93: John Boorman’s candid account of a disastrous sequel

The production of the 1977 sequel to The Exorcist collapsed under the weight of illness, miscasting, and creative friction.

Documentary filmmaker David Kittredge releases Boorman and the Devil, a feature-length examination of that chaotic shoot. The film centers on John Boorman, the director of Point Blank and Deliverance, who is now 93 years old. Boorman offers direct self-critique in the interviews, describing the creative risks he took without relying on boastful defense. Kittredge leaves his own reactions in the edit, positioning himself as a fan who does not hide behind admiration. The structure allows for a detailed autopsy of the film’s failures, presenting the director’s willingness to explore uncomfortable territory as a source of respect rather than shame.

The narrative includes testimony from key figures on the set, including actors Linda Blair and Louise Fletcher. They recount their experiences working alongside Richard Burton, whose alcoholism and lack of preparation created tension among colleagues. The documentary traces how Burton’s casting choices became one part of a larger cascade of production problems. It also covers Boorman’s absence from the shoot due to Valley fever, a lung infection caused by breathing spores from soil trucked to the stage. While he was hospitalized, the director turned to screenwriter Rospo Pallenberg for major rewrites. Cast and crew resented Pallenberg’s authority, viewing his influence on the set as unearned.

Kittredge frames the story through a lens of curiosity rather than blame. This approach mirrors Boorman’s intent to reimagine Linda Blair’s character, Regan MacNeil, by moving her beyond the victimhood of the original film. The documentary features perspectives from filmmakers Mike Flanagan, Joe Dante, and Karyn Kusama, who attest to Boorman’s refusal to repeat the original’s formula. Critics Stephanie Zacharek, Bilge Ebiri, and Simon Abrams also contribute their assessments. Near the end, Kittredge asks his subjects to classify Heretic as either good or bad, receiving a wide range of answers. The film documents the disastrous reception Exorcist II: The Heretic received during the same summer that Star Wars changed studio filmmaking.