Customer Reviews

Exorcist 3 [VHS]

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(48)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

From the eerie opening dream sequence, I was drawn into this film by William Peter Blatty's great screenplay (based on his book, Legion) and confident directing. He deftly blends elements of mystery and horror together to create an atmosphere of evil that is both subtle at times and shocking at others. And just as William Friedkin did in the orginal Exorcist, the employment of auditory stimuli are used in a way that get under your skin and stay there.

The plot revolves around Detective Bill Kinderman--played this time by the great George C. Scott--trying to solve a series of gruesome murders that seem to somehow be related to the exorcism of Regan MacNeil 17 years ago. The story is allowed to develop at a relaxed pace, and will keep you guessing as to what's happening and why. But as it continues to unfold, Kinderman's faith in God, which he admits that he doesn't have much of, and his own sanity are tested by an ungodly force that he can't begin to comprehend. Blatty takes all the things we believe in and comfort us--faith in God, religious symbols, and Good over Evil--and tries to eradicate them right in front of our eyes and make us question our own comfortable reality.

Overall, there are many scenes that will bring you right out of your seat because they are so damn scary. The few parts with Kinderman interrogating the Gemini killer (Brad Dourif) are also very intense, and are a rare glimpse into the mind of a sick killer. One problem I had with the film is that the ending seemed a little too predictable and rushed, but in conclusion does not detract from the overall strength of the film that much. If you appreciate intelligent horror films (yes, there are some of them around), you should see this well-made film.

Nine years after its release, "Exorcist 3" remains one of the most unfairly maligned films ever made. After the disastrous "Exorcist 2: The Heretic" (which involved neither "Exorcist" director William Friedkin nor writer William Peter Blatty), Blatty created a true sequel to the original masterpiece. Brilliant, thoughtful, and character-driven, "Exorcist 3" will disappoint only those who do not have the patience to listen to beautifully-crafted dialogue and allow the film to steadily weave its web. Why did the film perform poorly at the box office? In our modern canon of horror films, we've grown accustomed to horror sequels avoiding all rational reason for existing (character development, unanswered questions, etc.) and instead being conceived from the beginning as tired re-treads designed only to make money. There's even a camp value here, and many horror sequels are considered sussesses for this: more of the same; strong opening weekend; end of story. "Exorcist 3" avoids these traps, and was ultimately punished for it. First of all, the film's original title -- "Legion" -- is the proper introduction to the film's themes. Unfortunately, the choice was made that since the more intriguing and appropriate "Legion" didn't have immediate title-recognition and probably wouldn't effectively draw audiences, the more recognizable "Exorcist 3" was chosen...against Blatty's wishes, and in spite of the fact that "Exorcist 3" wisely ignores the very existence of "The Heretic" and begins where the original ended. (One does have to wonder why the producers didn't compromise with a title like "The Exorcist: Legion.") Structurally, "Exorcist 3" also attacks our senses in a much subtler (but equally unnerving) way than seen in the furious conclusion to "The Exorcist." Don't get me wrong -- "The Exorcist" is one of my favorite films, and embodies flawless film-making from beginning to end. The fact that "Exorcist 3" is much quieter and more character-driven, however, meant that many members of the original's core audience didn't know what to make of it; in addition, the plot of "Exorcist 3" requires a working knowledge of the events surrounding the original, meaning that younger viewers who hadn't even seen the original were doomed to be lost in the film's complex plot. Again, all of this is a shame. "Exorcist 3" is not only one of the smartest horror films ever made, its considerations of the nature of faith (and the imagery which surrounds these questions) make it one of the most thoughtful. Blatty has always dealt with issues of faith in his writing, and the meditations on the subject in "Exorcist 3" are among the most profound I've seen in film. Consider the question asked of Lt. Kinderman (George C. Scott) in the film's conclusion: "Have I helped your unbelief?" In the power of the moment, we expect a certain response from Kinderman. We hear a quite different one, however, and we're momentarily puzzled -- until we consider the deeper issues of faith behind the monologue and the spiritual journey Kinderman has been on. The response then makes perfect sense, and the film would work no other way. This is great writing, given even more power by Scott's performance. Because this is a thriller, the film's thrills need to be addressed. As I said, the film is much more quietly intense than the original -- but I challenge you not to leap from your chair during the payoff of the hospital hallway scene (one shot with no edits...just slowly, steadily building tension). The craftsmanship of this scene is a wonder to behold, and has deservedly received comparisons to the scene-structure of Hitchcock.Regardless of all that I've said, I can acknowledge that the film won't be for everyone. Things don't jump out at the audience every five minutes (with the requisite music stinger to make absolutely sure we jump), and I understand that many look for that and that alone. But "Exorcist 3" is so much more, and represents the work of people who cared about where their story was headed...and why. It is a genuine classic.

