"The Exorcist." Actors of "the worst film for all time"

"Exorcist" - a horror film that became a classic of the genre, was directed by William Friedkin, who screened the novel by William Peter Blatty. The authors of the horror reacted with all responsibility to the production of the tape "The Exorcist" (1973): the actors were chosen perfectly, the leading consultant of the film was the priest, the author of the cycle of monographs about the obsession with John Nicola, the work of the operators Owen Roizman and Billy Williams was excellent. As a result, the picture was nominated in ten categories for the Oscar, receiving two. For many years, the project of William Friedkin does not leave the list of 250 best movies by IMDb version.

With excessive naturalism

The reaction of the viewer was calculated by the creators psychologically accurately. The film "Exorcist" (the actors of the first plan E. Burstin, Max von Sydow, L. Blair) in 1973 caused a mass hysteria, fainting watching, so ambulances were on duty at the cinemas. The director is so scrupulous, in all unsightly details showed the priest's struggle with the demons, that many spectators and film critics accused Friedkin of excessive naturalism. On their attacks, the director of the tape "The Exorcist" (the actors told the world in an interview with the media opinion of the creator) answered one thing: he does not believe in the existence of Satan, and took up the adaptation of the novel because he aggravates the fears hidden in every person, helping to resist evil In all its manifestations.

Casting changes

The actors of the film "The Exorcist" were severely casted, but as a result, Friedkin and scriptwriter and producer William Peter Blatty got hold of exactly those artists who dreamed of drawing pictures to production.

The actress Ellen Burstin, who played the role of Chris McNeal, Regan's mother, agreed to act only after after violent disputes the creators agreed to remove the phrase of her heroine: "I believe in the devil!" Initially, the role of the mother of the main character was a few contenders, including the brilliant Jane Foundation, Geraldine Page and Shirley MacLaine. Audrey Hepburn agreed to take part in the production of the picture only if the shooting took place exclusively in Rome. Chris could play Anne Bancroft, but the actress rejected the proposal because of her pregnancy. Ellen Burstin, who became an Oscar winner after participating in the drama "Alice does not live here anymore," was extremely popular and in demand in the 1970s. In her filmography, the following projects stand out: "Requiem for a Dream," "Resurrection," and "Mrs. Harris."

Taking into account personal sympathies

Among the executors of the second-rote roles were the actors debuting in the movie "The Exorcist." Roles were distributed taking into account the personal preferences of the creators. For example, Vasiliki Miliaros, an actress who played the role of Mary Carras, the mother of Carras's father, used to shine on the Greek stage. Fridkin, faced with her in a Greek restaurant, was so impressed by the similarity of the actress with her mother that she invited her to the "Exorcist." The actress did not see the full version of the picture, she died a year before the premiere show at the venerable 90-year-old age.

Performers of the roles of priests

Along with professional actors in the movies, acting clergymen and two Jesuits were removed.

The image of Dyer's father was embodied on the screen by the Reverend William O'Malley, who after many years of teaching at the New York University Fordham.

The role of the father of Damien Carras was originally approved by the charismatic Jack Nicholson, who at the last moment, after sampling, flatly refused to participate in the film. Then William Peter Blattie invited actor Stacey Kich and personally approved him for the role. At this time, the indefatigable director notices on one of the Broadway productions of Jason Miller and decides that Carras should play it. Between the creators there is a small conflict, the winner of which is Fridkin. So Miller, despite the fact that until this moment had no experience working in a big movie, gets a major role in the film "The Exorcist."

Actors who were casting for the role of a priest-archaeologist of the father of Lancaster Merrin, could not stand the competition with the inimitable Max von Sydow. The Swedish actor, who has more than 35 roles on his account, before the production of the project so convincingly played the old priest, that the world cinema community attributed to him an obsessive belief in the devil. At the time of the production of the picture, the actor was young enough to reincarnate externally in a wise old experience, an aging exorcist, the actor had to spend several hours a day in the able hands of the make-up artist. Max von Sydow is still being removed, in 2015 he played the role of Laura San Tekka in Star Wars: The Awakening of Power and The Three-Eyed Crow in The Game of Thrones in 2016.

Actors of the second plan

Lieutenant William F. Kinderman was played by actor Lee J. Cobb. This role was the last in his filmography. Immediately after the shooting, Lee Jay Cobb died suddenly. The first major roles American actor played in the movies of the forties "Anna and the King of Siam" and "Song of Bernadette". The first nomination for an Oscar-winning actor was received for his participation in the drama "In the Port," the second for the "Brothers Karamazov" - the Hollywood adaptation of Dostoevsky's novel. One of the most significant roles in his career was recognized and the role in the movie "The Exorcist." Actors - colleagues Kinderman on the set - were happy to cooperate with the favorite of Frank Sinatra.

In one of the episodes of the film in the frame appeared the mother of the leading role of Linda Blair Eleanor, who played a nurse entering to Dr. Tanya after an arteriogram.

Performer of the role of the protagonist

Despite all the vicissitudes of casting, the main problem of the filmmakers was the choice of the performer of the main role. At the casting was almost a thousand applicants, but no one liked the producers. Then the search for the main actress was taken personally by the director, who was looking for a strong personality with a stable psyche 12 years old. When the list of young actresses was reduced to 20 people, Fridkin forced the pretenders and their mothers to read the script and discuss the content. After that, most of those who refused to participate in the production of the picture. Especial perseverance in the struggle for the image of Regan McNeil was shown by young Linda Blair, who, after completing the medical examination, was approved as the performer of the main role.

The further career of the actress did not turn out particularly well, followed by roles in unsuccessful films like "Victory in Entebbe", "Exorcist of the Devil 2", "Trouble", "Red Heat" and parodies "Relapse". According to rumors, the actress was cast in the prequel of the 2004 issue of The Exorcist: Beginning (actors: S. Skarsgard, I. Skorupko, D. D'Arcy), but was never approved for the role.