THE EXORCIST III
****
Directed by William Peter Blatty.
Starring George C. Scott, Ed Flanders, Scott Wilson, Brad Dourif, Jason Miller, Nicol Williamson, Nancy Fish, Don Gordon, Lee Richardson.
Horror, USA, 110 mins, Cert 15.
Released in the UK on 4K UHD via Arrow Video on 7th October 2024.
In a month that sees Arrow Video release franchise turd EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC on Blu-ray, they have also seen fit to delve into their back catalogue and give the 4K UHD treatment to the second sequel to THE EXORCIST, a title they put out on Blu-ray in a 2K restoration a few years back. Is it worth another dip into the font of HD goodness if you already own the previous release? Maybe...
Originally released to lukewarm reviews and general indifference from the public back in 1990, THE EXORCIST III is a movie that joins the likes of HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH and FRIDAY THE 13TH PART V: A NEW BEGINNING in the club of movies that were received poorly upon release but have endured over time and become if not loved, then at least reappraised and appreciated by audiences and critics. Based on William Peter Blatty’s novel LEGION, which was written as a direct sequel to THE EXORCIST, THE EXORCIST III plays out as more of a mystery crime thriller, with Blatty throwing in some deeper philosophical musings on religion and the nature of evil into the mix, so the studios wanted to make the story more connected to the original movie, which meant putting in an exorcism scene for no good reason as there wasn’t one in the novel.
Legendary actor George C. Scott plays Lieutenant Kinderman, who is investigating a series of murders that seem to have all the hallmarks of killings committed by the Gemini Killer 15 years before. The Gemini Killer was shot by police, but his body was never recovered, and as Kinderman’s investigation leads him to a man who has been locked up in a psychiatric hospital for years, the connections between the murders and the death of Father Damien Karras after the exorcism of Reagan MacNeil become more and more apparent.
If you go into THE EXORCIST III without having read LEGION it is very obvious that studio interference plays a big part, for not only is there the aforementioned pointless exorcism performed by a character mentioned in one line of dialogue and seen in one earlier scene that was clearly filmed in post-production, but Jason Miller reprises his role of Father Damien Karras, even though Miller was not up to the task due to health issues. He’s not in it much, as he shares duties with Brad Dourif playing personalities that the Gemini Killer manifests to taunt Kinderman.
But it works, mainly because Dourif’ performance is so strong but also because George C. Scott plays Kinderman like a cantankerous old cop rather than the intuitive but kindly detective that Lee J. Cobb portrayed in THE EXORCIST, and he dominates this movie with his character quirks and sudden fits of rage. There is an ominous air of something being off throughout the movie, and except for one scene of graphic mutilation, there is very little visual horror. There is, however, one of the most famous and effective jump scares ever that has been made into so many different memes that you thought its effect would have lessened by now, but even though you know it’s coming it still manages to cause a shudder.
With only the Theatrical Cut being in 4K UHD, if you already own the previous Blu-ray release then you may question whether you wish to double dip, but it is worth noting that the 4K upgrade makes a lot of difference, with blacks being blacker and the possession makeup later in the movie looking stunning. Otherwise, the package is the same as the previous release, with the LEGION DIRECTOR’S CUT on the second Blu-ray disc, plus the feature-length DEATH, BE NOT PROUD: THE MAKING OF THE EXORCIST III documentary, which is definitely worth a look.
Overall, a significant upgrade to a movie that deserves another look if you had previously dismissed it, but if you already own the previous Blu-ray release it would depend on your need to own the better cut of the movie with improved colour grading and clarity as to whether you wish to buy it again.
Chris Ward
