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The Exorcist is my choice for the best horror movie of all time. Some may say Rosemary’s Baby or The Shining or Night of the Living Dead, but as a good Catholic boy, nothing has ever gotten under my skin the way William Friedkin’s original did. But, with great success comes the desire for Hollywood to make a hit into a franchise, but Friedkin was not a franchise director. He famously turned down French Connection II, but the studio, perhaps noticing how the second French Connection turned out decently, decided to go ahead and turn it into a franchise. Still, the results, with one notable exception were a disaster. So without any further adieu, here’s our list of Exorcist movies ranked – from worst to best.

Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

So, worst is a degree here rather than a black-and-white fact. All of the Exorcist sequels – with that one...

The true heir to William Peter Blatty and William Friedkin’s 1973 masterpiece, The Exorcist III is returning this Halloween with a brand new 4K restoration from Arrow Video.

Arrow Video brings The Exorcist III to 4K Ultra HD in the United Kingdom on October 7, and Bloody Disgusting is exclusively debuting the trailer for the new restoration today.

The personal vision of Blatty (the acclaimed author of The Exorcist), The Exorcist III is set 15 years after the events of the first film and sees Lieutenant Kinderman investigate a series of horrific murders that follow the modus operandi of the notorious Gemini Killer… who died several years earlier in the electric chair.

After his friend Father Dyer (Ed Flanders) is murdered in his hospital bed, Kinderman’s investigations lead him to ‘Patient X’, a psychopath housed at the same hospital who claims to be the Gemini Killer, and who knows intimate crime scene details.

I grew up in the time of the Chuck Norris joke. I didn’t even really know who he was apart from the Walker, Texas Ranger guy who Conan O’Brien would pull a lever to get just the most random, out of context clip. I remember seeing the Chuck Norris joke book in a Barnes and Noble store and leafing through it only to find a bunch of absolutely absurd and comically over the top things that Chuck Norris could and would do to you or what he kept behind his beard. It was enough for me to start looking at his overall contribution to film and much of it was action. I found him teaming up with the likes of Lee Marvin in The Delta Force or going up against the great Christopher Lee in An Eye for an Eye. There’s also a great fight he had with...

As far as investigators go, Jim Rockford (James Garner) is a bit of a departure from the mostly-polished (Columbo excepted) detectives of television's first decade. A slouchily dressed detective who lived in a trailer and served time in San Quentin, Rockford was cool — if not always collected. "The Rockford Files" ran for six seasons on NBC beginning in 1974 and was later resurrected for a series of '90s TV movies. In that time, audiences were introduced not only to Rockford, but to a cast of supporting characters including his truck driver dad Rocky (Noah Beery Jr.), LAPD pal Becker (Joe Santos), and the con artist Angel (Stuart Margolin).

Garner passed away in 2014, and only a few "Rockford Files" castmates are still with us today. Those who are still around include notable recurring guest stars like famously mustachioed "Blue Bloods" star Tom Selleck, Egot-winning multi-hyphenate Rita Moreno, and "Happy Gilmore" director...

Some horror properties naturally lend themselves to incessant sequels, while others seem to will themselves into existence through sheer will, as if they’re the result of a demonic possession. William Friedkin’s The Exorcist, while over 50 years old, is still considered to be one of the scariest movies of all-time. Various Exorcist sequels and even a two-season television series have materialized over time. However, none of these projects generated the same level of skepticism that accompanied Blumhouse’s announcement that they’d be producing not just a legacy sequel to Friedkin’s original film, but an entire trilogy, directed by David Gordon Green. Green had just pulled off a similar spectacle with his Halloween legacy sequel trilogy, yet Michael Myers’ slasher antics are much more conducive to this formula than repeated returns to The Exorcist’s MacNeils.

2023’s The Exorcist: Believer chronicles two girls who disappear in the woods and return,...

The Exorcist rocked the world 50 years ago and horror has never been the same since. It shocked audiences with its unflinching portrayals of disturbing medical examinations, levels of profanity that shot right past those considered “acceptable” for Hollywood studio films, and a scene in which a twelve-year-old girl masturbates with a crucifix. It was decried by some and lauded by others. Evangelist Billy Graham famously said, “the Devil is in every frame” and urged Christians not to see the film and thereby expose themselves to such evil. The Catholic Church was mixed, condemning the film’s profanity and violence, but individuals within the church also praised its depiction of the power of good over evil. Roger Ebert loved it. Pauline Kael hated it. What matters, though, is people saw it, and they saw it in droves, making it the biggest box-office smash of the year. In 1973 and 74 it famously induced fainting,...

