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Movie That Grossed People Out in 1973 Is Coming Back as a Miniseries

May 24, 2012  •  Post A Comment

A movie that created a sensation back in 1973 — with some movie goers leaving the theaters early in disgust — is being remade into a TV miniseries, New York magazine reports.

The movie is the Oscar-winning hit film “The Exorcist,” based on William Peter Blatty’s novel of the same name. Among the problems some people had with it was a substantial amount of something that looked a lot like pea soup.

Director and writer Sean Durkin, best known for "Martha Marcy May Marlene," is behind the remake, which will be a 10-part miniseries.

The novel was a bestseller in 1971, then became a hit 1973 film directed by William Friedkin. Roy Lee will produce the miniseries, which will go into more detail about the young girl’s possession by the devil, her family’s reaction, and then the work of Father Karras to save her by performing an exorcism.

The film starred Ellen Burstyn as the mother, and made a star of Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil, the little girl who’s possessed by the devil. The film received 10 Academy Award nominations — including acting nods for Burstyn, Blair and Jason Miller along with best director for Friedkin and best picture — but won only two Oscars, for the screenplay by Blatty and for best sound.

The TV project is expected to be shopped to networks within the next few weeks.

Should Durkin eventually do a press junket for the production, we wonder how many times he will be asked the obvious question, “Whatever possessed you to remake ‘The Exorcist’?”

2 Comments

  1. A 10-part miniseries? Do they think viewers will be riveted to know how it ends?
    When Friedkin asked author Blatty to adapt the book, they had to cut out a lot of exposition that suggested the possession might have a medical basis, or might involve the mysterious comings and goings of the household staff.
    Friedkin said something to the effect of “They’re coming for the exorcism, so we can only wait so long to give it to ’em.” (Friedkin was more eloquent.)
    I’ll be interesting to see what the writers of this epic do to keep it interesting…

  2. Another remake of something? Aren’t audiences getting tired of this? How about
    writing about some of the remarkable life-stories of people who are changing the world for the better. Why is there so much nonsense written about religious nut-cases?
    Hey, I’ll write a mini-series about MY life! It’s bound to strike a few chords with most people out there! (Escpecially women!).
    Well, success anyway. You can’t beat the Hollywood remake system…..

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