The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear

(Hardback)

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Since 1973, The Exorcist and its progeny have scared and inspired half a century of filmgoers. Now, on the 50th anniversary of the original movie release, this is the definitive, fascinating story of the scariest movie ever made and its lasting impact as one of the most shocking, influential, and successful adventures in the history of film. Written by Nat Segaloff, an original publicist for the movie and the acclaimed biographer of its director, with a foreword from John Russo, author and cowriter of the seminal horror film Night of the Living Dead. On December 26, 1973, The Exorcist was released. Within days it had become legend. Moviegoers braved hours-long lines in winter weather to see it. Some audience members famously fainted or vomited. Half a century later, the movie that both inspired and transcends the modern horror genre has lost none of its power to terrify and unsettle. The Exorcist Legacy reveals the complete story of this cultural phenomenon, from the real-life exorcism in 1949 Maryland that inspired William Peter Blatty's bestselling novel on which the movie is based, to its many sequels, prequels, TV series, and homages. Nat Segaloff, biographer of the film's director, William Friedkin, draws on original interviews with cast, crew, and participants as well as revelations from personal papers to present an intriguing and surprising new view of the making of movie, and its aftermath. Segaloff also examines as never before the keys to the movie's enduring appeal. Friedkin and Blatty's goal was far more ambitious than making a scary movie; they aimed to make people "think about the concept of good and evil." The Exorcist succeeds, and then some, not just by creating on-screen scares, but by challenging viewers' deepest personal beliefs-and fears.

Reviews

Advance Praise for The Exorcist Legacy:

The Exorcist Legacy conjures new scares while telling a great story about a landmark horror film. Insightful, surprising, and damn fun! Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Kagen the Damned and editor of Weird Tales Magazine

Veteran journalist Nat Segaloff engrossingly charts the making, marketing, and enduring reception of the spiritual horror blockbuster that has haunted the nightmares of two generations of filmgoers, as well as spawned a cottage industry of theories about the curses that allegedly bedeviled the productionA great read even if youre not a lapsed Catholic! Joe Dante, director of Gremlins, Innerspace, The Howling, and Matinee

The Exorcist is not just a classic, but a living, breathing presence in our culture. Nat Segaloff has followed it from the very beginning and is uniquely qualified to chart its history and impact. Leonard Maltin, film critic and historian

Nat Segaloffs deep dive into all things Exorcist will spin your head around with exhaustive details, smart reporting, intriguing insights from cast and crew members, philosophical and religious explorations, and more. Segaloff tells his tale with intelligence, warmth, and lively occasional doses of skepticism and snark. Stephen Rebello, author of Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho and Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!: Deep Inside Valley of the Dolls, the Most Beloved Bad Book and Movie of All Time

Segaloff chronicles this legacy not as a fly-on-the-wall, but as a battlefield medic with his finger pressed firmly on the pulse. If theres a more comprehensive and exhaustive history of The Exorcist, I have not read it. Ronald Malfi, bestselling author of Come with Me and Black Mouth

Author Bio

Nat Segaloff is a writer, producer, journalist, and Hugo and Locus Award-nominated author of more than two dozen books about filmmakers and film history, including Hurricane Billy- The Stormy Life and Films of William Friedkin. He covered the film industry for The Boston Herald and worked on A&E's flagship Biography series as well as programming for The learning Channel, New World, Disney, Turner Classic Movies, and USA Network. As one of the original publicists on The Exorcist, he closes a haunting chapter in his life with The Exorcist Legacy. Segaloff lives in Los Angeles and can be found online at NatSegaloff.com.