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Thanks, Jagged,
but if you could change anything about the novel, what would it be? I wish it was longer, with 500 + pages.
Also, my portuguese translation of the novel differs a bit from the original English version. Sentences like, “The house was quiet” was translated to, “the house was immersed in the silence.” so on…Amen, fatherb
Jagged, thanks for the explanation, it made sense…but what if there isn't a demon and Regan really suffers from mental illness, hmm? The onset of possession could be a product of suggestion…. (I'm sounding like Father Karras now) .
“I have always been curious as to how Burke’s head ended up backwards. The movie says it connected to witchcraft. Does anyone know anything about a connection to witchcraft outside of the Exorcist?”
In the novel, there’s a subplot on a witchcraft book that Regan read prior to her acting out occult rituals. She may have read about ritual murder in that book, too. You are always in doubt and suspense as to whether or not she’s possessed or mentally ill.
Fatherb, in the last chapter during the exorcism, the “Demon as Dennings” speaks through Regan and says that. Here’s the excerpt:
“Karras opened up his eyes and saw the Dennings personality.
‘…Look, she killed me. Not our innkeeper, Karras – she! Oh, yes, indeed!’ It was nodding affirmation. ‘She! I was minding my business at the bar, you see, when I thought I heard her moaning. Upstairs. Well, now, I had to see what ailed her, after all, so up I went and don’t you know she bloody took me by the throat, the little c*unt!’ The voice was whiny now; pathetic. ‘Christ, I’ve never in my life seen such strength! Began to scream that I was diddling her mother or something, or that I caused the divorce. Some such thing. It wasn’t clear. But I tell you, love, she pushed me out the bloody window!‘ Voice cracking. High-pitched now. ‘She killed me! Now you think it’s bloody fair to throw me out? Come along, now, Karras, answer me! You think it really fair? I mean, do you?’
Karras swallowed.
‘How was … the head turned around?’ asked Karras hoarsely.
Dennings shifted his gaze around evasively. ‘Oh, well, that was an accident… a freak… I hit the steps, you know…It was freaky.’ “But, you know, I don’t get this. Dennings was discovered with his neck turned around in the style of ritual murder by so-called demons. Kinderman says this to Chris while she’s reading the witchcraft book. So how come that according to Regan, Dennings’s neck wrenched around was caused by he hitting the steps?
The winged lion-head drawing:
“most actions would be impossible without killing Regan, but that’s just a part of the twisted fun the demon is having”
Yes, exactly! Her head turning around was an illusion that Karras and Chris had. The Demon made them having it.
In the novel…
Burke goes into Regan’s room as he hears noises and moans coming from it. When he gets there Regan takes him by the throat, screaming that he caused her parents’ divorce… This is stated by Regan/demon on the last chapter of the novel. Oh, she also says that his neck turning around backwards was an accident and it happened in the fall.
Thanks, fatherb! 😀 Yes, Mary Beth would’ve been perfect. Linda looks too much like a Portuguese girl, she could pass for portuguese being a brunette and all. Mary Beth, on the other hand, has the look that Regan is supposed to have: sweet freckled face, reddish blond hair, etc.
There’s also an excerpt of the novel when she and Chris go out to the Hot Shoppe and she was described as, “slender as a fleeting hope.” So once she’s “possessed” you really feel for her, she’s a lot more pitiable looking than Linda’s portrayal.
The Exorcist or Batman… loooool! yes, very good work, fatherb! Never thought that the bats’ ears matched Merrin’s hat.
Witch, I’ll post a capture of the winged lion-head. 🙂
“If you flipped the image upside down, does it remind you of anyone in the infamous poster scene for the film?”
Oh wow, fatherb!! I never thought of that!
And, Witch, I don’t remember, but it was about the symbolism of bats and the other nocturnal animals that Regan draws…Thank you, fatherb, for the compliments. You’re amazing, but I think that Witch is a gifted writer too, you know? Maybe one day in the future both of you will be quite good friends. Who knows what the future will bring? :)(A)
