On P List of Movie Reviews

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The Possession of Joel Delaney (1972)

Rate: 2
Viewed: 2/09

2/09: Lacking any scare 'em moments, The Possession of Joel Delaney is a giant snoozefest.

The plot twist is predictable which can be seen coming a mile away. Don't give me the crap that this film came first before The Exorcist. There have been countless similar stories. Although the first half is trippy, not much works. The Spanish voodoo thing is the funniest.

I hate Shirley MacLaine. What the hell is she doing by wearing these snobbish outfits? At one point, she's dressed like Santa Claus' wife! I remember Perry King from The Lord's of Flatbush, playing a character who couldn't keep it in his pants for more than ten seconds. Making his motion picture debut here, he's downright terrible.

The controversial scene, which involves a boy stripping himself naked and a girl being forced to eat dog food, is unnecessary, adding nothing of value to the story. Worse is the ending which defies belief. There's no reason to kill Joel Delaney; only a simple gunshot in the leg will suffice. Several reviewers have remarked there's a subtle display of racism in terms of how the Puerto Ricans are portrayed. I must say it's a good point.

All in all, I would rather be possessed than watch The Possession of Joel Delaney again.

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