Exorcist: The Beginning
Exorcist: The Beginning | |
---|---|
Directed by | Renny Harlin |
Screenplay by | Alexi Hawley |
Story by | |
Based on | Characters by James G. Robinson |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Vittorio Storaro |
Edited by |
|
Music by | Morgan Creek Productions |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 114 minutes[1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $50 million[2] |
Box office | $78.1 million[3] |
Exorcist: The Beginning is a 2004 American
The film was retooled from
Exorcist: The Beginning was released in the United States on August 20, 2004, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film received negative reviews from critics and grossed over $78 million against a $50 million production budget. Dominion released the following year to slightly more favorable reviews.
Plot
In the age of the Crusades, an injured priest wanders through the aftermath of a bloody and desolate battlefield. He comes across an impaled soldier in his death throes holding a Pazuzu head pendant. The priest looks around him and sees hundreds of Crusaders crucified upside down across the desert.
In
Merrin is approached by a collector of antiquities named Semelier who invites him to come to a British excavation in a valley called Derati in the
built circa 500 A.D. — long before Christianity had reached that region of Africa. Semelier asks Merrin to recover an ancient relic of a demon, thought to be in the church, before the British can find it. Merrin agrees and travels to the dig site. He is joined by Father Francis.Upon arriving at the site with their translator and guide Chuma, Merrin meets the chief excavator, a British man named Jefferies with visible boils on his face and Sarah Novak, a doctor. In addition, Merrin learns that the diggers are disappearing or leaving in droves because the local tribesmen fear the church is cursed. Merrin witnesses a digger inexplicably experience a seizure.
Merrin, Chuma, and Francis visit the dig site and find only the dome uncovered; the rest of the church is buried beneath the earth. Merrin discovers that the church is in perfect condition, as though it had been buried immediately after its construction was completed. The three enter the church through the dome and find the place in near-pristine condition, but note two disturbing oddities; the statues of the angels holding weapons point their spears downward instead of triumphantly toward heaven and someone has vandalized and desecrated the church, placing the cross in an upside-down position. Merrin and Francis deduce the sculptors were trying to depict the angels restraining something that was beneath the church.
Determined to learn more about the archaeological dig, Merrin asks to consult with the lead archaeologist, Monsieur Bession. Sarah tells Merrin that Bession went insane three weeks earlier and was transferred to a mental hospital in
Upon returning to the village, strange events continue. A local boy is attacked and killed by hyenas that seem to continuously stalk the dig. His younger brother, Joseph, enters a fugue state after watching his brother get ripped to pieces. The local chief's wife gives birth to a stillborn baby who is covered in maggots, and Jefferies, a man involved with the dig, gets attacked in the bar. Around the same time, Merrin discovers a passageway leading to a cave underneath the church that houses an ancient pagan temple with the statue of the demon Pazuzu. He also finds evidence that this temple was used to conduct human sacrifices. Upon his return, he sees the local tribe cremate the stillborn baby. This makes Merrin suspicious, because there are stories of an epidemic that wiped out an entire village in the valley 50 years earlier. He had been told that the dead were buried in a graveyard just outside the valley. When he digs up the graves of the supposed victims of this plague, they are empty.
Merrin confronts Father Francis about it, and Francis reveals to him the history of the Derati valley; a great army led by two priests came to the valley searching for the origin of evil 1,500 years prior. When they arrived in the valley, the evil presence consumed them and one killed the other. When the lone surviving priest made it back, Emperor Justinian ordered a church be built over the site, and then buried to seal the evil force inside of it. The builders of the church never meant it to be recorded in Vatican documents, however, a vague reference to it was recorded and found in 1893. Four priests subsequently came to Derati and enlisted the local tribe to help them. All of the tribesmen and the priests disappeared. The Vatican then ordered that the false graveyard be built and stories of a plague spread around to keep people away from the valley. Francis reveals that it is believed that the valley in Derati was the traditional spot of Lucifer's fall after the war in Heaven. Later Merrin, Chuma and Major Granville discover Jefferies tied up in the Church, with his organs pecked out by crows.
The dig's doctor, Sarah, turns out to be the possessed individual and she kills Francis. Merrin has the demon exorcised from her in the tunnels below the church but she dies. Merrin and Joseph emerge from the church, (once again buried in sand) and history has repeated itself. Only Father Merrin and the little boy are left as the British soldiers and the local tribes have annihilated each other. Sometime later Merrin, once again a priest, returns to Rome and meets with Semelier at a café, explaining he was unable to find the relic; Semelier replies: "But you found something... didn't you?"
Cast
- Father Lankester Merrin
- Izabella Scorupco as Sarah
- James D'Arcy as Father Francis
- Remy Sweeney as Joseph
- Julian Wadham as Major Granville
- Andrew French as Chuma
- Ralph Brown as Sergeant Major
- Ben Cross as Semelier
- David Bradley as Father Gionetti
- Alan Ford as Jefferies
- Antonie Kamerling as Lieutenant Kessel
- Eddie Osei as Emekwi
- Israel Aduramo as Jomo
- Patrick O'Kane as Bession
- James Bellamy as James
- Rupert Degas as Pazuzu (uncredited)[4]
Production
Producer
An early cut of Schrader's film that ran at 130 minutes was shown to the studio in early 2003.
