Repossessed (film)

Last updated
Repossessed
Repossessed-poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Bob Logan
Written byBob Logan
Produced bySteve Wizan
Mario Kassar
Starring
CinematographyMichael D. Margulies
Edited byJeff Freeman
Music by Charles Fox
Production
company
Distributed bySeven Arts
(through New Line Cinema)
Release date
  • September 14, 1990 (1990-09-14)
Running time
80 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.4 million

Repossessed is a 1990 American comedy horror film that parodies the 1973 horror film, The Exorcist . It was written and directed by Bob Logan. The film features the original star of The Exorcist, Linda Blair, as well as Leslie Nielsen and Anthony Starke. Many gags parodied events in The Exorcist, such as the green-vomit and head-spinning scenes, and real-life events such as the televangelist scandals of the 1980s.

Contents

Plot

In 1973, Father Jedediah Mayii casts out the devil from the body of young Nancy Aglet. In 1990, Nancy's body is possessed once again, while watching The Ernest and Fanny Miracle Hour, a prosperity gospel broadcast by two hucksters.

After a visit to the hospital, and a visit from Father Luke Brophy, Brophy concludes that Nancy is indeed possessed. Mayii, however, refuses to perform the exorcism, claiming he is too weak, and that both he and Nancy barely survived her previous exorcism. Brophy visits the Supreme Council for Exorcism Granting. Ernest and Fanny of The Ernest and Fanny Miracle Hour are also present. Ernest concludes that an exorcism is warranted, and convinces the council to televise Nancy's exorcism. They agree, believing it will convert millions, so Ernest presents Ernest and Fanny's Exorcism Tonight to the network.

Feeling he may be needed, Mayii visits "Bods-R-Us", a gymnasium, to restore his physical strength. There, Brophy approaches him, informs him of the televised exorcism, and attempts once more to convince Mayii to conduct the exorcism. He refuses again.

After a montage of attempts to free Nancy's body using phone donations, song, and insults, Ernest and Fanny's Exorcism Tonight is announced as having the largest audience in history. Upon hearing this, the devil, in Nancy's body, sets the studio on fire, causing the audience to flee. He reveals to Ernest and Fanny that he used them to get the largest audience, and turns them into a pantomime horse.

Using the camera, the devil tries to claim the souls of the viewing audience, but is stopped by Brophy, who destroys the camera. The devil announces he knows another way to claim their souls, and runs away, heading for a satellite transmitter. He is pursued by religious figures from around the world, who have gathered at Brophy's command. Brophy teases the devil about his earlier defeat by Mayii.

Back in the studio, the devil uses the camera to lure Mayii to him for a rematch. The exorcism, with commentary by "Mean Gene" Okerlund and Jesse "The Body" Ventura, is ineffective until the devil mentions that he hates rock 'n roll. Turning the TV studio into a live concert, the song "Devil with a Blue Dress On" is played to the devil by the various religious figures, including The Pope on guitars. The devil is tormented so much that he is finally driven from Nancy's body for good.

Cast

Release

The film received a limited theatrical release in the United States by New Line Cinema in September 1990, one month after the release of The Exorcist III .

The film was released on VHS and laserdisc by LIVE Home Video the same year.

In 2003, Artisan Entertainment released the film on DVD. The film was re-released on DVD on April 14, 2009 by Lions Gate Entertainment, in a collection of forgotten films called the "Lost Collection". The corporation again released the film on DVD on January 4, 2011, in a "4-Film Collection" set along with My Best Friend Is a Vampire , Slaughter High and Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out!

Reception

One review came from Mick Martin and Marsha Porter's DVD and Video Guide, where they called it an "uproarious parody" and praising Nielsen's performance. [2]

The film otherwise received largely negative reviews on the few theatrical releases it had and on its video release. Craig MacInnes of the Toronto Star called the film a "fitful locker room farce" that "delights in trotting out a bevy of naked women with pendulous breasts and happily indulges in vicious sexist remarks that seek immunity in the name of parody." However, he praised Blair's performance and the work of the special effects crew, remarking that the latter "actually made Blair look as scary and repugnant and possessed as she did in [ The Exorcist ]. If only she had turned her hell’s-belle fury on-the movie’s hapless writers." [3] Leonard Maltin gave the film one-and-a-half stars out of four and remarked that it has "too few gags, too many targets, and a poor finale" but noted that "Blair and Nielsen are good." [4]

Repossessed is one of the few films to achieve a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, out of seven reviews. [5]

The film won a Razzie Award, the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song, for the song "He's Comin' Back (The Devil!)".