Straight out of the Chattanooga premiere, Cineverse and Bloody Disgusting’s throwback slasher We Might Hurt Each Other (formerly Pensive) arrives on our Screambox streaming platform tomorrow!

The bloody Lithuanian teen horror was directed by Jonas Trukanas and stars Gabija Bargailaite (Pilgrims) and calls back to slasher classics like Friday the 13th.

Inspired by local legends, Pensive follows a group of privileged high school classmates. After these classmates destroy a set of life-size wooden statues during a wild graduation party, a mysterious masked killer begins picking the group off one by one.

Gory and glorious, Pensive is a gritty throwback to the 80s and the heyday of slasher cinema. Calling back to Friday the 13th, the filmmakers took what was great about the era and give it a refreshing lift with the infusion of Eastern European folklore. Check out the trailer below.

Other July highlights include The Exorcist writer William Peter Blatty...

Get ready for a brand new summer slasher when Screambox drops the Lithuanian splatter film We Might Hurt Each Other this July, alongside other gems including the horror comedy Shoky & Morthy: Last Big Thing, the brutal Czech film Repulse, Elvira’s Haunted Hills, and the documentary Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street.

Here’s everything you need to know…

Evil, terror, lust… the Mistress of the Dark really knows how to party! Elvira’s Haunted Hills is now streaming on Screambox, alongside 13 Nights of Elvira and over 10 classic episodes of Elvira’s Movie Macabre.

A masked killer strikes in Screambox Original We Might Hurt Each Other on July 11. Lithuania’s first slasher pays tribute to the golden age of the subgenre while infusing an influence from Eastern European folklore.

A pair of notorious YouTubers make a killer comeback in the Screambox Exclusive Shoky & Morthy: Last Big Thing on July 18. The...

The episode of Revisited covering The Ninth Configuration was Written by Matthew Pejkovic, Narrated by Kier Gomes, Edited by Jaime Vasquez, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

For many people the name William Peter Blatty will forever be linked to The Exorcist, the best-selling 1971 novel penned by Blatty that tells the story of a demonically possessed 11-year-old girl and the two priests who attempt to save her. Blatty would go on to adapt his novel for the 1973 feature film of the same name which, under the direction of William Friedkin, would enrich itself in the history of cinema as one of best horror movies ever made, in the process winning Blatty an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Blatty’s presence as a filmmaker, though, wouldn’t be felt until the release of The Ninth Configuration (watch it Here), an adaptation of Blatty’s...

About midway through the pandemic in 2020, after watching more films at home in just six months than I would typically watch in 12 months, I was dealing with a significant case of cabin fever. So, I would go for long drives across the many local Arizona highways late in the evenings. My steering wheel soundtrack was mostly film scores from every single decade of film throughout history. Along my many drives, through busy city lights, and out on the lonely borders of the town, I would be reminded of my love for road trip films. When a giant semi-truck refused to pass me and instead followed closely on my bumper, I remembered Spielberg's Duel. When a hitchhiker appeared out of nowhere, wearing an ankle-length black duster, I immediately thought of Rutger Hauer from The Hitcher. But the most memorable moment from these late-night cruises had to be pulling into a gas...

Natalia Oreiro (“The German Doctor”) and Juan Minujín are set to star in “Bypass: Almost Dead” (“Bypass: Casi Muerta”).

Adapting the original Basque film “Bypass,” the first feature of Aitor Mazo and Patxo Tellería which scored 15 nominations at the 2013 Spanish Academy Goya Awards, “Bypass: Almost Dead” is produced by Argentina’s Cinema 7 Films and Non Stop and will be directed by Fernán Mirás. The director’s debut feature, “El Peso de la Ley” (“The Heavy Hand of the Law”), snagged six nominations at Argentina’s 2017 Premios Sur.

A screwball romantic comedy, the original “Bypass” turns on the feckless Aitor, who visits a dying woman friend María who, he learns, has always carried a candle for him. To grant her an almost last wish, he falsely confesses he has always loved her, which sparks her miraculous recovery, leaving Aitor to juggle a new love life and a relationship with a girl-friend...

The November 2020 lineup for The Criterion Channel has been unveiled, toplined by a Claire Denis retrospective, including the brand-new restoration of Beau travail, along with Chocolat, No Fear, No Die, Nenette and Boni, Towards Mathilde, 35 Shots of Rum, and White Material.

There will also be a series celebrating 30 years of The Film Foundation, featuring a new interview with Martin Scorsese by Ari Aster, as well as a number of their most essential restorations, including films by Jia Zhangke, Ritwik Ghatak, Luchino Visconti, Shirley Clarke, Med Hondo, and more.

