Documentary on John Boorman's 'The Heretic' Draws Criticism for Shallow Approach

David Kittredge’s documentary "Boorman and the Devil" attempts to explain the commercial disappointment of John Boorman’s 1977 film The Heretic, positioning it as a misunderstood work. Critics argue that the film leans on a panel of reviewers and actors, including Linda Blair and Joe Dante, without referencing the extensive research found in Barbara Pallenberg’s 1977 book The Making of Exorcist II: The Heretic. While Boorman is quoted as describing the movie as a fairy tale rather than a horror sequel, the documentary downplays his philosophical influences, such as Jesuit thinker Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and his critique of mainstream American filmmaking.

Pallenberg’s text highlights Boorman’s studio-based production choices intended to convey a poetic vision of spiritual regeneration, a nuance the documentary largely ignores. The result, according to critics, reflects a broader trend of contemporary audiences undervaluing artistic ambition in favor of surface-level analysis.