CaptainHowdy.com The #1 Exorcist Fansite Since 1999
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Look, here’s a site to help: http://www.archaeowiki.org/Pazuzu
What an interesting observation, jguthrie. Perhaps the cabbie declined payment. Or, maybe the bishop gave Merrin a substantial overpayment to guarantee the ride, after all, it was an emergency trip. Or, maybe Merrin just handed over the lump sum when he entered the cab, therefore, the cabbie has already been paid and that’s why we don’t see it. Or, maybe the bishop or Merrin’s religious order had a contract to use that cab company based on an annual fee arrangement or they carried a tab. Maybe the cabbie was paid by the Pope, or maybe he was Jesus.
I’m sorry to sound so sarcastic and nasty. But, that’s what nine-year-olds do, don’t they?
CC your right on a couple of points here:
I was watching the new version where the very first restored scene includes what we are to assume is Regan’s bedroom. The camera-sweeping scene starts with the light going out in her upstairs bedroom and ends at M street and that’s the window where Karras leaps from. The window is located on the far right side of the house. It’s also the same window that Kinderman watches “floating-walking” Regan go by the window (right after Karras meets Regan for the first time).
The second window is the one on the front left-hand side of the house and that is the window with the light shining through when Merrin arrives.
I’m glad you brought this up because there are two windows in her room from an outside angle, but we don’t see that at any point during the film. Go figure!
As Justin mentions this is probably “stock audio.” However, it is owned by someone, somewhere, and the payment goes out of someone’s pocket for the use of it. In fact, I have heard Ellen Burstyn’s blood-curdling scream (located at the end of the masturbation scene in The Exorcist) used in other non-owned WB films.
Please do listen to the audio in both films. Again, I listed where these voices can be heard in both films. Please draw a conclusion (if you choose, dsea) based on what you hear. This is not a case of two studios stealing intellectual property from one another, rather it’s probably just a licensing agreement between with a third-party intellectual property owner. Plus, you don’t know that WB didn’t sell this recording to the MGM.
I don’t think your “pragmatic” theory about “sound technology” is really an issue here at all. It’s actually silly and sophomoric even from a novice standpoint. Isolating specific sounds and voices had been done for many, many years prior to the release of The Exorcist (in both film and vocal/musical recordings, etc.). To address your point, keep in mind that Mercedes McCambridge did the voice-over for Blair – separately. McCambridge recorded the voice in a sound booth – independently. Additionally, listen to the multiple voices used when Regan is talking backward after the holy water sprinkling … each voice was separately and independently recorded and then mixed (that is a fact I do know from researching this film and wouldn’t you find it ridiculous to think that everyone got together at one time to record the voices?).
So, back to the point, if anyone is interested, did anybody notice this sound byte in both films? Perhaps The Exorcist is riddled with a lot of them that we don’t notice until they are pointed out. Subliminally, “I’m gonna get you,” is a powerful statement in a film like The Exorcist as it impacts our psyche to think that the devil is “gonna get you.”
PS: Touché to your blog edit, dsea … nice job. 😉 But, you might want to edit your contradictions in two of your posts: 1. “The phrase “I’m going to get you” is hardly copywritten,” and, 2. “I noted the copyright issue because you mentioned the two competing film studios, and yes, copyrights are an issue when it comes to voice recordings in movies.” ??? Are you an expert in copyright? If so, where did you study this?
Dear dseabroo,
I never mentioned the word “copyright.” In fact, I worked with copyrighted works for years, so I’m lost by your insinuation. I only mention that the exact voice/phrase is in indeed in two different horror movies.
You have missed this background recording (and intentionally so because it is subliminal). The line, “I’m gonna get you,” is in the film The Exorcist on a couple of occasions. One: the park scene where Chris and Karris meet after Regan’s crucifix masturbation scene. Two: the end of the film when Chris and Regan are leaving the house on M street when Father Dyer walks them to the car. It’s very clear when it’s pointed out to you and you hear it repeated over and over … it is the same voice. In The Amityville Horror, the exact same voice, same line appears when the priest comes by to bless the house (the fly invasion scene) … it is the exact voice.
Listen to both movies … perhaps you’ll be surprised at what comes through in subliminal messages. And, yes, I am claiming it is the exact recording, but you have to listen for yourself.
Hmmm .. I know Blair said her “mother wasn’t the type to sue,” but I wonder if Blair was paid when she turned 18 because of the pain she’s suffered all her life. I remember her appearance on The Mike Douglas Show and illustrating one of the low-gravity body slings and talking about the fact that she did it everyday because she was in so pain after making the film and sustaining permanent back damage. Even Burstyn was rushed to the hospital after the crew yanked her so hard during the masturbation scene. ??????
I have the same video (on VHS!!!). It’s so worth the few dollars if you can find it. There are about four copies currently on eBay, however, there are 18 new & used at Amazon HERE.
Captain, you are right on target. I also thought that the guy with whited-out eyes was a focal point of things to come. I wonder how many things all of us fans could list as parallels throughout the film?
Jagged, you’re on a roll! Good points … all of them including Karras only seeing the demon. I think Karras knew he was losing the battle and he was the last soldier standing. If we think about what the demon had already done physically to Regan’s body (in the book the massacred vagina is vividly described during the crucifix scene), one more assault by Karras is extremely minor in comparison to him throwing the demon (not Regan) on the floor and beating the shit out of him. Hmmm … puked on squarely in the face; harsh reminders throughout the exorcism about his mother’s death using her image and voice; being hit on the head with double fists that are so hard that he hits the ground; dead old exorcist on the floor; demon taunting him with laughter. I’d beat the shit out of the demon to make him enter me if it means saving Regan. Just some more add ons! 🙂
Gee, Jagged, I keep following your wonderful blog replies tonight. I saw the film several times at the theater when I was a very young kid and I can’t remember laughter about wires or anybody talking about them afterward (not saying that you didn’t hear those comments because I’m certain you did). I was just so overwhelmed with everything, that I didn’t notice the wires … I guess I was too concerned about the, “Oh God, what’s next?!?” Besides hiding my eyes and muffling my ears (fingers over eyes; thumbs in ears), I didn’t notice the small wires. I’m sure WB will be sure to digitally remove the wires on the HD version (it should be easy, so I hope that WB doesn’t cheap out on us die-hard fans).
Jagged, you’re right on the vomit scene. Friedkin was unhappy with Dick Smith’s vomit device and we see Eileen in that contraption for only a split second after the shot of Karras getting hit with the spew.
If I remember correctly, I saw a documentary with chief cinematographer Roizman talking about how the split image was done in production, not post production. I remember this because he talked about it being a “classic” way of shooting double images. And, you’re right, that’s Dietz over top of Blair’s. We see that image overlay in two scenes: when Merrin arrives and right after the head spinning. I wish I could find the excerpt from Roizman (but, then again, he could have been “fantasizing” about his wonderful shots)! 🙂
