Repossessed is a 1990 comedy film spoofing The Exorcist.
Seventeen years after Nancy Aglet's (Linda Blair) exorcism, she has settled down with her family and Father Jedediah Mayii (Leslie Nielsen) has peacefully retired. However, one night while watching TV with the family, Nancy begins to slowly be possessed by Satan again. The (inept) Father Luke Brophy (Anthony Starke) is called in to see it for himself, when Satan manifests himself once again. Along the way, naturally, hilarity ensues. Especially in the form of a Greedy Televangelist husband (Ned Beatty) and wife (Lana Schwab) who seek to televise Nancy's exorcism.
Has no direct relation to the 2008 novel of the same name, although it is also a comedy that involves demonic possession.
This film provides examples of:
- Adam Westing: Linda Blair manages to out-West Adam West.
- Affectionate Parody: Of The Exorcist. Including the possessed girl returning as self-parody.
- Also a small Emergency! one with Robert Fuller appearing as Dr. Hackett, a parody of his Dr. Brackett role.
- Analogy Backfire: In another part of Satan's humorous side:Satan: Silly weak fool, putting so much faith in a god you've never even seen before.
Father Luke: I don't need to see Him, for the Bible says that God created man in His own image.
Satan: Really? Then how do you explain Pee-Wee Herman? - Arbitrary Skepticism: At the end:Father Mayii: Yes?
Nerd student: No offense, but I think you're insulting our intelligence. Honestly, do you really expect us to swallow this bullshit?
(Father Mayii and Nancy vomit split pea soup all over him) - Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: "Father Luke was filled with many questions. Did he have what it took to be a priest? Should he have been a rabbi instead? After all, they do get Sundays off. And the question that nagged him the most: Why weren't there any Japanese players in the NBA?"
- Ask a Stupid Question...:Nerd student: Father Mayii?
Father Mayii: Yes?
Nerd student: Is it true that priests and nuns have orgies in the Vatican?
Father Mayii: (mad) What?!
(Nerd student looks embarrassed) - Bathroom Stall of Overheard Insults: More like a "TV of Overheard Insults":(Father Luke has just left after Father Mayii's Rousing Speech)
Newscaster: This just in. Renowned priest Father Jedediah Mayii has wormed his way out of yet another exorcism.
(Father Mayii hits the TV with his feather duster, causing debris to fall on the newscaster) - Breaking the Fourth Wall: Satan does it twice. The first time he does it to prove that he really is the devil. Then he does it again during the exorcism.Satan: Aw come on. You've got just as many unsavory types up here! From those Domino Pizza delivery boys (looks directly at the camera) to that idiot in the back row who won't shut up during the movie!
- Another one happens earlier, thanks to a helpful nun:
(the camera closes up on the office building where Father Luke is having his meeting; a nun sticks her head out the window)
Nun: Are you looking for Father Luke?
(the camera nods "yes")
Nun: Wrong window! He's four windows to your right!
(the camera moves in that direction) - Breast Expansion: Happens to a woman working out in the gym. At the end of the scene they blow up offscreen.
- Change the Uncomfortable Subject: With this exchange:Nerd student: Father Mayii?
Father Mayii: Yes?
Nerd student: Wasn't it hard to live with yourself after completely wimping out and allowing a wuss like Father Luke to go up against Satan all by himself? Didn't you feel like a piece of gutless, spineless primordial slime?
* Beat*
Father Mayii: Next question. - Chewing the Scenery: Nancy's kids seem to shout a lot.Father Mayii: I said they were lovely children. At this point they had not yet taken acting lessons.
- Closest Thing We Got:(Father Luke is confused as to why the reliquary has a plastic water bottle in it)
Father Mayii: Holy water. The church was closed and the only place that was still open was the 7-11. - Combat Commentator: Jesse Ventura and "Mean" Gene Okerlund appear as this for possessed Nancy's appearance on TV.
- Corrupt Church \ Only in It for the Money: As it turns out, Ernest and Fanny Weller are more interested in making money than spreading the good word.
