13 Nights of Hallowe'en: Night #4 The Exorcism of Emily Rose

The theme of this year’s thirteen nights seems to be comparison.
The second word in the title of tonight’s movie is all that anyone needs to start making comparisons. Tonight the movie choice is “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”. This movie is anything but an “Exorcist” rip. The movie’s creators bill the film as a supernatural court drama. They take the idea a bit too far in the extras claiming it as the first. While the focus may be tighter on the court scenes, it’s certainly not the first time the supernatural has affected the courts in movies. Sam Raimi’s “The Gift” is a prime example. Even going back to “Amityville Horror II: The Possession” we have possession on trial. Still, it was a good idea and gave the film an excellent grounding upon which to build its supernatural ideas.

“The Exorcism of Emily Rose” is something of a joy to watch. The story is one divided into two timelines. In the past is the actual story of Emily Rose, a college student suffering with a demonic possession. Here is meat of the horror for the film. It is told through flashbacks in the current timeline of the film. Father Moore was the priest tasked with Emily’s exorcism and after her death is charged with negligent homicide. Emily’s ordeal is definitely not a rehash of previous possession. Some bits at the start bear some resemblance to some haunting stories in parts, but this is not uncommon in the initial stages of possession cases. The entire story is based on a true story for what that is worth, but the message of Emily’s story is definitely worth something.

Mood: content.
Music: Haunted by Poe off of Haunted.