The Last Exorcism (2010)

Director:

Daniel Stamm

Writers (WGA):

Huck Botko (written by) &
Andrew Gurland (written by)

Release Date:

27 August 2010 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Believe In Him.

Plot:

A troubled evangelical minister agrees to let his last exorcism be filmed by a documentary crew.

Plot Keywords:

Exorcism | Documentary Crew | Baton Rouge Louisiana | Louisiana | Fraud

Awards:

3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Patrick Fabian	...	Cotton Marcus
Ashley Bell	...	Nell Sweetzer
Iris Bahr	...	Iris Reisen
Louis Herthum	...	Louis Sweetzer
Caleb Landry Jones	...	Caleb Sweetzer
Tony Bentley	...	Pastor Manley
John Wright Jr.	...	John Marcus
Shanna Forrestall	...	Shanna Marcus
Justin Shafer	...	Justin Marcus
Carol Sutton	...	Shopkeeper
Victoria Patenaude	...	Motorist
John Wilmot	...	Spindly Man
Becky Fly	...	Becky Davis
Denise Lee	...	Nurse
Logan Craig Reid	...	Logan Winters
Sofia Hujabre	...	Cafe Manager
Adam Grimes	...	Daniel Moskowitz
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cy Fahrenholtz	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
Geraldine Glenn	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
Cynthia LeBlanc	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)
Elton LeBlanc	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)

Directed by
Daniel Stamm

Writing credits (WGA)
Huck Botko		(written by) &
Andrew Gurland		(written by)

Produced by
Marc Abraham	....	producer
Thomas A. Bliss	....	producer
Patrick Curd	....	co-executive producer
Ron Halpern	....	executive producer
Gabrielle Neimand	....	co-producer
Eric Newman	....	producer
Douglas Plasse	....	co-executive producer (as Doug Plasse)
Eli Roth	....	producer
Patty Long	....	line producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Nathan Barr

Cinematography by
Zoltan Honti

Film Editing by
Shilpa Sahi

Casting by
Lauren Bass

Production Design by
Andrew W. Bofinger

Costume Design by
Shauna Leone

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects artist
Alex Diaz	....	on set supervisor: special effects makeup
Krystal Kershaw	....	key makeup artist
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects artist (as Greg Nicotero)
Marcos Gonzales	....	key hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Patty Long	....	unit production manager
Joan Malloch	....	post-production supervisor
John Portnoy	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gregory S. Carr	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Thomas S. Hammock	....	production designer: additional photography
Beau Harrison	....	assistant property master
Leonard Lavigueur	....	property master
Dave Quinlan	....	set dresser
Renee Ragucci	....	props

Sound Department
Michael Baird	....	supervising sound designer
Roberto Cappannelli	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rene Defrancesch	....	boom operator
Robert Dehn	....	sound studio manager
Brent Findley	....	sound effects editor
Jason Gaya	....	adr mixer
Corey J. Grasso	....	adr mixer
Angela Hemingway	....	adr dialogue editor
Steven Iba	....	assistant sound editor
Jonathan Pendergrass	....	foley editor
Jonathan Wales	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Larry Barado	....	special effects foreman
Edward Joubert	....	special effects technician
David K. Nami	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Christine Carr	....	visual effects producer
Shane Cook	....	compositing supervisor: Gradient Effects
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging supervisor: iO FILM
Dylan Highsmith	....	visual effects editor
Thomas Kernan	....	model lead: Gradient Effects
James Polk	....	character technical director: Gradient Effects
Olcun Tan	....	digital effects supervisor
Thomas Tannenberger	....	visual effects supervisor
Cameron Thomas	....	compositor: Gradient Effects
Fiona Campbell Westgate	....	visual effects producer: Gradient Effects

Stunts
Trace Cheramie	....	stunt coordinator
Steve Picerni	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Marcus Kellum	....	second assistant camera
Justin LeBlanc	....	light balloon technician
Christopher Meydrich	....	additional grip
Myron Parran	....	first assistant camera
Patti Perret	....	still photographer
Declan Ryan	....	lighting balloon technician
Jared Talbot	....	additional set lighting technician
Nathan Tape	....	gaffer
Trevor Tufano	....	second assistant camera
Joseph Walsh	....	assistant camera
Chris Weaver	....	key grip
Kristopher Weaver	....	key grip