- Curse Cut Short:Ernest Weller: Fu-Fu is a good dog.
(He reaches out to pet Fanny's dog, but it fiercely barks at him)
Ernest Weller: Why you little shi-!
(Audience gasps)
Ernest Weller: ...Tzu. Shih Tzu.
(Audience sighs with relief) - Demonic Possession
- Devil in Plain Sight: Quite literally.(The possessed Nancy is brought onto the stage for the televised exorcism)
Frieda: Geez, Mom looks terrible.
Braydon: Well they say TV does add 10 pounds to you. - Dirty Old Man: Father Mayii is often seen gazing at attractive women.
- Distracted by the Sexy: So much for adhering strictly to your vow of celibacy, eh, Father Mayii?
- Do Not Taunt Cthulhu: During the televised exorcism, a guest star asks Satan "If you're so tough, how come you possessed a woman? You get off on wearing ladies' clothing?" Satan promptly replies by spraying a vile-smelling gas right in his face, knocking him out cold.
- Dreadful Musician: During the televised exorcism, Fanny Weller's singing is so bad they end up losing pledge money.
- Exact Words:Father Mayii: (after tired of being Distracted by the Sexy) Young lady, would you pull down your dress?
Bimbo student: Sure! (pulls down her dress, thereby revealing her breasts)
Father Mayii: (gasps) Up! (looks away) Oooh! - Fanservice Extra: Twice used, by the "Bimbo Student" (played by future Playmate Melissa Moore) and some unnamed extras at the gym.
- Faux Horrific: Nancy says split pea soup will be one of the courses of their dinner, and then ominous music plays. Nancy looks around confusedly when that happens.
- Fruit Cart: During the chase scene on the studio lot. Comes complete with a sign reading "Traditional Fruit Stand".
- Gender Bender: Briefly inflicted on Father Mayaii when Satan turns him into a nun.Satan: So you're a hard man to kill. Maybe it would be easier if you were a woman, Sister Mayaii!
- Greedy Televangelist: Ernest and Fanny Weller, a husband and wife team spoofing the Bakers, are happily planning to televise the possessed Nancy Aglet's exorcism (whom Ernest doesn't even believe to be possessed). The couple are eager for the number of converts, and thus donations, the special will bring in for their church and even try to give Satan some tips on how to put on a better show for their audience. This all backfires when it turns out Satan was merely using them to get access to a massive television audience he could then possess via the airwaves.
- Groin Attack: While Father Luke and Mr Aglet are trying to rein in the Satan-possessed Nancy, she slams her fist onto her husband's groin (leading to a brief moment of Helium Speech in the next scene).
- Father Mayii also delivers a couple of these to Satan in an attempt to force him out of Nancy.
- Hoist by Their Own Petard: Father Mayii opens their rematch by vomiting all over the devil.
- I Always Wanted to Say That: Satan does a Barbara Walters imitation followed by that line.
- I'm Not a Doctor, but I Play One on TV: One of the doctors at the hospital is an actor, and when Nancy talks to him he says the trope name.
- I'm Going to Disney World!: Invoked when Satan makes his/her run for the satellite transmitter.Father Luke: Satan, stop! Where do you think you're going?
Satan: I'm going to Disney Land! - Intelligence Equals Isolation: Hinted at:Nerd student: Is it true that you've adhered strictly to your vow of celibacy?
Father Mayii: Why yes.
Nerd student: So do I.
Father Mayii: I'm not surprised. Mine was by choice. - Laughably Evil: Satan seems to switch between being the "King of All that is Evil" and an amusing source of celebrity gossip and political satire.
- Left the Background Music On: When Father Luke approaches the now fully possessed Nancy, eerie and ominous music begins to play. Then Luke turns off his voice recorder, and the music stops.
- Like an Old Married Couple: Humorously referenced:Satan: (very menacingly) MAYII!
