The book details the demonic possession of elevenyearold regan macneil, the daughter of a famous actress, and the two priests who attempt to exorcise the demon. One of the most notorious and terrifying scenes in the exorcist wasnt actually in the movie originally. The exorcist william peter blatty audiobook english unabridged duration. The spiderwalk scene was reinstated in a new release of the film in 2000. The infamous spider walk scene that was deemed too scary to be included in the movie. During the 1960s and 70s, she was the busiest stuntwoman working on the east coast and a top commercial model.
The exorcist by william peter blatty in epub, fb2, rtf download e book. The updated bloody version of the spiderwalk scene appears in the 2000 rerelease of the exorcist. Heres an overview of the use of the spider or crab walk in film, beginning with the exorcist. The exorcist by florencemcc tuesday, october 25, 2016 0 book vs movie adaptation, books, film, horror, movies permalink 0 william peter blattys the exorcist was pretty much an instant bestseller when it came out in 1971, and when the movie version came out just a couple of years later people lined up around the block to go. In the book, the spiderwalk is more muted, consisting of regan following sharon around near the floor and. The exorcist 1973 the infamous scene of a possessed regan spider walking down the stairs and then doing lewd things to the houseguests was filmed using a real contortionist, but it never made the final cut of the movie when it was first released. Woman who did spiderwalk in the exorcist sets the record. I dont really find the movie scary at all, except maybe for the spider walk scene. Purposefully raw and profane, the exorcist still has the extraordinary ability to disturb readers and cause them to forget that it is just a story. All the horror fans around the world have seen this film for sure and one of the most memorable scenes of the film was of a spider walk by the possessed girl. Possessed by a movie makeover the classic horror novel the exorcist inspired an even creepier movie, but author mark danielewski. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Apr 28, 2017 the infamous spider walk scene that was deemed too scary to be included in the movie. Director, william friedkin felt that something was missing, so he hired a stunt double to do the spider walk scene and scrapped.
The exorcist is a truly singular film that not even multiple prequels, sequels or a television show could truly capture the spirit of. Mar 15, 2016 the exorcist is a 1973 american supernatural horror film directed by william friedkin, adapted by william peter blatty from his 1971 novel of the same name. The exorcist william peter blatty audiobook english unabridged. Based on a 1971 book, which itself was based on a 1949 exorcism, the film tells the story of a 12yearold girl who becomes demonically possessed. A family learns important life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog. The exorcist is a 1973 religious horror film though the director, william friedkin, doesnt view it as such based on the 1971 novel by william peter blatty, and inspired by what was supposedly an actual documented exorcism from 1949, the exorcist is the terrifying, shocking tale of an originally rather cute 12yearold girl named regan mcneil and the efforts of her mother chris ellen. The exorcist william peter blatty part 2 audiobook. Rumour has it that blatty rushed the end of the book to be free to work on the script. The next day, i saw the film in a theatre for the first time. Just rewatched the exorcist 1973 after 10 years and its.
She is best known for her difficult spiderwalk stunt in the classic horror film the exorcist. While the movie was based on william peter blattys book called the exorcist, both the book and. Director william friedkin felt that the message about dennings was the climax of. Her book celebrates the pioneering spirit of a young woman in 1950s. Ann annie miles grew up in malvern, arkansas, and started working professionally as a stunt performer at the steel pier in atlantic city, new jersey, at the age of seventeen. The exorcist spider walk scene the spiderwalking scene, which features regan contorting herself down the stairs, is such a famous moment that its easy to forget it didnt actually feature. The exorcist 1973 the infamous scene of a possessed regan spiderwalking down the stairs and then doing lewd things to the houseguests was filmed using a real contortionist, but it never made the final cut of the movie when it was first released. Unfortunately neither of these made it to the directors cut, but the first one was able to go. Unfortunately neither of these made it to the directors cut, but the first one was able to go into the original exorcist, as the second one was. The set for the exorcist burns down during production delaying the film for 6 weeks. First and last time ive ever walked out of a theatre. Jan 28, 2009 the boys over at dread central came across this little clip that i found pretty damn interesting. And even though i knew the secrets behind some of the effects, the movie still scared the living bejeebus out of me. The two most famous spider walks from the exorcist.
The exorcist contained a number of special effects, engineered by makeup artist dick smith. The top five scary scenes from this movie according to public comments are. The best comments about the terror of seeing the exorcist. Years later, to appease the fans of the film, friedkin worked with cgi artists to digitally remove the wires holding hager and reinstated the bloody variant of the spider walk scene for the 2000 theatrically rereleased version of the exorcist.
