The Exorcist (1973)

Popularity:

Up 13% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

William Friedkin

Writers:

William Peter Blatty (written for the screen by)
William Peter Blatty (novel)

Release Date:

11 September 1974 (France)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The movie you've been waiting for...without the wait.

Plot:

When a teenage girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter.

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Girl | Washington D.C. | Actress | Exorcism

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Ellen Burstyn	...	Chris MacNeil
Max von Sydow	...	Father Merrin
Lee J. Cobb	...	Lt. William Kinderman
Kitty Winn	...	Sharon
Jack MacGowran	...	Burke Dennings
Jason Miller	...	Father Karras
Linda Blair	...	Regan
William O'Malley	...	Father Dyer (as Reverend William O'Malley S.J.)
Barton Heyman	...	Dr. Klein
Peter Masterson	...	Dr. Barringer - Clinic Director (as Pete Masterson)
Rudolf Schündler	...	Karl
Gina Petrushka	...	Willi
Robert Symonds	...	Dr. Taney
Arthur Storch	...	Psychiatrist
Thomas Bermingham	...	Tom - President of University (as Reverend Thomas Bermingham S.J.)
Vasiliki Maliaros	...	Karras' Mother
Titos Vandis	...	Karras' Uncle
John Mahon	...	Language Lab Director
Wallace Rooney	...	Bishop Michael
Ron Faber	...	Chuck - Assistant Director / Demonic Voice
Donna Mitchell	...	Mary Jo Perrin
Roy Cooper	...	Jesuit Dean
Robert Gerringer	...	Senator at Party
Mercedes McCambridge	...	Demon (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Bateson	...	Radiologist's Assistant (uncredited)
Elinore Blair	...	Nurse (uncredited)
William Peter Blatty	...	The Producer (uncredited)
Mary Boylan	...	First Mental Patient (uncredited)
Dick Callinan	...	Astronaut (uncredited)
Mason Curry	...	Doctor (voice) (uncredited)
Toni Darnay	...	Violent psychotic patient (uncredited)
Eileen Dietz	...	Pazuzu's Face (uncredited)
Joanne Dusseau	...	Senator's Wife (uncredited)
Bernard Eismann	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Beatrice Hunter	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Yvonne Jones	...	Bellevue Nurse (uncredited)
Don LaBonte	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Ann Miles	...	Spiderwalk (uncredited)
John Nicola	...	Priest (uncredited)
Vincent Russell	...	Subway Vagrant (uncredited)
Gerard F. Yates	...	Priest Singing Around Piano at Party (uncredited)

Directed by
William Friedkin

Writing credits
William Peter Blatty		(written for the screen by)
William Peter Blatty		(novel)

Produced by
William Peter Blatty	....	producer
Noel Marshall	....	executive producer
David Salven	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Owen Roizman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Norman Gay
Evan A. Lottman		(as Evan Lottman)

Casting by
Louis DiGiaimo		(as Louis DiGiamo)
Nessa Hyams
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by
Bill Malley

Art Direction by
John Robert Lloyd		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Jerry Wunderlich

Costume Design by
Joseph Fretwell III		(as Joe Fretwell)

Makeup Department
William A. Farley	....	hair stylist (as Bill Farley)
Dick Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
William Kaplan	....	production manager: Iraq sequence

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Terence A. Donnelly	....	first assistant director
Alan R. Green	....	second assistant director (as Alan Green)

Art Department
Charles Bailey	....	assistant art director
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	property master (as Joe Caracciolo)
Edward Garzero	....	master scenic artist (as Eddie Garzero)
Robert Hart	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Randle Akerson	....	dialogue editor (2000 re-release)
Randle Akerson	....	sound editor (2000 re-release)
Noah Blough	....	sound editor (2000 re-release)
Andrew Bock	....	assistant sound editor: 2000 rerelease
Steve Boeddeker	....	sound designer: theatrical re-release
Fred J. Brown	....	sound effects editor (as Fred Brown)
Richard Burton	....	sound editor (2000 re-release)
Susan Demskey-Horiuchi	....	first assistant sound editor (2000 re-release)
Matthew Dettmann	....	foley artist (2000 re-release) (as Matt Dettmann)
Richard Duarte	....	foley mixer (2000 re-release)
Jean-Louis Ducarme	....	sound: Iraq sequence
C. Robert Fine	....	special sound effects (as Bob Fine)
Dana LeBlanc Frankley	....	adr assistant (2000 release) (as Dana LeBlanc)
Gonzalo Gavira	....	special sound effects
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (2000 re-release) (as Gary Hecker)
David C. Hughes	....	sound effects editor: re-release
Richard King	....	supervising sound editor (2000 re-release)
Robert Knudson	....	dubbing mixer (as Buzz Knudson)
Hal Landaker	....	sound consultant
James Matheny	....	sound editor (2000 re-release)
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer (2000 re-release)
Ron Nagle	....	special sound effects
Christopher Newman	....	sound (as Chris Newman)
Tim Nielsen	....	sound effects editor: re-release
Mark Pappas	....	foley editor (2000 re-release)
Mark Pappas	....	sound editor (2000 re-release)
Gary Rizzo	....	sound re-recording mixer (2000 special edition)
Doc Siegel	....	special sound effects
Donald Sylvester	....	sound editor: 2000 rerelease
Ross Taylor	....	sound effects editor
Robert Ulrich	....	adr supervisor (2000 re-release)
Robert Ulrich	....	supervising adr editor (2000 re-release)
Kerry Dean Williams	....	adr editor (2000 re-release) (as Kerry Williams)
Linda Yeaney	....	first assistant sound editor: 2000 rerelease
Sean England	....	machine room operator: 2000 re-release (uncredited)
James M. Falkinburg	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)
Sharron Miller	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Ken Nordine	....	special sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Marcel Vercoutere	....	special effects
Rick Baker	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	2000 special edition digital effects artist: Pacific Title Digital
Marv Ystrom	....	optical effects
Martin Hall	....	paint/roto artist (uncredited)
Matt Linder	....	digital compositor: restoration (uncredited)

