Nothing can top the disastrous excess of ‘Exorcist 2’

EXORCIST 2: THE HERETIC (1977)

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

Between Richard Burton’s bizarre overacting and the incomprehensible and totally preposterous plot, “Exorcist 2: The Heretic” makes you wonder what the film makers were thinking.

Director John Boorman and company faced an uphill battle from the start: They attempted to create a sequel to the most frightening horror film of all time. That they failed is no shock.

What is surprising, however, is the depth of the failure. From the acting to the writing, directing and special effects, this movie is a major, high-profile train wreck.

Boorman frantically tried to salvage the film by re-editing it days after its initial release. But his efforts made a disastrous film worse. “Exorcist 2: The Heretic” is, without a doubt, the single-worst motion picture sequel ever to grace the big screen.

Welcome to Top Five week at Sneak Prevue. Today’s edition: The Top Five Worst Film Sequels.

Friedkin returns to the streets with ‘To Live and Die in L.A.’

TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. (1985)

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

By winning the Oscar for “The French Connection” in 1971 and following it two years later with “The Exorcist,” William Friedkin made a name for himself as one of the best, most successful young film directors of his time.

Then came a string of misses. A long string of misses. In fact, Friedkin’s spotty career has produced a host of disasters that include the killer tree film “The Guardian” and a so-so cable television remake of “12 Angry Men.”

Friedkin recently finished his first film in five years, “Killer Joe,” set for release later this year; the film is about a man in debt who decides to kill his mother for the insurance. With a cast that includes Matthew McConaughey and Emile Hirsh, Friedkin hopefully will regain his voice.

Until then, you have go back almost 26 years to find the last great film Friedkin directed. “To Live and Die in L.A.” hit movie screens in November 1985 – the first Friedkin crime drama since “The French Connection.” While the action this time is on the West Coast, “To Live and Die in L.A.” is just as riveting and exciting.