Casting Department
Jordan Bass	....	casting associate
Lauri David	....	background casting
Terri Douglas	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Doré Cermak	....	key costumer
Reba Saul	....	ager/dyer

Editorial Department
James Ahern	....	digital intermediate editor
Adam Hawkey	....	digital intermediate colorist
Michael John Koetter	....	software engineer
Franklin Peterson	....	assistant editor
Mathieu Reid	....	color timer
Jay Trautman	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Mary Parker	....	music consultant

Transportation Department
Will Bourne	....	driver: cast
Brian Mathews	....	production driver

Other crew
Mac Alsfeld	....	office production assistant
Mark Barclay	....	assistant to Thomas Bliss
James Brooke	....	production services
James T. Bruce IV	....	production consultant
Matthew Cassel	....	location manager: Los Angeles
Brooke Ensign	....	unit publicist
Natalie Faldo	....	assistant to co-producer: Gabrielle Neimand
Nora L. Ferris	....	insurance broker
Gaia Filicori	....	production assistant
Matthew Ford	....	set medic
Sofia Hujabre	....	production secretary
Charlotte Lancaster	....	craft service
John Landers	....	key craft service
Stephanie Langhoff	....	production coordinator
Yvette LaPlace	....	location manager
Stephen Ledet	....	set production assistant
David Margulis	....	location scout
Christie Mattull	....	production insurance: Momentous Insurance Brokerage (as Christy Mattull)
Jesse Rose Moore	....	assistant to producer: Eric Newman
Marilyn Penn	....	post production accountant
Stephan Roux	....	location scout
Jayne Royall	....	production accountant
Valerie Ryan	....	location scout
Nicholas Sarando	....	script supervisor
Matt Warren	....	completion guarantor: Film Finances Inc.
Cynthia Dyan Williams	....	photo double
Kurt Woolner	....	completion guarantor: Film Finances Inc.
Jamie Zakoski	....	assistant to producer: Marc Abraham
Nathaniel Zimet	....	chef

Thanks
Leonard Alsfeld	....	special thanks
David Birke	....	special thanks
John Bobear	....	special thanks
Valerie Bobear	....	special thanks (as Valerie 'Armbruster' Bobear)
James Brooke	....	special thanks
James T. Bruce IV	....	special thanks (as James Bruce)
Fatimah Conley-Mayfield	....	special thanks
Jerry Gilbert	....	special thanks: Louisiana Media Services
Thomas S. Hammock	....	special thanks (as Tom Hammock)
Gary D. Jones	....	special thanks
Hunter Moskowitz	....	special thanks (as Hunter L. Moskowitz)
Sara Northcutt	....	special thanks: Hampton Inn Hotels & Suites of New Orleans
The People of Louisiana	....	special thanks
Louis Pomes	....	special thanks
David Pomier	....	special thanks (as Dave Pomier)

