William Peter Blatty, Author of ‘The Exorcist,’ Dies at 89

RIP. Such a fine writer. Legion also a great read.

 

I was just looking at the every70smovie blog and reading about The Ninth Configuration, which Blatty wrote and directed. Odd coincidence. I'll have to check that one out.

 

It's a great film, Stacy Keach I believe.

 

The man that created my first nightmare!
Nothing scared me as much as "The Exorcist", when I was a kid...
It wasn't until a was a teen-ager, and discovered he was originally a 'comedy writer', that I took an interest in the man!
"What Did You Do In The War, Daddy" & "A Shot In The Dark" are still funny.
The wife and I simply adore "Exorcist III", and I also love "The Ninth Configuration"

I always envisioned a conversation between him, Kevin Smith, & Sinead O' Connor on the subject of Catholicism and 'the arts'....
I guess it'll always just be a dream now.
Thank you, Mr. Blatty, for waking me up.

 

Yeah I think the Exorcist III is superb. That Nurse scene is one of the scariest things I have ever seen. One of the rare times my hairs have stood up in fear.

 

R.IP. Mr. Blatty, you created a new way to present the horror genre.

 

I read the novel a long time ago, after seeing the film. I remember I was pretty surprised at how much more of a detective story it is rather than a horror story. I have a nice copy of the book that I was always intending to send to the author to see if he would autograph it. Too late for that I guess…Rest in Peace.

 

Antenna TV ran an old Tonight Show with Blatty as one of the guests a few months ago; the interview is at 51:42

 

One of the scariest books I've ever read. Stay hard, WPB.

 

Either Johnny had just recently read the book and was finding it hard to sleep nights or he had one hell of a hangover there. Keep in mind he had a full makeup crew at work in Burbank kiddies...

I'm not saying the bags under his eyes were big and dark but the Burbank Municipal Pool Association just hosted a Mom & Tots Under the Moonlight swim class there the other day...

 

The Exorcist is one of my all time favorite films. R.I.P.

 

Very sad

 

Excellent book and great movie.

RIP William.

 

The other Exorcist threads are so old they're pretty much closed up, but here's a NY Times story that came out today where director Billy Friedkin talks to a reporter at the infamous steps that feature prominently in the movie, and talks a bit about the film's legacy:

Opinion | We Need an Exorcist!

 

Read the book before the movie came out. Truly an example of a book far exceeding its movie counterpart! A really outstanding read. RIP.

 

I had a chance to chat with Scott Wilson a few weeks ago about Blatty and Ninth Config a few weeks ago (he kindly signed my DVD copy too). Wonderful movie, especially if you approach it as an Exorcist side-story.

Would've loved to talk to Brad Dourif about Legion, especially since he must be bored to death listening to people ask about Chucky 24/7, but I'm sorry to report he's a bit of a jerk.

 

R.I.P...thanks for the fright!

 

LEGACY? HUH? NO, it's political man...yea, we need his biased opinion...please don't post political hogwash as it boils the blood...and I find it cryptic to get ones opinion on the forum through another...not cool man at all...

 

Those are some steep steps...

 

You are mistaken. There's no politics here (except in a joke in the first paragraph) -- Friedkin is only talking about the film and its importance as one of the first blockbuster R-rated horror films, one often cited as "the scariest film ever made." Read the article.

 

I did...JOKE??? should I cut and paste it? oh wait it would be forbidden? OK...speaking of pre-exorcisms...thankfully there was one...
oh and I love Friedkin, BIG FAN ...unfortunately that demon attached her agenda to him unfairly...

 

Saw “The Exorcist” at a revival tonight. Number on thing I noticed: Max.von Sydow NAILS IT. Wow, on the big screen! You can see every bit of emotion, and he’s freaking playing his heart out. Screw DeNiro, Spenser Tracy or Barrymore. Max vonSydow is the greatest actor who ever lived. He so out distances everyone else in the film.


Oh, yeah! I was happy to there was only one idiot (25 yo dope) trying to ruin the movie and prove what a man he was by laughing. He got shushed into submission by the audience members. Good! Idiot. I wonder how it feels proving youre the more stupid person in the room? Lol There wasn’t a sound otherwise and plenty of gasps. Huge gasp from women at the crucifix screen. Applause at end. And scares with the (lousy) crab walk, even.