Stunts
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ann Miles	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Waters	....	stunts: Jason Miller (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Quinlan	....	gaffer (as Dick Quinlan)
Ed Quinn	....	key grip (as Eddie Quinn)
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer
Billy Williams	....	director of photography: Iraq sequence
Gary Muller	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Kelvin Pike	....	camera operator: iraq sequence (uncredited)
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Robert Schoenhut	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Tom Volpe	....	grip (uncredited)
David Wynn-Jones	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bill Beattie	....	wardrobe: men's
Aldo Cipullo	....	jewelry designer: Cartier, New York
Florence Foy	....	wardrobe: ladies'

Editorial Department
Michael Goldman	....	assistant film editor (as Michal Goldman)
Terry Haggar	....	color timer (special edition)
Jordan Leondopoulos	....	supervising field editor
Ross Levy	....	assistant film editor: Iraq sequence
Craig McKay	....	assistant film editor
Bob McMillian	....	color consultant (as Robert M. McMillian)
Darrin Navarro	....	assistant editor (theatrical re-release)
Jonathan Pontell	....	assistant film editor
Ray Sabo	....	negative cutter (special edition)
Bud S. Smith	....	editor: Iraq sequence (as Bud Smith)

Music Department
Robert Garrett	....	music editor (2000 re-release)
Eugene Marks	....	music editor (as Gene Marks)
Jack Nitzsche	....	composer: additional music
Ken Nordine	....	vocal coach: Linda Blair (uncredited)

Other crew
Thomas Bermingham	....	technical advisor (as Reverend Thomas Bermingham S.J.)
Norman E. Chase	....	technical advisor: Professor of Radiology, New York University Medical Center (as Norman E. Chase M.D.)
Anne Mooney	....	production office coordinator
John Nicola	....	technical advisor (as Reverend John Nicola S.J.)
William O'Malley	....	technical advisor (as Reverend William O'Malley S.J.)
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Nicholas Sgarro	....	script supervisor (as Nick Sgarro)
Albert M. Shapiro	....	administrative assistant (as Albert Shapiro)
Arthur I. Snyder	....	technical advisor (as Arthur I. Snyder M.D.)
Herbert E. Walker	....	technical advisor (as Herbert E. Walker M.D.)
Victor Argo	....	voice (uncredited)
Michael Cristofer	....	voice (uncredited)
Eileen Dietz	....	double: Regan MacNeil (uncredited)
Liam Dunn	....	voice (uncredited)
Philippa Harris	....	voice (uncredited)
Claudia Lennear	....	voice (uncredited)
Kitty Malone	....	voice (uncredited)
Howard Newman	....	publicist (uncredited)
Maidie Norman	....	voice (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. (presents)
• Hoya Productions (as A Hoya Production)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1974) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1974) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1978) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MTV3 (1997) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Bros. (1998) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (2000) (USA) (theatrical) (director's cut)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2001) (Finland) (theatrical) (DVD) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical) (director's cut)
• Warner Bros. (2001) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (director's cut)
• Warner Sogefilms A.I.E. (2001) (Spain) (theatrical) (director's cut)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Switzerland) (DVD) (director's cut)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS) (director's cut)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2003) (Finland) (DVD) (3-disc The Exorcist DVD Trilogy)
• Sub (2008) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray) (extended director's cut & original theatrical edition)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (USA) (DVD) (extended director's cut)
• Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment (1979) (USA) (video) (Super 8mm)
• Prem'er Video Fil'm (2003) (Russia) (VHS)
• Scanvideo (198?) (Finland) (VHS)
• Varus Video (19??) (Russia) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Révillon  furs (as Revillon)
• Cartier  jewelry (as Cartier New York)
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• Pacific Title  additional visual effects (special edition)
• Panavision  photographic equipment
• Perseverance Records  soundtrack (re-release)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment  vhs package design

