The Exorcist: Untold (2003) Review

Boxing Day, 1973: Outside the theaters, people are lined up around the block to see The Exorcist. Inside the movie houses, viewers are shocked and terrified, some even fainting or leaving because the film experience is too intense.

The 50th anniversary of the release of The Exorcist is a natural time to look back on the making of the horror masterpiece and the remarkable hysteria during its first run. Exorcist: Untold is a 70-minute documentary that offers a glimpse into the film’s production and the life of author/producer William Peter Blatty.

Once the initial 70s stock TV news footage montage wraps up, Exorcist: Untold delves into Blatty’s life, his friendship with director William Friedkin, and the film’s legacy within pop culture and film history.

The late Blatty is a fascinating character worthy of a full biography, but director Robin Bextor wisely selects some of the more exciting aspects of his pre-Exorcist career.

Blatty’s widow, Julie Blatty, gives some relevant background on his life and career. She relates how he came across an actual exorcism case as a student at Georgetown University in the late 1940s and what made him write about it many years later. She also details how the book came to be published and the media accident that propelled it to the bestseller list.

The doc places Blatty’s Hollywood screenwriting career in the context of film history, as he moved with the industry away from 1950s comedy towards a new realism. Blatty forged on to become a critically acclaimed best-selling novelist.

A platter of film critics and historians explain the film’s lasting significance as an influential horror film and a touchpoint in film history and popular culture. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t go in-depth about the real-life, widely reported 1940s incident that inspired Blatty’s book. Untold also glosses over the infamous fire that destroyed the set and other weird legends surrounding the production.

But Untold does spend time on what went right with The Exorcist. William Friedkin made a series of right moves and bold strokes with casting and location, and the film’s pre-CGI effects and startling sound design remain impactful today. Renowned title designer Dan Perri discusses his simple yet striking work.

Washington D.C. residents’ civic pride for The Exorcist is an unexpected tangent. Multiple scenes were filmed on the Georgetown University campus, with students appearing as extras. The leader of a local group explains why he led efforts for the city to recognize the film.

While Exorcist sequels continue to be disappointing, the original remains shocking and somehow beloved enough for tourists to swarm to the deadly stairs in a quiet Washington D.C. neighborhood.

Movie Rating:

The Exorcist: Untold Trailer