Boorman and the Devil
Directed by David Kittredge
Featuring commentary from surviving participants, as well as other filmmakers and critics, this documentary chronicles the career of director John Boorman and the tumultuous production of his film Exorcist II: The Heretic, exploring its critical and commercial failure, how it changed the industry, and the importance of risk-taking in art. From TMDB
129 reactions from 3 sources (Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Oct 16, 2026 · last updated Oct 16, 2026 · How this works
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Critics, per Wikipedia
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 98% of 60 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "A fascinating, candid testament to the passionate excesses of 1970s filmmaking, Boorman and the Devil delivers a lively and funny autopsy of one of Hollywood's most infamous failures." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 79 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. In a positive review, Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Whatever your take, the crazy story behind Exorcist II: The Heretic is ultimately one of nostalgia — for a time when ambitious…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 129 · most liked firstExclusive first look at the poster for the documentary Boorman and the Devil about the making of Exorcist II: The Heretic 🎥 The film will have its world premiere on September 5 at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.
neutral · AI labelView post →There’s this part of Boorman And The Devil I keep thinking about where Boorman says film lets you stare at people in a way you tend not to do in the real world unless you’re in love
positive · AI labelView post →As someone who has written their fair share about movies which did not work, BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL was a fascinating and thoughtful meditation on a movie (Exorcist II) which maybe shouldn’t be reclaimed (?) but certainly deserves to be celebrated as a world class act of weirdness. Good stuff!
unlabelledView post →IT'S OFFICIAL!! We're thrilled to be working with @yellowveilpictures.bsky.social! BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL will be coming to MOVIE THEATERS-- New York City at the Quad Cinema on August 28, before a theatrical expansion in Los Angeles and nationwide on September 4! deadline.com/2026/05/boor...
neutral · AI labelView post →So proud if my friend David Kittredge, debuting his labor of love Boorman and the Devil this week at Venice. #filmsky 📽 @davidkittredge.bsky.social
positive · AI labelView post →I reviewed it for the US release, but quirky documentary Boorman and the Devil is finally out in UK cinemas. The Boorman is director John Boorman, and the devil is in the detail about how Exorcist II: The Heretic turned out to be a turkey for the ages. 4 out of 5. film-authority.com/2026/08/28/b...
positive · AI labelView post →Over at the Spliced Personality Substack I reviewed BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL. David Kittredge's fantastic behind-the-scenes documentary screens this weekend at the Boston Underground Film Festival alongside EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC.
neutral · AI labelView post →I've just published my review of Boorman and the Devil, a new feature documentary about the making of the bizarre 1977 film. This felt like the time to look again at the original sequel. It's an absolute fiasco; Pazuzu should have sued everyone involved. 3 out of 5 film-authority.com/2026/08/30/e...
neutral · AI labelView post →Sneak preview of @davidkittredge.bsky.social BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL before a 30 city theatrical run ❤️ed having a ringside seat to watch the evolution of this film over the years cc @samouflage.bsky.social @travisstevens.bsky.social @bryanfuller.bsky.social @jimfall.bsky.social @fangoria.bsky.social
positive · AI labelView post →Tonight at @offscreenff.bsky.social I'll be introducing BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL (2025), an enthralling documentary about John Boorman's ill-fated sequel to THE EXORCIST 19h Cinematek, Brussels. Followed at 21h15 by the film itself - EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC (1977). www.offscreen.be/en/offscreen...
neutral · AI labelView post →What I like best about BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL is that it's not a "stirring defense" of a reviled movie, a widespread practice that is 100% unconvincing and enervating. It's saying that artists deserve the right to fail, a quite different and ultimately more generous level of engagement.
positive · AI labelView post →I’m beyond excited to announce that my documentary BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL will have its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival this year!!! This film has been in the works for over seven years and has been a labor of love for everyone involved. Truly honored!!
neutral · AI labelView post →Happy #LetterboxdFriday My #LastFourWatched are: boxd.it/23Hn Boorman and The Devil (2026) dir. David Kittredge Wicked Priest (1968) dir. Kiyoshi Saeki Dangerous Game (1993) dir. Abel Ferrara Batman (1989) dir. Tim Burton #Film #Letterboxd Crossposted with @openvibe.social
neutral · AI labelView post →COYOTE VS. ACME is out at last & @davidkittredge.bsky.social (whose doc BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL is finally hitting theaters too!) joins us to talk about it!. Then we'll name some lawsuits that the characters of other films might have on their hands. #filmsky #kevinavery maximumfun.org/episodes/max...
neutral · AI labelView post →Documentary sensationally claims that Exorcist II: the Heretic nearly destroyed the life of director John Boorman, but the arguments are only partly founded Boorman and the Devil premieres in the 82nd Venice International Film Festival: dmovies.org/2025/09/06/b...