A blockbusting adaptation of a bestselling novel, it was praised as deeply spiritual by some sections of the catholic church while being picketed by the festival of light and branded satanic by the evangelist billy graham. The exorcist is a 1971 horror novel by american writer william peter blatty. In the book, the spider walk is somewhat more muted, consisting of regan following sharon around near the floor and flicking a snakelike tongue at her ankles. Secret marvel movie reportedly in the works from sony. Hager was able to perform the scene by use of a harness and flying wires hung above the staircase used in the set.
She attended florida state university, training site for many olympic gymnasts, on a gymnastics scholarship. Even though it is one of the most frightening scenes in the film, it wasnt in the movie when it first hit theaters. The exorcist, the book anyway is timeless and has much more depth than the movie, it does live up to the hype rewarding your intelligence as well as disturbing you when it needs to. Had the exorcist not become such a cultural touchstone and had the spider walk not been shrouded in mystery for so many years, its likely that miles would not think of them as anything more than footnotes to her long career as a stunt performer and model. William peter blatty s the exorcist was pretty much an instant bestseller when it came out in 1971, and when the movie version came out just a couple of years later people lined up around the block to go see it. The spider walk was a scene originally intended to be in the film. The exorcist by william peter blatty was released in 1971, weve all seen the subsequent film released in 1973, you might have read the book but an altogether different experience is guaranteed to scare the pants off you with the audiobook. The exorcist was never frightening until i saw the extended version. Hager, the lighting double for linda blair, was incorrectly credited for performing the stunt. And with that anxiety comes a lot of expectations and preconceived ideas about what the exorcist should be.
It was an instant success and hollywood came knocking, even before the book was finished. Originally published in 1971, the exorcist remains one of the most controversial novels ever written and went on to become a literary phenomenon. Goodreads members who liked the exorcist also liked. Unfortunately, nobody bothered to mention it anywhere. The spider walk scene the exorcist the exorcist, movie scenes. By far one of the most chilling and iconic scenes from the exorcist comes when the demented regan does a spider walk down the stairs of the macneil home. At some point in time, the spider walk outtake acquired legendary status people debated whether the scene was actually shot or not. The boys over at dread central came across this little clip that i found pretty damn interesting. A different take showing regan with blood flowing from her mouth was inserted into the 2000 directors cut of the film.
Fans have dubbed it the spider walk scene, and it wasnt actually part of the film until a 2000 the exorcist just recreated the iconic spider walk. The whole snake part, and the following the woman around part, actually seemed humorous in my mind. Its funny though, i found the scene in the book sort of fell flat. Find books like the exorcist from the worlds largest community of readers. The spider walk scene definitely scared me soooo bad when i was a kid. This is a script version of the book which was written for the authors bestfriend. Interview with the exorcist writerproducer william peter blatty.
Then i didnt see the movie again until the directors cut with the spider walk scene and the movie scared the crap out of me again. I prefer the book legion to the original exorcist book but i think the exorcist film is a better adaptation. Sep 20, 2000 william peter blatty has been in the movie industry for over 40 years, writing such films as the pink panther movie a shot in the dark, gunn, the great bank robbery, the exorcist, and the exorcist. The exorcist is a 1973 american supernatural horrordrama film directed by william friedkin, adapted by william peter blatty from his 1971 novel of the same name. Inspired by an alleged real case of demonic possession in 1949, the exorcist became an international phenomenon. A short, creepy history of the horror movie spider walk. Nov 07, 2016 fans have dubbed it the spiderwalk scene, and it wasnt actually part of the film until a 2000 the exorcist just recreated the iconic spiderwalk. I had seen the exorcist many times, and was incredibly excited to see it in theatres especially with all the bonus footage. An extraordinary classic work of horror and dark paranormal suspense. Fans have dubbed it the spiderwalk scene, and it wasnt actually part of the film until a 2000 rerelease that allowed friedkin to digitally. Many of the films participants claimed the film was cursed.
Dec 12, 2018 the exorcist, the iconic book by william peter blatty, came out in 1971. Apparently there are two version of the infamous spider walk scene from the exorcist. I found reading that scene to be terrifying and this footage to be much much more scary than the original spider walk. A take of this version of the scene was filmed but went unused. The exorcist is a 1971 novel by american author william peter blatty, who also wrote the film adaptation. Reading the quote page that opens william peter blattys book, the exorcist, one finds a statement by a priest. The exorcist regans spider walk deleted scene youtube. Four decades after it first terrified the world, william peter blattys the exorcist is back. It features regan spider walk down stairs exorcist regan.
