[Ken]

Hello people, I feel kind of funny asking a question like I am about to ask, so try to bear with me.During the scene in which Regan is utterly possessed during the crucifix sequence, the camera does a close up of her face after the head turns backward….her eyes are still dark brown, and upon Father Karras’s first meeting with Regan, we see that her eyes have turned pale green.Near the end of the film, when he challenges the demon to take him, his eyes almost instantaneously turn pale green.Would this observation be considered to be a “loss of continuity”, or would it be considered to be nitpicking on my part?I don’t remember anyone discussing this in the past, but it has always been a source of confusion on my part.Thanks to all in advance, incidentally.

[epicwin123]

It may be that the demon, or whatever you call it, has green eyes. I always thought it had yellow eyes, but maybe they are green.

[Jason Stringer]

I don’t think it’s a ‘loss of continuity’ or nitpicking on your part, Ken. I’d guess it’s William Friedkin winking at us from behind the camera. Totally possessed characters have green eyes, otherwise, normal eye colour. This sounds like something Friedkin could have conjured up in pre-production.

[Ceru]

Good point there about the eyes.
When Karras becomes possessed, and his eyes turn that pale green color, he falls backward, gets back up, etc. The first time I saw that scene I thought ‘Whoa, that was quick! It took half the movie for Regan’s eyes to get like that.’ The shock value and payoff was definitely worth it, though.

I don’t mean to hijack this thread with another question, but do you think ‘Possessed Karras’ would have strangled the cured Regan to death if ‘Good Karras’ hadn’t fought back? His meat-hook hands were coming to get her!

[Jason Stringer]

Ceru said:

…do you think ‘Possessed Karras’ would have strangled the cured Regan to death if ‘Good Karras’ hadn’t fought back?

I used to think that, Ceru, but now I wonder… Pazuzu’s aim wasn’t Regan, it was Merrin and, in the end, Karras’ faith using Regan as a vehicle. I wonder if Pazuzu kind of got his way in the end – Merrin died and Karras committed suicide.

I guess this is why Blatty always worried that the original cut of the movie was a ‘downer’, because we never saw Father Dyer meet up with Kinderman and start a friendship before the credits rolled.

But, all the audience cared about was that the demon went away and was going to leave Regan alone. Friedkin was very clever with his editing in that original cut.

[fatherbowdern]

Captain Howdy said:

Quote:

Ceru said:

…do you think ‘Possessed Karras’ would have strangled the cured Regan to death if ‘Good Karras’ hadn’t fought back?

I used to think that, Ceru, but now I wonder… Pazuzu’s aim wasn’t Regan, it was Merrin and, in the end, Karras’ faith using Regan as a vehicle. I wonder if Pazuzu kind of got his way in the end – Merrin died and Karras committed suicide.

I guess this is why Blatty always worried that the original cut of the movie was a ‘downer’, because we never saw Father Dyer meet up with Kinderman and start a friendship before the credits rolled.

But, all the audience cared about was that the demon went away and was going to leave Regan alone. Friedkin was very clever with his editing in that original cut.

Bravo on the analysis, Cap.

Father Bowdern

[DamienKarras]

[fatherbowdern]

I have always viewed the ending as a triumphant situation of good, not evil. I never thought of Karras not being possessed during the fight because Friedkin and Blatty worked it out by including the lines: “Come into me. Goddamn you, come into me.” Karras then has the same palor and eyes as Regan once did for that brief moment before he struggles “internally” with the demon and plunges to his death in order to save Regan.

Although Karras said earlier in the film that he thought he had lost his faith, the ending to the original film proved to me to be an unselfish act. This, of course, is just another view of good triumphing over evil.

I truly enjoy the original ending and agree with some individuals that the conversation between Dyer and Kinderman only makes the film lag and really adds nothing. Dyer looking up at the window and then fading to black is much more sensitive and thought provoking, and I think Friedkin did a fine job of cutting that sequence that is now a part of TVYNS.

Father Bowdern

[Author]

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