CaptainHowdy.com The #1 Exorcist Fansite Since 1999
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While I agree with you, one must wonder if the cuts were real or were they part of the demon’s illusion during the possession? I guess that would be the argument on this topic.
In the book they remained in the house for almost two months after the exorcism took place so the cuts had to heal. But her face didn’t have the gangrenous sores as in the movie.
Umm yeah. That’s the word Friedkin used in the documentary about the making of The Exorcist – Fear of God.
When she is laying in the corner, her eyebrows are now back and the deep scars are now gone, so I assume that was a temporary disfigurement during her possession. Go figure. Hopefully, if they make the remake, they don’t go too bizarre with the make-up. The self inflicted cuts during the masterbation scenes worked well in the original.
I must agree with you colombiancannon, If they were to make a remake of the film we all like so much , i hope they do fallow the formula of less is more. We all seen the first screen test of make up that Dick Smith had done and if i may say that they did not work. So what did he do ?He toned it down and came up with a make up that made you believe that Reagan was possed.
While it was all amazing work by Dick Smith, I do think they went just a little too over-the-top with the cuts on her face. It would work over the longer time span in the novel, but for the film it all appeared and went away too fast. They just could have made it a little more realistic. Linda looked too chubby, instead of really thin and sick like Regan was supposed to be.
If they do a remake, I hope they make Regan look really thin and skeletal, with some bruises and a few cuts. Something close to what Annlease Michel looked like.
In the Exorcist rip-off movie ABBY, Carol Speed had wild bushy eyebrows when she was possessed. If you ever see the movie, after the exorcism is over, continuity problems have her with bushy eyebrows still on her face.
Well, after reading these posts, I have to admit when I saw this film as a kid, I believed what I was seeing was real in terms of how Captain Howdy disfigured Regan’s face during the masturbation scene. I don’t think it’s overboard, because it scared the shit out of me and that’s the face that entered my nightmares after seeing the film. So, hooray for Dick Smith for going this route instead of the one’s he started with. There was a joke on Ace of Cakes on Food Network when one of maestro’s of confections was creating a possessed Regan cake for an avid Exorcist fan’s party. She noted, “I wonder if everyone loses their eyebrows when you’re possessed?” Funny to think about because Regan’s eyebrows did come and go and her forward protruded just a wee bit to make her more demonic in appearance.
Wow!!I’ve seen this movie a bagillion times and never notice that Reagan’s eyebrows were missing. Since we are all hardcore fans we can make little nitpicks but I have never heard this coming up anywhere. I do think Friedkin was right about going for that particular. I remember seeing this in the theater when it was re-released and the audience going “ewww” when they saw Reagan tied to the bed as Father Karras enters the room to talk to her. In instances like this you have to suspend disbelief I think. I’ll go back and reference a previous post where I pointed out that people accept that she spins her head and levitates yet will flat out refute something else in the film. I think all bets are off as to what Reagan does or how she looks when she is fully possessed. And we also have to take into account that we aren’t really sure how much time has passed between Karras dying and the Macneils moving. Also you must take into account that Reagan’s scratches may be permanent scars whereas the gangrenous (sp?) element to them may have been treated. That I’m not sure of as I’m no doctor. But I don’t think her make-up was over the top. Some of the other make-up tests were pretty over the top because you could barely see Linda Blair, but all in all I think it represents a very ghastly malnourished girl who has been through hell. Pun Intended!!!
Ghetto, I think the first time her eyebrows go missing is during the hypnosis treatment. It’s there to let us know something is amiss in little Regan and that Captain Howdy has taken his presence. And then of course we see the “eyebrowless” wonderment take over from then on in the film. Regan grows them back after the exorcism. As far as the scars, I do see them (very light scars that is) and I agree that we don’t know how long it’s been after the exorcism, so I think Dick Smith did a good job for whatever he was told in terms of the time span.
If I remember correctly, Dick Smith said that he wanted Blair’s face to have a more masculine look by adding the slightly bulging forehead. Worked for me.I didn’t notice Regan’s missing eye brows either. Did they disappear during the hypnosis in the original too? Are you saying they are missing from that scene onwards?
The first time I noticed the missing eyebrows is during the masterbation scene, from then on, she becomes more ravaged looking. the missing eyebrows helps her look scarier in my opinion.
Does anyone know if Linda Blair actually shaved her eyebrows for the part? Also, did anyone notice that Karras does NOT loose his eyebrows when possesed. I check this myself in this very site’s image gallery.
Great ideas, all.
I’ve not chimed in long enough…
Divine intervention, would be my take; another point for God’s presence in the film/story/book. It was God’s mysterious will that the demon be driven out when and how it was. Leaving minimal damage to Regan’s body and face, so that those in her company would never forget their brush with evil, and the good. So whether the cuts were deep and literal, or simply a vision, I guess it doesn’t matter so much as God’s presence from the beginning, permitting this struggle of good versus evil, so that these select human beings might reexamine where the they stand or don’t stand with God, and either renew and strengthen their faith, or initiate it by God’s grace.
God allowed evil to fail its purpose, its scheme here, yet paradoxically serve Him and His will for humanity, that they might come to know and accept or reaccept Him. What he doesn’t do, however, is make them. It is a choice.
M.I.K.E.
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