The Exorcist III(1990).Lt. Kinderman and Father Dyer cheer each other up on the anniversary of the death of their mutual friend, Father Damien Karras, by going to see "It's a Wonderful Life" at the local theater in Georgetown, near Washington D.C. But there's no cheering Kinderman while a particularly cruel and gruesome serial killer is at large. His murders, which involve torture, decapitation and the desecration of religious icons, is bad enough; but they also resemble those of the Gemini Killer, who has been dead for fifteen years. Written byJ. Spurlin... Synopsis The Exorcist III(1990)
Movie Title: The Exorcist III(1990)
Run Time: 110 min
Rating: 6.0 / 10
Genres: Horror |Mystery |Thriller
Release Date: 17 August 1990 (USA)
Director: William Peter Blatty
Writer: William Peter Blatty ,William Peter Blatty (novel)... and other credits
Actor: George C. Scott,Ed Flanders,Brad Dourif
This movie is possibly the most overlooked and underrated movie in the entire history of Western cinema. Sure, there are some unnecessary bits in it (particularly a scene involving Father Morning stuck to a ceiling with his limbs falling off one by one. It's supposed to be scary, but it's the funniest scene in the entire film), but overall, what we have here is, essentially, a trip into the mind of a psycho, a la Silence Of The Lambs, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, etc. Okay, so inhabiting this mind happens to be the same demon as in the original film, but also there is the spirit of a dead serial killer. The body they are inhabiting is that of Damien Karras, and this spurns a curious Lieutenant Kinderman to find out as much as possible about him, which leads him into discovering exactly what happened to Karras after the night of the fall.
But as I was saying, it's underrated. A golden raspberry for worst actor? Comical. George C Scott's performance here might not be as memorable as that in Patton, but it's still an excellent performance.
And Brad Dourif, sharing duties with Jason Miller as the sinister 'Patient X' is a much more effective demon here than in the 'Child's Play' series.
The only complaint I'd have on the actors front, is that the brilliant Nicol Williamson is underused as Father Morning, but the character was added in at the last minute by producers.
There are plenty of comic moments, too, notably a scene in the open psychiatric ward involving a man in a wheelchair flashing at the charge nurse. (Trust me, you have to see it, really).
Sadly, it's probably due to the risible 'Exorcist II' that this film was so overlooked, and instantly assumed to be awful. But then again, whether people like movies or not is down to taste, I suppose.
Try it. You might like it.
