After the success of Point Blank and Deliverance, Warner Bros. offered John Boorman the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to direct a sequel to their smash hit, The Exorcist. The result was one of the biggest disasters in movie history, a critical and financial failure that not only changed how Hollywood did business but nearly ended Boorman’s filmmaking career. But to be an artist is to be a risk-taker. Now, John Boorman, Linda Blair, Louise Fletcher, Karyn Kusama, Mike Flanagan, and more reflect on the ambition of the film, the artistry and craft, and the value of big creative swings.