Exorcist 3 is a sequel to the first exorcist in terms of story line and characters. But you can't compare the two as the two movies are not the same. Exorcist 3 is more like a serial killer movie and it is a very good one. Too bad this movie was a flop during its theatrical run so it never achieved the same popularity as the first Exorcist. But it is a very creepy and scary movie and suprisingly there is no gore portrayed in the movie. Check out chapter 22, I think that has the greatest jump in horror movie. The scene I am talking about only last a couple seconds but I guarantee that if you think of Exorcist 3 you will remember that particular scene. The late George C Scott gave superb performance as Detective Bill Kenderman who is puzzled as a serial killer that was executed in the electric chair 15 years ago appear to strike again. Look for cameo by Patrick Ewing and Fabio in a dream sequence. I would have given this 5 stars if only Warner has released this DVD with some extra features. This DVD has none except one theatrical trailer which I think shouldn't be considered as an extra feature. Warner has released the first Exorcist 3 times on DVD. I do hope they rerelease this with extra features. Meanwhile for [price] list price DVD this is an absolute must for horror fans.

William Peter Blatty adapted the script for this second sequel of the Exorcist series, as he did the first. The story is very good, continuing the life of Lieutenant Kinderman and Father Dyer, after they witnessed the death of one of the exorcists in the first film. From the beginning, when the statue of Christ opens its eyes, the film is a chilling experience. It is more frightening in an atmospheric way than the first. It gives the presence of evil spirituality, a tangibility, a feeling that it has a density and dimension and is surrounding you. This exhertion can almost grant an interaction of the audience, that compells them to feel that some invisible presence has inherited the room they watch it in. The first Exorcist compelled and frightened by using straight-forward explicit imagery. Only an avid reader of Blatty's novels could fully understand the symbolism and subtlety of the dialogue. Scott was not the original Kinderman, nevertheless portrays the roll finely. As does Brad Dourif as the venemous Gemini Killer and Jason Miller as "Patient X." The film's specifically major flaw is the use of celebrity appearances such as Fabio, in a dream sequence of Kinderman. When there are first suggestions of this, one is prepared for it to be frightening to some extent, due to the boundryless potential of terror that can be incorporated in dream sequences. Yet, it is ultimatley a tryingly humorous scenario, and all fails within. The films ending is basically a re-enactment of the exorcism in the first film, and fails to produce a plot-twist, which is decidedly necessary to conclude the saga of evil patented by the Exorsist. On a technical gripe, the sound is relentlessly awkward, even in silent scenes without any background music. Ironically the sound editors of the first film won an Oscar for their work, it's safe to assume they had nothing to do with the soundtrack of this film. Overall, The Exorcist III is a very good sequel to the most horrifying film ever made. Those who find it anything less than that are comparing it too much to the predecessor.

Yes, yes, this certainly isn't much like the original 'The Exorcist'. (Nor is it like that spectacular turdburger 'The Heretic'.) If you want 'The Exorcist' maybe you should go watch that again. Personally, I like this movie better than the original, though they aren't all that comparable, and it's certainly one of the best horror movies of the 1990's.

