Exorcista III

After the catastrophically inept, EXORCIST 2: THE HERETIC, it seemed that any further sequels would only make matters worse. Then, the original author, William Peter Blatty, took the Director's chair and made THE EXORCIST 3.

Picking up 15 years after the events of THE EXORCIST, Lt. Kinderman (now played by George C. Scott) is on the trail of a serial murderer with a penchant for religious symbolism. When his old friend, Father Dyer (Ed Flanders) seems to have become the latest victim, Kinderman becomes obsessed with the case. As he digs deeper, facts come to light that can't possibly be. In addition, events occur that defy logic and point to the supernatural.

When Kinderman encounters a certain mental patient (Brad Dourif), he begins to realize that he's up against something beyond his own understanding.

Blatty proves his ability to recapture some of the malevolence of the first film, using omens and weird happenings in subtle ways, while building the story methodically. Set mostly in a hospital, he makes the best of the limited, claustrophobic surroundings. Dourif gives the performance of his career, embodying his character and imbuing it with true madness and malice. A tremendous horror film in its own right, this is the worthy sequel to the original.

P.S.- Watch for great performances by Nicol Williamson (VENOM) as Father Morning, and Viveca Lindfors (CREEPSHOW) as Nurse X...

Most all have watched the 1973 film classic "The Exorcist" and if like me you decided to miss the lame sequel part 2 with Linda Blair. However this 1990 film "The Exorcist III" goes well in step with the classic original almost like a continuation story of evil and possession with past connections. Based on a 1983 novel from William Peter Blatty called "Legion" this story and film is a scary and creepy fright feast that proves evil does exist in the world that we live in perhaps in the form of bad spirits and the afterlife. The film paces the scenes well the build up of the scenes are often slow yet end with very tense endings and bloody murders.

Set in Washington D.C. in the town of Georgetown a series of strange and bizarre murders start to happen and the killings are gruesome and they involve decapitations and mock style executions which rivals that of "Jesus being nailed to the cross". Enter Lt. Kinderman(the great George C. Scott) who's weathered worn burned out tough as nails detail detective soon starts to find that the murders are related to and rival that of the Gemini killer(an executed killer). Also the story and cases tie into a university hospital psych ward. Plus their is a scene in the hallway of a Nurses station that is freakish it may just be one of the scariest in horror film history.

Interesting is seeing how Patient X and a past form of Father Karras ties into the murders, also the performance from Brad Dourif is scary and spooky as the Gemini Killer. The acting and cast chemistry is all pro plus the scenes filmed were paced well and the camera work helped make the movie a knockout as many scary and tense moments have a slow build up only to surprise with quick and unexpected terror and fear! Finally watch this good well done sequel from 1990 and yes it was indeed scary proving that evil exist and is present in many forms thru people and their spirits, and for more insight read Blatty's complex novel "Legion".

William Peter Blatty The Exorcist III's has excellent dialogue, well paced, superb acting, solid character arcs and plot development mark this fine demonic horror/detective story. I feel George C. Scott's performance is as good as he has ever played in any of his previous films. Further back up by Brad Dourif magnetic monologue's . The atmosphere surrounding the film is one of foreboding , anticipation and ultimately the despair of satanism. May not have the visceral impact of the first film, but it gives viewers far more than they had any reason to expect. It would probably be much more highly-regarded were it not for the pedigree it has to live up to. Exorcist III stands alone, one of those rarest of birds: a horror sequel with ideas of its own.

With a title like 'Excorcist 3', one doesn't hope for much. But in fact, this film is really only so titled to exploit the value attached with the name, and although it was written (and also directed) by the writer of the original film, it's actually a stand-alone movie in it's own right. And while William Blatty may be hard pushed to rival the efforts of the original's director, William Friedkin, he doesn't do too bad a job: he's a little over-reliant on abrupt cutting to achieve his shocks, and the budget for the special effects was obviously inadequate, but this is a suspenseful and chilling thriller. All supernatural movies suffer from a degree of innate silliness, and satanic movies perhaps especially so, but this film is constructed as if it was a conventional serial killer thriller, albeit an exceptionally dark and creepy one. As the signs of actual devilry begin to increase, the detective leading the case (played brilliantly by George Scott) starts to wonder if he's going mad. Only when the film is forced, near its conclusion, to represent the nightmare literally, does it inevitably become a little daft (but that charge could even be levied at 'The Excorcist' itself). I'm not generally a huge fan of horror movies, but this one is definitely above average, for its skill in modulating the tension and in restraining from excess until its final scenes. In conclusion, ignore the title, and watch.

William Peter Blatty can really write. Prose and dialogue. No argument. But can he direct a movie? On the strength of 'Exorcist III,' yes he can. This isn't to say that the film doesn't have its problems. On the contrary, its biggest problem, the out-of-character 'crowd-pleasing' SFX climax stops it from being one of the greats. So why do I have a soft spot for this film? If, like me, you appreciate horror films that are both scary and made for grown-ups, 'Exorcist III' is refreshing and memorable for its intelligent, non-ironic journey into darkness and for its refusal (bar that ending) to dumb down for the kids. If 'Scream' is your idea of a great horror movie, this isn't one for you! The cast is not nearly young and attractive enough, there are nowhere near enough gags (though Blatty's dry, sardonic wit is happily in evidence) and the film has no pretensions at being an autopsy of the genre, therefore somehow lifting it above the films it purports to comment on. 'Exorcist III' is literary beyond 'Scream's' self-referential trivia-chasing (I would love to hear Detective Kinderman critiquing that movie!) Read 'Legion' and you'll have an idea of how good the film should have been. Flaws acknowledged and accepted, don't miss out on Brad Dourif's best performance since 'Cuckoo's Nest,' scene-stealing turns by Ed Flanders and Nancy Fish, or the superlative production design, photography and sound. More than anything else, it's the atmosphere of the film that stays with me. I can recall very few films that have a better sense of the power of stillness and silence. So much of the violence is communicated only in dialogue; your mind reluctantly does the rest.