Exorcist: The Beginning

2004
R
1h 54m

IMDb RATING

5.1/10

41K

YOUR RATING

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96 Photos

Horror Mystery Thriller

In 1947, having abandoned his faith, Father Merrin joins an archaeological excavation in Kenya, where an ancient church has been unearthed and something much older waits to be awoken.In 1947, having abandoned his faith, Father Merrin joins an archaeological excavation in Kenya, where an ancient church has been unearthed and something much older waits to be awoken.In 1947, having abandoned his faith, Father Merrin joins an archaeological excavation in Kenya, where an ancient church has been unearthed and something much older waits to be awoken.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.1/10

41K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 6 nominations total

Trivia
Morgan Creek Productions fired Paul Schrader after he had submitted a completed movie, saying that he had given them "footage without any of the bloody violence the backers had wanted". He had already made it clear in interviews that he was making more of a psychological drama than an all-out gore-fest. He was fired and Renny Harlin was hired to re-shoot the movie. Almost 90% of the movie was re-shot, re-casting several roles and adding and removing characters. Following the lackluster reception to Harlin's version, though, Schrader's version was finally released as Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005).

Goofs
(at around 1h 19 mins) Father Gionetti gives Father Merrin a copy of the Rituale Romanum (Roman Ritual). (The administration of exorcism is in Title X of the Rituale Romanum.) The title of the book embossed on its leather cover is "Roman Ritual", in English. Later in the film (at around 1h 35 mins), Father Merrin asks Joseph to help him by reading passages of the book, and we are shown a couple of printed pages, the text of which is also in English. The Rituale Romanum would have been printed in Latin in 1949, when the film is set, because vulgar translations of liturgical texts were not authorized until the promulgation of the Sacrosanctum Concilium (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy) by Pope Paul VI on 4 December 1963, as part of the Second Vatican Council.

Quotes
Sarah: [Possessed] He
[God]
Sarah: doesn't care about this whore. But you do... because you want to shove your rotten cock up her juicy ass!

Connections
Edited into Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)

Soundtracks
Call to Prayers
Composed by Robert J. Walsh
Courtesy of FirstCom Music

User reviews347

Review

Featured review

8/10

The Beginning over Dominion? Definitely

First, let me say that I didn't know Dominion existed until I discovered it going through the program guide. I started watching and man was I confused! I though that there was ANOTHER prequel that I didn't know about, until I continued to watch. Dominion seemed to me like a movie made out of pieces of film on the floor of the editing room. Clara Bellar's acting was awful in my opinion. I was completely distracted by her performance as well as several others.

While not a true horror movie, I really enjoyed The Beginning. I've watched it many times and found it very suspenseful. It kept my attention. I enjoyed the actors and the story. I've watched it over ten times and the scenes where Father M had to choose those to die? Chilling. Who wouldn't lose faith? The boy being torn apart? There were some good scenes.

Peace