The Exorcist 1973 directed by William Friedkin

Based on the book by William Peter Blatty, the Exorcist is the story of famous actress whose young daughter is possessed by a demon and calls in the aid of a Catholic exorcist to expell the evil force. The story was inspired by a "real" 1949 exorcism story of a young boy that shared some details with Blatty's book and then the film that followed.

The film was a huge success and changed not only horror films but introduced the public to the idea of the blockbuster. It was the first horror film to be nominated for Best Picture and it scared the living crap out of most of the people who saw it.  Just hearing the theme "tubular bells" was enough to set people on edge after seeing it.

I had read the book before seeing the film and the movie version very closely follows the base material, so I wasn't as unprepared as many to see some of the more shocking moments in the film. Still, some shots to this day are very shocking and unsettling and while some like the infamous pea soup vomit scene have been reproduced in other films and in parody, there remain a few scenes that I've never seen anyone have the nerve to copy.

The film is slowly paced, but keeps the tension up from start to finish. It uses almost but not quite subliminal imagery superimposed over background elements to add to the nightmare quality of what is happening. The make effects stand the test of time, even the head turning 360 degrees scenes hold up and the soundscape of the film is really haunting. I have to say while the movie is known for it's shocking violence and gore, it's the more subtle, quieter moments that stay with you. They compliment the more over the top moments and make this a more psychological horror piece than a gore film. All the technical aspects are enhanced by the case, everyone  - Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Jason Miller and Max von Sydow - give performances that draw you into the supernatural story in a way lesser actors never could.

The version I just saw was the "version you've never seen" DVD and it had several added scenes including the bloody version of the "spider walk" scene which you would think would  look like comic relief in a movie made this long ago... but it's pretty damn bizarre and scary even today.

It's hard to remember that before this movie practically no one had ever heard of an exorcism. After it was released, there were exorcisms galore, not just in other films but in real life. Suddenly demon possession was in all the papers and the Catholic church had it's hands full with all the new cases being brought before them.

Happy 51st Bday Linda Blair! Roll On !

Winner for Best Use of a Cher disco song for a film's title sequence:
HELL ON WHEELS in Roller Boogie

Is there an exorcist on board? A singing nun?

Australian recording star & Grammy winner Helen Reddy made her film debut as a singing nun trying to cheer up sick little Linda Blair in Airport '75. She sang "Best Friend" and the sequence was later parodied in Airplane! (1980).



For her nun role, Reddy was nominated for a Golden Globe for Most Promising Female Newcomer.

2 years later, Reddy's vocals were heard in a strange little film called "All This and World War II" (1976).

IMDB says: Beatles' "significance" pushed to the breaking point in this bizarre documentary that juxtaposes their songs (sung by a number of rock stars) with World War II newsreel footage. Helen Reddy sings "Fool On The Hill" while Hitler relaxes at Bertchtesgaden, and Rod Stewart husks "Get Back" while Nazi troops goose step.



In November 1977, 6 months after STAR WARS premiered, came a $10 million dollar Disney musical mixing animation with live action called Pete's Dragon. Compared to Darth Vader, Jawas and Light Sabres - a cartoon dragon didn't stand a chance.

The film was a box office flop - but became a favorite on VHS/ DVD decades later. Helen Reddy is likeable as Nora- the lightkeeper's daughter who is still hoping her lost-at-sea husband will return home.



The film co-stars Shelley Winters and Jeff Conaway as Maine woods folk seeking their runaway orphan houseboy Pete.

Crowbarred into the family film is the shticky comedy of Mickey Rooney and Red Buttons and the big cheese du jour of mid 70s Broadway: Jim Dale as the charlatan doctor and dragon hunter.

With competing villains (Dale and Winters), hammy comics (Rooney & Buttons), claustrophobic Disney ranch/backlot settings, and the watered down choreography of the accomodating Onna White - the film misfires quite often.

Helen carries many musical numbers - but the film is miles away from repeating Disney's Mary Poppins (1964) success - and is closer to Bedknobs & Broomsticks (1971) but far more land-locked and less magical.

Still, Helen is charming with her Aussie accent peeking through her dialogue. Her lighthouse ballad "Candle on the Water" was nommed for Best Song at the Oscars that year. I think it's one of the prettiest songs.



Reddy went back to touring and contributed ballads for movies (Belushi's "Continental Divide" theme "I'll Never Say Goodbye to You"). She also performed in London and Broadway musicals of the 80s and 90s and wrote her memoir "The Woman I Am".

Reddy decided to retire from her singing career in 2002 after a lifetime on stage - and she is now happily working as a clinical hypnotherapist in Sydney.