Boorman and the Devil is a captivating peek behind the curtain of an acknowledged box office bomb, equalled only by Micheal Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate. Starring Richard Burton, Linda Blair, and Louise Fletcher, The Exorcist II: The Heretic had all the pieces in place on paper to deliver great things. In a documentary that was selected for the Venice Film Festival, writer-director Richard Kitteredge brings together all the major players and asks them to pick through their recollection to make some sense of this troubled production.
Front and centre in this demonic documentary sits the pragmatic John Boorman. Director behind Excalibur, Deliverance and Point Blank among others and now in his eighties, he is refreshingly candid about the film that almost ended his career, looking back with a mixture of regret and resignation on what might have been. To his credit, Richard Kittredge does more than rely on anecdotes to appease audiences, leaving no stone unturned as he pilfers Warner Brothers film archive in search of answers.
Image Courtesy of Yellow Veil Pictures
From the intriguing inclusion of unearthed deleted scenes, undisclosed production details, and firsthand accounts from production crew, Boorman and the Devil is a true treasure trove for film anoraks. Delving into the depth of Regan’s return to the big screen and allowing room for audiences to marvel at John Boorman’s vision. Not only is this a fascinating dissection of Hollywood going off the rails in search of financial gain, but it also hints at something truly original among the carnage.
Distributed by Yellow Veil Pictures not only is Boorman and the Devil a definitive look at The Exorcist II: The Heretic warts and all, but it bears repeat viewing. From the observations of Louise Fletcher on Richard Burton to those exotic locations recreated on cavernous soundstages, this documentary transforms it into a flawed film with untapped potential. Not only elevating this in the eyes of a new generation but exonerating John Boorman and prompting re-evaluation.
Whichever side of the line audiences eventually fall on, there is no denying the positive impact that Boorman and the Devil will have. In a time when there is a reliance on tried and tested intellectual properties as studios seek to recoup investments, The Exorcist II: The Heretic represents an iconic creative risk. A huge swing from a mainstream studio who lost track of the movie they were making, and created instead an awe-inspiring cinematic folly, that might have been a masterpiece under different circumstances.
Boorman and the Devil is screening in New York City from August 28th.