THE EXORCIST III (1990)

Note: from Oct 2021-June 2022, the podcast was known as 21 Jump Scare and was organized in a slightly different fashion, with different awards.

Background (spoiler-free) 0:00-10:44
Discussion (spoiler-heavy) 10:45-49:42
Awards (spoilers for days) 49:43

Director William Peter Blatty
Screenplay William Peter Blatty
Featuring Brad Dourif, Nancy Fish, Ed Flanders, Viveca Lindfors, Jason Miller, George C. Scott, Scott Wilson

Opened: August 19, 1990
Budget: $11 million
Gross US/Canada: $26 million
Worldwide Gross: $44 million

SPOILER-FREE SYNOPSIS

1990, Georgetown, Washington, DC.  A series of grisly murders are taking place around town, all of which bear a striking resemblance to those committed by a serial killer 15 years earlier, called the Gemini Killer, who was caught and executed.  So who is committing these crimes now?  Lt., Bill Kinderman is observing an anniversary of his own – it’s been 15 years since a friend of his, Father Damien Karras, was expelled from the window of a girl named Regan McNeil and tumbled down a long, unforgiving flight of steps to his death. Lieutenant Kinderman takes his friend Father Dyer to a movie and lunch, and the two talk over old times, and discuss the crap that has been swimming in the lieutenant’s bathtub the last few days. Soon, Father Dyer is admitted to a hospital, and while there he falls victim to a killing that bears the signature of the Gemini Killer.  Informed by the hospital’s chief psychiatrist, Dr Temple, that one of his patients, a catatonic man found 15 years ago wandering DC with amnesia has begun showing signs of consciousness, Kinderman visits the patient in the hospital’s mental ward, only to realize he bears a striking resemblance to the long dead Father Karras AND to the Gemini Killer.  Who is this mysterious patient, and if he is locked in a padded cell, how are these new murders taking place?  And what might they have to do with a particular exorcism that took place in Georgetown 15 years earlier?

EPISODE NOTES

Music from “The Exorcist 3” by Barry De Vorzon. “Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield.

TRAILER

AWARDS

The Tom Six Award for Most Disturbing Scene
Bradford:  The late night hospital jump scare
Eric:  James “Gemini” Venamun describes the killing of Father Dyer
 
The Seth Brundle Award for Most Likable Character
Bradford:  Father Dyer
Eric: Lt. Kinderman
  
The Ellen Ripley Award for Character that Most Deserved to Live
Bradford: Father Dyer
Eric:  Father Damian Karras
  
The John Doe Award for Character that Most Deserved to Die
Bradford: 
Eric:  James “Gemini” Venamun

The Gaspar Noe Award/Ken Russell Award for Most Gratuitous Screen Moment
Bradford:  Abstaining
Eric:  (tie)  Mrs. Clelia on the ceiling; the late night hospital jump scare