This takes something more of a thriller approach, as it focuses on a policeman, Kinderman, played by George C. Scott, and a murder investigation. Still, it has a substantial supernatural angle and is undeniably a horror film. Most backers of this film call it a 'cerebral horror film'. I think that's a bit pretentious as it isn't really that this film is that smart, it's just slow and emphasizes dialogue. It's not so much smart as it is not merely shallow and extremely simplistic. Some dumb people may not care for it, but that would just be because they don't like something so low-key, rather than that they can't understand it. Anyway the film involves a series of brutal murders which are especially puzzling as they follow the MO of a killer who's been dead for over a decade, though they don't appear nearly as random as those did, and seem to be related to an exorcism many years earlier. Specifics beyond that are unnecessary.

Again, this is just the scariest film I've seen in a very long time. I've grown largely immune to film horror, though I enjoy it immensely, but this film got to me. It's not scary in the purely conventional sense as it is the dialogue scenes which tend to be the most unnerving parts. Brad Dourif plays the apparent killer, and he's brilliant with lots of magnificent dialogue. He's plays it about as intensely as you can with out going overboard and is really quite frightening. Unquestionably the creepiest 'movie psycho' I've ever seen. The generally low-key style of the film is broken at a few points, and these scenes are all the more effective because of how rare they are. (Up until the very end of the film, anyway)

George C. Scott is excellent as Kinderman, and the performances are uniformly strong, though there aren't many really substantiative parts. It is, of course, a dark, dank film but with a bit of visual flair at times as well, particularly during a fine, surreal sequence towards the beginning of the film. Again, it is slow, but that's the stuff that this film is about. Take it or leave it.

It does break the mood a bit at the end, which is quite a bit more conventional than all that which came before. It doesn't fit entirely but it's far from bad. It's still pretty effective all by itself, I think, just not as strong as that which came before. All in all, it doesn't stumble too much.

Well, I liked this a lot. Check it out if you want some truly dark, different horror.

Grade: A-

Let's be honest about The Exorcist 2--it followed the wrong character. There wasn't anything all that interesting about Linda Blair's character in the original. The meat and potatos of the film was Jason Miller as Father Karras and Max Von Sydow. In this spooky and powerful sequel based on Blatty's book Legion, George C. Scott takes on the role of Detective Bill Kinderman. The film follows Scott's pursuit of the Gemini Killer (played by the always spooky Brad Dourif). The Gemini Killer was executed but there's a copycat killer on the loose. Scott's character comes to believe that it's not a copycat killer but something beyond the natural and predenatural level.

Blatty's direction is sharp and taunt. He's obviously picked up a hint or two from William Friedekin (The Exorcist, French Connection)and Robert Wise (The Haunting, The Andromeda Strain). His use of silence creates added tension in a number of sequences. Blatty uses suspense vs. gore to create a charged atmosphere that allows the tension to build. His script is intelligent and fleshes out much of what was missing in the original film and novel of The Exorcist.

Scott gives a stunning, complex performance and Jason Miller's performance captures the mixture of terror and power his character feels given his circumstances. There really isn't a weak link in this fine, underrated and largely unseen film. By all rights the DVD edition should have a director's commentary. If Scott and Miller were around they'd also provide a fine commentary on their craft. Since that isn't possible, perhaps someone will ask Campbell Scott at some point to comment on his father's strong performance in this chiller.

The Exorcist 3 (along with another film Scott appeared in called The Changling)is a perfect example of what horror films should do;' they should not shock as much as build to a number of terrifying moments. THis is a DVD well worth having and proves that sometimes a sequel can be the equal to its original.

