Friday, November 23, 2012

The Exorcist (1973)

dir. William Friedkin

The film's opening sequence was filmed in Sinjar and the ancient temple complex at Hatra in Iraq.

A view of Georgetown and the Key Bridge, Washington, DC

Actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) on the set of a movie called Crash Course - Healy Hall, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) walking by the movie set - Healy Hall, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Chris MacNeil going home after the filming – N Street NW and the steps leading to Healy Hall, Washington, DC

P Street at 36th Street NW, Washington, DC

1434-1438 36th Street NW, Washington, DC

Chris sees Father Karras talking to another priest - Christ Episcopal Church, O Street at 31st Street NW, Washington, DC

Karras visits his mother in New York City - W. 48th Street looking towards 9th Avenue, New York, New York. The street has changed a lot, and the red brick building on the right is no longer there.

Karras enters his mother's apartment house – that building was renovated and joined with the adjacent houses to form a larger apartment complex at 414-424 W. 48th Street, New York, New York.

The McNeils house (aka The Exorcist house) - 3600 Prospect Street NW, Washington DC. The left wing was a false front constructed by the crew so the house would appear closer to the steps.

The desecrated chapel - Dahlgren Chapel, Georgetown University, Washington DC.

Karras visits his mother in a hospital - Goldwater Memorial Hospital, 1 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York

Karras meets Lt. Kinderman (Lee J. Cobb) - Kehoe Field, West Road NW, Washington DC. Kehoe hosted Georgetown football and track events through the 1976 season, and Yates Field House now stands in its place.

Karras and Lt. Kinderman walking - Dahlgren Quadrangle, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Barringer Clinic – Still searching for this location

The skeptical Kinderman examines the steps leading from M Street to Prospect Street NW, Washington DC.

Chris McNeil meets with Father Karras to discuss Regan's possession – it's the bridge over the C&O Canal and the one closest to the Key Bridge.

The steps view from Prospect Street NW, Washington DC. The steps from which Father Karras fell to death, were recognized as a D.C. landmark and official tourist attraction by Mayor of the District of Columbia Muriel Bowser who unveiled a memorial plaque on the Halloween weekend in 2015.

Father Dyer (William O'Malley) walking up the steps near 3600 Prospect Street NW, Washington DC

18 comments:

  1. Awesome, those stairs are the best, I've got to hit those up next time I'm in D.C.

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  2. very cool! live in DC never have ben to Georgtown now I have to go!

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  3. My gosh, I live two blocks away from Mama Karras!

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  4. Brilliant. The Exorcist is one of my favorite films and I love Georgetown. This brings the together perfectly.

    But your location where Karras meets Lt. Kinderman (Lee J. Cobb) is incorrect. You have it as the Sports field near Reservoir Road and 39th Street, NW, Washington DC. There is indeed a running track at that location. But the actual film location is adjacent to the McDonough Arena not far from Canal Rd.

    Map coordinates 38 deg 54 min 29.83 sec N, 77 deg 04 min 38.25 W

    The white building is the Georgetown University Astronomical Observatory aka Heyden Observatory and Francis J. Heyden Observatory.

    There is no longer a running track at this location.

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  5. I Wish I Will Go There On My Honeymoon

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  6. I came here cause I was wondering about what block that was for Mother Karras apartment was on.. I had a feeling it was Hells Kitchen and my partner agreed. Thanks for confirming that...I frequent the bars/restaurants on 9th ave (44th-49th) so I'm gonna take a walk down that block next time I'm out there. :-)

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  7. Oh another thing, can you post a before and after of inside the train station that Father Karras encounters the bum on the platform...it's quite visibly the 2 train on the 7th avenue line and you can see a beam with a sign 33rd street exit so it has to be 34th street station...it would be cool if you can get a present pic with the 2 train entering the station just like in the classic still in the same spot.

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  8. the hospital no longer exists on roosevelt island, it's now cornell tech and luxury housing

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  9. Well done. Pix captures tha many indelible cinematic highlights of Friedkin's epic genre-busting masterwork.

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  10. Anybody find out the address for the Barringer Clinic?

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  11. Fantastic pics! It is my dream to one day go to Georgetown and D.C. to see the sights in person. Your pics and the very next thing to being there! Great attention to details! Trivia: I believe that William Peter Blatty and his last wife Julie were married in Dahlgren Chaple! Way Cool! TY! Kev

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  12. I walked all the locations from Dirty Harry and Bullitt!!!Great fun!

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  13. I would like to know the filming location from the Father Karras dream where he sees his mother. The street he is on where the camera is looking towards him with traffic going by, and the street with the subway exit his mother emerges from and goes back down into.

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  14. The Barringer Clinic and Foundation was located at 900 Sylvan Ave, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. The building was demolished in 2001 to make way for the new headquarters of CNBC. However, the rock formation where the sign was placed is still there.

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  15. The skyscrapers in the background match nothing on google maps looking down Mama Karras' street. If I am mistaken please let me know. Thx.

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