There’s also David Lynch’s new restoration of The Elephant Man, retrospectives dedicated to Ngozi Onwurah, Nadav Lapid, and Terence Nance, a new edition of the series Queersighted titled Queer Fear, featuring a new conversation between series programmer Michael Koresky and filmmaker and critic Farihah Zaman, and much more.

See the lineup below and learn more on the official site.

Actress Alex Essoe walks is through some of her favorite dream sequences.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Starry Eyes (2014)

Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

Beyond The Black Rainbow (2010)

Mandy (2018), as usual

Doctor Sleep (2019)

Death of Me (2020)

Life Dances On (1937)

Tales of Manhattan (1942)

I Love You, Alice B Toklas (1968)

Papillon (1973)

Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

The Conversation (1974)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)

McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)

Nashville (1975)

The Ninth Configuration (1980)

The Exorcist (1973)

Shutter Island (2010)

The Exorcist III (1990)

A Shot In The Dark (1964)

Another Woman (1988)

Stardust Memories (1980)

8 ½ (1963)

Interiors (1978)

Dumbo (1941)

Mulholland Drive (2001)

A Woman Under The Influence (1974)

Mulholland Falls (1996)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Fletch (1985)

The ’Burbs (1989)

Dreams (1990)

Ran (1985)

Homewrecker (2019)

The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

The Wicker Man (1973)

Other Notable Items

Howard Hughes

Panos Cosmatos

The Haunting of Bly Manor TV series (2020)

Shelley Duvall

Tfh Guru Darren Lynn Bousman

The American Cinematheque

The New Beverly Theatre

Julien Duvivier

Jean Renoir

Jean-Luc Godard

François Truffaut

John Cassavetes...

The true heir to William Peter Blatty and William Friedkin’s 1973 masterpiece, The Exorcist III is a hellish horror detective story that pairs thoughtful theological themes with scenes of sheer terror.

To celebrate, we are giving away a Blu-ray!

The Exorcist III boasts some of modern horror’s most unforgettable scares and exceptional supporting performances from Jason Miller (The Ninth Configuration) and Brad Dourif (Dune). Blatty’s film is presented here in both its original theatrical cut and the recently assembled ‘Legion’ director’s cut.

Order today: https://www.arrowfilms.com/product-detail/the-exorcist-iii-blu-ray/FCD1969

To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question:

Who was the star of the original Exorcist film? Was it:

a) Linda Blair

b) Linda Fiorentino

c) Linda Hunt

Email your answer to NerdlyComps@gmail.com, making sure to include your name and address. You can also leave your answer on our Facebook page,...

Okay, so here’s the thing. This month I wanted to find a good deep cut from the great Tom Atkins, whose charm and mustache thrilled us throughout the ’80s, even as he played a lecherous doctor, a kinda lecherous resident of a quaint seaside town, and a caustic cop haunted by his past (who I assume was also a lech). So when I dove into his filmography in search of a lesser-known vehicle, I perked up when I found the 1980 psychological drama The Ninth Configuration.

Alas, after watching the film, it turns out that Atkins has a relatively minor role, but there’s no way I could skip this movie, as it features a Murderers’ Row of horror character actor royalty. And so I figured, since baseball season did just start...*Puts on best Bob Uecker voice from Major League.*

Well, hello there, horror fans! And welcome to another...

Have you ever wanted to screen movies from Shout! Factory's eclectic catalog on the big screen in your hometown cinema? Now you can explore that enticing option, as the American Genre Film Archive has teamed up with Shout! Factory for a theatrical distribution partnership. At this time, 50 movies from Shout! Factory's archives can be booked for theatrical screenings, including Black Christmas (1974), Chopping Mall, Dreamscape, Galaxy of Terror, The Ninth Configuration, Piranha, Rabid, Slumber Party Massacre, Slumber Party Massacre II, and more!

Press Release: Austin, TX | April 16, 2019 – The American Genre Film Archive, the largest non-profit genre film archive and distributor in the world, is excited to announce a theatrical partnership with Shout! Factory, a multi-platform media company. Agfa will distribute fifty film classics from Shout! Factory’s cult classic movie library to theaters in 2019. This is Agfa’s latest collaboration following their distribution partnerships with home video labels Arrow Films (Donnie...

The American Genre Film Archive, the largest non-profit genre film archive and distributor in the world, has teamed up with Shout! Factory for a wide-ranging new theatrical partnership that will see a slew of cult classics heading back into theaters. Agfa will distribute 50 film classics from Shout! Factory’s movie library to theaters this year, following similar collaborations with home video labels like Arrow Films, Severin Films, and Vinegar Syndrome.

