Exorcist II: The Heretic

Oh, Father.

Father Merrin, in the valley of the shadow of death...

be at my side.

Why me?

I heal the sick.

Why me?

Okay, 8:00 tomorrow.

Debbie.

Debbie, can you hear it?

No?

I'll turn it up.

Debbie, Debbie.

You can hear it?

Debbie. Debbie.

Debbie.

Mother's late. She's never on time.

- Hi. - Hi, Regan! You're right on time.

- For once. - Yeah.

- Hi. - Hi.

What's happening?

Not much.

- Any dreams? - No dreams.

Okay.

- Look, I'm just wasting your time. - Why do you say that?

- Well, you know why I come here. - Well, you tell me.

- To make my mom feel better. - Explain that, would you?

- She feels guilty. - Why?

Divorce, her career...

away all the time.

Regan? Why don't you tell me the truth? Don't you trust me?

But I do. I do.

You keep saying you don't remember that time in Washington.

I don't know if I believe you.

I remember being very sick and having nightmares, and that's all.

Those bad dreams are still inside you.

There's nothing wrong with me.

Regan? Regan? I want to show you something.

You see this? This is a machine we can use together.

It can put us in a state of hypnosis. You'd be very relaxed and comfortable.

And then we could look at those bad dreams together and understand them.

And dissolve them. You wouldn't be alone, Regan.

- How do you feel about that? - I don't think you're ready for it.

What does that mean?

You're the doctor. You explain it.

Follow me, please.

Cardinal Jaros, may I present Father Philip Lamont, Society of Jesus?

Would you care to explain your refusal to accept this task?

I should be relieved from all pastoral responsibilities. I'm not worthy.

Father, I have not asked you to perform another exorcism.

I simply requested that you investigate the death of Father Merrin.

You have performed exorcisms. You knew Father Merrin.

Furthermore, you were exposed to his teachings.

I cannot think of anyone more qualified for this assignment.

Philip, it's so good to see you.

Merrin's, uh, reputation is in jeopardy. His writings have been impounded.

I'm not surprised. No one in the church wants to hear about the devil.

Satan has become an embarrassment to our progressive views.

Merrin was rather more extreme, I'm afraid.

He argued that the power of evil threatens to overthrow God himself.

So they found a heresy to nail him to.

Well, uh, many of the theological college believe that...

he died at the hands of the devil...

during that, uh, American exorcism.

Some, and they are close to the pontiff, go so far as to suggest...

that he was a Satanist. At the end, I mean.

Perhaps Father Merrin took a path no one could follow.

But how he inspired us, Philip!

Here. Remember, Christ is hard to follow too.

We were young. Today, wherever I look, I see only evil.

God has fallen silent.

I cannot move to safeguard Merrin's testament...

until all the facts about his last exorcism are clearly known.

You will conduct the investigation.

You will act discreetly in all confidence, reporting to me alone.

But I'm not worthy!

You are a soldier of Christ. Make yourself worthy.

I want you to concentrate hard on the name of this color. All right?

- Gene Tuskin, Father. - Lamont, doctor.

Come on in.

- Liz, what does he want? - How would I know, Regan?

He's here about me, isn't he?

Why do you say that?

What about the coroner's report, the testimony? The file's that thick.

Yes, I know.

Unfortunately, it sheds very little light on Father Merrin's death.

I was hoping to question the girl.

- Why don't you sit down? - Thank you.

Regan suffered a severe trauma by that experience.

I think the exorcism made the problem worse.

You must know that three people died.

Regan's guilt was so great, she repressed everything.

I'm sorry, Father. I can't let you question her.

The shock of recall could result in self-punishment.

I couldn't rule out suicide.

You have a heavy responsibility: the care of her soul.

The care of her mind and her body is my responsibility, Father.

You realize what you're up against, don't you?

- What am I up against, Father? - Evil.

Mental illness. That's what we're up against here.

Or the casualties of a diseased society. Evil is not...

Evil is a spiritual being, alive and living.

Perverted and perverting, weaving its way into the very fabric of life.

- Sorry to disturb you. - What is it?

I've changed my mind. I'd like to try that machine after all.

- Fine. - Could we try it now?

I'm sorry. I won't intrude any longer.

It's okay, Father. You can stay if you'd like.

Uh, Regan, this is Father Lamont. Regan MacNeil.

- Hello. - How do you do?

Well, we can do it tomorrow then, Regan. Okay?

Father, maybe you can help me.

- All right, Regan? - Good.

Experiments show that thought can transmit across distances.

- Here he is, causing a spoon to bend. - Sharon.

- Not on a stage... - Look, I can do it.

...but under laboratory controls and observed by skeptical scientists.

- It's easy. - Good God, Regan.

...they seem to defy natural laws. How can that be?

Oh, look, you fool. You believe everything!

Oh, wait, wait.

...but is merely an illusion: a projection of the mind.

These are EEG biofeedback electrodes. They pick up any brain frequency.

They're integrated with these strobes...

to bring two altered states into synchronization.

- Are you ready, Regan? - Yes.

We're going to do this just the way I showed you.

Now, I want you to relax your arms.

Now, I want you to concentrate on the strobe light.

Deeply, relax.

Just let yourself go and look at the light.

Now, I want you to relax and make your tone go deeper.

Listen to your tone.

Deeper.

Deeper, Regan.

Can you hear me, Regan?

Yes.

When you hear the alarm buzzer, you will wake up and feel fine...

but you will remember nothing that happened. Do you understand?

Yes.

Very good. Now, do you remember your room in Washington?

Yes.

- Can you see your room? - No.

Then I want you to go deeper.

Go deeper into your memory until you can see your room.

Make your tone go deeper, and you will see it.

Deeper.

Deeper, Regan. Deeper.

Can you see it now?

Yes.

I want to come down and be with you. Do you remember how to help me?

Yes.

Good. Bring me down to where you are.

You and I will obey the commands that Liz and Father Lamont give us.

Do you understand?

Yes.

I'm going to turn my light on now.

And you will help me bring my tone down to yours.

Can you hear me, Gene?

Yes.

Relax then.

And let yourself come down deeper and deeper...

to meet my tone.

Relax.

Deeper.

Good.

- Doctor, can you see Regan's room? - Yes.

Regan, do you remember the time Father Merrin came up to you?

Yes.

Regan, you will now respond to Father Lamont.

- Regan? - Yes?

That time in the room...

try and remember Father Merrin just before he died.

- We're alone. - Is his heart strong? Resolved?

He is praying.

- Is he in pain? - Yes.

- Is he casting out the unclean spirit? - He is praying.

And you, Regan. What are you doing?

Dr. Tuskin?

Gene?

Gene, wake up!

- What's wrong with Gene? - Her heart, it's fibrillating!

Put that on. You've gotta go back and find her right now.

I know where she is. Help me to find and reach her. Liz, put this on.

- Liz, help me to reach Dr. Tuskin. - All right, we'll try.

Relax deeply, watch the light.

That's good. Let yourself go down deeper.

Listen to your tone, and make it go deeper.

Deeper.

Deeper. Deeper.

Get thee hence!

She's mine, always.

No!

Always.

Always.

Father, please. Bring her back.

Father, can you hear me?

Father, please. Bring her back.

In God's name!

Tell Gene she will not remember.

Gene, you will not remember. Gene, you will not remember.