WASHINGTON 鈥� It’s the scariest movie ever made.
Now, you can watch “The Exorcist” (1973) outdoors in the very D.C. neighborhood where it was filmed, as the final聽screening in the first-ever聽聽series at Georgetown Waterfront Park.
All summer long, the inaugural event has featured movies inspired by Georgetown, including “St. Elmo’s Fire,” “State of Play,” “No Way Out,” “Burn After Reading” and, on Tuesday night,聽“The Exorcist.”
“This is the ultimate way to experience movies in Georgetown,”聽says Rachel Cothran, Communications Director at the Georgetown Business Improvement District. “The experience of watching movies right on the water with the sunset in the background can’t really be missed聽… and this is the ultimate movie.”
Directed by William Friedkin as his much-anticipated follow-up to Best Picture winner聽“The French Connection” (1971),聽“The Exorcist”聽boasted聽a script by聽William Peter Blatty, who adapted his聽own 1971 novel.聽It follows Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), the 12-year-old daughter of a Hollywood actress (Ellen Burstyn), who lives聽in聽Georgetown while shooting her next project. After a series of freaky occurrences,聽the possessed Regan is treated by two priests, the spiritually conflicted聽Father Karras (Jason Miller) and the world-traveling Father Merrin (Max von Sydow), to drive out the demon.
鈥淏latty had studied to be a Jesuit priest (at Georgetown University) and went on to have a very big career as a comedy writer,鈥� the Oscar-nominated Blair 海角精品黑料. 鈥淏ut he wanted to do something a little more dramatic and was told, 鈥楤ill, you鈥檙e a comedy writer.鈥� He said, 鈥楴o, I鈥檓 gonna do the scariest movie of all time,’ so he set forth and he did just that.鈥�
Fueled by news reports of moviegoers fainting at聽theaters and聽vomiting in the aisles, “The Exorcist” became the聽highest grossing movie of 1973聽—聽the No. 9聽grossing film of all time (adjusted for inflation) — and won two Academy Awards聽(Screenplay and Sound) among聽ten total nominations, including Best Picture and Director.聽How many horror films can claim that?
The teenage Blair also won the Golden Globe for a聽convulsing, peeing, vomiting, floating, masturbating, head-spinning performance that 鈥� along with a demonic voice dubbed by Mercedes McCambridge 鈥� turned Regan MacNeil into the American Film Institute鈥檚 No. 9 Villain of All Time.
Such聽graphic images have made “The Exorcist” tricky programming for outdoor film fests, so聽the Sunset Cinema series proceeded with caution 鈥� aided by聽the later start time.
“In our hearts and minds, we felt like we had to have ‘The Exorcist’ in our lineup, but we were very careful and we worked very closely with the Park Service,” Cothran says. “It was included in all of our collateral and posters and messaging that we have chosen from Rated R movies, and it kind of works out, because for most kids, it’s kind of past their bedtime. … It’s really meant for a young, professional audience, and we’ve actually seen that in terms of our attendance.”
Indeed, there are some great adult-oriented coinciding with the event.
Nearby restaurant聽 is offering an all-night Happy Hour with a special drink called “The Exorcist,” filled with tequila (just don’t drink too much, or you might reenact a from the movie).
Another restaurant, , is delivering food directly to the waterfront.
Georgetown Waterfront Park is located聽at K Street/Water Street and Cecil Place NW.
The free screening begins at 8:30 p.m.,聽but you should arrive around 7 p.m. to get a good spot.
No chairs are allowed, so be sure to bring a blanket.
Early arrivals can also take part in contests.
The first 50 people who come up to the blue tent and say, “It’s a lovely day for an exorcism,” get a free swag bag. You can also win prizes by taking photos at “Exorcist” shooting locations and tweeting them with #GeorgetownSunsetCinema.
“For people who love Georgetown, there’s so many really iconic visuals to really bring you into the moment,” Cothran says. “You’re going to feel like you’re right there, because you are聽right there!”
Shooting locations include the Georgetown University skyline, the Key Bridge, Dahlgren Chapel, the steep Exorcist steps by the Exxon gas station, and the iconic house at 3600 Prospect St.聽NW.
You might win by posing at the bottom of the steps 鈥� just be聽careful not to聽re-enact the fall.
What if you聽make your head spin around?
“You definitely win,” she聽jokes, “And then I will high-tail it very far away.”
