The scene..!!!!!! You know the one I am talking about.... - The Exorcist III (1990) Discussion

[–] Hanz-Willhelm 11 years ago

Yeah, that was awesome. Even though it is fun to see it again when you know it is coming, nothing can compare to the first time you see it. It was fun to rent it with my wife. She had never seen it and doesn't like horror movies. I sat back and kept my eye on her during that part to watch her jump. It really startled her. It's the simple pleasures.

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[–] KSzir 11 years ago

I just saw this last night on cable. I forgot about the nurse surprising the patient before the other reveal and it made me jump even though I've seen this so many times. The final reveal still gets me. First time I ever saw that scene, it freaked me the f*&% out!

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[–] damiensbride666 11 years ago

the two parts that made me jump were the bits with the old lady and the scissor things and the mary statue. SCARY STUFF..

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] sbattey 10 years ago

What's also disturbing about it is that it's impossible. If you watch it in slow-mo, the nurse had just shut the door behind her and immediately the phantom appears before ever having the time to re-open the door before charging out with the loppers. The music or sound effect was a key as well.

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[–] Doom 10 years ago

Yeah, or the door flies open AMAZINGLY quickly, but I definitely see your point.

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Wait a minute... who am I here?

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[–] bastasch8647 10 years ago

I have your correspondent battey on Ignore. If I may ask, what door are you talking about? The reason I ask is that there was no door for the possessed shears-brandishing patient to exit from Stage Left. It's been talked about on here before - Blatty's skillful photography created a completely fictitious "door" on the left side of the hallway, which Nurse Keating only pretends (with the help of sound effects) to be locking. Just curious what door you are discussing. Thanks.

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[–] Doom 10 years ago

Yeah, that door, from the famous scene.

And I'm reading in other threads now that there is no actual door used in that scene, just clever camera work.

Interesting. Can't wait to check that out on Blu-ray.

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Wait a minute... who am I here?

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[–] bastasch8647 10 years ago

Yeah, b/r would probably make it even creepier...

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[–] BouncyX 10 years ago

i think they are right, i just finished watching the blu-ray copy. you never physically see the door close or even see it at all, you just see the nurse doing the action along with the sound effect of it closing and the light "going out".

so definitely nice stage direction/trickery on their part. but yes this is literally the only time i've been "scared/freaked out" by a scene in a horror movie. i was 13 when i saw this in theaters and i've never been affected before or since, it's just this one movie.

even today watching it again for the first time in years, i was anticipating that scene with apprehension all the way til it came. its funny with all the horror movies i've seen before or since that THIS is what got to me. lol

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[–] bastasch8647 10 years ago

Yep, a wonderful example of "live stage magicianship" and extremely effective!

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[–] Dark_Phoenix89 10 years ago

Agreed; Still very effective after all these years :) Still makes me jump each time I see it.

For a long time, I thought the phantom/patient came through the locked door extremely fast, but now I've heard that it was just a clever camera trick done by Blatty. It worked amazingly well, I must say.

"Speak of the Devil, and He shall appear."

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[–] carpediemalready 10 years ago

Yeah, it scared me VERY badly. And I am not scared easily. If I was to list the 5 scariest scenes in horror movies, this would be up there.

"We all go a little mad sometimes." - Norman Bates

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[–] bastasch8647 10 years ago

Me, too...even after multiple viewings, if I'm the least distracted or inattentive, the scene still delivers a real "Gotcha!" jump scare...

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[–] jumbles1971 10 years ago

I think it was Alfred Hitchcock that came up with the method... a minor scare to get the heart racing and adrenaline flowing then let them relax a bit (but not too much) before you hit them with the knockout punch.

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[–] pauladowell 9 years ago

it was the jump music that made me pee myself

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[–] bastasch8647 9 years ago

Yes, for me, this particular incident is the one time that DeVorzon's otherwise ineptly intrusive scoring actually works - it supplies an audial "stab" for the accompanying images. I don't think the other "sharp" musical shocks, or the demonic growling, do a thing for the film.

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[–] 5535 9 years ago

I agree bastasch ^

This scene is a rare moment when the music tricks worked!

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[–] bastasch8647 9 years ago

I agree bastasch ^

This scene is a rare moment when the music tricks worked!

Yes, for me the music-cum-sound effects were overdone from the very beginning (except for the nostalgic reference to Tubular Bells). If a film is scarily enough produced, scripted and directed, it doesn't need phony enhanced (lions'?) roars, gutteral growls and "jump scare" screeching. It was as if someone - Blatty, Morgan Creek, or composer DeVorzon himself thought the atmosphere needed to be "beefed up" in order to create suspense. I don't think it did... those night shots of misty Georgetown are quite atmospheric alone, without any inept, overstated assistance from the music-and-sound departments!

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[–] 5535 9 years ago

I 100% agree!

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[–] kurtbrian14 9 years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH8ynu0jRvY

Talking about this one?

It's called the Nurse Station Scene.

It's the blaring horns, close up, and covered figure all at once that does it.

This is just one reason out of many why this film is great.

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