Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) – The Wild Sequel That Swapped Pea Soup for Psychic Locusts and Left Horror Fans Divided
Picture this: the world is still reeling from the raw terror of a little girl levitating in her bedroom, and suddenly a new film arrives promising to pick up the story with brainwave machines, African shamans, and biblical plagues of locusts instead of another round of holy water and profanity. That is exactly what happened with Exorcist II: The Heretic in 1977. This article takes a close look at how John Boorman turned the follow-up into something completely unexpected, why it sparked such strong reactions at the time, and how its mix of science, mysticism, and bold visuals still fascinates collectors and retro horror fans today.
When John Boorman stepped into the ring to sequelise William Friedkin’s landmark The Exorcist, he did not merely extend the nightmare; he reimagined it. Released in 1977, Exorcist II: The Heretic unfolds four years after Regan’s infamous possession, thrusting audiences into a world where science clashes with the supernatural, and ancient rituals challenge Catholic dogma. This film, often dismissed as a misfire, harbours depths that retro horror aficionados cherish for its audacious departure from exorcism tropes.
Boorman’s radical vision pivots from demonic rituals to locust plagues and psychic empathy, alienating fans while pioneering spiritual eclecticism in horror. Linda Blair’s dual portrayal of innocent teen and telepathic powerhouse anchors a sequel rich in visual spectacle and philosophical inquiry. Despite box-office woes and ridicule, its legacy endures in cult appreciation, influencing esoteric horror and 70s cinema’s boundary-pushing ethos.
The Possession’s Lingering Echoes
Four years on from the harrowing events in Georgetown, twelve-year-old Regan MacNeil resides in New York under the watchful eye of her mother Chris, now a celebrated actress, and a team of medical professionals. The film opens with a deceptive calm, Regan thriving in a sterile, high-tech environment at the Neuroanesthesia Research Centre. Yet beneath this facade lurks the shadow of her past demonic encounter. Lieutenant Kinderman, the grizzled detective from the original, probes the suspicious death of Father Merrin, the kindly priest who perished during Regan’s exorcism. Tasked by the Church to investigate Merrin’s alleged heresies, Father Lamont arrives, a sceptical priest whose faith wavers under modern scrutiny.
Boorman crafts a narrative that eschews the original’s visceral shocks for a more cerebral dread. Regan’s treatment involves a machine that synchronises brainwaves, allowing her to share thoughts with others – a sci-fi twist on possession that evokes 70s fascination with parapsychology. When Lamont links minds with Regan, he glimpses Merrin’s final moments in Iraq, where the priest communed with an African sorcerer named Kokumo. This revelation propels Lamont to Africa, unearthing a plot tied to a biblical plague of locusts, symbolising Pazuzu’s enduring threat. The storyline weaves personal hauntings with global mysticism, positioning the heretic not as Satan but as rigid Church doctrine. What makes this shift interesting is how it turns the story outward, asking viewers to consider whether evil might be fought through understanding rather than confrontation alone.
Key performances ground this ambitious tale. Linda Blair, now a teenager, imbues Regan with vulnerability and latent power, her scenes oscillating between childlike innocence and eerie detachment. Richard Burton’s Lamont embodies tormented intellect, his whisky-soaked intensity mirroring the era’s anti-authoritarian heroes. Louise Fletcher, fresh from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, chillingly portrays Dr. Gene Tuskin as a cold rationalist whose atheism crumbles under supernatural assault. James Earl Jones lends gravitas as Kokumo, his shamanic presence a stark contrast to Western exorcists. These choices matter because they give the film real human weight even when the ideas feel far out.
Locusts, Shamans, and Synchronicity
Central to the film’s iconography is the locust motif, drawn from Exodus and Merrin’s real-life inspirations. Boorman films swarms devouring the Iraqi desert, their chitinous hum underscoring a wrath older than Christianity. Kokumo, once a Christian boy possessed like Regan, rejected exorcism for tribal healing, becoming immune to the plague – a potent metaphor for cultural resilience against imposed faiths. Lamont’s journey mirrors Joseph’s biblical trials, culminating in a showdown atop a skyscraper where he confronts a locust-riding demon in Regan’s guise. The locusts work as more than a visual gimmick; they tie ancient warnings to modern fears about nature turning against us.
