Comprehensive information and links about The Exorcism of Emily Rose

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a 2005 film directed by Scott Derrickson. The film is based on the true story of Anneliese Michel, a young German woman who died in 1976 after eight months of attempted exorcism. The screenplay was written by Scott Derrickson and Paul Harris Boardman.

A courtroom drama that was marketed as a horror film, it was largely dismissed by critics who were expecting a more terrifying experience.

table

Plot

In an extremely rare decision, the Catholic Church officially recognized the demonic possession of the 19 year-old college freshman. Told in flashbacks, chronicles the haunting trial of the priest accused of negligence resulting in the death of the young girl believed to be possessed and the lawyer who takes on the task of defending him.

Lawyer Erin Bruner (Laura Linney) takes on the church and the state when she fights for the life of a priest, Father Richard Moore (Tom Wilkinson) who performed a deadly exorcism on a young woman, Emily Rose (Jennifer Carpenter). Linney must battle the cocky state lawyer as well as her own loneliness, as she realizes that her career so far has not fulfilled her, nor is she happy in her job on a day to day basis. She only takes the case because she believes it will elevate her to senior partner at her law firm. The priest agrees to let her defend him only if he is allowed to completely tell Emily's story.

The trial begins with the calling of several medical experts by the prosecutor, Ethan Thomas (Campbell Scott) who testify that Emily was suffering from both epilepsy and psychosis. The defense contests she may have actually been possessed. Several flashbacks show how this began. Alone in her dorm room one night, at 3:00 AM, she smells a strange burning smell, hears noises, sees a jar filled with pens and pencils move by itself, her covers roll themselves down, and a great weight seems to press down on her. Is this really happening or is it just a hallucination she is experiencing? She suffers more "visions", is hospitalized and diagnosed as mentally ill. She is given anti-psychotic medication which she claims does not work. Her visions continue, as well as having severe bodily contortions.

She leaves school and returns to live with her parents. She and her parents become convinced she is not mentally ill but is possessed by demons. They ask for their local parish priest to be called in to perform an exorcism, and the Church agrees. The prosecution counters that all this could be explained by a combination of epilepsy (the contortions) and psychosis (the visions).

Meanwhile, during the trial, Erin begins to experience strange happenings at 3:00 AM, including strange smells and sounds. Father Moore warns her that she herself may be targeted by demons. Later in the film Father Moore explains that 3:00 AM is the witching hour, in that evil spirits use it to mock the Holy Trinity and that it is the opposite of 3:00 PM, the hour at which Jesus died.

Seeing that the prosecution is putting up a seemingly solid medical case, she decides to try to show that she may have actually been possessed. She calls in an anthropologist, Dr. Sidur Adani, to testify about various culture's beliefs about spiritual possession.

A psychiatrist who was present during the exorcism comes forward to reveal an audio tape made during the rite. The priest is then called to the stand to testify. The tape is played and the movie then flashes back to the exorcism. It is performed on Halloween because Father Moore believes it might be easier to draw out the demons on that night. The priest, Emily's boyfriend, and her father are in the room. Emily is tied to the bed. The priest uses holy water and various words from the Bible. She speaks in tongues, including Latin, German, Hebrew, and Aramaic. Several cats run into the room, jumping on the priest and knocking him down. Emily breaks her ties and jumps out the window, running into the barn. They follow her. She says she is possessed by the six demons who also possessed Nero, Judas, and Cain. The names of the demons are not mentioned. After those, she exclaims that "they are Legion", the demon Belial, and... "I am Lucifer, the Devil in the flesh."

Flash back to the court room. The priest says that after that Emily refused another exorcism but also refused to take her anti-psychotic medication. She died a few weeks later. The prosecutor contends that her speaking in tongues can be explained by her having gone through the Catholic Catechism, in which she could have learned these ancient languages. The priest admits that it might be possible that she did indeed learn them there.

Erin then wants to call the psychiatrist but he does not show. She walks outside and sees him on the street. He says he can no longer testify, but he does believe in demons. He is then hit by a car and killed. Later that night her boss tells her she has ruined the whole trial and that if she recalls the priest to the stand she will be fired.

She does call him the next day. The priest then reads a letter that Emily wrote him before she died. In the letter Emily describes another vision she had, the morning after the exorcism. She walks out of the house and sees the Virgin Mary, who tells her that the demons will not leave her, but she can leave her she will help to prove to the world that God and the Devil are real. She chooses to return. She concludes the letter by saying "People say that God is dead, but how can they think that if I show them the Devil?" She then receives a stigmata, which the priest believes is a sign of God's love for her, but the prosecution counters that she could have received the stigmata wounds from a barbed wire fence on her property.

Father Moore is found guilty but on the recommendation of the jury is sentenced to time served.

The movie continually debates back and forth whether Emily was really possessed or merely suffering from mental illness. It is largely left for the viewer to decide for themselves.

Erin is offered a partnership at her firm for saving Father Moore from extended jail time, but she refuses and indeed quits. She goes with Father Moore to Emily's grave, where he has put a quote from the second chapter of Phillipians on her grave: "work out your salvation through fear and trembling."

The character of Emily Rose (a ficticious nameThe Exorcism of Emily Rose is based on the true story of Anneliese Michel, a young German woman who suffered the same fate in the 1970s. The decision of the court was that she was epileptic, not possessed — and an official commission of the Catholic Church also later reviewed the case and declared that she had not been possessed. Two priests, as well as her parents, were found guilty of manslaughter resulting from negligence., around the same time in late 2005. His movie stays very close (perhaps closer) to the real-world events and is a drama rather than a horror film.The movie earned the MPAA rating of PG-13 for "thematic material including frightening sequences and disturbing images".