MovieChat Forums > Resurrection (1980) Discussion > Ellen writes of this movie in her 2006 a...

Ellen writes of this movie in her 2006 autobiography

posted 17 years ago by statusreport
12 replies | jump to latest

If you like this movie, you should check out Ellen Burstein's autobiography "Lessons in Becoming Myself." There's 15-20 pages of material and a page of photos and a lot of trivia that can be added to this IMDb entry (a real-life healer was a technical advisor on the film and healed someone who had an accident on the set, the fly on her toe was that last one of 10 they tried, her mother was an extra in the movie, Ellen believes in psychic powers herself, etc.).

The following is from Wikipedia's entry on psychokinesis where the film is mentioned:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychokinesis

In her 2006 autobiography, Burstein writes at length about the making of the movie and reaction to it, "I still have people approach me on the street and tell me how important the film was in their lives... Some people have told me that they stopped denying their psychic abilities after seeing the film and actually developed them instead of hiding them for fear they'd be thought weird. Some people, many in fact, told me they went into the healing profession because of the film. And others told me about feeling healed by the film."

[–] statusreport 17 years ago

Follow-up Comment. I went back and checked her autobiography. Resurrection can be found on these pages: three photos in center photo section, text: pages 336, 341, 348-369.

Also, Ellen indicates that her character Edna Mae DOES NOT die at the end of the film. She writes that her character took over the gas station and is anonymously healing anyone who happens to find her out in the desert. Technically that means there COULD be a sequel if some producer took an interest. Perhaps the little girl who was healed could now be a healer herself 30-ish/early 30s and the movie opens with a flashback to the gas station scene with Edna Mae/Ellen, who could also appear in the movie present day and the two meet up again. I'm a screenwriter, sorry.

More trivia: According to Ellen's book, the name Edna Mae is an adaptation of her own birth name Edna Rae. Also, there were more references to Jesus in the movie, but the producers cut them out, leaving only one intact. That means there is or was deleted scenes out there.

[–] WarpedRecord 17 years ago

Thanks for your comments on Ellen's autobiography and "Resurrection"! I agree that a sequel would be a terrific idea if it was handled as well as the original film.

I saw Ellen speaking at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco last week, and she spoke fondly of the film. She said it's one of the performances she's most proud of. The studio didn't even want to release it on video, she said, until she tried to acquire rights to release it herself. Many schools and religious groups have used the film as part of their instruction, she said. She still hopes to see it released on DVD some day. Don't we all?

Ellen autographed my copy of "Lessons in Becoming Myself." I haven't gotten to the portions where she speaks of "Resurrection," but I can say she's an excellent writer and possesses a humanity that is admirable.

I think anyone who's seen this powerful film would share her feelings about the importance of this work and the value to the world if it were more widely available.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] WarpedRecord 17 years ago

I suspect, unfortunately, it's the old bottom line: The studio doesn't think a DVD release would be profitable. From the outset, the film was released half-heartedly, and although it won raves from critics and the limited audience that saw it initially, it was not promoted. I think issues of faith and healing are a tough sell, and they make studio bigwigs nervous. Plus, I think the title "Resurrection" and Ellen's connection to "The Exorcist" confused a lot of folks. As a result, we all lose. This film certainly has its share of an audience, and it would have even more devotees if more people were able to see it.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] nisa5759 17 years ago

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. The Dana Delaney remake was fine but it didn't have the degree of intensity as the original. Ellen's and everyone's performance in the movie were extraordinary.

[–] Bruce7 13 years ago

Hm, Jesus being placed in a positive light, continued ambiguity, or?

Can you fly this plane?
Surely you can't be serious.
I am serious,and don't call me Shirley

[–] LionHearted99 17 years ago

"Resurrection" is a magnificent gem of a movie. It has all the right ingredients plus Ellen's wonderful acting going for it. This film affects me like few others can. I am very familiar with the film now. But it still gets to me every time I view it. A very powerful movie...very well made. Ellen's performance is Acadedy Award caliber.
I'd love to see a well made sequel...especially about the healing of the little boy at the end of the movie. As of this writing...The Sundance channel is showing this movie this week and I suspect in the weeks to come.

[–] NJtoTX 16 years ago

You can search inside the book at Amazon. It seems that Universal released it as a science fiction film (they only had 7 categories). When both Ellen Burstyn and Sissy Spacek were nominated for Best Actress (Spacek for Coal Miner's Daughter), Universal pulled Resurrection from the theaters and replaced it with Coal Miner's Daughter.

Religious War - The battle for best imaginary friend

[–] stephanpickering-902-126418 13 years ago

Shalom & Erev tov:

The Lewis John Carlino script of 1979 was novelized by George Gipe in 1980 (Pocket Books), 283pp. It is better than the script, as Mr Gipe was able to use information from both Ellen Burstyn and Mr Carlino. It was republished in 1981 in the UK by Mayflower Books/Grenada, 252pp, with a photograph of Ms Burstyn on the cover. Ironically, Mr Gipe perished on 6 September 1986 from a lethal reaction to a bee sting.

Mr Carlino's 11 April 1979, 136 page script (revised 16-17 January 1979, 11 April 1979) is available from Script City.

The DVD was, of course, released 10 January 2010 by Universal Vault Series, nearly 30 years after RESURRECTION had premiered 6 September 1980 at the Toronto Film Festival.

The film is a masterpiece. Ms Burstyn's healing ability was modelled on that of Rosalyn L. Bruyere, who has never had a Near Light Experience. I recommend one peruse her 1994 book, Wheels of Light: charkras, auras, & the healing energy of the body [ed. Jeanne Farrens] (Fireside Books), 288pp. In 2004, Ms. Bruyere & Farrens released (Macmillan Audio) Charkra healing, a CD updating key parts of the 1994 book.

STEPHAN PICKERING / Chofetz Chayim ben-Avraham
Heretic Spiritist

[–] jobla 9 years ago

Unfortunately, the film is owned by Universal, a studio that is sitting on many, many unreleased (to home video) films. Another superb drama that they own is RED SKY AT MORNING (1971), and that film never even came out on VHS, let alone DVD or MOD.

[–] rc-108 8 years ago

thanks for the thread...

I also loved the movie.