Also Known As:

"The Exorcist: The Version You Haven't Seen Yet" - USA (recut version)
"The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen" - USA (promotional title)
"William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist" - USA (reissue title)
"Exorcist" - Japan (English title) (imdb display title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and disturbing images (Approved No. 23433)

Runtime:

122 min | 132 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Latin | Greek | French | German | Arabic

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (1979 re-release) | DTS-ES (director's cut) | Dolby Digital EX (director's cut) | Mono (original release) | SDDS (director's cut)

Certification:

Argentina:16 (director's cut) | Argentina:18 (original rating) | Australia:R18+ | Australia:MA15+ (TV rating) | Brazil:14 (TV rating - 1988) (video rating - 2001) | Brazil:18 (original rating) | Brazil:12 (cinema rating) (1998) | Brazil:16 (cinema rating) (1987) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) (2000 re-release) | Canada:R (Manitoba) (also 2000 version) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (2000 re-release) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Canada:AA (Ontario) (2000 re-release) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (re-rating) | Canada:R (video rating) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1998) | Chile:18 (theatrical re-release) (2015) | Chile:14 (re-rating) (2000) | Finland:K-16 (2013) | Finland:K-18 (1974) | France:12 (director's cut) | France:16 (original rating) | France:-12 (re-rating) | Germany:16 (bw) (2001 re-release) | Hong Kong:IIB | Hungary:18 | Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | Israel:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:PG-12 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Mexico:C | Mexico:B (2000) | Netherlands:16 (director's cut) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) | New Zealand:R18 (original rating) | New Zealand:R16 (re-rating) (2000) | Norway:18 | Norway:15 (2000) | Peru:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:(Banned) (original rating) | Singapore:R(A) (re-rating) (cut) | Singapore:M18 (video rating) (cut) | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:X (original rating) | UK:(Banned) (original rating) | UK:18 (re-rating) (2008) | UK:18 (re-rating) (1990) | USA:R (Approved No. 23433) | USA:TV-14 (TV rating) | West Germany:18 (bw)

Filming Locations:

3600 Prospect Street, Georgetown, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Company:

Warner Bros.

Trivia:

In 1981 the film was released on video by Warner Home Video, as one of its first UK releases. At the time there was no requirement that videos should be classified by the BBFC, so the video was simply released on the strength of its existing "X" certificate. Contrary to popular opinion, the video version was never included on the Director of Public Prosecution's list of "video nasties" and was never prosecuted for obscenity, testament perhaps to the popularity of the film and the high regard in which it was held. After the Video Recordings Act (VRA) was introduced in 1984 it became necessary for the film to obtain a certificate for video release from the BBFC. The video release was continually delayed on the recommendation of chief censor James Ferman, who advised Warner Brothers against submitting the film for a UK video certificate. A possible 1988 release was also vetoed by Ferman, who cited recent cases of child abuse as the reason. It was finally released on video fully uncut in June 1999, five months after Ferman's retirement as UK censor.

Goofs:

Continuity: When father Karras is in the dorm sitting on the bed smoking a cigarette, the priest takes the cigarette from Karras and lays him down on the bed. When father Karras sits up and grabs the priest's arm, the cigarette is still in Karras's right hand. In the next shot, the cigarette is back with the other priest.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Boy:[in Arabic] They've found something... small pieces.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in I'm Still Here (2010/I)

Soundtrack:

Study No. 2

Engraved into your minds...forever

For those who watched this film on the big screen when it was re-released and thought it was 'comical, funny, not disturbing nor scary' are just do not understand the complexity that surrounds this movie. Back in '73, no one was expecting a film of this kind, and I know it has been said many times but it WAS way ahead of its time. A time where cinema was in its infancy, religion was practiced on a larger scale than today and showing such violent, graphic and disturbing scenes was not thought of as being possible, one can understand why it has been banned for so many years.

I recently watched this movie (at night, before bedtime) and it really left me thinking of how such horrifying scenes could be shown and portrayed in such a way. There were many scenes that would not get out of my head (for those who have seen the movie would know what scenes they are). I could not sleep that night and that hasn't happened since I saw Nightmare On Elm Street Part 1 when I was 6!

What makes things worse is that there are well known cases where people have been possessed by the devil or a supernatural being, which leads them in doing evil deeds.

When you mix a horror movie with religion on such a large magnitude, things can heat up and become very unpleasant.