The casting items come from the internet with uncertain accuracy; Schrader reportedly wrote Travis with Jeff Bridges in mind, which seems possible. — Bill Simmons
Keitel was definitely offered the campaign worker role Albert Brooks played and wanted the pimp instead; the studio had the pimp changed to a white character over riot and liability fears, and Keitel ended up in the part. — Bill Simmons
Reports conflict on whether Melanie Griffith was first offered Iris; a Linda Blair possibility and a Tatum O'Neal / Bad News Bears swap are also mentioned with doubt. — Bill Simmons
Friedkin’s power after two major hits and Miller’s Pulitzer, Tony and supporting-actor nomination make both clear Apex choices. — Bill Simmons
Washington films are debated against All the President’s Men; the actor playing Merrin is unresolved given The Seventh Seal and other major roles.
Blair receives a yes; Georgetown loses to its basketball era; Burstyn is debated against Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and her durable later career.
Split-pea soup and the demon receive yes answers; reversed speech is compared with alleged backward music messages without settling a choice. — Bill Simmons
The demon’s name, appearance and travel inspire jokes before the explanation that Karras’s crisis of faith made him the target.
Miller reportedly declined Taxi Driver for The Nickel Ride and is identified as Jason Patric’s father. — Bill Simmons
The crucifix dialogue is described as a slowed recording of Blair; Miller reportedly expected pea soup on his chest but was hit more broadly. — Bill Simmons
Georgetown stairs became a tourist site; students reportedly charged to watch the stunt, and a later St. Elmo’s Fire filming request was refused with a joke about the devil losing. — Bill Simmons
Blair’s early fame and reported relationships with Rick Springfield, Glenn Hughes, Tommy Shaw, Rick James and Wings Hauser are discussed; her age fifteen relationship with Springfield is criticized. — Bill Simmons
The slow opening and some dated effects are criticized; Exorcist II is described as a notorious failed change of direction. — Bill Simmons
Exorcist 3 is praised, while the prequel production involving Paul Schrader and Harlin is described as strange.
Blair’s post-film career is reserved for later discussion; a Toyota Pazuzu story is a joke, and the gray jogging sweatsuit receives affectionate attention.
The hosts describe injuries to the actresses, a gun fired near Miller, and the director striking the real priest before his scene. — Chris Ryan
Burke’s drunken and confrontational party behavior is criticized with some nostalgia. — Chris Ryan
Santa Rosa High School refused to host the shoot and got a 'no thanks' credit; eight ratings submissions to avoid NC‑17; the Gainesville Ripper inspiration; Romero and Raimi almost directed; Craven's phone-hit cameo; the mask found while location scouting; Linda Blair's reporter cameo; a 21-day final scene with 50 gallons of fake blood; Craven told Drew Barrymore animal-torture stories; Williamson wrote it in three days as Scary Movie
Santa Rosa High School was to host the high school scenes and refused, so they shot at a community college, and the credits include a pointed 'no thanks' to Santa Rosa.
The movie was almost NC‑17 for violence and went back eight times; Williamson's script was reportedly extremely specific about organs dripping down legs, so the disemboweling was originally even more disgusting.
Williamson was obviously inspired by the Gainesville Ripper, who murdered students in Florida and was executed after the movie's release, one of the grisliest American crimes of the period; it was a ripped-from-the-headlines idea for a young screenwriter looking for anything to get a script sold.
George Romero and Sam Raimi almost directed; Raimi's version would probably have been a lot funnier, Romero never made a movie like this, and Scream is not thought improvable, only different; this was Craven's second act after peaking in the eighties.
Craven's one cameo is being hit by Drew Barrymore with the phone while wearing the Ghostface costume; the mask was found at a house during location scouting; Linda Blair cameos as a reporter who bumps into Sidney outside the school after the attack.
The final scene took 21 days of a roughly 60-day shoot for a $15 million movie and used 50 gallons of fake blood.
A return to research corner: to keep Drew Barrymore upset through the opening, Wes Craven told her real stories of animal torture, since she was an animal activist, and then turned the camera on.
Earlier, Kevin Williamson is said to have written the script in three days in Palm Springs under the title Scary Movie, after failing to sell Teaching Mrs. Tingle, and pitched it as a trilogy package.
Earlier, the opening death was reportedly worse originally, with the guts coming out, and had to be fixed to avoid an NC‑17.