Release
Exorcist: The Beginning was released theatrically on August 20, 2004 by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Home media
The film was released on DVD and VHS on March 1, 2005. The film was released for the first time on blu-ray on September 23, 2014. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment re-released the film on October 13, 2020.
Reception
Box office
Exorcist: The Beginning grossed $41.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $36.2 million in international territories, for a worldwide total of $78.1 million.[34]
On its opening weekend, the film grossed $18 million, earning the top spot at the box office.[35]
Critical reception
On
Blatty said that watching Exorcist: The Beginning was his "most humiliating professional experience".[38] On the other hand, Blatty said that Dominion is "a handsome, classy, elegant piece of work".[39]
Roger Ebert wrote: "I've seen both versions and much prefer Schrader's, and yet it must be said that Harlin did not prostitute himself in his version".[40]
Exorcist: The Beginning was nominated for two
References
- ^ "Exorcist – The Beginning (15)". British Board of Film Classification. September 10, 2004. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
- ^ Kehr, Dave (May 2, 2005). "Double Your Pleasure? Early 'Exorcist,' Take 2". The New York Times. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
[...]not much for a film that cost a reported $80 million ($30 million for the Schrader version and $50 for the Harlin one
- ^ "Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
- ^ Shutt, Mike (August 31, 2022). "How The Exorcist Prequel Became One Of Warner Bros.' Messiest Film Releases". /Film. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ KJB (January 4, 2001). "FilmForce Exclusive: Exorcist Prequel Begins Casting". IGN. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Lyons, Charles (October 30, 1999). "McLoughlin Tapped for Exorcist". Variety. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Hamman, Cody (July 18, 2008). "Director Tom McLoughlin Almost Went From Jason Lives to The Dream Master". JoBlo. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Liam Neeson Gears Up for Exorcist Prequel". The Guardian. October 31, 2001. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Holson, Laura (February 22, 2004). "FILM; Enough Trouble to Make Your Head Spin". New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Mann and Neeson in Exorcist Prequel". Irish Examiner. April 18, 2002. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Neeson Replaced in The Exorcist". ShowBiz. May 9, 2002. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Morgan Creek Productions And Warner Bros. Pictures' Exorcist: The Beginning, Starring Stellan Skarsgard, Commences Principal Photography In Morocco". Warner Bros. November 11, 2002. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Paul Schrader's Auto Focus (Fall 2002)". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Holson, Laura (February 22, 2004). "FILM; Enough Trouble to Make Your Head Spin". New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Stringer, Jason (March 24, 2005). "Exclusive Interview with Paul Schrader". Captain Howdy. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Kehr, Dave (May 2, 2005). "Double Your Pleasure? Early Exorcist, Take 2". New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Stringer, Jason (March 24, 2005). "Exclusive Interview with Paul Schrader". Captain Howdy. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Holson, Laura (February 22, 2004). "FILM; Enough Trouble to Make Your Head Spin". New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Exorcist Prequel Bedeviled from the Beginning". Today. August 19, 2004. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Neumaier, Joe (August 17, 2004). "Tough Beginning for Exorcist". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Milmo, Cahal (August 27, 2003). "Exorcist Director is Fired for Not Being Gory Enough for Cinema audiences". The Independent. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Kehr, Dave (May 2, 2005). "Double Your Pleasure? Early Exorcist, Take 2". New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Holson, Laura (February 22, 2004). "FILM; Enough Trouble to Make Your Head Spin". New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Lee, Chris (August 18, 2004). "A Devil of a Time". LA Times. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Kermode, Mark (January 25, 2004). "Better the devil you know". The Guardian. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Holson, Laura (February 22, 2004). "FILM; Enough Trouble to Make Your Head Spin". New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Exorcist Prequel Bedeviled from the Beginning". Today. August 19, 2004. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Interview : Gary J.Tunnicliffe". MovieHole. November 4, 2003. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Lee, Chris (August 18, 2004). "A Devil of a Time". LA Times. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Holson, Laura (February 22, 2004). "FILM; Enough Trouble to Make Your Head Spin". New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Mancini, Rob (June 9, 2004). "Exorcist: The Beginning -- An Exclusive First Look". MTV. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Exorcist Prequel Bedeviled from the Beginning". Today. August 19, 2004. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Exorcist Prequel Bedeviled from the Beginning". Today. August 19, 2004. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ B, Brian (August 23, 2004). "Exorcist: The Beginning Spins Big Box Office Numbers". MovieWeb. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ "Exorcist: The Beginning - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "Exorcist: The Beginning Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Kehr, Dave (May 2, 2005). "Double Your Pleasure? Early 'Exorcist,' Take 2". New York Times. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
- ^ Westbrook, Bruce (May 21, 2005). ""Dominion" director says he feels vindication with movie's release - Latest prequel on demons matches Harlin's version". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (May 19, 2005). "Schrader's 'Exorcist' faces evil". Sun Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
External links
- Official website
- Exorcist: The Beginning at IMDb
- Exorcist: The Beginning at AllMovie
- Exorcist: The Beginning at the TCM Movie Database
- Exorcist: The Beginning at the American Film Institute Catalog
- Exorcist: The Beginning at Box Office Mojo
- Exorcist: The Beginning at Rotten Tomatoes
- Interview with director Harlin on Exorcist: The Beginning