The exorcist is a timeless masterstroke of the mysteries of faith, the parallel lines between science and the metaphysical, and faiths ultimate place within contemporary societythe green puke and 360headtwisting are merely the hook to pull you into something deeper and far more relatable. Hager was hired to perform the famous spider walk scene, which was filmed on april 11, 1973. The book, inspired by the 1949 exorcism of roland doe, deals with the demonic possession of a 12yearold girl and her mothers attempts to win back her child through an exorcism conducted by two priests. Oct 7, 2012 the exorcist was never frightening until i saw the extended version with the spider walk backwards down the stairs. Books similar to the exorcist meet your next favorite book.
Hell, even when i rewatched it in college and thought stuff was kinda funny i was also kinda spooked lol. The exorcist was, and is, more than just a novel and a film. Inspired by a true story of a childs demonic possession in the 1940s, william peter blatty created an iconic novel that focuses on regan, the elevenyearold daughter of a movie actress residing in washington, d. Stuntwoman ann miles performed the spider walk scene in november 1973. It showed regan walking backwards down the stairs of the family home like a spider. The spider walk scene is undoubtedly a terrifying sight to behold, and it was a scene that took a lot of work as well. Hager to do the stunt, which she did with the assistance of wires. Hodwatt 3505 2 years ago the book did manage to creep me out more than the movie. The exorcist 1973 original spiderwalk was not used in. I discovered this rare outtake of the original spider walk scene. The book the exorcist, famously made into a movie in 1973, came out 40 years ago. When the spider walk scene happened i was so terrified i actually walked out. Apr 29, 2016 the perfect the exorcist spiderwalk animated gif for your conversation.
Jun 12, 2014 the exorcist regan possessed deluxe box set left and regan spider walk action figure right by neca. The book, inspired by the 1949 exorcism of roland doe, 5 6 deals with the demonic possession of a 12yearold girl and her mothers attempts to win back her child through an exorcism conducted by two priests. The exorcist spider walk scene the spider walking scene, which features regan contorting herself down the stairs, is such a famous moment that its easy to forget it. Often considered the scariest film ever made, the exorcist has held up incredibly well in the horror industry since its release in 1973. In the book, the spider walk is more muted, consisting of regan following sharon around near the floor. The exorcistfrightful facts house of horrors horror. The exorcist william peter blatty audiobook english unabridged aaron willshire. The version youve never seen utilizing cgi technology to incorporate the special effect of blood pouring from regans mouth during this scenes finale. William peter blatty has been in the movie industry for over 40 years, writing such films as the pink panther movie a shot in the dark, gunn, the great bank robbery, the exorcist, and the exorcist. The scene was supposed to be immediately after chris receives word that burke dennings jack macgowran is dead.
He is alerted that a small carving is found in the dig, resembling a grimacing, bestial creature. The exorcist, the iconic book by william peter blatty, came out in 1971 and it took the world by storm. So it you are up for it, curl up on a cold winters night with plenty pea soup. Friedkin deleted this scene against blattys objection just prior to the premiere, as he judged the scene as appearing too early in the films plot. The exorcist is a classic horror movie franchise well known for its scares, so today. The exorcist filming location video spider walk theme song exorcista music duration. The real story behind the infamous exorcist spider walk. Cassie mancibooks worth readingmovies worth watching. Director freidkin deleted the famous spider walk scene. Interview with the exorcist writerproducer william peter. Obviously, this isnt something that was in the original book. Published here in this beautiful fortieth anniversary edition, it remains an unforgettable reading. I was really looking forward to reading the exorcist, but ending up with this has put me into a sour mood. In honor of his book, and the fact that halloween is right around the corner, cajoleas shares five of his favorite possession books.
When a 12 yearold girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her. And their mission impossible an extensive assessment of the exorcist is included by clifford wilson and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Based on the 1971 novel by william peter blatty, the exorcist marries three scenarios into one plot. A 40th anniversary specialedition dvd of the exorcist was released this week. It tapped into the zeitgeist of the 1970s and a cultural subconscious swarming with moral and physical panic of a world that, in light of events such as the watergate scandal and the vietnam war, was becoming a. Possessed by a movie makeover the classic horror novel the exorcist inspired an. The possessed girl regan linda blair descends the staircase walking like a spider with her face upside.
370 1091 1399 800 952 731 1030 149 1218 222 726 889 14 230 1122 739 439 119 862 904 378 829 600 1300 1487 393 545 908 1298 294 902 255 1090 503 1186 1338 762 1130 222 49 752 675 943 1489 655 1202