I'll be honest, I had ZERO expectations for this film. The second film the series was perhaps the most God awful film I've had the displeasure of sitting through. Then when this one came to theaters, it bombed both critcally and financially. Now, with the fourth one on the horizon, I thought I'd go back and catch up by watching this one. I have to say, I was totally taken aback after viewing this film. It was the first film to give me the chills in over fifteen years (and I've sat through more horror films than most die hard horror fans).
One scene in particular (one I wouldn't dream of giving away), completely caught me off guard with it's use of subtlety and eerie sound effects. There is little on screen gore, as William Peter Blatty (writer/director) has his characters describe everything in great detail through the dialouge. This leaves most of it to your imagination, which tends to be more horrific in the long run. Save for a few really chilling close ups, the direction is pretty straight forward. Most of it is of the point and shoot variety, which really disarms the viewer when Blatty decides to lay on the scares.
The acting also suprised me with George C. Scott turning in an emotional performance (slightly over played, but that's always been his style). The real show stopper would have to be Brad ("Child's Play")Dourif, playing yet another psychopath with his usual brilliance. The interplay between him and Scott in the cell room came across very shudder-some. It reminded me of the scenes with Foster and Hopkins in "Silence of the Lambs" (though one should point out this predated "Silence" by a year!).
If I have any complaints, I suppose the climax would have to be it. It's as if someone else came in and shot a different ending (which may the case for all I know). It feels like your suddenly watching someone else's film right at the most crucial moment. The other complaint would have to be the presentation on the DVD itself. The picture is a little hazy and it's pretty much a "bare bones" package, with no real special features.
That aside, this film is a definate must see for all those horror and mystery buffs who may have overlooked this gem back when it was first released. Very smart thriller, which probably would've done better had it been released under the title "Legion" (the novel which it was based on, also written by Blatty), than as the third in the "Exorcist" series. Don't get me wrong, this is a great follow up to "The Exorcist" and really the only sequel I would consider to it. But the film stands well on it's own and it's a shame so few ever gave it the time of day becuase of it's roman numeral in the title.

Written for the screen and directed by William Peter Blatty. THIS FILM IS VERY INTENSE! NOT FOR CHILDREN! NOT FOR ADULTS WITH HEART PROBLEMS. We are now in Georgetown in 1990. There is a dark evil force rolling down the street like a wind. George C. Scott plays "Lt. Kinderman" who is investigating a new Georgetown terrorist and he is still investigating the Gemini Killer who has been died for 15 years. Or is he? Ed Flanders plays "Father Dyer" who is a friend of Lt. Kinderman. Lt. Kinderman is so bothered by the increase of horrific crimes of late that Father Dyer comforts him by saying (paraphrasing) "It all works out right at the end of time. We will all be there. We will live forever. We are spirits." The killings continue. He visits an old lady in the hospital (Mary Jackson, "The Waltons") to help him with the case, but all she talks about is her radio. Then he visits a man that was picked up 15 years ago walking the street. They brought him to the hospital. he has been completely withdrawn. Six weeks ago he started to come out of it. He got worse and violent. They gave him shock therapy. Now he is an isolation. This man is Patient X and he says he is the Gemini Killer. It is his best friend he saw die, Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller, The Exorcist (Extended Director's Cut)[1973]). Brad Dourif (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest [1975]) also plays the evil isolated patient as the Gemini Killer. Nicol Williamson as "Father Morning". Fabio Lanzoni as a dream angel. Patrick Ewing as "Angel of death". Samuel L. Jackson as "Dream Blind Man". Larry King as himself. George Di Cenzo also in the cast. keep your dogs and cats out of the room. Sound effects could cause heart stoppage . A fourth Exorcist film, EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING, a prequel, was released August 20, 2004.

William Peter Blatty adapted his novel and directed the film version of the second sequel to his blockbuster hit. Fifteen years later, Lt. William F. Kinderman (played here by George C. Scott, RIP) is still haunted by the tragic, mysterious death of his friend, Father Damien Karras (the the late Jason Miller, back in fine form). Then a grisly string of murders he investigates seems strangely connected with a case he worked several years previously. The culprit was the Gemini Killer, and Kinderman is informed that a patient in the psychiatric ward of the local hospital is claiming responsibility for the crimes. The detective decides to confront the patient, but he knows it's impossible for this person to be the Gemini - the murderer was executed in the electric chair - on the very night that Father Karras successfully expelled the demon in the first film.

