The Possession Of Joel Delaney (1972)

3.5 / 5 Mar '09
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Waris Hussein
Written by: Irene Kamp, Matt Robinson
Actors include: Shirley MacLaine, Perry King, Michael Hordern
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Length: 105 minutes
Banned: Finland
Country: USA

Review:
So this film came out before "The Exorcist" (but not before the book) and the two do have a few things in common but not as much as I had expected actually. It's a story about a spoiled rich woman who's brother is kind to her and her children, he's a very normal guy...until lately. He's been speaking in tongues and well it certainly looks as though he is responsible for a gruesome beheading (which is awesome). It's sort of a wake-up for Shirley's character who learns some humility and has to ask another community for help to save her brother. It's surprising and worthwhile, if you are patient. See parts are rather dull and very little happens for a long time (I was afraid he was just going to be hitting on his sister with demonic possession). The ending is pretty darned grand though, definitely overall an interesting take on possession.