This African interlude expands horror’s palette, incorporating Ifugao rituals and Ubangi dancers, shot on location for authenticity. Boorman’s lens captures sun-baked landscapes and frenzied ceremonies, evoking The Emerald Forest’s later ethnographical gaze. Critics lambasted the exoticism as exploitative, yet it reflects 70s cinema’s post-colonial curiosity, paralleling films like The Serpent and the Rainbow. Sound design amplifies unease: Ennio Morricone’s score blends tribal percussion with dissonant strings, while Regan’s autistic echoes – a nod to her possession’s aftermath – create a symphony of psychic distress. The music and effects still hold up because they feel handmade and strange rather than polished.
Visually, the film dazzles with practical effects ahead of their time. Regan’s levitation via hidden wires, her mirror-shattering rage, and the climactic fire sequence showcase 70s ingenuity sans digital crutches. Cinematographer William A. Fraker employs wide-angle lenses for disorienting spaces, turning Regan’s apartment into a labyrinth of reflections. These choices elevate the sequel beyond schlock, aligning it with art-house horror like Suspiria. Modern collectors often praise the Blu-ray transfers for finally letting these images breathe the way Boorman intended.
Boorman’s Heretical Gamble
Production unfolded amid turmoil, mirroring the film’s chaos. Friedkin, protective of his masterpiece, publicly disavowed Boorman’s take, fuelling pre-release hype turned backlash. Budgeted at $14 million – double the original – it ballooned with location shoots in the Philippines (standing in for Africa) and New York. Blair, scarred by fame’s pressures, required therapy, her commitment yielding raw authenticity. Boorman, irked by studio meddling, reshot endings multiple times, settling on a truncated finale that leaves threads dangling. The behind-the-scenes struggles show how even big studio projects in the 70s could become personal battlegrounds.
Thematically, Exorcist II interrogates faith’s fragility. Lamont’s arc from doubt to martyrdom critiques institutional religion, echoing Boorman’s Catholic upbringing in Ireland. Regan’s psychic gifts position her as a bridge between worlds, challenging the original’s binary of good versus evil. This relativism resonated in a post-Vietnam era questioning absolutes, akin to The Omen’s apocalyptic cynicism. Yet audiences craved more pea soup and profanity; the film’s restraint – no full re-possession – doomed it commercially, grossing $30 million against expectations. That gap between what fans wanted and what Boorman delivered is still what makes the movie such a fascinating conversation piece among collectors.
Cultural ripples persist. It inspired Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist’s locust lore and Paul Schrader’s Exorcist: The Beginning. Collector’s items abound: original posters with Blair’s split face fetch premiums, while bootleg soundtracks circulate among Morricone fans. In VHS revival circles, it’s a guilty pleasure, its flaws endearing in an age of polished reboots. As explored on Dyerbolical at https://dyerbolical.com/about-us/, the film’s willingness to take risks feels especially refreshing now.
Legacy in the Shadows
Though Fangoria branded it “the worst sequel ever,” reevaluations highlight its prescience. Boorman’s emphasis on empathy over combat prefigures The Conjuring’s relational exorcisms. Its ecological undertones – locusts as divine retribution – align with 70s environmentalism. For retro enthusiasts, it embodies cinema’s wild 1970s, when directors like De Palma and Carpenter gambled big. The movie’s mixed reputation has actually helped keep it alive in cult circles, where people enjoy debating its place rather than dismissing it outright.
Regan’s survival sans faith reaffirms human resilience, a subversive coda to horror’s doom. In collector forums, debates rage over its place: turkey or misunderstood gem? Box sets pairing it with the original underscore contrasts, enriching both. As 80s slashers homogenised scares, Exorcist II remains a heretic outlier, daring viewers to question the devil within doctrine.
Director in the Spotlight: John Boorman
John Boorman, born 18 January 1933 in Shepperton, Middlesex, England, emerged from BBC radio as a film critic before directing. Influenced by Powell and Pressburger’s visual poetry, he debuted with the gritty Catch Us If You Can (1965), a pop-art chase starring The Dave Clark Five. Breakthrough came with Point Blank (1967), a stark revenge thriller starring Lee Marvin, lauded for nonlinear editing and urban alienation, earning BAFTA nominations. His early work already showed a taste for pushing form and story in ways that later surfaced in Exorcist II.
Deliverance (1972) cemented his reputation, grossing $46 million on a $2 million budget. Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds navigate Georgia’s rapids in a manhood odyssey marred by controversy over Appalachian portrayals. Nominated for three Oscars, including Best Picture, it showcased Boorman’s nature-versus-civilisation motif. Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) followed, his ambitious but divisive stab at horror sequeldom. The same interest in mythic journeys and primal forces runs through both films.