Father Mayii: (to Father Luke) And they wonder why priests never get married. - Mass Hypnosis: Late in the film, Luke realizes that Satan wanted to make a TV spectacle out of the exorcism so he could possess everyone who was watching the broadcast.
- Mister Muffykins: Fanny's pink poodle, Foo-Foo, who his husband absolutely despises. Eventually he tricks him into jumping into a woodchipper.
- Multinational Team: With one TV camera, Father Luke manages to rally every religious leader in the world. Much to his own surprise, they don't waste any time in getting to the studio.
- My Greatest Failure: Spoofed:Nancy: What I'm about to show you, I swore to never show anyone. (hands Father Luke a piece of paper)
Father Luke: "High School Debating Champion"? - The Power of Rock: What finally drives the devil away.
- Punny Name: This happens to Father Mayii a couple of times:Father Luke (upon visiting): Father Mayii?
Father Mayii: Yes, you may.- And then:Satan (challenging Father Mayii to another showdown or he'll keep Nancy's soul): What do you say, Mayii?
Father Mayii: No! No, you may not!
- And then:
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Satan taunts Father Luke with one of these: "I know all about you, and why you really joined the Church. Oh sure, they have a great dental plan, but that wasn't why. You joined the church because you had no talents, no skills, you were totally untrainable, and your SAT score was under 400. So you had two choices: either working in the Church, or the U.S. Senate."
- Reference Overdosed: In a foreshadowing of what parody movies would become. For instance, at a certain point, Father Luke is introduced to Fathers Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
- Rock Me, Asmodeus!: Subverted.Possessed Nancy: I hate rock n' roll!
- Self-Parody: Linda Blair doing a comedic version of her most well-known role certainly counts.
- Silence, You Fool!: Said by Satan once.
- Split-Screen Phone Call: Parodied (inevitably). After Father Jedediah rings off, Nancy helpfully reaches across and replaces his receiver.
- Staircase Tumble: Father Mayii suffers an unfeasibly long one in the opening.
- Stern Nun: A nun hits Father Luke with a ruler as punishment for running in the hall.
- Take Me Instead: Parodied. Father Luke and then Father Mayii demand Satan to leave Nancy's and then Luke's body and offer their own in its place. They also switch clothes for some reason and grow breasts. Satan in Father Mayii's body then attacks Nancy and takes over her body again, so the switcheroo accomplished absolutely nothing.
- Torches and Pitchforks: No pitchforks, but at one point when Father Luke and the other religious leaders are chasing Satan through the TV studio, they suddenly have torches and hunting dogs.
- Training Montage: Father Mayii goes through one in preparation for his showdown with Satan (Which includes rapid cross-signing).
- Unishment: After reentering Nancy's body, Satan makes her say "Silence! One more word out of you little sacks of shit, and there'll be no more TV for you tonight!" Granted, Demonic Possession probably isn't something to take lightly, but if the worst punishment the Devil can dish out is no more TV for the rest of the night, count your lucky stars.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: When Father Luke comes over to visit Nancy, Braydon and the kids are playing a board game version of the Magic 8 Ball. Braydon asks it "Will Ted Kennedy ever become President?" The game piece then flies off the board and around the room, knocking some flowers off the wall and making a toy car drive off the mantelpiece and into the nearby aquarium. Braydon laughs and takes it as a "no."
- Verbed Title
- Visual Pun:
- "Warning: Do Not Back Up — Tire Damage." The instant the car backs up, tires drop down on it.
- "The word on the street is your ministry is history." And the words show up on the road right after the televangelists' limo drives by.
- Satan: What do I do with a couple of jackasses like you? Ah, that's right. Look! What's over there?
(Ernest and Fannie look to the right, whereupon Satan casts a spell that puts them in a Mexican donkey costume)
- Vomit Indiscretion Shot: Expected given it's an Exorcist parody. But used really often.
- What the Heck Is an Aglet?: The protagonist's children ask why their surname is Aglet.
- Your Mom: "Take a look at this picture of your mother in bed with Manuel Noriega!"
