[Justin]

Her performance was brilliant and I think plays a big part in the film’s realism. You actually believe she’s going through this insane experience, none of it is exaggerated or over the top and her and Linda are great together as mother and daughter.

[Pagan]

Couldn’t agree more. Her performance makes the story more believable and you can feel the bond between herself and her daughter.

[ManInKhakiExorcist]

Unless they can use as much footage from the original film as humany possibly (all of it!!!!), this remake has no chance of… anything.

I’d love a TV miniseries, as well, but they’ll proabably go big-screen, considering how forgotten THE SHINING miniseries years back is.

Yeah, Burstyn is a huge reason why “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” applies here. So, if they know what’s good for ’em, they may as well just re-release the original film. No remake. Morgan Creek has spent enough on the Exorcist with only really Dominion and The Exorcist III (to an extent, thanks to that final “exorcism” reel) to show for it.

M.I.K.E.

[Greg]

Ellen Burstyn without a doubt is an amazing actress. She is my all time favorite actress mainly because of her uncanny ability to make things so absolutely real and honest in her performances. When she has to give an extremely emotional moment, she plays it out still very honestly. It helps too that she is a beautiful woman. Although she wears practically no dress-up makeup except for a few scenes, she still looks great. Check her out in The Last Picture Show and Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

[Jenny]

I have to agree. She brought such realism to the role I really couldnt imagine Jane Fonda doing it at all. I think the way that she lets herself go through the film is a very subtle thing and makes you believe even more that this is happening. She is an actress who is used to dressing up and playing a part and is quite well to do so to see her with her hair ina mess and wrinkled clothesreinforces the belief of what is going on. Her interaction with Linda Blair is quite amazing too. They really hit it off together and seemed very much the mother and daughter. I am babbling a bit so any other comments?

[merrin]

In the original movie Ellen Burstyn is simply superb as Chris McNeil and little is mentioned of it in fan forums they all focus on the male leads and Blair.
For me her performance is simply superb and brings the whole fantastical elements together making them believable.
Her performance makes you believe a normal person could go and ask for an Exorcism on her child ! Much is made of the male leads but i think her character is just so well performed during the early part of the movie its a shame she has little to do in the last third, she simply fades into the background , pity the story does not give us more on the affect it has on Mc Neil.
Anyway anyone else have any thoughts ?
Looks like she’s in the ill advised remake of The Wicker Man could be more interesting than i first thought or maybe not ….don’t be silly.

[Jason Stringer]

Without a doubt, Burstyn is stellar in her role as Chris. She brought a lot to the character.

I think all the credit of the great performances in The Exorcist must go to Friedkin. Being the man behind the ‘drive’ of the production, it was his role as the director to ensure everything worked perfectly.

[Author]

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