From the Halloween crypt:

Popcorn and a scream, anyone? Halloween is a perfect time to binge watch old horror movies, like the iconic box office hit, The Exorcist. This is how the Star covered the The Exorcist in 1974 — it was mayhem.

Exorcist keeps ambulances busy

by Sid Adilman

More than 3,000 people are lining up in below-freezing temperatures every day—some for two hours—outside the University Theatre on Bloor St. to see The Exorcist. A movie that deals with a 12-year-old girl whose body has been possessed by the devil. But after 90 minutes inside the auditorium, dozens of people are fainting or vomiting.

It’s the strongest movie audience reaction ever in Toronto, according to veteran industry men. "We've practically got a plumber living here now, theatre manager Henry Marshall disclosed yesterday. "The smell in the bathrooms is awful. People are rushing in and they're missing the toilet seat by inches.” Many are reacting to one scene in particular, showing the young girl mutilating herself with a crucifix. The scene lasts barely one second and has been singled out by some critics for being tastefully photographed and directed.

“We called the ambulance four times Monday night,” said Marshall. "Epileptics are having seizures; men and women are fainting trying to get out into the lobby; and maybe 50 people walked out before the ending last night, but all this has been happening right along since the movie opened Boxing Day." Metro policemen are on hand as they have been at other local movie houses that draw sizeable lineups, to ensure orderliness in the street; and one policeman is posted inside every day.

During last Friday’s matinee, there was a strong smell of marijuana in the smoking loges and Marshall says this was not an isolated occurrence. Some younger members of the audience—The Exorcist is restricted to those 18 years of age and above—are regarding the movie as a “turn-on,” but police will be taking action if use of marijuana continues. "It's a very rough movie,” says Marshall, who has been a theatre manager for 35 years. “All this (reaction) is a real pain in the neck for those of us who work here.”

It's even following Marshall home. ”I’m being telephoned in the early morning by people who are asking me to help them cut through the lineups and get them tickets, but I’m not doing it,” he says. The movie, named one of the best in 1973 by several North American critics, including the Star’s Clyde Gilmour, is breaking house records not only at the University ($88,256 the first week) but in Vancouver ($55,100 compared with $36,175 for A Clockwork Orange) and also in 22 U.S. cities. Fainting and vomiting is common in all locations, according to a Warner Bros. of Canada spokesman.

Student warned not to go she ends up throwing up

by Kent Potter

Star staff writer

Leslie Gillon had been warned not to go see The Exorcist, but yesterday she went to the University Theatre on Bloor St. and spent much of the time vomiting in the washroom. “I tried to see it last week but the lineups were too long,“ said the University of Toronto student. "All my friends told me not to go, but I just had to see what it was like."

Despite advertisements that "certain scenes and language in this film may offend some," thousands of people have been lining up for the movie, now in its second week.

But many haven't been able to stomach several shocking scenes, and a pallid Carol Winston, a high school student, sat out much of the movie in the lobby.

”Everyone is talking about it at school. Everyone is saying, 'Don’t go'" she said.

The 1,440 seat theatre was full for all four screenings yesterday and the lineup for the 2 p.m. showing started forming at noon. People buying tickets got into a line stretching to Avenue Rd. then joined another line that went in the other direction to Bellair St.

"The roughest. dirtiest bunch of cattle you've ever seen in your life,“ was how theatre manager Henry Marshall described the audience.

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He said the theatre had turned away "hundreds“ of people under 18 who tried to get into the restricted movie, and usher Tony Mezza said 30 to 40 people try to sneak in the exit doors each day.

“I‘ve worked here about a year and this is the worst one we've ever had," Mezza said. “We get, a real rowdy crowd‘ I don’t know why people come to see this movie or how they can sit through it. It's so gross.“

Many people couldn't sit through it; the washrooms were crowded and the theatre ran out of smelling salts.

"I didn't know it would be quite this scary,” said John Bleason of Richmond Hill, as he lit another cigarette. “My stomach doesn't feel very good but it was fun. I may even come to see it again.“

Many in the afternoon audiences were students. “Hey, we‘d better find where the washrooms are before we go in,” a young man said to his companion.

“Has it started yet?" he asked as he stepped into the darkened theatre. "Shaddup!" called back someone in the audience.

They sat silently during suspense scenes, laughed nervously afterwards and applauded when the ﬁlm ended.

Annette Minetti, 47, Cowell Ave., said she couldn’t remain seated. “This is terrible. I just can't go in,“ she said as she watched from the doorway.

Few viewers said they believed in exorcism but several said they liked the film.

"Naw, I don't believe in devils, and ghosts and things. But it sure does make you think." said Frank Williams of Garfield Ave.

“It sure does make your innards curl,” was the assessment of another movie-goer as he left the theatre.

Despite the crowds, police constable Roy Torney said there have been no problems and he hasn't found anyone smoking marijuana, as claimed by the theatre management.

"But a lot of people have been pretty sick. Up in the balcony, I almost stepped on a guy’s hand as he was crawling out on his hands and knees,” Torney said. “And I saw one big guy, a real brute, sitting in the lobby during the show. He was too scared to go back in."

Although Torney has seen just parts of The Exorcist, he says he likes it. ”As soon as I get a day off. I’m going to come down here to see it. This is what movies are all about. It‘s real entertainment."

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