The Exorcist III (1990)
By Adam Beck • MovieMassacre.com
Directed by: William Peter Blatty
Written by: William Peter Blatty
Released by: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
William Peter Blatty, the writer of the original 1973 classic 'The Exorcist', hops in the director's seat to make this criminally underrated sequel from 1990.
Its been 15 years since the death of Father Karras (Jason Miller) and police Lieutenant Kinderman (George C. Scott) is still coping over the loss of his friend. It is also during this time that a series of gruesome murders have been occurring in the Georgetown area, that all lead back to a sadistic serial murderer by the name of "The Gemini Killer" (Brad Dourif). The only problem with pinning the deaths on "The Gemini" is that he also died some 15 years earlier, having been executed in a state penitentiary. This sends Kinderman on a frightening investigation that leads him to a mysterious patient lying dormant for years in the psychiatric ward of a local D.C. hospital...a patient who just so happens to look exactly like Father Karras.
Personally I go back and forth on whether or not I like the original or this particular sequel the best. Both films are great, but 'The Exorcist III' is much more suspenseful and terrifying than its predecessor in my opinion. The film features so many fantastic scenes, taking place in incredibly eerie settings that are sure to send chills down your spine and have you jumping out of your seat. Part 3 is a much different film overall though, relying less on the visual makeup FX and blasphemous dialog that dominated the original 1973 film. In Blatty's sequel, the more shocking sequences involving death are actually brought to fruition off camera, where the violence is talked about, or implied, rather than shown. This forces the audience to truly experience these formidable moments in their own special way, producing images in your mind, unsurpassed by anything they could possibly show on camera.
In terms of acting, George C. Scott does a spectacular job in the role of Lieutenant Kinderman and is only topped by fellow co-star Brad Dourif who gives the performance of a lifetime. It's quite amazing watching Dourif shoot off an entire spectrum of emotions in every scene that he's in...going from angry to calm, from happy to sad...at certain points juggling several emotions at the exact same time. Just seeing Dourif in such a weird manic state is truly frightening to watch. There's no doubt had this film not been a sequel to a 17 year old horror picture, an academy award nomination would have certainly been handed out.
Sadly, the epic failure of John Boorman's 1977 sequel 'Exorcist II: The Heretic' and the more recent prequels have sort of hindered 'The Exorcist III' from finding the audience and the appreciation that it truly deserves. It's also unfortunate that this would be William Peter Blatty's final film as a director, as he certainly showed a great deal of superiority as a filmmaker in the two projects that he worked on. I guess his poor experiences in dealing with Morgan Creek Productions on Part 3 and the lackluster reception it received from critics and fans upon its initial release were enough to do him in. Regardless, 'The Exorcist III' proves to be one of the most overlooked and underrated horror films out there and in my opinion, the only sequel in the series worthy of "The Exorcist" title.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Written by: William Peter Blatty
Released by: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
William Peter Blatty, the writer of the original 1973 classic 'The Exorcist', hops in the director's seat to make this criminally underrated sequel from 1990.
Its been 15 years since the death of Father Karras (Jason Miller) and police Lieutenant Kinderman (George C. Scott) is still coping over the loss of his friend. It is also during this time that a series of gruesome murders have been occurring in the Georgetown area, that all lead back to a sadistic serial murderer by the name of "The Gemini Killer" (Brad Dourif). The only problem with pinning the deaths on "The Gemini" is that he also died some 15 years earlier, having been executed in a state penitentiary. This sends Kinderman on a frightening investigation that leads him to a mysterious patient lying dormant for years in the psychiatric ward of a local D.C. hospital...a patient who just so happens to look exactly like Father Karras.
Personally I go back and forth on whether or not I like the original or this particular sequel the best. Both films are great, but 'The Exorcist III' is much more suspenseful and terrifying than its predecessor in my opinion. The film features so many fantastic scenes, taking place in incredibly eerie settings that are sure to send chills down your spine and have you jumping out of your seat. Part 3 is a much different film overall though, relying less on the visual makeup FX and blasphemous dialog that dominated the original 1973 film. In Blatty's sequel, the more shocking sequences involving death are actually brought to fruition off camera, where the violence is talked about, or implied, rather than shown. This forces the audience to truly experience these formidable moments in their own special way, producing images in your mind, unsurpassed by anything they could possibly show on camera.
In terms of acting, George C. Scott does a spectacular job in the role of Lieutenant Kinderman and is only topped by fellow co-star Brad Dourif who gives the performance of a lifetime. It's quite amazing watching Dourif shoot off an entire spectrum of emotions in every scene that he's in...going from angry to calm, from happy to sad...at certain points juggling several emotions at the exact same time. Just seeing Dourif in such a weird manic state is truly frightening to watch. There's no doubt had this film not been a sequel to a 17 year old horror picture, an academy award nomination would have certainly been handed out.
Sadly, the epic failure of John Boorman's 1977 sequel 'Exorcist II: The Heretic' and the more recent prequels have sort of hindered 'The Exorcist III' from finding the audience and the appreciation that it truly deserves. It's also unfortunate that this would be William Peter Blatty's final film as a director, as he certainly showed a great deal of superiority as a filmmaker in the two projects that he worked on. I guess his poor experiences in dealing with Morgan Creek Productions on Part 3 and the lackluster reception it received from critics and fans upon its initial release were enough to do him in. Regardless, 'The Exorcist III' proves to be one of the most overlooked and underrated horror films out there and in my opinion, the only sequel in the series worthy of "The Exorcist" title.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
