...and the footage "amazes" scientists

William Friedkin has filmed an actual exorcism and shown scientists to see what they think for the new documentary that's out this week

Forty five years after he filmed The Exorcist the director behind one of the most terrifying movies has shot a real exorcism.

When William Friedkin shot The Exorcist in 1973 he had never actually seen an exorcism, though even at the time he believed in the power of the rite which is designed to evict demons or other evil spirits from a 'possessed' person.

Now four decades on he's been given the rare chance to film an actual exorcism carried out by Father Gabriele Amorth, who regularly performs them.

The director of The Exorcist was invited to watch the Italian priest at work.

The result is the documentary The Devil and Father Amorth, which was shown at the Venice Film Festival and is out April 20.

It shows Father Amorth and a woman in battle after an introduction explains 500,000 people a year are exorcised in Italy.

Father Amorth sprinkles Holy Water and begins reciting verses, in Italian and in Latin. Suddenly, the woman begins to shake and roar.

The 'demon' shouts "I am Satan" and invites the priest to leave. He continues his prayer, determined.

"How many demons are inside you?" he asks. "89!" she replies. The struggle continues until Amorth wins, and she smiles in relief.

William Friedkin director of the documentary and horror cult classic The Exorcist (Image: Getty Images Europe)

Father Gabriele Amorth (Image: AFP)

This is just a summary of what happened, a quick look, but Friedkin showed his footage to scientists to see what they made of it.

The two neurosurgeons were quick to give their views, with one saying it's "amazing" and reminds her of Delirium. The girl's voice also strikes a chord, as one says "it seems to come from somewhere else."

"It's like an animal in a cage," says the other.

Speaking at the festival Friedkin said it was the same for him.

"I have seen things that have astonished me, the voodoo in Jamaica, certain ceremonies in South America," he said.

"I never thought there would be anything authentic in the exorcism until I saw it. "

He added more to his account speaking to Vanity Fair , where he spoke about the "terrifying experience" involving violent thrashing, foaming at the mouth and screaming.

Linda Blair in The Exorcist (Image: Publicity Picture)

Father Amorth, who has died since the documentary was filmed, gave Friedkin access on the agreement he came alone.

The priest was a fan of the film so agreed to show Friedkin what an exorcism entailed.

"He felt that it helped people to understand his work," Friedkin said.

"There is no research into exorcisms, the only research is his books.

"In the United States in the 20th century, there were two reported cases of possession, as far as Mr Blatty [who wrote the The Exorcist] and I could tell.

Linda Blair playing possessed child, Regan (Image: Rex Features)

"There were only two cases that had any substantial writing about them in the United States.

"The church doesn't say a lot about this. They don't try to publicise it at all.

"They are not promoting it. I doubt that they will even have a position about my latest film.

"They never comment about these things. I doubt that they would have given me permission to do what I did.

"He gave me permission. He operated quite independently from church procedure and was openly critical of the Vatican.

A priest performing an exorcism in the 1970s film (Image: Press Association)

Friedkin felt he came at a time Father Amorth wanted people to be aware of his work because he "wanted the Vatican to train more exorcists."

Friedkin explained what he saw adding: "It was terrifying. I went from being afraid of what could happen to feeling a great deal of empathy with this woman's pain and suffering, which is obvious in the film."

It was the woman's ninth exorcism, she had been having one a month.

What did the scientists say

The director took his footage to scientists to see what they had to say.

"I later consulted with neurologists, brain surgeons, some of the best in the United States," he said.

"The brain surgeons had no idea what her affliction was and none of them would recommend an operation. They believe that everything originates in the brain but – and they say this in the film – they have never seen anything quite like these symptoms.

"Then the psychiatrists... all described how psychiatry now recognises demonic possession.

"It's called dissociative identity disorder/demonic possession.

"And if a patient comes in and says they are possessed by a demon or a devil, they don't tell them that they are not.

"They do whatever psychiatric treatment they think is necessary, including medication. And they bring an exorcist in."

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