Anyone here got the script of the movie? Maybe a .pdf, .rar file or whatever? I know there was a printed edition available a couple of years ago, but currently it's absolutely unavailable.
"My name is Daniel Lugo, and I believe in fitness."
No pdf or physical file, this is what I do "have":
http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=exorcist-iii-legion-the
I had the printed edition, but passed it on to a fellow fan. Read it a good few times. It was an earlier draft of the script, and not the actual shooting script, even though much of the meat of the dialogue was in there, including the extended scenes found in the Legion cut.
Some notable differences were that the whole Gemini backstory was in this version, depicting the abusive childhood of the Vennamun brothers at the hands of their father Karl. It came in as Kinderman is reading the Gemini file at his kitchen table. There was also a scene of Karl Vennamun "performing" televangelism in front of a live crowd. Got me thinking who could have played Karl Vennamun in those few scenes, every time I read it I always thought of the great G.D. Spradlin, could totally buy him as an older Southern evangelist type. Who would you guys see in that role?
The ending and coda are also quite different to any other version, no possession or shootings in the cell, Kinderman walks in to find Patient X dead in the cell, it includes a pretty cheap false scare that wouldn't have worked too well imho. It's revealed that Patient X dropped dead at the same time the Gemini's father died. On paper it's a pretty weak ending. The coda scene has Fr Healy reading Death Be Not Proud at the "official" burial of Karras, then it's suggested he has struck up a friendship with Kinderman as they then go for a drink together (Couldn't hurt), echoing Kinderman and Dyer at the end of the first story.
Would be happy to answer any other questions about this early draft.
Thanks much for this info. The coda is nice. Spradlin would have been good as Karl...can't think of many other choices. Jack Nicholson would have been "too good" and stolen the show. Luke Askew could play a Southern meanie very competently. ...
Kinderman just walking in to find Vennamun dead is even more lame than the Legion ending - at least in the novel's ending, Vennamun "stuck around" long enough to assure Kinderman that Vennamun was never Karras, despite physical appearances. Then he dies. That has some tension and dramatic merit, but Kinderman simply walking in and finding Vennamun already dead...not too good.
... Well, since you invited questions, may I ask you just exactly what the rather cheap false scare is in that scene...? Can't imagine what it could be - Kinderman getting surprised by Nurse Allerton creeping into the cell?... or Vennamun giving one last death twitch...? I would very much like to know.
:)
Blatty may have also called on one of his 2 Ninth Configuration bad dudes, Steve Sandor or Richard Lynch for Vennamun, as he seemed to like working with actors he was familiar with, and was very complimentary about Sandor in his role. I always pictured the character being a fair bit older, but they could certainly bring the menace. And I agree that not casting a big "star" would be wise. Blatty mentioned his first choice for Kinderman was Brando, I'm trying to imagine how that would have turned out!
The false scare was as Kinderman is leaning in towards the dead Patient X, his hands shoot up into frame, strangling Kinderman. Allerton enters the cell but acts oblivious. It's then revealed that the hands around Kinderman's throat are his own, as he loosens his grip and sees that Patient X is indeed lying dead on his cot. A bit of exposition from Atkins about Karl's death reveals that they died in quick succession, and that's that.
I think it would have been hard to depict on film without looking goofy or contrived, and its nature would have felt out of place in Blatty's world. I've seen similar stuff being done in movies and shows before and it's up there with the old "it was all a dream" trick in ticking off viewers. Plus the movie already had the earlier "cheap scare" involving Alice, and this would have paled in comparison to the nurse station scene anyway. I'm glad it was discarded in later drafts.
Thanks for all the information! Yes, Kinderman's self-strangle looks bad on paper, and it would have been hooted by audiences had it reached the screen...don't know what Blatty could have been thinking. And, like you, I always find the "it was all a dream" ("it was only Kinderman's own hands") to be a very irritating cliche!
shareMore than welcome! I can only assume with it being an early draft that upon revision Blatty thought better and removed it. Yes indeed, but I do get a kick out of some movies that are aware of how cheap and annoying this is, and have some fun with it, like say the dream-within-a-dream scene in American Werewolf in London 😀 . But then again that's a more of a horror/comedy, and can get away with it, but in the context of a more serious movie it's annoying as hell!
shareYeah, it's annoying in a serious movie because it's... non-serious and exploitative...and it regards the viewer as a sucker.
shareI've got the script on pdf! PM me your email and i'll send it to you!
shareHi, I'am realy interested in the script, please if you can share it with me i would realy appreciated.I love that movie and the book.
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Special thanks!!
Tried to send it to you but got failed delivery message.Please, doublecheck your e-mail address.
shareSorry, this is the correct email
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Thanks!