Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) on Netflix
Four years after her exorcism, Regan MacNeil still suffers dreams she cannot explain. Father Philip Lamont is assigned to investigate the death of the priest who performed that exorcism.
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Trailer
Plot summary
Four years after the exorcism in Washington, Regan MacNeil lives in New York with her guardian, Sharon Spencer, and is monitored by Dr. Gene Tuskin at a psychiatric institute. Regan says she recalls nothing of what happened to her, while Tuskin believes the memories are buried. Father Philip Lamont, a priest whose faith is failing, is ordered by the Cardinal to look into how Father Lankester Merrin died during that exorcism, and into the heresy charge hanging over Merrin's writings, at a time when Church authorities would rather not admit that Satan exists. When Lamont questions Regan at the institute, Tuskin blocks him, fearing the harm it would do her.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Production of Exorcist II was hit by a run of disasters: director John Boorman caught San Joaquin Valley fever and filming shut down for over a month, 2,500 locusts shipped from England for the climax died at about 100 a day, editor John Merritt quit, and stars Kitty Winn and Louise Fletcher both had gallbladder infections.
- Director John Boorman said Exorcist II had one of the most disastrous openings ever, with riots, and that the studio recut the actual prints playing in theaters, about six a day, though it did not help.
- Jon Voight signed to play Father Philip Lamont but left in April 1976 when differences about the role could not be resolved; he was replaced by Richard Burton. David Carradine, Jack Nicholson and Christopher Walken had also been considered for or offered the part.
- A key scene of a sleepwalking Regan about to wander off a rooftop was shot atop 666 Fifth Avenue in New York City, where the studio then had offices. With no stunt person and no special effects, the shot showed Linda Blair's own feet on the edge of the building with Fifth Avenue below.
- The MacNeil house in Georgetown had to be replicated in the studio because the filmmakers were refused permission to film at the original house, and they also had to rebuild the nearby "Hitchcock Steps" after Washington city officials refused permission to shoot at the real steps.
- Neither William Peter Blatty, writer/producer of The Exorcist, nor its director William Friedkin wanted anything to do with a sequel, because they had filed lawsuits against the studio and each other over profits, credits, and Blatty being barred from post-production on the first film.
- John Boorman asked William Goodhart to rewrite his script with ideas from Rospo Pallenberg; Goodhart refused, so Pallenberg and Boorman rewrote it themselves, changing it constantly while the film was shooting with the ending still undecided, and Linda Blair said it was rewritten five times.
- The part of Dr. Gene Tuskin was written for a man, with Chris Sarandon and George Segal considered; when the character was changed to a woman, Ann-Margret and Jane Fonda were considered before Louise Fletcher, who had just won the Best Actress Oscar for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, took it.
