Will We Ever Get More Footage of Regan Sans The Mercedes McCambridge Voice?

The scene with Karras isn't exactly legit. It was dubbed with the audio from the sound effects test on the end of Blatty's 25th anniversary DVD commentary. It would be interesting to hear the original dialogue from Blair but I imagine it'd come off as silly more than anything.

Well, I don't think anyone's asking for a filmed release version of The Exorcist with no McCambridge dubs, Fr. Bowdern.   I think it's more for “behind the scenes” insight.   It would be interesting to see the scenes done without McCambridge's wonderful voice work, just to hear the lines as Linda would've said them….but certainly not for any official release.

 

It's like when I like to watch special effects “making of” documentaries.   I like to see the deconstruction of scenes to see how they were done.   I think that's  all that's being asked here.   🙂

I'd love to hear it too.

Steve Dunlap said:

Well, I don't think anyone's asking for a filmed release version of The Exorcist with no McCambridge dubs, Fr. Bowdern.   I think it's more for “behind the scenes” insight.   It would be interesting to see the scenes done without McCambridge's wonderful voice work, just to hear the lines as Linda would've said them….but certainly not for any official release.

 

It's like when I like to watch special effects “making of” documentaries.   I like to see the deconstruction of scenes to see how they were done.   I think that's  all that's being asked here.   🙂

 

Steve … no, no, no. My original post was very, very tongue-in-cheek. You've misread my 2nd posting. I was not suggesting a re-release without the McCambridge dubbing because we all know that will never happen (unless it's released as a comedy!).   🙂

I'm with the fact that there is only a small snippet of Blair's voice “out there” because it truly diminishes the author's and director's intent of what the demon should sound like. Remember that Friedkin worked with the sound department to come up with something “electronically altered” of Blair's voice, but it never worked according to Friedkin.

In essence, we did get a few snippets already: an original unreleased commercial back in the 1970s with the altered Blair voice saying “Merrin” repeatedly; and, this snippet that's ineffective with Blair's voice (the voice just does not match the visual representation created by Dick Smith: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqZcMeX0tZE

As for a “behind-the-scenes” deconstruction, I do know where you are coming from and I always enjoy watching those. I'm just not sure that Friedkin/Blatty would want to deconstruct the illusion that is melded as an overall demonic presence by bombarding our two primary senses of sight and sound.

Father Bowdern

 

Hi, everybody.  🙂

 

Fr. Bowdern, I get where you're coming from now.   I think we're both on the same page, my friend. 🙂

 

Hi, Sofia.  I've never worked with After Effects before….program is waaaaaayyyyy too expensive right now.   When I did Regan's tongue flicking in my spiderwalk sequence, I used a simple polygon painted dark red to flick in and out of her mouth, since I couldn't get the actual tongue to do so.  :)  

Sofia said:

“Just watching that snippet as Justin mentions is a form of torture for me.”

FatherB, I wonder what it would be like for you to watch Susan Swift in Audrey Rose.. her acting in the scenes as 'normal' Ivy is way worse than Linda's acting as “normal” Regan.

Watch this from 2:38 to 03:00. You'll see what I mean, and possibly feel a bit differently about Linda's acting.

Sof, I'm being as clear as mud and for that I apologize to all.

When I am referencing “torture” in listening to more of Blair's
voice as a holistic part of the character of the possessed Regan, Blair's voice
diminishes the intended strength/weight that both Friedkin/Blatty found
necessary as a part of the illusion.

Think back on the novel; Blatty elaborates on the verbose and malevolent
nature of the bellowing demon.

Think back on the film; Friedkin needed the crossover of the voices: a)
Regan and McCambridge during the “Fuck me” scene that clearly allows
viewers to hear another entity crossing over; and, b) McCambridge's voice
fulfills the need to allow viewers the clear definition that Regan has been
taken over completely.

I do remember Audrey Rose well because of Marsha Mason. On an acting level,
these are two very different ends of the spectrum. Could Blair truly act? Not
really; she was a novice. However, she was an excellent learner with a charismatic
personality that Friedkin could clearly see as the person in the role of Regan.

I don't think Friedkin just hired her based solely on her appearance or levels of
acting skills, but found out through interviewing her first and then doing
screen tests to see if she could follow directions which made her the clear
winner for the part. Friedkin was the master puppeteer for every single actor
on those sets and that includes Blair, Burstyn, Miller, etc. It shows the power
of a highly intelligent director who could step away and view each and every
filmed scene from the overall viewers’ lens.

Friedkin was also intelligent enough to know that the scenes introduced back
into TVYNS were not cohesive enough with what was already filmed. As an
example, te doctor’s office visit was implausible from an acting stance and
Blair just could not pull it off like she could with others scenes. (Although I
have been very curious about what went wrong during those particular scenes …
perhaps an assistant director filmed it … perhaps Blair was having a few “off
days” … we will never know).

Finally, I could never imagine anyone else playing the role of Regan when
the original was released back in 1973.

Just MHOs …

Father Bowdern

Steve Dunlap said:

….program is waaaaaayyyyy too expensive right now.   

Hi , Steve!

Well, you could always download it.