I’ll begin by stating what this movie is up against. I believe that The Exorcist is the only horror movie ever made and is the bible of exorcism movies. Any other horror movie is just ripping from this masterpiece or is influenced by it. Much like Led Zeppelin is the only true rock band and all other rock bands are mere shades, mere copies of Led Zeppelin. So is The Exorcist to the horror genre.
Months ago I found the trailer on the Apple QuickTime website and reveled at what it presented me with, quite possibly a new horror movie to sit next to The Exorcist. It sent shivers down my spine, to hear the recording of Emily’s growling and rasping. Then came the cavalcade of TV spots showing us the fear and trembling of the human soul.
Enthused just isn’t the right word to describe my elation at the prospect of actually getting to see a horror movie for the first time since that fateful 1973 release of The Exorcist that drove people insane, running out of theatres crying and shaking, like from an exploding bomb, hoping to forget what they had seen; but for nights and nights after the movie, every time they closed their eyes, they had visions of Reagan’s head twisting as she mutilated her vulva with the sharp end of a crucifix, screaming at her mother in the voice of the dead movie director Burke Dennings, “Do you know what she did, your cunting daughter?” with Chris MacNeil clutching herself - beaten, bleeding screaming, shrieking - in total despair in front of the horror that her daughter has become.
A singular defining moment in cinema, when a movie shakes the foundations of peoples’ beliefs to scare them and to keep them afraid many years after. In these days of apathy and desensitization, some people cannot watch this movie, even in broad daylight with friends around, much less watch alone in the dark of a basement past the witching hour.
Does The Exorcism of Emily Rose accomplish this? Hell no. But it has its moments and great ones at that. The Exorcism of Emily Rose is the retelling of true events of Anneliese Michel's exorcism (read here). Before seeing the movie, I had read this article and it just pumped me up even more. I wanted this movie to rule; I needed it to rule, to maybe even take The Exorcist’s throne. But it failed. I keep hoping, perhaps foolishly, that Hollywood will eventually make good movies again, not just horror, but any genre. But 98% of the time Hollywood disappoints, either too cookie cutter or hyper-formulaic.
Article comments
1 - GRACE ACOSTA
I THOUGHT THAT THIS MOVIE WAS A REALLY GOOD MOVIE YES IT DOES NOT TAKE THE TROWN OF THE EXTROSISTS BUT IT REALLY WAS A GOOD GOOD MOVIE I LOVED IT A LOT!!
2 - Andrea
I have been doing a lot of research on Anneliese. I have found many sites explaining the events that she eventually succombed to, however I do keep seeing that the event was actually recorded on audio tape. If they exist, they must be found somewhere, any idea where I might find such a thing?
Also, I am amazed at the lot of inexplicably ignorant people who believe the recording of the Russian Exorcism is in fact of Anneliese Michel. This recording was made May 1, 2004 in a Russian parish. I have read so many comments that state the recording is 30 years old, when in fact, it states in the article itself, the date of the event.
One last thing, the recordings in "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" is in fact in English, Anneliese was German...
3 - Michel Fan
The book on which this is based is out of print, but they are selling on ebay if anyone is interested. I got a copy there.
4 - REBEL
I THOUGHT THIS MOVIE WAS CRAZY.I REALY LIKE IT BUT I WOULD REALLY WANT TO FIND OUT WAT REALLY HAPPENED ANLLISA MICHLES
5 - Daniel
That really was one of the best films I have seen. Horror/Thriller movies normally make me laugh a little. This movie however kept me on the fence. With sharp horror scences and a nice ending has made this (in my personal opinion) one of my favourites. I'm going to purchase this on DVD when it comes out.
6 - bunghole
To Andrea,
I read your comment and didn't understand all of it because I never saw the movie. But I did the Excorsist the beginning and it was great. Do you believe in ghosts or demons? Write a new comment and I'll write you back.
bunghole
7 - Lori
I have seen the movie.I have also been reading some books on true stories of real exorcism.Not only is it a great movie,but it comes through with one very important message which is, Demons do exsist.therefore there has to be a god. without evil how could you measure as to what good is and love.You have to have something to compare and I think that is what the movie is mainly trying to say that if you believe in one (demons) you have to believe in the other(god).Amen.
8 - LILI
wHO IS EMILY ROSE? IS THAT JUST A NMAE USED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT? I SAW THE eXCORCISM OF eMILY ROSE TWICE AND BOTHE TIMES I WAS PURELY FRIGHTENED AT THE IMAGES. tHE WAY SHE ATE SPIDERSS AND SCRATCHED AT THE WALLLS AND SPOKE THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES CALLED HERSELF NERO BLELIAL LUSEFER, CAINA,LEGION,JUDAS TRULY SCARED ME. I THOUGHT THE DEMONS WOULD HAVE ATTACKED THE PEOPLE SURROUNDING THAT POOR GIRL. THERE IS A QUESTION THAT IS BOGGLING MY MIND THOUGH. IN THE END WEN MOTHER MARY OF CHRIST ASKES EMILY IF SHE WANTED TO LEAVE PEACEFULLY, IF EMILY HAD SAID YES WOULD THE DEMONS HAD CONTINUED TO POSSES HER BODY? FOR A MOMEMT WEN EMILY HAD THAT OUT OF BODY EXPERIENC HER BODY SEEMED TO CONTINUE TO WRITHE ONT THE FLOOR BY THE TREE.DEMONS I SUPPOSE WOULD THEN HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER BODY TO POSSES WOULD THEY POSSES THE CLOSEST PERSON AROUND? cAN DEMONS SURVIVE WITHOUT A SOUL? HELP ME UNDERSTAND EMILY ROSES PROBLEM THANK YOU.