The Austin-based Afga has selected a number of shlock-tastic titles like “Black Christmas,” “Chopping Mall,” “Caged Heat,” and both “Slumber Party Massacre” and its sequel to release back into theaters. The deal also includes a number of bonafide classics as well, including John Ford’s “Stagecoach,” John Cassavetes’ “A Woman Under the Influence,” and Alfred Hitchcock’s “Foreign Correspondent.”

“We could not be more thrilled about this partnership,” said Agfa Head of Business Affairs Alicia Coombs in an official statement.

Scott Wilson, an acting veteran of half a century who was a high-profile member “The Walking Dead” cast, was remembered warmly at memorial ceremonies Saturday at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.

Wilson died at the age of 76 after a battle with leukemia on Oct. 6. The premiere episode of the ninth season of “The Walking Dead” aired the next day and was dedicated to Wilson’s memory.

“The Walking Dead” cast members Danai Gurira, Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies and Greg Nicotero spoke at Saturday’s event along with director Ernest Dickerson. Gurira recalled in her speech that Wilson went out of his way to make her feel comfortable on her first day when she joined the cast of “The Walking Dead” in its third season.

“Scott made me feel like part of the family as soon as I met him,” she said. “He also taught me to how to smoke a cigar.

“I just have to say, Scott was such an incredibly kind and talented man and elevated every room that he was in,” Chris Hardwick remarked about the passing of “The Walking Dead” star Scott Wilson, who died on October 6 at the age of 76. During Sunday’s live episode of “Talking Dead,” Hardwick continued, “He was someone that I really cared deeply about and I always enjoyed seeing him. I just want to say tonight that we’re thinking about him and our thoughts and our hearts are with his friends and family.”

See‘The Walking Dead’ boss on Andrew Lincoln leaving: ‘We’re all sad about it,’ but we have ‘an ensemble cast’

Wilson’s character Hershel Greene was a fan favorite from Seasons 2-4 until he was killed off the show during the war between our heroes and the Governor (David Morrissey). After Hershel’s memorable death in the episode “Too Far Gone,...

Damien Chazelle’s drama about Neil Armstrong and the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing is a moving tale of loss and peril

In William Peter Blatty’s underrated 1980 mystery-thriller The Ninth Configuration, a grounded lunar astronaut played by Scott Wilson (who sadly died last week) delivers a heartbreaking soliloquy that perfectly encapsulates the existential crisis at the centre of much space-travel cinema. “See the stars, so cold, so far and so very lonely,” he says, plaintively. “What if I got there, got to the moon and couldn’t get back… I’m afraid to die alone, so far from home. And if there’s no God, then that’s really, really alone.”

That sense of cosmic isolation reverberates throughout a range of space movies, from Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris to Douglas Trumbull’s Silent Running (dubbed “the loneliest adventure of all”) and, more recently, Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity. Now it resurfaces in powerful form in First Man,...

With a gentle yet commanding screen presence, Scott Wilson endeared himself to countless fans of AMC's The Walking Dead over the years, and we're sad to share the news that the actor has passed away at the age of 76.

Multiple sources have shared the sad news of Wilson's passing, with People reporting that the actor passed away "due to complications from leukemia," according to his rep, Dominic Mancini.

For three seasons on AMC's The Walking Dead, Wilson played Hershel Greene, a beacon of humanity in a relentlessly harsh world. The father of Maggie and Beth, Hershel was a character who often reminded Rick and other survivors that empathy and compassion were top shelf emotions that should be cherished and practiced, even in the post-apocalyptic wastelands. Wilson instilled a warmth in Hershel that radiated through the screen. He also gave the series a crucial sense of humor that helped balance...

Scott Wilson, the veteran character actor perhaps best known to modern audiences as veterinarian Hershel Green on “The Walking Dead,” has died at age 76.

The actor, whose death was confirmed on the official Twitter account of the AMC show, appeared in dozens of film and TV shows during his five-decade-plus career and earned a Golden Globe nomination for a supporting role in 1980’s “The Ninth Configuration.”

The Georgia native moved to Hollywood in the early 1960s and made a big impression in his first feature film, as a murder suspect in 1967’s Oscar-winning drama “In the Heat of the Night.”

We are deeply saddened to report that Scott Wilson, the incredible actor who played Hershel on #TheWalkingDead, has passed away at the age of 76. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest in paradise, Scott. We love you! pic.twitter.com/guNI7zSqDZ

— The Walking Dead (@TheWalkingDead) October 7, 2018

Scott...

Scott Wilson, an acting veteran of 50 years who was a high-profile member of the cast of “The Walking Dead” between 2011 and 2014, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 76.

