*In 1999, the Vatican revised the official rite of exorcism text for the first time in over 400 years.
*The number of Catholic exorcists in Italy increased from 30 to 300 over the last decade.
*The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago recently appointed the first full-time official exorcist in its 160-year history.
*In New York, four Catholic priests have officially investigated over 40 cases of possession since 1995.
In an extremely rare decision, the Catholic Church officially recognized the demonic possession of a nineteen-year-old college freshman.
A lawyer takes on a negligent homicide case involving a priest who performed an exorcism on a young girl that resulted in her death.
In an extremely rare decision, the Catholic Church officially recognized the demonic possession of a 19 year-old college freshman.
Told in terrifying flashbacks, The Exorcism of Emily Rose chronicles the haunting trial of the priest accused of negligence resulting in the death of the young girl believed to be possessed. Inspired by true events, the film stars Laura Linney as Erin Bruner, the lawyer defending Father Richard Moore (Tom Wilkinson), the priest who performed the controversial exorcism.
Emily Rose (Jennifer Carpenter) leaves her sheltered rural home to attend college with no possible inkling of what awaits her. Alone in the dorm one night, she has her first terrifying ‘hallucination’ and blackout. As her attacks become ever more frequent and severe, Emily, a devout Catholic, chooses to undergo an exorcism conducted by her parish priest, Father Richard Moore. When the young girl dies during the terrifying exorcism the priest is charged with negligent homicide. When the young girl dies during the terrifying exorcism, the priest is charged with negligent homicide.
Erin Bruner, a high-profile defense lawyer reluctantly agrees to represent Father Moore in exchange for the guarantee of a partnership at her law firm. As the trial progresses, Erin’s cynicism and atheism are challenged by Father Moore’s unwavering faith and by the eerie, inexplicable events that surround the case.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is the compelling story of a young woman who becomes desperately and inexplicably ill. Emily Rose experiences terrifying visions and endures wracking convulsions that leave her body twisted and weak. She is diagnosed as epileptic by a neurologist, but the medication he prescribes proves ineffective. Her symptoms worsen, and a second diagnosis by a psychologist is that Emily is not only epileptic, but also psychotic.
When her suffering becomes more than she can bear and medical treatment offers no relief, Emily turns to her parish priest for help. After a long deliberation, Father Moore agrees to perform an exorcism, something he has never done before. Emily and Father Moore put their trust in their religion, which offers an interpretation for Emily’s malady; demons have possessed her mind and body and are the cause of her unrelenting torment.
Despite Father Moore’s heroic efforts, Emily dies during the exorcism and the priest is subsequently charged with negligent homicide for failing to enlist medical assistance. The ensuing trial pits reason and science against spiritual belief and faith, and takes us back through the events of Emily’s downward spiraling illness and offers us interpretations from both sides of the divide.
These production notes provided by Columbia Pictures.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Starring: Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Campbell Scott, Jennifer Carpenter
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Screenplay by: Scott Derrickson
Release Date: September 9, 2005
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic material, including frightening sequences and disturbing images.
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Box Office Totals
Domestic: $75,072,454 (52.1%)
Foreign: $69,144,014 (47.9%)
Total: $144,216,468 (Worldwide)