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Well Justin, if this catches on, maybe WB will satisfy both of us. Or, maybe I could just paint the blood on myself … just for me. After all, that blood was CGI’d too, so maybe I’m just being goofy on why I liked it version the original version with Reagan turning around with a snake tongue flicking it out at Chris and Sharon. If you’ve seen it, it’s ridiculous! 🙂
Actually… the blood isn’t CGI, it’s just another take that Friedkin completely forgot about. I prefer the original take, like in the novel.
I like it better in the novel. It’s creepier and Regan doesn’t crawl. She’s always gliding spiderlike while following Sharon in the study.
If Regan was pouring out blood as she glided down the stairs. That means their would be blood on the rug and you know how those bloody stains don’t really come out, especially when the stairs were a cream color material. the next scene was with Lt. Kinderman visiting the house. He would have noticed the funny stains on the stairs if he was to further investigate the Burke Denning’s murder? The added blood was just for shock value, didn’t make sense. If a long serpent tongue came out of her mouth,including the same sound effect, it would’ve worked. Your thoughts.
I always felt that cutting the spiderwalk scene was the right decision by Friedkin. While it was nice to finally see the scene after years of speculation, it clearly sticks out like a sore thumb in TVYNS.
Still – if there’s a toy honoring the scene, I’m first in line to buy one!
Okay, I’m pretty sure that colombiancannon’s assessment is in touch with reality (for the film that is). If you watch this clip http://youtube.com/watch?v=tbfnWc7vVco you will hear the original musical strings sequence. The scene was smart to remove by Friedkin because when you put it into perspective, it doesn’t add anything but sheer simplistic stereotypical horror-movie garbage that had already been played out so many times before (Oooh, look … Reagan’s a spider or a crab!). Friedkin had no desire to take a horror-film approach, yet wanted the film to give a documentary style to something that millions of folks that couldn’t understand the theological and psychological material they were viewing (read the book and you get absorbed into Blatty’s world). Also, I am not convinced that the blood from the stunt double’s mouth is either real with a CGI mix or just plain CGI (the latter my choice in beliefs). You can check it out again here and let me know what you think: http://youtube.com/watch?v=o-4f_NMUxcY&feature=related
If Spielberg’s crew can create a realistic T-rex in CGI, then the blood wouldn’t be a problem for an older film that need that extra oomph for newer audiences.Remember though, the original wasn’t taken out solely because it didn’t really add anything. A big factor was because they didn’t have the technology to clean up the scene and remove the stunt wires, etc. IMO I think the original would have worked fine. It’s nothing supernatural, it just adds to the question if Regan is really possessed or mentally ill.
I have no doubts that the bloody one was added for shock value, though, Friedkin said so himself in one of Mark Kermode’s books.
I can’t remember exactly what he said (it has been quite a while since I read it) but it was along the lines of he forgot about filming that scene and so he used that one to surprise people as most had already seen the other.
You can just tell by watching the scene that the blood is real. The way it’s dripping out of her mouth and onto the stairs on the way down. Her facial expression look as if she’s trying to hold it in. The blood itself has the look of fake blood back then, too.
I have never seen realistic CGI blood in any film. Things like dinosaurs are easier because we have never seen them in the flesh, but CGI liquids and such are very easy to spot (IMO, anyway).
I guess it’s just too hard to judge. When I put it together, I see the original scene with the stunt double walking and then twisting back over so that Blair could complete the tongue-forking special effect. It also occurred to me that maybe (maybe) WB had enough money to film a very brief scene like that one (lasting a mere 3-4 seconds) to try to add the bloody mouth effect. Personally, it just doesn’t add up some perspective and I guess we’ll be stumped until can get a hold of Friedkin, Blatty, or the stunt person and ask for the real answer.
As far as “removing the wires,” has anyone scene the original? I haven’t. But, if they can use wires in the levitation scene (piano wires painted in white and black alternating colors), then it could be done easily for that scene considering how far back the camera’s were positioned and the fact that they used heavy-gauge fishing wire to do it.
The rig for the Spiderwalk scene is completely different to what was used with the levitation though. But you’re right, there are ways of hiding the wires, and I think they did a pretty good job when she’s coming down the stairs from the far angle. When it goes to the front close up though, you can clearly see them (in the original scene, that is).
I can still see, in both TVYNS and original, the wires holding Linda up during the levitation too. I always wondered why they didn’t fix that up in TVYNS.
Hey Justin … this is kinda of good news to me about seeing the wires in the levitation scene. The first time I saw this movie on the big scene I was about 13 years old (yep, I’m an old fart) and my father took me. I can’t remember seeing the wires then or in the TVYNS version, but if you say that you can see them, I’ll try to look again (for about the 1,000 time) in both versions. I know that I can see the larger wire that pulls Chris to the wall during the masturbation scene (it actually moves the curtains behind before she falls). And, you are right about the difference in wiring in the levitation and spiderwalk scenes … the former using alternating black and white painted piano wires and the latter done with a sailfish fishing pole and heavy-gauge fishing line. I clearly remember this from various interviews back in the 70’s with Friedkin, Blair, McCambridge, etc. I was hooked on the film and watched anything and everything on television about the “behind-the-scenes” filming. (And, I’ll tell you that McCambridge was on Mike Douglas’ show and scared the shit out of me when she read her backward lines using her talents of what she interpreted as a demonic voice!) I have the book about the behind-the-scenes stuff, but it’s so weak in comparison to what could have been done to make an impact on the special effects arena.
Also, please … somebody tell me exactly where the Ouji board error occurs. I’ve looked at that scene a trillion times and I can’t find it. Help me! 🙂
Justin, while I admit never trying too hard to see them, I’m yet to notice the wires in the levitation scene myself. Would you mind creating a graphic highlighting them? You’re handy with that stuff…
I want a Jack Mcgowan action figure and I want to throw it out my window and see it roll down the stairs. No disrespect to the dead. Your thoughts
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