linda Blair (19 mins) Talks about going on world tour during The Exorcist, receiving the script for part 2 – which she thought was good – and the opportunity to work with Burton. The great cast – and Boorman wanting them all to be hypnotised. Changes to the script. Getting dancing lessons. The seduction scene. The locusts! Knowing that ultimately the film wasn’t what she signed up for.

Archive interview with editor Tom Priestley (6 mins): he had worked with Boorman before. Picking up the pieces after another editor left the project. About Rospo Pallenberg – the director’s right hand man. Morricone doing the score. James Earl Jones looping his dialogue.

Theatrical trailer; Teaser trailer; Extensive image galleries

DISC TWO – INTERNATIONAL VERSION

Another audio commentary by film critic Mike White of The Projection Booth podcast

Theatrical trailer

You also get a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Peter Savieri and an Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by film critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Glenn Kenny and Matt Rogerson, plus an archival interview with cinematographer William Fraker