Exorcist II: The Heretic
| Exorcist II: The Heretic | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | John Boorman |
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| Based on | Characters by William Peter Blatty |
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| Music by | Ennio Morricone |
| Cinematography | William A. Fraker |
| Edited by | Tom Priestley |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $14 million |
| Box office | $30.7 million |
Exorcist II: The Heretic is a 1977 American supernatural horror film, directed by John Boorman and written by William Goodhart. It stars Linda Blair, Richard Burton, Louise Fletcher, Max von Sydow, Kitty Winn, Paul Henreid and James Earl Jones. It is a sequel to William Friedkin's 1973 film The Exorcist based on the 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty, and the second installment of The Exorcist franchise. The film is set four years after the original film, and centers on a now 16-year-old Regan MacNeil who is still recovering from her previous demonic possession.
The film was a critical failure at the time of its release. Exorcist II is often considered not just the worst film in the series, but one of the worst films of all time. It was the last film to feature veteran actor Paul Henreid.
Philip Lamont, a priest struggling with his faith, attempts to exorcise a possessed South American girl who claims to "heal the sick". However, the exorcism goes wrong and a lit candle sets fire to the girl's dress, killing her. Afterwards, Lamont is assigned by the Cardinal to investigate the death of Father Lankester Merrin, who had been killed four years earlier in the course of exorcising the Assyrian demon Pazuzu from Regan MacNeil. The Cardinal informs Lamont (who has had some experience at exorcism, and has been exposed to Merrin's teachings) that Merrin is facing posthumous heresy charges because of his controversial writings. Apparently, Church authorities are trying to modernize and do not want to acknowledge that Satan actually exists.
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