Were there any particularly terrifying moments on set?
Linda Blair: When
the press started 37 years ago...it's difficult to conceptualize how long it took
to put the film together. From creating the special effects, to the make-up, to
the make-up test, to the dummy and how they made the head spin - all the
questions the press and the public were the same ones we all had in the
beginning. 'How are we going to do this?' What it's become...it's become the
greatest magic act that's ever been filmed. I learn something every time I sit
with Owen [Roizman, cinematographer] or I sit with Bill Blatty [writer of the
novel and the film]. Billy [Friedkin] I have a different feeling about because
it was watching him as the captain of the ship, working with different actors
to get the performances.
There was nothing scary about making it, it's about the
final, put together. It's all in the editing, so the consumer and the press
wouldn't know what they were watching. That goes back to Billy Friedkin; the
sound effects that were so disturbing, the underlying...all the different noise
factors. He did everything he could to unnerve you from your senses. He did
everything to make you feel uncomfortable. For us, the only thing that made us
uncomfortable was the temperature!
In the
behind-the-scenes features on the disc, Billy mentions that one of the more
difficult experiences he's ever had was coaxing a disturbing performance out of
you, a young girl. Can you talk about his relationship with you on set? What he
did to achieve this performance?
Linda Blair: Billy finally has come out with the truth. People always ask certain questions,
and we think, 'well, I'd rather talk about it from this perspective,' and you'd
go about it on a different route because we think we'll get to the answer you
might be looking for, or whatever.
Billy...had taken the time to befriend my mother, taken the
time to discuss...he had taken the time to know me, what made me tick, what did I
think about, what was important to me. My work ethics were that I was raised on
where you work and you leave it there, you don't talk about it. He would
discuss many things to see my mental stability, to make sure I was able to
withstand the workload it was going to take. He would talk a certain amount
about religion, but he realized I didn't know what the Devil was, I wasn't
raised Catholic.
That was just a built in...a real good luck with him, because
it wans't real to me. That was the most important thing. That was good fortune.
What he finally discusses now, is that I did not know, cannot know, all of
these things. So how do you get to the performance without really going into the
subject matter? The crucifix was always so controversial, now you see it first
hand, how they did it. You see Owen with the cameras...once you realized
everything that was around...you had to shoot it from this angle, and that angle
and on the face. All these things, you put it together and you know, but a
child doesn't know. It wasn't very nice, but I didn't know what it was. A child
wasn't in touch, at least way back then, with sexuality either.
What has your
reaction been to the behind-the-scenes footage released on this Blu-ray?
Linda Blair: I've
always had great respect for how hard we worked, and why couldn't people
understand that it was special effects, why were people unable to understand.
For me to watch the Blu-ray, to see the behind-the-scenes...I keep hearing, 'oh
you look like you're having fun.' We've never heard that before! Ever! In all
of these years. It's a gift of freedom to me.
Owen Roizman: There's one shot in the footage, showing you drinking a milkshake. You're
sitting on a table, right after that thing with the carotid artery. Like a
twelve-year-old girl, just enjoying yourself! It's great to see those things in
the middle of all the craziness.
Linda
Blair: Owen had this footage for so long, no one knew
what to do with it. I was concerned about it, but to see it and hear what
everyone's talking about, it's the greatest gift of freedom. I want to talk to
everyone in a year - talk to me in a year and tell me what you get from it.
It's been a very difficult road. You know, you have to keep a child happy...and
for me, it was milkshakes!
Linda is extremely active in the rescue of homeless/abandoned dogs. Please visit the site for The Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation.
Jump to:
Linda Blair sets the record straight on becoming a child possessed by the Devil
William Blatty reveals his inspiration for writing The Exorcist and how he fired Director William Friedkin
Oscar-winner Chris Newman reveals whose voices were used to create the sounds of The Exorcist
Cinematograher Owen Roizman talks about shooting five hours of behind-the-scenes footage
