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William Peter Blatty RIP

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 5:24 am
by Gabriel
Perhaps a good moment to remember another writer and director with a supremely quirky outlook. Mr Blatty is of course famous for the novel The Exorcist and producing the classic film directed by William Friedkin. His novels varied in tone from farces such as Twinkle Twinkle, Killer Kane to more complex works such as the Exorcist sequel Legion and his final novel, the thriller Dimiter.

Along the way, his often surreal screenplays include the hilarious A Shot in the Dark, starring The Goon Show's Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau and a couple of intriguing movies which he also directed: The Ninth Configuration, adapted from Twinkle Twinkle, Killer Kane and his later rewrite novel, also called The Ninth Configuration and, of course, Legion (renamed The Exorcist III), which was brutalised at the hands of the studio, but for much of its runtime manages to be a fascinating, scary, yet very funny film. Shout! Factory recently released a Blu-ray reconstructing the film based on the original screenplay using VHS tapes of the dailies.

Comparisons of Mr Blatty's work are made with David Lynch, but these gentlemen are perhaps most similar in that they have unique voices and have managed to get such unique works released. William Peter Blatty made few films, but they are extremely memorable. To this day, the corridor scene in The Exorcist III remains a once-seen-never-forgotten moment.

Another great has left us. Few seem to have taken their place.

Re: William Peter Blatty RIP

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 2:04 pm
by bluefrank
Exorcist III - is a film that is full of Lynchian type touches, that's what i noticed when I watched it again in recent years. The film is very underrated, and yes the studio (Morgan Creek, I think?) did ruin it.