While The Last Exorcism Part II fared decidedly less well, it still managed to triple its initial outlay. Needless to say, with a tidy $67.7m return in the bag, a sequel was inevitable and three years later Ed Gass-Donnelly came up with the goods. Another of the more high-profile efforts came courtesy of co-producer Eli Roth and The Last Exorcism turned a huge profit at the box office. In recent years, exorcism flicks have enjoyed something of a resurgence with the likes of Scott Derrickson’s The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Ole Bornedal’s The Possession and William Brent Bell’s The Devil Inside all enjoying profitable theatrical runs and numerous others following suit. By the time John Boorman and Rospo Pallenberg’s misguided sequel arrived in 1977 and was torn asunder by critics, the final nail was already in the coffin and it remained all quiet on the Southern front until the turn of the new millennium. Although a number of filmmakers leapt on his coat tails soon afterwards, it all died down in next to no time. William Friedkin ticked every last box when introducing poor Regan to the dark side for The Exorcist and inevitably the flood gates opened.Īctually that’s not strictly true. Then, once Beelzebub has taken hold sufficiently, it is customary to stab one’s genitalia with whatever religious artifact comes to hand first and invite the good lord to engage in some good old-fashioned lovemaking. It starts with mild fever, rapidly escalating into full-blown convulsions, a dash of involuntary levitation, swivel-head syndrome and forceful bursts of projectile vomiting. Ever since the twelve-year-old became unwitting host for the Prince of Darkness, countless adolescents have become cursed by him downstairs and used as vessels for his wrong-doing.
Regan MacNeil has a lot to answer for if you ask me.