Daily Dialogue — February 7, 2018

“He brought you low by his bloodstained cross! Do not despise my command because you know me to be a sinner. It's God himself who commands you! The majestic Christ who commands! God the Father commands you! God the son commands you! God the holy spirit commands you! The mystery of the cross commands you! The blood of the martyrs commands you! Give way to Christ, you prince of murderers. You're guilty, before Almighty God, guilty before his son, guilty before the whole human race. It's the Lord who expels you. He who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire.”

— The Exorcist (1973), screenplay by William Peter Blatty based on his novel

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Bed.

Trivia: Actress Mercedes McCambridge, who provided the voice of the demon, insisted on swallowing raw eggs and chain smoking to alter her vocalizations. Furthermore, the actress who had problems with alcohol abuse in the past, wanted to drink whiskey as she knew alcohol would distort her voice even more, and create the crazed state of mind of the character. As she was giving up sobriety, she insisted that her priest be present to counsel her during the recording process. At William Friedkin’s direction, McCambridge was also bound to a chair with pieces of a torn sheet at her neck, arms, wrists, legs and feet to get a more realistic sound of the demon struggling against its restraints. McCambridge later recalled the experience as one of horrific rage, while Friedkin admitted that her performance — as well as the extremes which the actress put herself through to gain authenticity — terrifies the director to this day.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Much of the movie takes place in, around, and over a bed, the resting place of the demon-possessed Regan.