Kinderman is in no way prepared for what he is about to face - evil wearing the face of his old friend, the priest's soul being tormented for the devil's pleasure - and a bloody rampage that claims the life of another friend, Father Joesph Dyer (Ed Flanders, RIP). Braving the supernatural force, the detective must face his worst foe to end the crime spree and free his friend's soul . . . . . .

Blatty wisely did not try to top his original masterpiece; instead, he presents a portrait of a few of his key characters engaged in their own battles and trying to contemplate the meaning of life and death in general, all the while incorporated the supernatural to reach the point. The movie seems to have a more significant meaning since many of the top billed cast members have now passed on. Understandably, the film did not do well at the box office due to the previous sequel's disaster, but LEGION is an underrated gem. If you have seen the first film, you might like to see this one. Try to remember that it became before "The Silence Of The Lambs".

Let's break out the Holy Water and crucifix, don our sacred vestments, run through the Liturgy of Exorcism, and get medieval on "Exorcist 3: Legion": is this a movie worthy of carrying the mantle of what many call the scariest movie ever made, or does it cry out to be exorcised of cinematic mediocrity?

Fear not: "Exorcist 3" is a lush and haunting creepshow that boasts original "Exorcist" author William Peter Blatty in the director's chair, crisp cinematography by Gerry Fisher ("Highlander", "Wolfen"), and a spooky score that knows when to get low-key. Add to that George C. Scott in the role of Detective Lt. Bill Kinderman, a crusty cinephile brought back to those wickedly steep Georgetown steps when a serial killer slaughters and mutilates two priests and a young boy---brutal killings that are particularly baffling when police recognize the brutal signature of the infamous Gemini Killer---but the Killer died 15 years ago, and the fingerprints suggest the murders were carried out by three separate killers.

Blatty's direction and a fine ensemble cast makes "Exorcist 3" a worthy successor to the original which manages to bury the silliness of "Exorcist2", and best of all the film ratchets up the terror. "Exorcist3" is not afraid to take chances, and while not the grand opera that Friedkin's original is, for my money it is far more terrifying and infinitely creepier.

This time the Devil is finished messing around with random adolescents and has decided instead to launch a blitzkrieg against the morally weak and feeble minded. The mixture of forensic weirdness and supernatural strangeness brings Kinderman back together with old friend Father Dyer (the society priest from the original, now contrite and played effectively by Ed Flanders), and by the time the credits roll even Father Damien Karras has put in an appearance, joining Old Scratch to make "Exorcist 3: Legion" a reunion of sorts!

"Exorcist 3" is monstrously entertaining and genuinely scary. Blatty has a remarkable flair for taking his well-crafted set-pieces and milking them for every ounce of spooky atmosphere: from Kinderman's audience in a Bishop's shadowy office, to the antiseptic cell-block housing a mysterious lunatic, to a hospital wing which features one of the most terrifying sequences in movie history, Blatty is in total control of his medium, using sound effects, actors' faces, and the film's lurking and creepy soundtrack to crank up the terror.

And you get so many other fine little nuggets here, including: a typically tasty turn by the great Brad Dourif as the Gemini Killer; cameos by Fabio Volpe, Samuel L. Jackson, and even former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop; Colleen Dewhurst as the strangled voice of Satan; and a painful scene in which a Catholic priest is turned into a human refrigerator magnet. Ouch!

Like its worthy predecessor "The Exorcist", "Exorcist 3" is a superbly directed spookshow about modern men wrestling with the silence of God, mortal terror, and the problem of Evil. But unlike Friedkin's original, Blatty seems less concerned with bile and gore, and far more interested in figuring out what happens when Man stares too long into the face of Evil. There are fates worse than Death.