‘The Exorcist’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan
October 29, 2020 · The Exorcist (1973) · Horror · 1:32:57 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Sean FennesseyQuestions about the movie's ending and whether the family resolution is the real point, plus noting the protagonist was a murderer who killed Burke and threw the director out the window▶ 29:30
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes: Reagan peeing at the party after telling astronaut 'you're going to die up there', Reagan's first devil voice outburst with profanity, the crucifix/head 180 scene, mom meeting the priest, and the entire exorcism final 20 minutes▶ 31:00
Chris RyanThe scene when the mom meets the priest - called it 'an incredible scene' and 'just an amazing scene'▶ 37:52
Sean FennesseyDiscussed the Iraq opening 10 minutes extensively as important but noted 'It's not most rewatchable, but it's just a great table setter'▶ 36:05
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsFather Karras's motifs of ascension (rising up, walking upstairs/uphill) and the dirty language/devil insults that create unintentional comedy▶ 47:52
Chris RyanThe sound design - ambient noises mixed high to create discomfort, like the dog fight sounds and industrial test machine sounds▶ 48:40
Sean FennesseyThe casting of Jason Miller as Father Karras - choosing a playwright over famous actors was perfect▶ 50:20
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsToyota released a Toyota Pazuzu in 1975 to capitalize on the movie but it totally bombed and didn't sell at all▶ 52:36
Chris RyanWilliam Friedkin's motivational tools on set: Ellen Burstyn hurt her tailbone in armoire scene, Linda Blair injured being thrown around bed by contraption, shot gun near Jason Miller to make him nervous, punched the priest actor (Father Dyer) before last rites scene▶ 53:41
What's Aged the Worst
Chris RyanBurke as a party guest - the type of guy who shows up to get drunk and start fights▶ 54:13
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsMarlon Brando — Lists multiple casting what-ifs: Marlon Brando for Marin (vetoed by Friedkin), Jack Nicholson and Paul Newman wanted Karras role, Stacy Keach was hired then replaced by Jason Miller, Audrey Hepburn approached for the mom role but wanted to film in Rome, Anne Bancroft got pregnant, Jane Fonda called it 'capitalist ripoff bullshit'▶ 54:43
Sean FennesseyStacy Keach — Contributes details about Stacy Keach's other notable films - Long Riders and Fat City▶ 55:29
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsBarton Heyman — Barton Heyman (Dr. Klein) - chose him because he also played Dr. Riskin in Cruisin' and was Friedkin's go-to doctor▶ 57:42
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsWilliam Friedkin — William Friedkin - yes, Jason Miller - yes (Pulitzer, Tony Award, and Oscar nomination in 8 months), Linda Blair - yes, Georgetown - no (1984-85 championship better), Ellen Burstyn - mixed (could be Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore), Split Pea Soup - yes, Pazuzu - yes▶ 1:10:21
Chris RyanMade jokes about Max Von Sydow's parties after Seventh Seal, joked about Ellen Burstyn in Draft Day, agreed with various picks but didn't make definitive statements▶ 1:12:32
Sean FennesseyWilliam Friedkin — William Friedkin - indisputably yes, Max Von Sydow - no (The Seventh Seal was bigger), Ellen Burstyn - yes (this is much bigger than Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore)▶ 1:10:29
Who Won the Movie
Sean FennesseyWilliam Friedkin — Argues against Friedkin, saying the movie set the bar too high and hurt his career trajectory compared to contemporaries like Scorsese, Lucas, and Spielberg▶ 1:27:00
Movies Referenced (34)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaws (1975) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 8:55 |
| American Graffiti (1973) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 9:17 |
| Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 9:29 |
| Chinatown (1974) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 9:21 |
| Halloween (1978) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 4:21 |
| The French Connection (1971) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 6:58 |
| The Sting (1973) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 25:06 |
| Annie Hall (1977) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 9:29 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:09:51 |
| Midnight Cowboy (1969) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 23:57 |
| Rampage (2018) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:30:50 |
| Rosemary's Baby (1968) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 5:39 |
Directors Referenced (10)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Friedkin | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | To Live and Die in L.A., The French Connection, The Exorcist | ▶ 2:50 |
| Mike Nichols | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Graduate | ▶ 56:35 |
| George Roy Hill | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Slap Shot | ▶ 25:08 |
| Ingmar Bergman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | The Seventh Seal | ▶ 25:10 |
| Arthur Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Bonnie and Clyde | ▶ 56:21 |
| Joel Schumacher | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Phantom of the Opera, 8MM | ▶ 1:05:43 |
| John Houston | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 55:32 | |
| Mark Rydell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 56:44 | |
| Robert Mulligan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | To Kill a Mockingbird | ▶ 1:04:03 |
| Stanley Kubrick | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon | ▶ 56:26 |
Actors Referenced (48)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linda Blair | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 22 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Exorcist | ▶ 2:56 |
| Jason Miller | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Exorcist, The Exorcist III, Rudy | ▶ 8:12 |
| Max von Sydow | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Seventh Seal | ▶ 8:12 |
| Ellen Burstyn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Requiem for a Dream, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, The Exorcist | ▶ 8:12 |
| Marlon Brando | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, On the Waterfront | ▶ 25:49 |
| Alex Karras | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Blazing Saddles | ▶ 29:25 |
| Rick James | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:06:56 | |
| Jack Nicholson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Chinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed | ▶ 25:49 |
| Jane Fonda | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 55:55 | |
| Richard Pryor | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 18:30 | |
| Stacy Keach | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | The Bourne Legacy | ▶ 54:59 |
| Touch & Go | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 25:10 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Peter Blatty | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Exorcist, The Exorcist III | ▶ 12:55 |
| Paul Schrader | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | First Reformed | ▶ 52:05 |
| George Lucas | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, American Graffiti | ▶ 26:07 |
| Mark Kermode | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 13:43 | |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 28:01 |