neutral · AI labelView post →We watched the "Boorman and the Devil" doc about the making of noted cinematic bomb The Exorcist II and it makes this exact point. Exorcist 2 had some obviously terrible stuff (Burton's performance, the entire script), but John Boorman put his entire genius ass into that weird/dumb/cool movie
positive · AI labelView post →Christy @christylemire.bsky.social and Alonso @aduralde.bsky.social were enraptured by Boorman and the Devil. #filmsky 📽
neutral · AI labelView post →David Kittredge’s incredibly entertaining BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL, about the making of John Boorman’s EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC, finally opens this week. I’m in it, so I can’t review it, but I wrote about it anyway: www.vulture.com/article/i-ca...
positive · AI labelView post →Every frame of Boorman and the Devil drips with David Kittredge’s deep love for film and more specifically The Exorcist II: Heretic. It’s a doc made of blood sweat and tears and a must-see for anyone who’s ever been obsessed with a film - and all lovers of film.
positive · AI labelView post →It’s the whirlwind postproduction countdown to the BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL world premiere at the Venice Film Festival! Going through the cut making last minute tweaks before we dive into color & mix… Can’t wait for people to see this! . . . #boormanandthedevil #documentary #exorcistiitheheretic
neutral · AI labelView post →A Very Careful Unpackaging starring my new gel manicure and @fangoria.bsky.social V2 Issue 30. Always happy to be found in the pages of Fango, this time talking about/to @davidkittredge.bsky.social abt his awesome film BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL.
neutral · AI labelView post →Movie 50- Boorman and the Devil (2025) This is a screener, review coming soon to a new byline! #100HorrorMoviesIn92Days #HorrorSky #FilmSky
neutral · AI labelView post →"David Kittredge's BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL offers an insightful and sympathetic look at one of cinema's most despised sequels, and the people who made it." [4.5/5 STARS]
neutral · AI labelView post →One of the best movies I’ve seen about the making of a movie, David Kittredge’s BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL opens this weekend at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. I raved about it back in March during the Boston Underground Film Festival.
positive · AI labelView post →I wrote a book about the making of a notorious flop – and I'm a big John Boorman fan – so naturally I was excited to see @davidkittredge.bsky.social's Boorman and the Devil. I didn't expect to fall in love with it. My ★★★★★ Time Out review: www.timeout.com/movies/boorm...
positive · AI labelView post →Happy #LetterboxdFriday My #LastFourWatched are: https://boxd.it/23Hn Boorman and The Devil (2026) dir. David Kittredge Wicked Priest (1968) dir. Kiyoshi Saeki Dangerous Game (1993) dir. Abel Ferrara Batman (1989) dir. Tim Burton #Film #Letterboxd Crossposted with @openvibe
neutral · AI labelView post →Eye for Film’s Jennie Kermode has a typically lovely review of @davidkittredge.bsky.social’s BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL. www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/boorm...
neutral · AI labelView post →BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL wins the Bronze at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival Audience Awards!
neutral · AI labelView post →Get your tickets for BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL here! Screening is Saturday March 21 at 3:45pm! I'm gonna be there for Q&A-- come say hi! bostonunderground.org/schedule/202...
neutral · AI labelView post →Thank you Dan Doody for making BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL one of your programmer's pics for the Seattle International Film Festival!
neutral · AI labelView post →BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL will be coming to the Seattle International Film Festival in May!!
neutral · AI labelView post →My review of Boorman and the Devil got by me! horrorpress.com/reviews/1166...
neutral · AI labelView post →Today's movie: David Kittredge's excellent 2025 documentary, BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL, about John Boorman's 1977 horror film Exorcist II: The Heretic, which almost ended his career.
neutral · AI labelView post →My review of Boorman And The Devil (dir. David Kittredge) is up here: www.theguardian.com/film/2026/se...
neutral · AI labelView post →Thank you Richard Newby of the @thr.com! "Boorman and the Devil is ultimately inspirational, and a call for filmmakers to worry less about providing a perfect product, and instead focus on inventiveness and belief in the story they really want to tell."
neutral · AI labelView post →En route to the Palm Springs International Film Festival for two more screenings of BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL, this Friday and Saturday… hope to see some of you there! Link for tickets in the comments!
neutral · AI labelView post →If you're a film nerd, I recommend watching Boorman and the Devil. An interesting deep dive into his epic failure, Exorcist II: The Heretic. www.imdb.com/title/tt3765...
positive · AI labelView post →It's the Q&A to the Film Independent on August 5! Hear me chat about EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC, John Boorman and how we made BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL-- and please forgive my raspy voice!
neutral · AI labelView post →Just announced: BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL will be screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January!