Production Companies

• Strike Entertainment (presents)
• StudioCanal (presents)
• Arcade Pictures
• Louisiana Media Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• Alliance Films (2010) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Cinestar (2010) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2010) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2010) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Comstock Group (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Energía Entusiasta (2010) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2010) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Hopscotch Films (2010) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2010) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Klock Worx Company, The (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Lionsgate (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2010) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Optimum Releasing (2010) (UK) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2010) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Aurum Producciones (2011) (Spain) (all media)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Future Film (2011) (Finland) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2010) (Thailand) (all media)
• Midget Entertainment (2010) (Denmark) (all media)
• Noble Entertainment (2010) (Sweden) (all media)
• Pinema (2010) (Turkey) (all media)
• PlayArte Filmes (2010) (Brazil) (all media)
• StudioCanal (2010) (France) (all media)
• Twin Pics (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twin Pics (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Volga Film (2010) (Russia) (all media)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2010) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• Gradient Effects (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Que Crawl  catering
• iO Film  digital intermediate
• Sonic Magic Studios  sound post-production and mixing
• Film Finances  completion guarantee (as Film Finances, Inc.)
• Momentous Insurance Brokerage  insurance
• Cinelease Motion Picture Equipment Rental  lighting equipment (as Cinelease, Inc.)
• FBT Film and Entertainment  special thanks (as FBT Investments, Inc.)
• Louisiana Media Services  special thanks: to Jerry Gilbert
• Louisiana Office of Entertainment Industry Development, The  special thanks (as The Office of Entertainment Industry Development of Louisiana)
• Lousiana Governor's Office of Film and TV Development  special thanks (as The Louisiana State Governor's Film Office)
• New Orleans Mayor's Office of Film & Video, The  special thanks
• Hampton Inn New Orleans  special thanks: to Sara Northcutt (as Hampton Inn Hotels & Suites of New Orleans)
• Current Film Services  special thanks (as Current Film Services, Inc.)
• Screen Actors Guild (SAG)  special thanks
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of
• Int'l Brotherhood of Teamsters  acknowledgement (as Teamsters Motion Picture & Theatrical Trade Division)
• Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)  approval certificate: no. 45788
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix: Dolby Digital
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• StudioCanal  author and creator: for the purposes of U.S. copyright law and the Berne Convention and all national laws giving effect thereto (as StudioCanal S.A.)
• Strike Entertainment  author and creator: for the purposes of U.S. copyright law and the Berne Convention and all national laws giving effect thereto (as Strike Entertainment, Inc.)
• Hollywood Trucks  entertainment transportation (uncredited)
• Klass Security and Investigations  anti-piracy security services (uncredited)
• Louisiana Entertainment  state film office (uncredited)
• New Orleans Film Commission, The  film commission (uncredited)
• Silver Screen Supply  production supplies (uncredited)
• Upload Films  post-production (uncredited)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for disturbing violent content and terror, some sexual references and thematic material

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #45788) | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Argentina:16 | Mexico:B | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:MA | South Korea:15 | France:-16 | Norway:15 | Iceland:12 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | Japan:PG12 | Chile:14 | Brazil:14 (re-rating on appeal) | Finland:K-15 | Italy:VM14

Filming Locations:

Louisiana, USA

Company:

Strike Entertainment

Trivia:

The film's poster was banned in the UK after receiving complaints deeming the image offensive.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: At 9:51, there is a shot of a newspaper article about the death of an autistic boy. The article is in three columns. Half way down the third column, the article repeats, starting from the beginning again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Shanna Marcus:Cotton!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Midnight Movie Review: The Last Exorcism (#2.19)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Black Paws, Snow Deep

The trickster

The whole setup here is that we have a professional actor - paid to put on shows about fire and brimstone - who will need to discern over the course of the film who is putting on the show he finds himself in. A film crew is turning this into a movie, presumed to reveal hidden mechanisms that move spectators. Turns out something else is controlling the thing and moving parts we thought we knew all about and possibly us. This will test his mettle as a showman himself, let's say his faith in the healing power of his act (art?). Is the girl acting out some repressed sexual trauma? Is the father, at the same time covering his tracks with Jesus babble? Or is the demon, the great trickster? (a mild problem here is that, the film being what it is, we never really wonder, do we?)

This is excellent stuff and could have worked as more than horror. Indeed, until the last part horror is intermittent here. Our focus is on juggling one show as part of another while getting to decide which one horrifies more. The choice for 'found footage' is one of the better applications I've seen in terms of structure; it means we have one more show running behind the other two, and one that we use to look for the real root of horror. There are many dramatic shots in the flow, but we can chalk these to the presence of a professional cameraman.

The ending has been reported as problematic. Oh, it is graphic but in ways that have become a staple in films dealing with some extraordinary demonic darkness; Polanski, Rosemary as well as Ninth Gate, the Hammer shocker The Devil Rides Out, Night of the Demon, recently Drag me to Hell. Many viewers bemoan the revelation and tend to prefer the whole thing coated in whispers and rumors. Fair point.

It works for me because it allows us to recast evil as another staged trick. Another group of people are brought in at the last moment to enact a show, the real deal this time. Real fire and brimstone. Death comes as storyboarded earlier.

If you're interested in the scam priest angle, it's only a light-hearted jab at faith here. Watch Marjoe for a more chilling portrait, the '72 documentary on the "World's Youngest Ordained Minister".