In the realm of the best horror movies, few films have had as profound an impact as The Exorcist. William Friedkin’s 1973 classic sent shivers down the spines of audiences worldwide with its chilling tale of a young girl’s possession by a malevolent demon, and it altered cinema forever. Over four decades later, director David Gordon Green has revisited the horror genre’s landmark with his 2023 requel/legacyquel The Exorcist: Believer. In an interview with Chris Nelson, the Special Make-up FX designer for the film, we delved into the highly complicated way the haunting demon voices were brought to life in the film.
Speaking with CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg, which you can watch above, the FX professional opened up about the unconventional process David Gordon Green implemented for the possession film. Nelson revealed:
We were on set, and David [Gordon Green] was taking… on top of having actors do ADR for some of the voices and stuff, he was taking people that he felt had unique voices and unique sound to their voices on set, and members of the crew, and he would pull us up into his office and we would do a line or two of ADR. And he goes, ‘Nelson, you have an interesting voice. Why don’t you come and do a couple of lines here where I’m thinking.’ And so I went up and read a few lines of what he wanted, and sure enough, he used it in the film. And I’m super excited to be the voice of the devil.
This revelation adds a unique layer of complexity to creating the demon’s voice. The voices are not only found in seasoned actors but also members of the crew, making the demonic presence more authentic and visceral. When asked if he could recognize his voice in the movie, Nelson enthusiastically continued:
I did hear it. I did hear it. There’s one sequence where I heard my voice, and I was like, ‘That’s me!’ [laughs] It was exciting.
But it wasn’t just Nelson who lent his voice to the sinister entity. Director David Gordon Green further elaborated on the process in a separate interview. He explained,
Sometimes it’s Christopher Nelson. That’s the first time I’ve said that one. Sometimes, we are altering their voice, then there is a couple of actresses we had come in that had amazing texture. Very theatrical. One’s an opera singer in Germany and had some fun with what they could do. And bring some new laughs and textures. Sometimes, it’s animal sounds we are altering. And our sound design team, Rich [Bologna] and Paul [Katzman], did just a hell of a job creating these atmospheric nuances for these characters.
What becomes evident through these quotes is the meticulous nature of crafting the demon’s voice in The Exorcist: Believer. The team delved into various avenues to find the perfect blend of eerie and horrifying. The director continued,
I have to credit a lot of it to Lidya [Jewett] and Olivia [O’Neill] because they give it 100 percent every time. There were so many sequences where I thought, ‘We will dub that over, don’t worry about it.’ But then what would come out of their throats was unbelievable. Whatever possessed them to do that, I was really proud of.
This behind-the-scenes insight highlights the dedication and creativity that went into making The Exorcist: Believer. It’s clear that the demon’s voice wasn’t just a product of digital manipulation but rather a combination of unique voices and talented actors, delivering a spine-chilling performance that will haunt audiences for years to come.
First announced in 2021, The Exorcist: Believer is reviving the franchise and claimed the top spot at the box office in its opening weekend, but it has faced predominantly negative reviews. While this stumble might suggest the end of future plans, that’s not entirely the case – but there could be significant changes that happen with the sequels.
The highly awaited legacyquel of one of the greatest demonic possession movies is currently in theaters. Don’t miss it, and decide for yourself. Additionally, explore our 2023 movie release schedule to stay updated on upcoming horror movies near you.