neutral · AI labelView post →Mark Kermode: BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL "is the best film ever made about the worst movie ever made, and I LOVED IT!"
neutral · AI labelView post →Playing at SUFF 2026 BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL is a brilliant documentary about a notorious flop. Review for @thecurbau.bsky.social www.thecurb.com.au/boorman-and-...
positive · AI labelView post →I wrote about a favorite director, one of his worst films--though it has defenders--and David Kittredge's entertaining and affecting documentary, Boorman and the Devil. Now playing @nwfilmforum.bsky.social with The Heretic, which all cinephiles should see at least once. @seattlecritics.bsky.social
positive · AI labelView post →As someone who has enjoyed an intoxicated, head-spinning screening of Exorcist II: The Heretic, its empathetic making-of film Boorman And The Devil only deepened my appreciation for that wackadoo movie www.avclub.com/boorman-and-...
positive · AI labelView post →"If you're not risking failure in art, stop. I don't want to see your art. That's where I'm at in my life" - David Kittredge speaks further about Boorman And The Devil www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2026... #GFF26 #Frightfest #filmsky 🎬
neutral · AI labelView post →BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL is screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival this Friday and Saturday! I'll be doing Q&As along with producer Jim Fall, composer Eduardo Daniel Victoria and motion graphics artist Craig Smith- come see what Deadline Hollywood calls "exceptional... It is a gem."
neutral · AI labelView post →BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL will have it's North American Premiere tomorrow (9/24) @beyondfest.bsky.social . Come see the doc @edgarwright.bsky.social is raving about! Q&A with filmmaker @davidkittredge.bsky.social and fellow Producer @jimfall.bsky.social after. beyondfest.com/film/boorman...
neutral · AI labelView post →If you have access to TCM, I highly recommend BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL, David Kittredge's 2025 documentary on the reviled sequel to THE EXORCIST. It's a charming tribute to the exact kind of movie we're so fascinated by on this podcast www.tcm.com/watchtcm/tit...
positive · AI labelView post →BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL is a comprehensive and massively entertaining exploration of the cinematic disaster that is EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC. Every film buff should see this documentary! Theatrical rollout starts this week. Be on the lookout. Here's my review: aisleseat.com/boorman-and-... #filmsky
positive · AI labelView post →DVR Alert! TCM at 5pm-What ever possessed him? BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL. I haven't got around to writing a review, but was able to preview this 2026 doc recently. An absorbing look at John Boorman's travails making the 1977 film EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC (it damn near killed him). Recommended! #TCMParty
positive · AI labelView post →#nowwatching Boorman and the Devil.
neutral · AI labelView post →Thought I’d watch Exorcist II in prep for Boorman and the Devil, and trailers were just cocaine in film form back then, huh youtu.be/zmMYylgRe4s?...
neutral · AI labelView post →Now I've seen the other great WB-related film that WB isn't releasing, @davidkittredge.bsky.social's magnificent BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL. I say even if you're not into documentaries about films, especially films with the fraught reputation of EXORCIST II, you will be moved and inspired by this tale.
positive · AI labelView post →BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL is on no way hating on THE HERETIC. The director adores that movie.
neutral · AI labelView post →The EPK for BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL confirms… anyone with taste loves this beautiful movie. 🥰
positive · AI labelView post →Excited to see the first reactions to Boorman and the Devil starting to drop! letterboxd.com/film/boorman...
neutral · AI labelView post →Last night I rented @davidkittredge.bsky.social’s Boorman and the Devil from @letterboxd.social. What a wonderful documentary w/tremendous insight from Sir John Boorman and many of the main players from Exorcist II: The Heretic. I wish we could have gotten Sir John’s film as originally envisioned.
positive · AI labelView post →Team Fresh Blood's top horror movie picks for this month! Mike: Boorman and the Devil Steph: Resident Evil Brad: Hope Becky: Practical Magic 2
neutral · AI labelView post →Boorman and the Devil: A full and frank look at a fascinating and somewhat misunderstood film, an oft remembered lesson that artistic vision does not often match audience tastes. Boorman is very honest and warm, as great a talking head as a documentary could want. Spare me from Mike Flanagan though.
positive · AI labelView post →⚰️CMOA Film Series proclaims: This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection ✝️The Harris calls forth more John Boorman with new doc Boorman and The Devil, plus a screening of Exorcist II: The Heretic 🪵Row House L'ville vibes with liminal space movies. Also: Twin Peaks season 2 and Wajda series continue
neutral · AI labelView post →I feel the same way about documentaries about films I don't like. The 3 hour MAKING OF PROMETHEUS documentary on the super-special blu-ray was TREMENDOUS, even if I think that movie is a pretentious, confusing, turd. Similarly, I'm really interested in BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL...that looks great!
positive · AI labelView post →
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