His death was announced Saturday on The Walking Dead official Twitter account.

Wilson played rural farmer Hershel Greene on the series. He was a regular on “The Walking Dead” during its second, third and fourth seasons. His character helped the resistance led by star Andrew Lincoln in battling the show’s walkers. The character lost a leg in season three and was killed off in season four.

News of Wilson’s death came shortly after it was announced at “The Walking Dead” panel at New York Comic Con that the Wilson would be among past cast members appearing in the AMC show’s ninth season, which debuts Sunday. Wilson had already filmed his scenes.

“Scott will always be remembered as...

(Updated with SAG statement) Scott Wilson, who was a key member of the cast of The Walking Dead before exiting the show in shocking fashion, has died. He was 76 and his death was announced today on the Walking Dead comic official Twitter account.

We are deeply saddened to report that Scott Wilson, the incredible actor who played Hershel on #TheWalkingDead, has passed away at the age of 76. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest in paradise, Scott. We love you! pic.twitter.com/guNI7zSqDZ

— The Walking Dead (@TheWalkingDead) October 7, 2018

Wilson played the beloved Hershel Greene on Twd from 2011-2014.

In the series, he was a veterinarian who kept a barn full of walkers, hoping to find a cure. He later lost his leg and then his life to the sword of the Governor. While his youngest daughter Beth was also killed off on the series, the Lauren Cohan-portrayed Maggie Greene,...

Veteran actor Scott Wilson, best known to TV audiences as Hershel Greene on The Walking Dead, died Saturday. He was 76.

TMZ reports that Wilson died due to complications from leukemia.

News of Wilson’s passing comes just hours after it was announced that he will appear in Walking Dead‘s upcoming ninth season, reprising his role as Hershel. It’s believed that his episode was shot earlier this summer.

Wilson began his acting career on the big screen in 1967 with a role in In the Heat of the Night. He would go on to appear in roughly 50 additional films, including In Cold Blood,...

Scott Wilson -- a veteran actor with more than 50 movie credits, but best known recently for his role as Hershel Greene on "The Walking Dead" -- has died ... TMZ has learned. Scott's rep, Dominic Mancini, tells us he died due to complications from leukemia. Mancini says Wilson was "a national treasure, a calm voice, and a gentle spirit to everyone who came in contact with him." We're told he passed away peacefully at his home in L.

Scott Wilson, the Georgia-born actor admired for the intensity he demonstrated in such dark, disturbing projects as In Cold Blood, The Walking Dead and The Ninth Configuration, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 76.

Details were not immediately available, but the official Twitter account for the Walking Dead comic book, on which the popular AMC show of the same name is based, confirmed the news Saturday. "We are deeply saddened to report that Scott Wilson, the incredible actor who played Hershel on #TheWalkingDead, has passed away at the age of 76," the statement read. "Our thoughts are ...

Scott Wilson, the Georgia-born actor admired for the intensity he demonstrated in such dark, disturbing projects as In Cold Blood, The Walking Dead and The Ninth Configuration, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 76.

Details were not immediately available, but the official Twitter account for the Walking Dead comic book, on which the popular AMC show of the same name is based, confirmed the news Saturday. "We are deeply saddened to report that Scott Wilson, the incredible actor who played Hershel on #TheWalkingDead, has passed away at the age of 76," the statement read. "Our thoughts are ...

Throughout his film career, John Carpenter was always ahead of the curve; whether finalizing the blueprint for the modern slasher or offering an ever prescient political take on alien invasions, Carpenter always seemed to be ahead of what the next big thing would be, often to decreased box office receipts. So it came as a surprise to many (myself included) that he started up Body Bags (1993), a would-be anthology series ala Tales from the Crypt for Showtime. The bigger surprise though is that it didn’t fly, because this one off is terrific entertainment.

Originally televised on Showtime on August 8th, Body Bags was met with critical approval and fans of the genre enjoyed it. However, the brass had already decided that this would be a one and done, hence the truncated anthology film format for the three segments already filmed. What a shame, because while Carpenter in front of...

The Chicago Tribune reports that veteran actor Stacy Keach had a heart attack last week, during or immediately before a performance of the Ernest Hemingway one-man play Pamplona. The opening night performance—in which Keach, whose credits include everything from Planes and Titus to The Ninth Configuration and American History X, plays Hemingway himself—was canceled midway through, after the actor seemed “ill at ease” and unable to perform his lines.