Soundtrack

No.TitleWriter(s)Provided byLength
1."Devil with the Blue Dress On" (Performed by Nicholas O'Har) William Stevenson and Frederick Long Published by Stone Agate Music (A div. of Jobete Music Co., Inc.) (BMI) 
2."Repossessed" (Performed by Cindy Valentine) Charles Fox and Cindy Valentine Published by Anabasis Music (BMI) and Another Level Music (BMI) 
3."Pump Up the Jam" (Performed by J.T. Welden & R.D. Welden) Manuela Kamosi and Thomas De QuinceyCourtesy of Colgems-EMI Music, Inc. (ASCAP) on behalf of BMC Publishing and Bogam Publishing 
4."Chasin' the Devil"Doug Livingston (music), Marie Cain (lyrics)Published by Anabasis Music (BMI) and Raisin Music (ASCAP) 
5."He's Coming Back" (Performed by Chris LeVrar)Chris LeVrarProduced by Afrika Islam Published by Anabasis Music (BMI) 

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linda Blair</span> American actress and animal rights activist (born 1959)

Linda Denise Blair is an American actress and activist. Known for her work in the horror genre, she first came to prominence with her portrayal of Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist (1973), for which she won a Golden Globe Award and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The film established her as a scream queen and she reprised her role in two sequels: Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) and The Exorcist: Believer (2023).

<i>Exorcist II: The Heretic</i> 1977 film by John Boorman

Exorcist II: The Heretic is a 1977 American horror film directed by John Boorman and written by William Goodhart. It is the second installment in The Exorcist film series and the sequel to The Exorcist (1973). The film stars Linda Blair, Richard Burton, Louise Fletcher, Max von Sydow, Kitty Winn, Paul Henreid, and James Earl Jones. The plot is set four years after the previous film and centers on the now 16-year-old Regan MacNeil, who is still recovering from her previous demonic possession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabriele Amorth</span> Italian Roman Catholic priest and exorcist

Gabriele Amorth was an Italian Catholic priest of the Paulines and an exorcist for the Diocese of Rome. Amorth, along with five other priests, founded the International Association of Exorcists.

<i>The Exorcist</i> 1973 American supernatural horror film by William Friedkin

The Exorcist is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin from a screenplay by William Peter Blatty, based on his 1971 novel of the same name. The film stars Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller, and Linda Blair. The story follows the demonic possession of a young girl and her mother's attempt to rescue her through an exorcism by two Catholic priests.

<i>Amityville II: The Possession</i> 1982 Mexican-American supernatural horror film directed by Damiano Damiani

Amityville II: The Possession is a 1982 supernatural horror film directed by Damiano Damiani and starring James Olson, Burt Young, Rutanya Alda, Jack Magner, and Diane Franklin. The screenplay by Tommy Lee Wallace is based on the novel Murder in Amityville by the parapsychologist Hans Holzer. It is the second film in the Amityville Horror film series and a loose prequel to The Amityville Horror (1979), set at 112 Ocean Avenue and featuring the fictional Montelli family, loosely based on the DeFeo family. It follows the Montelli family's decline under apparent demonic forces present in their home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regan MacNeil</span> Fictional character from The Exorcist franchise

Regan Teresa MacNeil is a fictional character in the 1971 novel The Exorcist and one of the supporting characters in its 1973 film adaptation and the 1977 film Exorcist II: The Heretic, while being one of the main protagonists in the first season of the television series The Exorcist (2016–2017). She was portrayed by Linda Blair in both films and by Geena Davis in the television series. Blair reprised the role in the 2023 film, The Exorcist: Believer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exorcism</span> Evicting spiritual entities from a person or area

Exorcism is the religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons, jinns, or other malevolent spiritual entities from a person, or an area, that is believed to be possessed. Depending on the spiritual beliefs of the exorcist, this may be done by causing the entity to swear an oath, performing an elaborate ritual, or simply by commanding it to depart in the name of a higher power. The practice is ancient and part of the belief system of many cultures and religions.

Pazuzu (<i>The Exorcist</i>) Fictional character in The Exorcist horror novels and film series

Pazuzu is a fictional character who is the main antagonist in The Exorcist horror novels and film series, created by William Peter Blatty. Blatty derived the character from Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, where the mythic Pazuzu was considered the king of the demons of the wind, and the son of the god Hanbi. In The Exorcist, Pazuzu appears as a demon who possesses Regan MacNeil.

<i>The Last Exorcism</i> 2010 American film

The Last Exorcism is a 2010 American found footage supernatural horror film directed by Daniel Stamm. It stars Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell, Iris Bahr, Caleb Landry Jones, and Louis Herthum.

In the late 1940s, in the United States, priests of the Roman Catholic Church performed a series of exorcisms on an anonymous boy, documented under the pseudonym "Roland Doe" or "Robbie Mannheim". The 14-year-old boy was alleged to be a victim of demonic possession, and the events were recorded by the attending priest, Raymond J. Bishop. Subsequent supernatural claims surrounding the events were used as elements in William Peter Blatty's 1971 novel The Exorcist. In December 2021, The Skeptical Inquirer reported the purported true identity of Roland Doe/Robbie Mannheim as Ronald Edwin Hunkeler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exorcism in the Catholic Church</span> The use of exorcism in the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church authorizes the use of exorcism for those who are believed to be the victims of demonic possession. In Roman Catholicism, exorcism is a sacramental but not a sacrament, unlike baptism or confession. Unlike a sacrament, exorcism's "integrity and efficacy do not depend ... on the rigid use of an unchanging formula or on the ordered sequence of prescribed actions. Its efficacy depends on two elements: authorization from valid and licit Church authorities, and the faith of the exorcist." The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism."

