Front sleeve image of the theme from the motion picture The Exorcist. 45 RPM vinyl. 1974. Warner Brothers. Japan.

Max von Sydow

Oscar-nominated actor Max von Sydow died two days ago on 8 March 2020 at age 90, after notching up an incredible stage and screen presence spanning seven decades.

His numerous credits include The Seventh Seal (1957), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), The Exorcist (1973),  Flash Gordon (1980), Conan the Barbarian (1982), Never Say Never Again (1983), Dune (1984), Judge Dredd (1995), Shutter Island (2010), Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011), and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). He also appeared in the HBO series Game of Thrones as the character Three-Eyed Raven.

I like best his roles in The Seventh Seal, in which his character, a knight, plays chess with Death; and The Exorcist, in which his character, a priest, is trying to exorcise a demon from a young girl.

The foreboding image of Father Merrin standing outside the house of the possessed Regan MacNeil is a movie poster that still haunts today.

In recognition of this film, I present two unique items from my collection as tribute to Max von Sydow – a Japanese 1974 seven inch record of The Exorcist theme, and a Japanese chirashi poster for The Exorcist, Director’s Cut.

The Exorcist theme, vinyl record, Japan.

Theme from the motion picture The Exorcist. 45 RPM. 1974. Warner Brothers. Japan.

Theme from the motion picture The Exorcist. 45 RPM. 1974. Warner Brothers. Japan.

The Exorcist, Director’s Cut, Japan.

The Exorcist Director’s Cut. 2000. Japanese chirashi poster.

Max von Sydow. 1929 – 2020.