Keach is expected to make a full recovery, and was released from the hospital today. Although Pamplona’s current run at Chicago’s Goodman Theater has been canceled, the actor is quoted as being anxious to reschedule as soon as his still-busy calendar has an open spot. “The first thing Stacy said was ‘When are we rescheduling?’” the theater’s artistic director said after a recent hospital visit. “I told him we’d figure that out. But first he...

Laemmle’s Royal Theatre in Los Angeles will be presenting a 50th anniversary screening of Richard Brook’s 1967 film In Cold Blood, based upon the novel of the same name by Truman Capote. The 134-minute film, which stars John Forsythe, Robert Blake and Scott Wilson, will be screened on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 7:00 pm.

Please Note: At press time, Actor Scott Wilson is scheduled to appear in person for a discussion about the film following the screening.

From the press release:

Part of our Anniversary Classics series. For details, visit: laemmle.com/ac.

In Cold Blood (1967)

50th Anniversary Screening

Wednesday, March 22, at 7 Pm at the Royal Theatre

Followed by a Q & A with Actor Scott Wilson

In Cold Blood, the film version of Truman Capote’s immensely popular true crime novel, was nominated for four top Oscars in 1967. Richard Brooks received two nominations, for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay,...

Above: Soviet poster for The Ghost That Never Returns (Abram Room, Soviet Union, 1929). Designed by the Sternberg Brothers.Have you seen what’s playing on Mubi lately? Many of you who read my column may not often partake of the best of what Mubi has to offer, which is a beautifully curated, constantly changing selection of films which amounts to a top-notch repertory cinema on your laptop and in your living room. Now that Mubi is on the Roku app too there is even more reason to subscribe to the best film streaming deal on the internet. I know, I know, there is always too much to see and too little time, but for me what elevates Mubi over other streaming services—and I’m not just saying this because I write for them—is the 30-day model which offers you a new surprise every morning as well as the...

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.

American Pastoral (Ewan McGregor)

If my limited experience with Philip Roth adaptations is any indication, his novels deal in emotion. There are existential crises concerning identity involved, each a character study about life’s impact beyond the surface experiences propelling them forward. This isn’t something easily translated from page to screen when so much consists of internalized motivation. You must really look into the text, ignoring plot to...

Responsible for one of the most iconic horror novels (and films…and posters!) of all time, The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty has passed away at age 89. Blatty started as a scriptwriter with credits including the Blake Edwards comedy A Shot In The Dark and (uncredited) The Omega Man. He adapted his 1971 best-seller The Exorcist for the screen in 1973, which resulted in his Oscar win for ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’. In 1980, he directed an unusual film I saw at the theater then, but have never seen since. The Ninth Configuration, an odd allegory starring Stacey Keach and Neville Brand about a remote castle that served as an insane military asylum, deserves to be rediscovered. In 1996, he wrote and directed The Exorcist III, based on his novel Legion. Just last year, the director’s cut of the film, now titled The Exorcist III: Legion, was released on Blu-ray. Blatty had a type of blood cancer.

William Peter Blatty, the author and Oscar-winning screenwriter of the horror classic The Exorcist, has died at the age of 89.

The Exorcist director William Friedkin revealed news of Blatty's death, tweeting Friday morning, "William Peter Blatty, dear friend and brother who created The Exorcist passed away yesterday."

Stephen King tweeted, "Rip William Peter Blatty, who wrote the great horror novel of our time. So long, Old Bill."

Before authoring what's considered one of the greatest horror novels of all time and adapting the work into an Oscar-nominated blockbuster, Blatty specialized in comedy,...

William Peter Blatty, author of “The Exorcist,” died last night at the age of 89, according to close friend and “Exorcist” director William Friedkin.

Blatty first rose to prominence with his 1971 novel “The Exorcist,” about the demonic possession of a 12-year-old girl and the two priests who attempt to exorcise the demon. He later adapted the book into the script for the 1973 film, directed by William Friedkin. “The Exorcist” was a huge critical and commercial success. It was nominated for ten Oscars, with Blatty winning an award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Blatty began his writing career in earnest in the mid-1960s with a series of comic novels — “Which Way to Mecca, Jack?,” “John Goldfarb, Please Come Home,” “I, Billy Shakespeare,” etc. — but his first foray into film was his collaboration with director Blake Edwards. His first major screenplay...

His work influenced generations of authors, filmmakers, and artists, and the horror genre wouldn't be what is today without him, so it is with especially great sadness that we share the news that author and filmmaker William Peter Blatty has passed away at the age of 89.

Director William Friedkin shared the somber news of his friend's passing on Twitter this morning. The cause of death is unknown at this time.

