Exorcist: The Beginning [Blu-ray]

James D'Arcy Director: Renny Harlin, Izabella Scorupco, Julian Wadham, Remy Sweeney Renny Harlin

Overview

The first prequel in the series, Exorcist: The Beginning is based upon events featured as flashbacks in 1977's Exorcist II: The Heretic. Playing the character made famous by Max von Sydow in the earlier films, this entry finds Stellan Skarsg?rd as a young Father Merrin facing true evil for the first time while doing missionary work in Africa in the wake of World War II. When a young local boy begins to behave strangely, it becomes more and more apparent to Merrin that the child is a victim of demonic possession. Together with Father William Francis, a fellow cleric played by Gabriel Mann (Josie and the Pussycats, The Bourne Identity), Merrin must square off against the demon, Pazuzu, for the first of many times. Boasting a first-time screenplay by best-selling novelist Caleb Carr (The Alienist), Exorcist: The Beginning features a supporting cast headed by Clara Bellar (The Sleepy Time Gal, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence) and European pop star Billy Crawford in his first big-screen acting role. Planned for years, but plagued by problems such as the death of director John Frankenheimer (before production had even begun) and the exit of star Liam Neeson, the fourth installment of the Exorcist saga finally got off the ground with Paul Schrader (Affliction, Auto Focus) behind the camera and Skarsg?rd filling the shoes left empty by Neeson. But the pitfalls didn't stop there, as Warner Bros. was disappointed with the approach taken by Schrader after seeing his finished cut, and hired an uncredited Renny Harlin to helm six weeks of reshoots.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/13/2020
UPC:	0043396572270
Original Release:	2004
Rating:	R
Source:	ALLIED VAUGHN
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:53:00
Sales rank:	17,611

Special Features

Commentary with director Renny Harlin; Behind-the-scenes featurette; Theatrical trailer; 1080p High Definition; English SDH subtitles

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

James D'Arcy	Father William Francis
Izabella Scorupco	Sarah
Remy Sweeney	Joseph
Julian Wadham	Maj. Granville
Andrew French	Chuma
Ralph Brown	Sgt. Maj.
Ben Cross	Semelier
David Bradley	Father Gionetti
Alan Ford	Jefferies
Antonie Kamerling	Lieutenant Kessel
Eddie Osei	Emekwi
Israel Aduramo	Jomo
Patrick O'Kane	Bession
James Bellamy	James
Cecilia Amati	Little Dutch Girl
Matti Ristinen	Medieval Priest
Lidia Darly	Sebutuana's Wife
James Paparella	Boy in Market
Silvio Jimenez Hernandez	Stricken Turkana Worker
Yemi Goodman Ajibade	Turkana Shaman,Turkana Shaman
Michel Leroy	Tribesman in Hospital
John Sesay	Turkana Warrior No. 1
Sayoh Lahai	Turkana Warrior No. 2
Alessandro Casula	Preacher with Pazuzu
Roberto Purvis	Corporal Finn
Stellan Skarsgård	Father Lankester Merrin
Matti Ristinsen	Medieval Priest
Lizzy X	Vocalist
Indiana Woodward	Little Girl Vocalist
Herbert Beckir	Conductor
Trevor Rabin	Composer
Paul Linford	Composer

Technical Credits

Alexi Hawley

Renny Harlin	Director
Davide Ambrosi	Stunts
Danilo Bollettini	Special Effects
Pam Dixon	Casting
Brian M. Jennings	Special Effects
Thomas Mahoney	Special Effects
Guy McElwaine	Executive Producer
Alexi Hawley	Screenwriter
C. Christian Renteria	Special Effects
James G. Robinson	Producer,Executive Producer
Ariel Velasco Shaw	Special Effects
Izabella Scorupco	Director
Julian Wadham	Director
Remy Sweeney	Director
Tom Leeser	Producer
Jeff Kleiser	Executive Producer
Diana Walczak	Executive Producer
Bonnie Kanner	Executive Producer
Enrico Salamon	Stunts
Diego Tomassini	Stunts
Alessandro Novelli	Stunts
Wilson Peres	Stunts
Akouala Cristel Julien	Stunts
Jerome Morin	Executive Producer
Aaron Dem	Executive Producer
Tatiana Romanova	Stunts
Mohamed Ali	Stunts
Paolo Susani	Stunts
Alessandro Borjese	Stunts
Giorgio Antonini	Stunts
Michael C. Moore	Sound/Sound Designer