Legion of Stooges

My "close" readers (aka people who address me by my REAL name) know that I try whenever possible to honor those whose work inspires my one good typing hand to write.

Those "close" readers know that whenever I attach Roman Numerals to a title, it's usually a subtle reference to the series of films that William Peter Blatty's book Legion inspired (aka The Exorcist, Exorcist II: The Heretic, and so-on).

But sometimes I take the opportunity to set the record straight about the reference itself. The Exorcist (William Friedkin's original movie based loosely on Legion) is a unique work in its own right, but Hollywood has a knack for forgetting its literary roots. I, myself, realize that both filmmaking and novel-writing are painstaking arts--unique from (but mutually dependent on) each other.

This places me in the netherworld of being respectfully misunderstood (no one is supposed to actually appreciate BOTH arts).

One is invariably expected to deify one and trash the other.

I can't seem to do this. I can see that BOTH are ill-appreciated crafts. Which is why I hesitate to mention the 1990 film: Exorcist III.

I don't know how Blatty and Friedkin feel about EACH OTHER, but I know that Blatty is a MUCH better author than he is a director, because the cinematic presentation of Exorcist III leaves something to be desired, even though I understand Blatty's desire to re-assert ownership of Legion.

But I'm not sure Exorcist III accomplished that.

In reality, ALL the movies seem to drive directors back to their more humble storytelling roots. I've already mentioned both Friedkin and John Boorman (The Exorcist and Exorcist II: The Heretic) in previous articles, and I think their work outside of The Exorcist speaks for itself.

My feeling is that William Peter Blatty also deserves to be remembered for his books, rather than for his arguably reactionary foray into film directing. It may seem to be an odd connection, but it strikes THIS AUTHOR (AKA ME) as ironic that so many humorists wind up being drawn into horror so readily.

I think I know why, but maybe those hypotheses are best left unspoken. I'd hate for my insight to turn into Blood Drinkin' Monsters of the Deep (without at least an honorable mention) ;)

--Mattergy