William Peter Blatty, dear friend and brother who created The Exorcist passed away yesterday

— William Friedkin (@WilliamFriedkin) January 13, 2017

In the early ’70s, Blatty forever changed the landscape of cinema when he adapted his novel The Exorcist for the big screen, an adaptation directed by William Friedkin. When audiences witnessed a possessed Regan MacNeil doing her 360-degree head spin on screen, nothing was ever the same again in the world of horror.

Blatty went on to direct The Ninth Configuration (1980) and...

Despite having a reputation as one of the greatest horror movies ever made, William Friedkin’s The Exorcist was never really able to find its footing as a franchise, despite the best efforts of Hollywood executives to make it happen. Each of the three sequels in the series experienced major post-production woes: Exorcist II: The Heretic was recut by director John Boorman after its premiere. Paul Schrader’s Exorcist sequel, intended to be the fourth film in the franchise, was so poorly received by studio execs that it was largely reshot and recut with director Renny Harlin at the helm, released in 2004 as Exorcist: The Beginning. Schrader’s own version came out one year later as Dominion: A Prequel to the Exorcist, making what I think is the first (and only?) time in history that two completely different versions of the same movie were released in theaters. Neither was a success.

Halloween may be over, but horror reigns supreme all year long on Shudder. The streaming service's November titles include Phantasm: Remastered, The Exorcist III, Penance, Happy Birthday to Me, Therapy, Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, and many more must-watch movies.

Press Release: As many a horror fan is wont to say, Halloween is an all-year endeavor. And though Samhain has ended, you could say Shudder is just getting started. Following our premiere of the stellar miniseries Beyond The Walls, we’re all too excited to be the exclusive home of Phantasm: Remastered (joined by Phantasm III and IV). Headed by Jj Abrams and Bad Robot, this brand new restoration of Don Coscarelli’s American independent horror classic is the best you’ve ever seen it. Vividly rediscover the surreal journey of Mike, Jody and Reggie, up against the unknowable forces of The Tall Man, his extradimensional dwarves and the sphere.

Savant UK correspondent Lee Broughton analyzes one of his favorite pictures starring Stacy Keach, who seemed to make only cult items in the '70s and '80s. William Peter Blatty dishes out a thick mix of comedy and dark soul-searching about the human condition as a Caligari- insane asylum, but with new twists. The Ninth Configuration Second Sight Region B Blu-ray 1980 / Colour / 2.35:1 enhanced widescreen / 118 m. / available through Amazon.uk Starring Stacy Keach, Scott Wilson, Jason Miller, Ed Flanders, Neville Brand, George Dicenzo, Moses Gunn, Robert Loggia, Joe Spinell, Tom Atkins. Cinematography Gerry Fisher Production Design William Malley Film Editors Peter Taylor, T. Battle Davis, Roberto Silvi, Peter Lee-Thompson Original Music Barry DeVorzon Written, Produced and Directed by William Peter Blatty from his novel

Reviewed by Lee Broughton

(Note: Savant reviews as a guest at Tfh. Here I stretch my prerogatives by presenting a review from Lee Broughton, a valued U.

★★★★☆ Ever had trouble in a casual conversation explaining the plot of a film you've recently watched? Try recounting what happens in The Ninth Configuration and you're liable to end up in a gibbering, tongue-tied mess on the floor. A uniquely original take on the manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder, it tiptoes around maintaining a tonal consistency, oscillating from laugh-out-loud farce to a dark, yet strangely poignant, existentialist study. It also, somehow, manages to feature the most unnerving and extraordinary bar confrontation ever committed to celluloid. To say that it's incredibly difficult to categorise would be an understatement, yet this really shouldn't put you off viewing.

William Peter Blatty’s The Ninth Configuration has been overshadowed by The Exorcist, but it’s about to make its UK Blu-ray debut, which will hopefully give the film a bit more of the attention it so richly deserves. If you’re one… Continue Reading →

The post The Ninth Configuration Arriving on UK Blu-ray in April appeared first on Dread Central.

While "The Exorcist II" is widely seen as a failure, "The Exorcist III: Legion" is considered a very effective and underrated horror film in spite of its obvious production problems.

Written and directed by "The Exorcist" author William Peter Blatty based on his own 1983 novel "Legion," George C. Scott plays a police detective who investigates the case of a supernatural serial killer. Morgan Creek Productions ordered much of the third act be reshot and an exorcism thrown into the mix that wasn't there originally.

In the years since there's been talk about Blatty's original and uncompromised cut of the film eventually making an appearance, along with expressions of curiosity from fans as to what it might look like. Back in 2007 though Morgan Creek said all of the trimmed and alternate scenes for the film had been lost.

It looks like someone must've found them though as The Ninth Configuration followed...