<i>The Exorcist III</i> 1990 film by William Peter Blatty

The Exorcist III is a 1990 American psychological horror film written for the screen and directed by William Peter Blatty, based on his 1983 novel Legion. It is the third installment in The Exorcist film series. The film stars George C. Scott, Ed Flanders, Jason Miller, Scott Wilson, Nicol Williamson, and Brad Dourif.

<i>Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes</i> 2011 American film

Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes, or Paranormal Entity 3: The Exorcist Tapes, is a 2011 American found footage horror film directed by Jude Gerard Prest and distributed by The Asylum. It is based on the real-life exorcism of Anneliese Michel, a young woman thought to have been possessed. It is also a mockbuster of the film Paranormal Activity 3.

<i>The Devil Inside</i> (film) 2012 American horror film

The Devil Inside is a 2012 American found footage supernatural horror film directed by William Brent Bell and written by Bell and Matthew Peterman. It is a documentary-style film about a woman who becomes involved in a series of exorcisms during her quest to determine what happened to her mother, a woman who murdered three people as a result of being possessed by a demon. Produced by Peterman and Morris Paulson, the film stars Fernanda Andrade, Simon Quarterman, Evan Helmuth, and Suzan Crowley, and was released theatrically on January 6, 2012.

<i>The Exorcist: Italian Style</i> 1975 Italian film

L'esorciccio is a 1975 Italian Horror comedy film written, directed, produced and starring Ciccio Ingrassia.

<i>The Exorcist</i> (franchise) American media franchise

The Exorcist is an American media franchise that originated with William Peter Blatty's 1971 horror novel of the same name and most prominently featured in a 1973 film adaptation of the novel, and many subsequent prequels and sequels. All of these installments focus on fictional accounts of people possessed by Pazuzu, the main antagonist of the series, and the efforts of religious authorities to counter this possession.

<i>The Antichrist</i> (film) 1974 horror film by Alberto De Martino

The Antichrist, also released as The Tempter, is a 1974 Italian supernatural horror film directed by Alberto De Martino and starring Carla Gravina, Mel Ferrer, Arthur Kennedy, Umberto Orsini, Alida Valli, Remo Girone, Anita Strindberg, and George Coulouris. The musical score was composed by Ennio Morricone and Bruno Nicolai. It is widely regarded as a cash-in on The Exorcist, a similarly-themed and widely-successful American film released the previous year. It is considered a cult film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treehouse of Horror XXVIII</span> 4th episode of the 29th season of The Simpsons

"Treehouse of Horror XXVIII" is the fourth episode of the twenty-ninth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, the 28th episode in the Treehouse of Horror series of Halloween specials, and the 622nd episode of the series overall. The episode was directed by Timothy Bailey and written by John Frink. It aired in the United States on Fox on October 22, 2017.

<i>Prey for the Devil</i> 2022 film by Daniel Stamm

Prey for the Devil is a 2022 American supernatural horror film about a nun who trains as an exorcist under the Roman Catholic Church and confronts demonic possession. The film is produced under the studio Lionsgate and is directed by Daniel Stamm. It stars Jacqueline Byers, Colin Salmon, Christian Navarro, Lisa Palfrey, Nicholas Ralph, Virginia Madsen, and Ben Cross. Lionsgate distributed Prey for the Devil in theaters in the United States and Canada on October 28, 2022. The film received negative reviews from critics.

<i>The Popes Exorcist</i> 2023 film by Julius Avery

The Pope's Exorcist is a 2023 supernatural horror film directed by Julius Avery from a screenplay by Michael Petroni and Evan Spiliotopoulos, based on the 1990 book An Exorcist Tells His Story and the 1992 book An Exorcist: More Stories by Father Gabriele Amorth. The film stars Russell Crowe as Amorth, with Daniel Zovatto, Alex Essoe, and Franco Nero in supporting roles.

References

  1. ↑ "Repossessed (1990) - Box Office Mojo". www.boxofficemojo.com.
  2. ↑ Martin, Mick and Porter, Marsha (2003), p. 915. DVD and Video Guide 2004. ISBN   978-0-452-29557-5. Ballantine Books. Accessed August 24, 2011.
  3. ↑ MacInnes, Craig (December 4, 1990). "Time to can stale pea soup gag". Toronto Star . Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Toronto Star Newspapers, Ltd. pp. D2. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  4. ↑ Maltin, Leonard (2009), p. 1147. Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide. ISBN   978-0-452-29557-5. Signet Books. Accessed August 24, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Repossessed on Rotten Tomatoes". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2011-10-06.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.