EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC (1977)

Terror Tuesday at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown Brooklyn

Tuesday August 01, 2017

hosted by DAVID SAVAGE

1977 | 118 min | R

Director

John Boorman

Starring

Linda Blair, Louise Fletcher, Richard Burton

What can one possibly say that hasn’t already been said about the legendary, epic misadventure that was THE EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC?

Too ludicrous to frighten, yet too hallucinatory to look away, the most debated sequel of all time alternately dazzles with ingenious special effects, then stupefies with long drawn out sequences. Ennio Morricone’s score – among the most collectible vinyl soundtracks ever – is a mix of a demented children’s choir backed by proggy synth and a cracking whip.

Set four years after the explosive climax of THE EXORCIST (1973), this time it’s Richard Burton who steps into the tortured priest role. He’s investigating the death of Father Merrin (Max Von Sydow) during the exorcism of Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair). He discovers the demon has a name and it’s….Pazuzu. Regan is now a blossoming teenager living in New York City and being treated by a psychiatrist, Dr. Gene Tuskin (Louise Fletcher), whose practice is in a lab designed as a type of glass honeycomb. Although Regan thinks her possession is behind her and her life is all jazz-tap recitals, we discover it’s still lurking within! Pazuzu!