Exorcist remake for TV

[mcchrist]

Luna scribbled:

Good god. Is it wrong to say that I'm grateful it won't be a Sci-Fi original picture?

In the end, its no skin off my ass, I don't watch much TV, and never really cared for The Excorcist to begin with. There's a story behind that, but I'll save that for another day. Let's me just say, remake the hell out of it!!! show it on every damn channel!!!

[dmeister]

I have yet to see a television remake that even came close to the quality of its predecessor, much less exceed it. In many ways, a television remake must be inferior to a feature film. You can't have gore. You can't have foul language. You can't have violence, sexual content, or adult situations beyond a certain limit. You can't have nudity. You generally have only B-actors to choose from (or former A-actors whose careers have started the death spiral). You generally have a low budget, which means inferior special effects, limited sets/locations, and a lot of corner-cutting.

The television remake of The Shining is a perfect example... The original film was a masterpiece with top-notch acting, great sets, excellent cinematography, and all those "little details" (expletives, gore, nudity, etc.) that you won't find on television -- particularly a Turner station. The television remake had the most annoying kid I've ever seen and the guy from Wings, who can't keep a straight face to save his life. Need I say more?

The Exorcist would be even worse. It was extremely graphic, had strong sexual content with language that would make a sailor blush, and utilized the kind of actors, sets, and special effects that you just don't see in made-for-television flicks. The Exorcist was about as close to perfection as that particular plotline could achieve. Remaking it at all, much less for television, would produce nothing more than an inferior product meant to do little more than line the ever-deepening pockets of our favorite "Conglomo Corporation" with a few more dollars.

By the way, regarding that Fangoria article's reference to a new "televersion" of Salem's Lot... Wasn't the original Salem's Lot a made-for-television miniseries? Maybe that's why it sucked so much.

dmeister

[DVD Connoisseur]

Originally posted by dmeister
It was extremely graphic, had strong sexual content with language that would make a sailor blush, and utilized the kind of actors, sets, and special effects that you just don't see in made-for-television flicks. The Exorcist was about as close to perfection as that particular plotline could achieve.

Exactly. Perfectly summarised, dmeister. Every shot in the film is spot on. There's nothing I'd change about it. It really is a definitive horror movie, IMHO. (I like to forget about that recent CGI enhanced anniversary effort. shudders)

Originally posted by maybrick
Well, let me be the first to speak for us all by saying "It's about fucking time!" The original was god-awful and definitely doesn't live up to the hype its received.

Agreed. I hope it happens. Good idea IMHO.

Oh Man! I loved the re-release of Exorcist that hit theatres last year. The improvements in sound made my hairs raise on my neck, and the addition of those scary devil faces during the scene when the mother comes home and the lights are blinking, the phone is ringing, and the window is open... Fantastic! But remaking it for TV? Gosh. I don't want the rehash, please. But I will say that I love those specials on TLC or Discovery about real life exorcisms and such -- now THAT is scary!

It was frightening. But that child actor on A&E was terrible

[maybrick]

Originally posted by DVD Connoisseur
a) You definitely don't speak for everybody. Many love this film. If its "fly on the wall," documentary-feel doesn't work for you, maybe a CGI filled version with a rock soundtrack would....
I'd say The Exorcist is the finest horror film ever made.

b) The hype was created by the public reaction and the reaction from the Catholic church. Cinemagoers were warned of the "dangers" of the film by members of the Catholic church which can only have added to the experience.

c) Back in '73, the content of the film was truly shocking. I doubt this film would be made half as effective today ("You know what she did, your c******g daughter?").

This film remains my favourite horror......

Don't forget "d) If you're going to be sarcastic, please have the courtesy to include a ' ' so the more gullible among us will realize that you are joking!"

[R. I. P.]

Originally posted by Ash28M
I really have a hard time understanding how anyone can put down the Exorcist. it is such a classic.

Absolutely! This is a no-brainer, folks! The thought of anyone tampering with this film upsets me deeply. This movie is downright SACRED to ALL movie enthusiasts, not just those interested in horror. No one will EVER, EVER come close to matching the sheer magnificence and overall power of the original. WHY EVEN TRY, YOU PATHETIC JERKS!

LEAVE IT ALONE, GODDAMMIT!!!!

R. I. P.

Originally posted by mcchrist


In the end, its no skin off my ass, I don't watch much TV, and never really cared for The Excorcist to begin with. There's a story behind that, but I'll save that for another day. Let's me just say, remake the hell out of it!!! show it on every damn channel!!!

To be fair to TNT, I have seen a couple of pretty damn decent original films of theirs. One was um, Mists of Avalon, I think... ok, I never got to read the book so I don't know if it was badly mangled, but what I saw looked decent to me at the time! I forget what the other was though. I'm not too worried about this one myself, mainly because the original Exorcist is so completely engrained in so many people's minds. Everyone has an opinion about the movie. Especially with all the hype that went along with it upon release. For godsakes, my grandmother told my mom not to go see it with me in the womb because she was afraid I'd come out a devil... Catholics.

Obviously, she didn't listen.

Anyway though, I see it as sort of like the Psycho remake. When something is that huge, the remake usually can't even touch the original. And if it does? Hell... that's some feat!

Originally posted by dmeister
The television remake had the most annoying kid I've ever seen and the guy from Wings, who can't keep a straight face to save his life. Need I say more?

Oh god, that kid. I could have slapped him. He would NOT stop breathing from his mouth! Did ANYONE notice how he had his mouth open the ENTIRE fucking time? I don't know whose brilliant idea it was to hire that little mouthbreather, but just DAMN.

AND the guy from Wings, no less.

[mcchrist]

Especially with all the hype that went along with it upon release. For godsakes, my grandmother told my mom not to go see it with me in the womb because she was afraid I'd come out a devil... Catholics.

Well, here's the story. My mom used to be a horror fan, apparently, and then she saw the Exorcist...

She was one of those people that had to have councelling because of it (at least that's what she told me) And so for years and years and years, she told me never to see The Exorcist as it was the most evil and frightening and scary film that she had ever seen...

She can't even listen to Tubular Bells, she puts her fingers in her ears and starts humming to herself. It must have warped her pretty bad, she can't have a conversation without "God" showing up at least three or four times by yakking end.

Then I saw this infamous film at the age of 9, and by that time I had seen much much worse, and so the build up to watch this infamously evil film went by, and I couldn't see the big deal. Just seeing it recently, I still don't get it, its not as shocking as everyone made it out to be. In fact, I find it to be pretty lame, but that's my experience.

[Hellbilly]

Sorry to hear that about you're mom but ...

Originally posted by mcchrist

Then I saw this infamous film at the age of 9, and by that time I had seen much much worse

... I'm interested in knowing what films you've seen and thought was much worse then The Exorcist????

[Ash28M]

ya me too, because i think i'm yet to watch it.

Are you sure you don't have some hidden Gem you have have stashed away somewhere.

[mcchrist]

Hell man, by the time I had actually seen it I had heard about every facet of this movie, and even then people were blowing it way out of proportion. Hell man, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hellraiser, The Omen, etc. etc. Even Blood Feast and The Mutilator seemed a thousand times worse than the Exorcist.

[KR~!]

I liked the movie and own it on DVD. But, it's scary , well it's funny actually and great movie.

Maybe only christians can be scared from this movie?