Come One, Come All to "The Exorcist Experience" in Iraq!
Capt. Nik Guran, who hails from a unit of the 101st Airborne Division stationed in Hatra, had been watching a DVD copy of the film when he suddenly realized"he was sitting at the location where director William Friedkin shot the opening sequence of his 1973 horror classic," reports New York Daily News columnist Denis Hamill.
Friedkin was contacted by the military and tells us that the"Army hatched this idea to turn the whole area into a tourist attraction and call it 'The Exorcist Experience'." Floodlights have already been installed to illuminate the sun temples where Friedkin filmed the scene in which Father Merrin (played by Max von Sydow) confronts the statue of Bazuzu, the Mesopotamian demon that possesses head-turning Linda Blair. It is an archaeological site that harks back to the time of Hammurabi and King Nebuchadnezzar, and Friedkin welcomes private contributions to create the theme park, which is"officially backed by the Pentagon," admission priced at $2 or $5 with a kabob lunch.
Well, thank goodness private contributions are being solicited, because the thought of yet another tax-wasting Halliburton scandal sends shivers up my silver-screen scared spine.
But why stop there? The tourist possibilities in Iraq are endless!!! Tourists can see the Sunni Triangle, where US troops face daily murderous attacks. Or maybe tourists can travel to the south of Iraq to find the home of Ayatollah Ali Sistani, who might lead the Shi'ites in a massive rebellion against U.S. forces. Or maybe tourists can actually go on a WMD-hunt, similar to the Easter-egg rolls and hunts that have traditionally taken place on the White House lawn. Oh wait: You actually have to have WMDs for"The WMD Experience," otherwise tourists might think they were deceived. At least"The Exorcist Experience" features 2,600 year-old temples that are easily located.