20th Century Fox released The Exorcist III on 17 August 1990. Warner Bros gave up on the series after Exorcist II: The Heretic. They should have had more patience. Yes, the second film was a glorious mess. But all they really needed was more of the man himself: William Peter Blatty.
The truth is, The Exorcist III could well have been a glorious mess too. It tells a complicated story. And its core idea is hard to wrap your head around. Yet the film pulls you through with great characters and a well-structured screenplay.
In many ways, it is hard to compare the three films in this series. (I’m ignoring the much later films.) They are all so different. But I never watch the first one. It is excellent but it doesn’t require repeated viewings. The second film is so unrelentingly weird that I find it hard to face again. But I would if I felt it had secrets to unfold. But I don’t think that! And Richard Burton does not help. It is hard not to watch him and long for Jason Miller.
But I watch The Exorcist III at least once a year. (See my capsule review.) Brad Dourif and Miller as the two characters inside the body of Patient X is stunning. I never tire of it.
If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend watching it. But don’t do so casually. You need to pay attention:
I also highly recommend watching Blatty’s only other directing effort, The Ninth Configuration.
Other 17 August Anniversaries
Filmmakers
- John Brahm (1893-1982): Director known for his horror films including The Lodger and The Mad Magician. He also directed 12 episodes of The Twilight Zone.
- Mae West (1893-1980): Actor known for films like She Done Him Wrong.
- Evelyn Ankers (1918-1985): Leading lady in second-generation Universal horror films like The Wolf Man and The Ghost of Frankenstein.
- Harve Bennett (1930-2015): Producer known for most of the first set of Star Trek films.
- Robert De Niro (1943-): Actor who is in one of my favorite films, Angel Heart.
- Martha Coolidge (1946-): Comedy director of Valley Girl and Real Genius. She also directed the 1980s “Night of the Meek” episode of The Twilight Zone.
- Sean Penn (1960-): Although he’s gone on to do much more serious work, we know him as an actor in films like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Bad Boys.
- Taissa Farmiga (1994-): Young scream queen in The Final Girls and four different seasons of American Horror Story.
Films
- The Man They Could Not Hang (1939): A mad scientist brings himself back to life after his execution. Then he goes on a revenge killing spree.
- Cry of the Werewolf (1944): A woman werewolf kills those who can expose her.
- Soul of a Monster (1944): A weird woman saves a surgeon’s life but now he seems controlled by her.
- Lost Continent (1951): Crew lands on an island with dinosaurs.
- Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979): A man born next door to Jesus lives a similar life.
- Dreamscape (1984): A man who can enter people’s dreams is hired to cure the president of nightmares.
- American Gothic (1987): Stranded travellers come upon a family of psychopaths.
- Wild at Heart (1990): A mother hires people to kill her daughter’s boyfriend.
- Biker Zombies From Detroit (2001): Horror-comedy where zombie bikers attack Detroit.
- The Invasion (2007): A psychiatrist discovers a space alien epidemenic.
- ParaNorman (2012): Animated feature about a little boy who needs to control a little girl ghost set to destroy his town. It’s the rare horror-comedy that is funny and scary.
The Exorcist III (1990) poster via Wikipedia under Fair Use.
I remember Kael saying about Exorcist II that you could consider it a masterpiece if you didn’t understand the English language. Boorman definitely had his weird side! (Anybody who hasn’t seen at least the first 15 minutes of Zardoz is missing out on one of the greatest joys in life.) But he had a lot of talent, too!
The main thing I remember from the original is von Sydow completely hamming it up and yelling “the blood of Christ commands you!” With about the same tone he’d use for Ming the Merciless. I love it! It’s like doing full Shatner, but on purpose.
Playing a priest is a golden opportunity to ham it up! Nicol Williamson gets the chance in Exorcist III. As for Exorcist II, in earlier years, I would have spent a lot of time trying to love it. But I just don’t have the energy. It’s not that I don’t think it’s great. It’s something and I can’t figure out what. It would help a lot if Richard Burton wasn’t in it, though!
I have never seen Zardoz. I will make the effort now…
That’s an interesting take on the trilogy. It’s a bold claim to call The Exorcist III the best of the bunch, but it’s one that many horror fans would agree with—especially in recent years.
You make a great point about the film’s reliance on William Peter Blatty. He wrote the original novel and directed the third film, and his unique voice is what sets it apart. While the original is a classic, you’re right that it’s not a movie many people revisit often. Its horror stems from a deep sense of dread and trauma that’s difficult to sit through more than once. The second film, as you say, is a different kind of monster altogether.
What makes The Exorcist III so compelling is its focus on dialogue, atmosphere, and a more psychological form of horror. The conversation between Kinderman and the “Gemini Killer” is a masterclass in tension. It’s not about jump scares; it’s about the unsettling feeling of being trapped in a room with a sinister, malevolent intelligence. The scene you mention with both Brad Dourif and Jason Miller inside “Patient X” is truly unforgettable—and a big part of why the film is so highly regarded.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. It’s always fun to discuss which horror sequels stand out from the pack.
Thanks! What amazes me about Blatty is that the two films he directed are so visually interesting. It is not what I would expect from a novelist.
Another film I love is Let Us Prey — mostly because of the way it presents Satan. Also: The Accuser falling in love is such a great idea. Oh, and the gore!
You have a very unusual take on the first film, Post-Exorcist: Reclaiming the Fire of Creativity. I’d be curious to see what you have to say about the third!