Apologies my dreary followers as I was unable to post a blog last night. I was detained by the Undertaker’s unwieldy demands to move another corpse.

Regardless now, I can sit and tell you briefly what I thought of the horror film The Rite. It is important to note that this film is based on a book, The Rite – The Making of a Modern Exorcist. Journalist Matt Baglio used the Reverend Jeffrey Grob’s dissertation about exorcism to shape the book.  Rev. Grob’s dissertation followed the true accounts of Rev. Gary Thomas.

Reviews for the film have been mixed. The best review I have read thus far is by Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times. The link to that review is directly below. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110126/REVIEWS/110129982/1023.

Overall, here are my dark musings on this movie. In the film, Father Michael is displeased, questions his faith, and the existence of evil. After being sent to take a course in Rome on exorcism events move him to a meeting with Father Lucas Trevant. Father Trevant’s procedures are viewed as unorthodox, but have proven results. We follow as Father Michael refuses to believe in evil, and in the devil. The movie does have some powerful exorcism scenes, as well as moments intended to make the audience flinch, and scream.

The accounts were realistic, which is why we at Burial Day Books feel that the reviews have been weak. The film lacks slasher gore, monsters crawling out of corners, or pools of blood. What the film does offer is that it is richly layered with questions, fear, and suspense. Does evil exist? Can evil exist within us? Does evil have the ability to overtake us drawing us to commit vicious acts of violence against others and ourselves?

Ultimately the film is an exorcist film, and that means that it is a film about the belief in Catholicism and Jesus Christ. Therefore, people who may question religion and question faith may dismiss the film as boring. We at Burial Day Books believe in the supernatural, believe in fear and believe that The Rite was a frightful little film.

Below is an article from the Chicago Sun-Times’ interview with Rev. Grob of Chicago.

http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/3521595-418/story.html

Fear evil. It exists in the world my friends.

-Gravedigger