Ep 70 - THE EXORCIST (1973) 50TH ANNIVERSARY ROUND TABLE!!!

THE EXORCIST (1973) d. William Friedkin (USA) EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC (1977) d. John Boorman (USA) EXORCIST III (1990) d. William Peter Blatty (USA) EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING (2004) d. Renny Harlin (USA) DOMINION: THE PREQUEL TO THE EXORCIST (2005) d. Paul Schrader (USA) (originally broadcast Aug 2023) It's amazing to believe that THE EXORCIST has been in our lives for a half century, because for many fans, it's hard to imagine the horror landscape without it. Its release in the final days of December 1973 triggered a seismic shift in popular culture and the world has literally never been the same. William Peter Blatty's 1971 novel had already become a sensation in the publishing world, and so a film version seemed inevitable, although it's unlikely that anyone imagined so much of the sensational and explicit material from the printed page would end up on the big screen. Setting aside the sensational special effects, the idea of of a 12-year-old girl spewing shocking curse words and pea soup in equal measure in a Hollywood picture is still incredible to conceive, even in the adventurous, risk-taking environment of the early '70s. And yet, it happened, and in the process became the highest grossing film of its time and garnered 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, honors which no horror film had ever before achieved. (It deservedly won for Best Screenplay and Sound.) Tonight, we'll be discussing the Exorcist legacy, its sequels, prequels, rip-offs, and lasting impact on pop culture, and asking the question: Is it still "the scariest movie ever made"?Joining AC in the studio is another fantastic guest panel, all shining stars in the Chicago Theatre firmament: Michelle Courvais, Chris Hainsworth, Katie McLean Hainsworth, Mandy Walsh, and Christopher M. Walsh. --------------------------------------------- MICHELLE COURVAIS is a health coach, empowerment self-defense instructor, student of herbalism (code for WITCH) and sometimes a Chicago actor. CHRIS HAINSWORTH (he/him/his) is an actor/writer/director represented by Big Mouth Talent Chicago. He is a DeathScribe winner 2009 for the audio drama "Remembrance" and author of The Fourth Wall, part of Motel 666 (2015). KATIE MCLEAN HAINSWORTH is a Chicago-based performer/writer, whom you can regularly find on both the DARK NEXUS and FAWX & STALLION podcasts. She's happily guested on HORROR 101 a few times as well as on Roll For Impact's THE STRANGER. MANDY WALSH is a Chicago area actor and can be seen onstage this winter in The Factory Theater's production of Kitty James and Destiny's Trail to Oregon.  CHRISTOPHER M. WALSH is a Chicago-based actor and playwright. His most recent play, Miss Holmes Returns, was just published by Dramatic Publishing. (https://linktr.ee/christophermwalsh) -------------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!