9 - JELIEL³
I'd have to see it again to better understand. Unfortunatly I can't explain it either. I'm no possession expert or catholic.
10 - Bliffle
Well, I'm convinced: I don't have to see this movie.
11 - Aaman
It's just fiction, like everything
12 - Michael
In the Bible, in Matthew 17:14-21 and Mark 9:14-29 there’s an account similar to the situation with Emily Rose (based on the true story of Anneliese Michel). I’ll combine the two texts to give you the big picture. “There came to Jesus a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, ‘Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever he (the spirit) taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away (either, withers/stiffens): for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water’. And they brought him unto Jesus: and when the boy saw Jesus, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.”
This is a classic case of epilepsy and the father saw it as psychosis yet Jesus saw it as demonic possession for it continues, “And Jesus rebuked the devil. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him and the child was cured from that very hour.” By today’s definition this was an “exorcism”. I’m a Christian and believe in the spiritual world, both angelic and demonic. However, demonic possession of the type that’s depicted in the movies is rare (although, you’ll often see degrees of it in people) since one must give permission to demons to inhabit them in the first place. Hence, once cast out they cannot simply enter another, therefore, no, demons do not need a soul to possess to exist. I’m convinced that Emily believed herself to be a martyr and by doing so invited demonic possession.
But, fear not since demons are subject to Jesus’ name and must flee. Why don’t the demons then immediately come out (the disciples also failed in this)? The first requirement is to “believe” or have faith. That kind of faith comes through Christian disciplining and maturity for when asked this same question Jesus said, “Howbeit this kind goeth NOT out but by prayer and fasting.”. Jesus was ready and eventually the disciples did the same but then Jesus tells us we can be as well, Mar 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name (the name of “Jesus”) shall they cast out devils…”.
13 - emiliano Petronilli
would someone be able to explain me why the priest is found guilty, the jury reccommends a sentence of "served" time, and he walks free? I don't understand. Really I don't. What's the message there?
14 - JELIEL³
Because baring all evidence of exorcism, the law sees him as guilty for letting Emily die of starvation
15 - George
Hi everyone, i just saw emily rose the movie. And done research on the true story with Anneliese Michel. I have not found the true tapes of the exerocism. I didnt run across the RUSSIAN EXORCISM RECORDING! Guys i have done many years of sound engineering and i have taken the sound and broken it down. To check if its authentic even though i could tell from just listening to it, that it wasnt real. But anyway i broke the sound wave up and guys. I wish u could see what i see. The thing has been tampered with. Ok to bring it into much less technical terms. Guys listen to where the person is screaming. Right into the microphone as if u are holding it directly infront of u. Screaming in it, u are able to notice this cause the screaming clips ( it breaks and the sound screws up from the volume) this happens with tape recorders. So keep this is in mind if this was a real exerocism the person screaming (possesed) would have to have the microphone right in front of them. Now lets say that did happen in the middle of the exerocism someone was holding the mic there. Then the chanting in the background, ok understandable. But however according to the sound wave those voices are perfectly clear without interuption if u remove the gurl screaming and the other sound affects. This tells us that the voices chanting is an individual sound independent of the orginal recording and added to the sound wave. Because if it was a real tape recording the chanting would have breaks interuptted by the orginal sound screaming into the microphone.
For people thinking that the micophone could have been around the girls neck (possessed) the voice then would be then projected over the tape recorder instead of constantly in it. The projected voice would have been 10 x clearer than someone screaming in it.
I aint saying anything about demons existing or not. Merely that the russian exorcism recording is fake guys. But i am sure real ones exist. To be honest from what i have seen from a technical point of u. Its the worst wave creation i have ever seen.
16 - Emily Wooten
I just want to let you know my name is Emily Rose (Slaughter) Wooten.
And I have a uncle name Fred Krueger and his daughter was born on friday the 13th and she was the 13th grandchild born.
I have a sister born on oct 31.
When I was in college I lived at 123 elm street.
I now work in a hospital in ICU I have been thery for 5yr's and ever year I have to have a evaluation for my raise each year, So, I am on the CODE BLUE TEAM and each time my boss try's to give me my eval there is a code blue.
One year we had 8 code's in a two day time period at that time my boss sayed I was detremental to the pt's in the hosp I sayed it I was just trying to bring in bussiness.
So that is part of my life. -Emily Rose (Slaughter) Wooten.
17 - jazz
good movie, pretty good depiction of what anneliese went thru ive been interested in the issues of good & evil and spiritual matters and influeces in order to better understand the problems in the world today,i am a spiritual person but i dont fully except or follow any one religion because i dont fully agree with all of the doctrins of any, and because orgonized religion is goverend by man and because man kind is flawed with sin than any thing we govern is flawed, the sacrifices she made for the soul perpis of opening the hearts and minds of a great number of people that have heard her story is beautiful to me, how ever one wants to interpite this story try to keep an open mind & about what this young lady believed in her heart, ive heard a couple of the actual audio recordings of her exocism and they are a little chilling, im not easily frietened but they are disturbing, if your interested in hearing part of one ive only found one link currently with a recording (www.paranormal.about.com/library/media.audio/russian_exorcism.wma )this link play's with most media player programs, if anyone comes across any other audio of this womens experiences let me know please or post them, PEACE.
18 - paul walters
I was very scared when watching emily rose and the exorcist and i know things like that to be very, and i mean very true! I know a person who have been possessed by a demon,and this person is still going through that. I've also experience strange happenings like my bed shaking and things falling or moving in my apartment I know that these things have something to do with playing with a ouja board.