Veteran character actor Robert Loggia has died at his home in Los Angeles today at the age of 85. Loggia had been battling Alzheimer's Disease for five years and leaves behind his widow Audrey with whom he had been married for over three decades, three children, and a stepchild.

Starring in his first films back in the late 1950s, worked right up until this year with his last role being in the Canadian horror drama "Sicilian Vampire". Along the way he scored peer recognition including an Oscar nominated turn in the 1986 courtroom thriller "Jagged Edge" alongside Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges, and an Emmy nominated role as the lead in the detective drama series "Mancuso, F.B.I.".

His resume includes key roles in some major movies that ran the gamut in terms of critical and public appeal. Amongst the more notable titles are the likes of "Big," "Scarface, "Independence Day,...

Lionsgate has revealed two new clips from The Last Witch Hunter ahead of its release on October 23rd. Also in this morning's round-up: details on the New York City Horror Film Festival and the Colorado Horror Convention, as well as information on how to watch The Walking Dead online and release details for Eli Morgan Gesner's Condemned.

The Last Witch Hunter: "The modern world holds many secrets, but the most astounding secret of all is that witches still live amongst us; vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death upon the world. Armies of witch hunters battled the unnatural enemy across the globe for centuries, including Kaulder, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful Queen Witch, decimating her followers in the process. In the moments right before her death, the Queen curses Kaulder with her own immortality, forever separating him from his beloved wife and daughter in the afterlife.

Long considered to be one of British auteur Tony Richardson’s greatest miscalculations is his 1970 film Ned Kelly, certainly the most notable but arguably the definitive version as concerns one of Australia’s most infamous outlaws. Arriving on Blu-ray for the first time, the title remains a curious novelty, one of a handful of on-screen appearances featuring The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger in a high-profile role. As many of these once-reviled titles go, the history behind the making of the film tends to overshadow the compromised product, and Richardson’s failed period piece is no exception.

In the late 1800s Outback, horse thief and aspiring bank robber Ned Kelly (Jagger) is released after serving a three year prison sentence. Harassed by the law and his angry neighbors, the ornery bushranger is forced into action when his mother (Clarissa Kaye) is unjustly accused of murder and sentenced to prison. His resulting...

At Comic-Con, I recently joined the press room for A&E's The Omen sequel series, Damien, where, along with a handful of journalists, I caught up with writer/executive producer Glen Mazzara and cast members Bradley James, Barbara Hershey, and Scott Wilson, who discussed the upcoming adult Antichrist series.

Glen Mazzara on the tone of the show:

"It is realistic, we're using the original 1976 film as the source not only of the story but of the style of filmmaking. That film was very grounded, it felt like it was taking place in the world and so we're trying to follow that, you know? I think that's what makes the horror play. If you feel that it's real. Once something becomes very involved, very dependent on special effects, I tend to feel not as frightened, to tell you the truth. So we're trying to stay as realistic feeling as possible.

It's...

We close out March madness with a truly bizarre freakout: William Peter Blatty's The Ninth Configuration.

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In late 2014, Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film Inherent Vice - a psychedelic dive into the La of the past- screened at at a special BAFTA preview with the director on hand to take part in a post-film Q&A.

Ably marshalled by film critic Mark Kermode, the discussion touched on the director's Thomas Pynchon adaptation and his collaborations with Joaquin Phoenix and composer Johnny Greenwood. Perhaps most interesting of all, however, was Anderson talking about his all-time favourite movie.

When asked by Kermode to choose, Anderson replied quickly with "The Treasure of Sierra Madre. There's no competition, it's the best," before hesitating to ponder the merits of Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest.

"This is the game that's so f**king maddening," he said. "On the drive home you're like, no it's not Treasure of Sierra Madre its North by Northwest, it's Something Wild, it's Repo Men. The lists are so long.

October may be over, but that doesn’t mean horror and sci-fi fans don’t have anything to look forward to this month. November 4th will see the release of Brett Ratner’s Hercules 3D and a few cult classics, including The Doctor and the Devils and The Ninth Configuration. There are also several indie horror movies making their debut this week, including The Taking of Deborah Logan, Ghost Bride and Dead Girls.

And for those of you looking to add a few Blu-ray collections to your home library, Amazon is releasing an exclusive set in honor of Stanley Kubrick (which looks stellar) and there’s also a new Doctor Who box set to look forward to as well.

Spotlight Titles:

The Doctor and the Devils (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)

Based on Dylan Thomas’ original screenplay, this shocking horror-thriller stars Timothy Dalton as Thomas Rock, a brilliant young anatomy professor in 1820s Edinburgh.