Turning to fantasy, Excalibur (1981) revived Arthurian legend with Nicol Williamson’s Merlin and Helen Mirren’s Morgana, blending operatic visuals and Wagnerian score. A cult hit, it influenced Lord of the Rings. The Emerald Forest (1985) drew from his Amazon disappearances, Powers Boothe’s engineer rescuing his son from tribes. Hope and Glory (1987), a semi-autobiographical WWII memoir, garnered five Oscar nods, including Best Director. Later works include Where the Heart Is (1990), a family dramedy with Dabney Coleman; In My Country (2004) on apartheid; and The Tiger’s Tail (2006), an Irish recession thriller. Documentaries like I Dreamt I Woke Up (2007) reflect his mysticism. He received a CBE in 1994. Boorman’s oeuvre spans 20+ films, marked by location authenticity, mythic quests, and paternal loss, influencing Terrence Malick and Werner Herzog.
Comprehensive filmography includes Catch Us If You Can (1965: pop chase); Point Blank (1967: revenge neo-noir); Hell in the Pacific (1968: WWII survival with Toshiro Mifune); Leo the Last (1970: satirical decay); Deliverance (1972: river peril); Zardoz (1974: dystopian Sean Connery); Exorcist II (1977: supernatural sequel); Excalibur (1981: Arthurian epic); The Emerald Forest (1985: jungle redemption); Hope and Glory (1987: Blitz childhood); Where the Heart Is (1990: eccentric family); I Dreamt I Woke Up (1991 doc); Two Nudes Bathing (1995 short); Beyond Rangoon (1995: Myanmar turmoil); The General (1998: Irish crime); The Tailor of Panama (2001: spy farce); In My Country (2004: truth commission); The Tiger’s Tail (2006: doppelganger thriller); and later documentary work. Awards include Palme d’Or nominations, Cannes jury prizes, and BAFTAs.
Actor in the Spotlight: Linda Blair
Linda Blair, born 22 January 1959 in St. Louis, Missouri, began as a child model and roller-skating prodigy before The Exorcist (1973) catapulted her to stardom at 14. Her portrayal of possessed Regan earned a Golden Globe nomination and typecast her in horror, enduring 100+ takes of the infamous spider-walk. Post-Exorcist, she advocated animal rights, founding the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation in 2004 for rescues. Her return to the role in the sequel gave her a chance to show a more mature side of the character.
Blair reprised Regan in Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), showcasing maturity amid controversy. Roller Boogie (1979) pivoted to disco, but Hell Night (1981) reclaimed screams. Chained Heat (1983) launched her in women-in-prison flicks, followed by Savage Streets (1984) vigilante role. TV arcs included Fantasy Island, MacGyver, and Supernatural (2009 as demon). Voice work includes The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns (1999) and Story of a Girl (2017).
Recent credits include Landfill (2018) and over 100 total roles. Filmography highlights include The Exorcist (1973: iconic possession); Exorcist II (1977: psychic sequel); Roller Boogie (1979: skate romance); Hell Night (1981: sorority slasher); Chained Heat (1983: prison drama); Savage Island (1985); Red Heat (1985 spy); Night Patrol (1984 cop comedy); Foxes (1980 ensemble); Ruckus (1980 action); Repossessed (1990 parody self-spoof); Bad Blood (2009); and Monster (2012 short). TV work includes Jackie Collins’ Lucky/Chances (1990 miniseries) and EP Daily host duties. Awards include Saturn nominations and lasting cult icon status. Blair’s resilience defines her, blending scream queen with activist.
Bibliography
Boorman, J. (1985) Adventures of a Cinema Man. Faber & Faber.
Friedkin, W. (2013) The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir. HarperOne. Available at: https://harpercollins.com (Accessed 15 October 2023).
Jones, A. (1998) The Rough Guide to Horror Movies. Rough Guides.
Kerekes, L. and Slater, D. (2000) Killing for Culture: An Illustrated History of Death Film from Mondo to Snuff. Creation Books.
Newman, K. (1988) Wildfire: The Original Exorcist and its Sequels. Bloated Corpse Press.
Schow, D. N. (1986) The Annotated Guide to Fantastic Films. Fandom Unlimited.
Torry, R. (2000) ‘Exorcism and Masculinity: The Exorcist and its Sequels’, Journal of Religion and Popular Culture, 5, pp. 1-15. Available at: https://utpjournals.press (Accessed 15 October 2023).
Wood, R. (1986) Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan. Columbia University Press.
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