Why The Exorcist Deleted (Then Restored) Regan’s Infamous Spider Walk

Rate this post

exorcist The staircase scene where Regan’s spider walks up to her terrified mother and her guests is infamous – but not in the original version.that’s why exorcist The spider-walking scene was removed from the theatrical cut and later reinstated. Often considered one of the greatest and scariest horror films of all time, exorcist Nearly 50 years after its release, it remains the benchmark for demonic possession movies. Based on the book by William Peter Blatty, exorcist The film was a critical and commercial success, and one of the rare horror films to achieve a reputation outside of genre lovers.

Table of Contents

exorcist The collection is filled with iconic moments, including Regan’s head 360 rotation or the infamous crucifix scene.Not sure how many of these memorable scenes will be featured in the upcoming David Gordon Green film Exorcist retake.one exorcist A moment that didn’t come to the fore until decades later was the spider-walking scene, in which Reagan walks down the stairs with his hands upside down, his mouth bloody.It’s getting attention because exorcist When the film was originally released in 1974, the staircase scene was deleted and restored later.that’s why exorcist The spider walking scene wasn’t added until much later.

Why ‘The Exorcist’ Deleted (Then Restored) Reagan’s Spiderwalk

Reagan’s spider walk wasn’t in the original ‘1974’ exorcist Because the director was not satisfied with the result of the practical effects available at the time. exorcist The staircase scene was performed not by Linda Blair, but by stuntman Ann Miles.There are actually two versions exorcist The scene that was filmed, a scene closer to the book, has Regan rolling over and crawling towards Sharon, showing off a snake-like tongue. Another version that more people know is that Ragen was bleeding from his mouth at the end. Director William Friedkin chose to remove the Spider Walk from the theatrical cut due to a number of factors, over the wishes of screenwriter Blatty.

For the most part, Friedkin felt that the spider-walking scene was too big early on in the story, undermining the impact of Chris McNeil’s impact after he had just learned of Burke Dennings’ death, and using The wires used for the stunt work were too obtrusive and hurt the effect. In 2000, Friedkin made an extended director’s cut exorcist The original subtitle was “The Version You’ve Never Seen”. In this clip, director William Friedkin reinserted a gory version of the spider’s walk, wiped out the wires using CGI, and reworked the footage to fit the rest of the film, much to Blatty’s delight.

Although many fans know exorcist The staircase scene, which was included as a deleted scene in the previous DVD release, seeing it cleaned up and put back in the movie made many people see it with new eyes, and it has been a favorite of many since then favorite sequence. But it’s interesting that some fans felt its addition created a plot hole, as if Reagan could leave her room at any time and attack, why wouldn’t she? It’s a fair criticism, but one that most people seem willing to ignore.

When is the spider walking scene in The Exorcist?

exorcist The staircase scene of Pazuzu’s possession takes place in the early stages of Reagan’s possession, between the time her mother receives the news of Burke’s death and Reagan’s appointment with a therapist. Chris returns to Sharon’s house and starts arguing with her about the fact that she left Regan alone to pick up Sorazine. Sharon said she left Reagan with Burke, but she apologized anyway. That’s when Chuck showed up at the house and informed of Chris Burke’s death.

Chris doesn’t react well, which is understandable, but when the grown-ups turn away, Reagan walks down the stairs like a spider, his tongue constantly in and out. Chuck leaves before seeing Reagan, and Reagan walks right up to Sharon before Chris can stop her. The scene then fades away until Reagan visits a therapist. Surprisingly, based on a true story, exorcist The “Staircase” scene finally made its way to audiences for the first time in a 2000 theatrical rerun. exorcist The spider-walking can also be seen in the director’s cut of the film, but not in the standard cut of the film.

The Exorcist’s spider-walking scene changed the whole movie

It’s amazing how one relatively short sequence can change an entire movie, but exorcist The staircase scene greatly improves the film. Regan’s possession begins extremely slowly until she becomes fully demonic and her appearance changes. There are moments where everything is wrong with the kid, like when she interrupts Chris’s party and urinates on the floor. exorcist The spider-walking scene adds significant evidence that Reagan is not unwell and that her possession is real, making her transformation less abrupt.

also, exorcist The staircase scene cranks up the tension tenfold.although exorcist Often considered the greatest horror movie of all time, its pacing does suffer a bit at the beginning of the film. This deleted scene would have added more horror to a much-needed space and further convinced audiences that Reagan’s torment was indeed demonic possession. exorcist The staircase scene is one of the most iconic in cinema today, and it’s a miracle this short didn’t make it into the original cut.