We needed visual demons, a final battle between Good and Evil.

This was my first time reading it. It first started with hearing knocks and scratches in the walls; then the bed started shaking and furniture moved seemingly on its own. And if you don’t have one, it’ll have you seeking one in no time. Confession time:  don’t think I truly appreciated how good Brad Dourif is. His spirit has come back from the grave and has inhabited the body of a familiar character; Father Damien Karras. I thought this was significant since, in his attempting contact with the other side, we see there are, well, legions of voices, spirits, and nasties on the other side. For those not familiar, the Estes Method or spirit box, uses a radio that rapidly changes stations.
I warned you about spoilers. Some say that the movie will never do the book justice (I’m one of them), but occasionally, screenwriters and directors adapt the original stories into visual masterpieces that are so horrifying they fuel the nightmares of generations. The sequels which trailed the success of the original were mere failures in acquiring the respect and terror of the former classic.

For a great example of how the Estes Method works check out Hellier. That's why most horror movies today are so generic and copied over and over and over. Dr. Amfortas struggles after the death of his wife. 12-year-old Regan McNeil is going through some changes.

I don’t think it held the same fear and terror of The Exorcist and they tried to jam it all in at the end. The Exorcist, Jaws, and The Shining to name a few.Some say that the movie will never do the book justice (I’m one of them), but occasionally, screenwriters and directors adapt the original stories into visual masterpieces that are so horrifying they fuel the nightmares of generations. While the acting of George C. Scott and Brad Dourif was amazing, the change of the ending seemed forced. Admittedly, the ending of Legion would not have made compelling cinema. I also think the lore behind the making of the movie had me leaning in that direction too. In this edition: William Peter Blatty’s original The Exorcist vs. William Friedkin’s adaptation. His health and sanity continue to deteriorate due to his obsession with contacting the dead. Blatty did not wait to introduce the creepy in The Exorcist. One other thing that really stood out to me is how psychiatry was viewed in the text. From Ellen Burstyn’s back injury and the set catching fire leaving only Regan’s room intact to real killer (and suspected serial murderer) Paul Bateson being in the movie, The Exorcist is a movie that will continue to terrify. From the first pages, readers are set into a situation of steady, escalating tension and fear. However, the novel certainly flourished in making the possession and the exorcism itself so much more insufferable, lasting months and months in the novel as opposed to the one night endeavour in the adaptation. Could he be the Gemini copycat? If you're born after 1980, then you are desensitized to this movie because there are more scarier movies than the Exorcist now. The Exorcist, Jaws, and The Shining to name a few. We take a look at one of the most significant stories of all time - The Exorcist and how it thrived both on paper and on screen. That aside, Blatty also does a decent job in establishing and developing the characters of Damien Karras and Detective Kinderman; Karras through his investigation into Regan’s situation and Kinderman through his dialogue and interaction with the other characters. But… I have to give the slightest edge to the book. Dr. Amfortas uses this method and believes he hears the voice of his wife among others. I would say that the book would be scarier. There is no denying The Exorcist film is very similar to the book. The Exorcist was written by William Peter Blatty and released in 1971. Nov 13, 2013 Readers see more of Kinderman in Blatty’s sequel Legion.

The battle between Good and Evil is waged in a Washington D.C. townhouse with young Regan’s soul in the balance. Essentially the tale translates so well onto both mediums making The Exorcist one of the most influential and iconic stories of all time, successful both as a novel and a film. Not to mention the soundtrack of animals being slaughtered that is played subliminally throughout the exorcism scenes. The terrific acting brought an entirely fresh perspective on these paper-based characters bringing them and the petrifying story to life. The story follows Lieutenant Kinderman as he tracks a killer that is using the same modus operandi as an executed serial killer. Many have tried to follow down the footsteps of satanic possession films, attempting to mimic the blood curdling horror and the oh so realistic atmosphere of the eerie film and its predecessor – the inventive novel. But, of course, none were actually successful in capturing the essence of which The Exorcist is so renowned for – as most recreations or reboots rarely manage to do. The possession story in the novel is inspired by the 1949 exorcism of Roland Doe, making Blatty’s writing just that little bit more terrifying. Hellraiser, Jaws, and The Shining to name a few. But when her behavior began changing into something violent, something unearthly, her mother Chris would stop at nothing to find help. There is a reason that this movie sits on the top of many Scariest Movies of All-Time lists. The demons helped the Gemini possess bodies of fellow patients on the Psych floor of Georgetown General, that was how he was able to break out and commit the crimes. William Peter Blatty’s landmark satanic possession story generates such terror through Regan that even uttering the name ‘The Exorcist’ sends shivers down the spine of many novel and film lovers with no surprise of course. Nope.
He had one target in particular, who he considered the reason for his transgressions, his father. The demon is also given more power on paper than he is on screen enabling him to torment not just Regan but the people surrounding her especially the priests – his hatred for Karras and Merrin is slightly more evident in the novel. Hellraiser, Jaws, and The Shining to name a … Seems that the Gemini killer had some unfinished business but needed to carry out some vengeance first. Kinderman waxes philosophically very often and his messages are missed by his audience more often than not. The novel itself spawns such a powerful and realistic story of Regan’s possession that it makes one question Blatty’s motives with this disturbing but brilliant piece of writing. The one thing I did notice is that Blatty recycled anecdotes in this book and The Exorcist III movie. Amfortas’ story created more tension and uncertainty about who the killer was and the back story of the Gemini made it a better story overall. The characters in the novel are so polished and profound adding to the layer of the entire story – creating a deeper exploration of the characters that of course the film could scarcely do, this makes the book virtually impossible to put down due to Blatty’s ingenuous story telling. In this edition: William Peter Blatty’s Legion vs. 15 years after the exorcism of Regan MacNeil, a murderer stalks the streets of Washington D.C; a new killer with an old MO; the same MO of the Gemini, notorious serial killer executed over a decade ago. She put her faith and the very possibly the life of Regan in the hands of a couple of Jesuit priests – one an aging Father trying to live out his days in peace, the other a young priest battling with his own demon – a loss of faith. There are some notable changes in the adaptation.

Evil vanquished. Yes, the carp. Kinderman tries to come to the rescue but is no match for the Evil. Some of the greatest horror films found life in the pages of a book first. It was a fairly straight forward adaptation from the book, not too much was omitted. The movie has a special place in my heart. This is tough. Just search below: Legion/The Exorcist III - Book vs. Movie. In this piece, I will review the story then discuss the differences between the page and the screen and decide which one is the better storyteller.