MovieChat Forums > The Exorcist (1973) Discussion > Why makeup Max von Sydow as an old guy i...

Why makeup Max von Sydow as an old guy instead of just casting an older guy?


Or just keep him the same age?

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Why not? He's a great actor.
This has been done many times before, very convincingly in plays and other movies.

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Because it takes time to put prosthetics on. A needless amount of time when there is absolutely no point to it. As I said, they could've gotten another actor or just keep him the same age in the movie.

What I'm asking for is like a quote from one of the makers or something, not a "why not". Because, before I get their side of the story, I can definitely find reasons for why it wouldn't be the best idea

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I see. I wasn't sure of why you asked. That is why I asked.
I understand now what you are saying. Hopefully, someone can give you your answer.

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I agree, but he was pitch perfect , so who cares

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Because he’s not an old guy at the beginning of the movie.

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He seemed pretty decrepit to me in the Iraq scenes.

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Because the opposite looks far sillier. People change from child-hood to adult-hood but not that swiftly from their forties to their sixties. They just get wrinkles and grey hair added on.

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Because Friedkin & Blatty apparently had him in mind during pre-production. Perhaps it was The Seventh Seal, perhaps just the way Sydow looks, but it's him they wanted for Merrin.

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Because von Sydow kicks much ass. I can't imagine anyone else playing Lankester Merrin. It would be an abomination.

In all seriousness, it's one of my favorite role-actor pairings in any film I've ever seen.

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Because he’s a great actor and was born to play the role. What a dumb question.

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I don't know but the make up was insanely good. He actually looks like that today which shows how accurate the make up was.

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I hate to break it to you if you didn't already know but he passed away a few months ago, so doubt he still looks like that today.

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You know what I mean, what he looked like before he died.

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