Above The Line presents: Screening 08. Mother! & The Exorcist at YES

Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor

Above The Line presents: Screening 08. Mother! & The Exorcist at YES, Manchester 31 March 2019 Entrance is free

Head to YES this month for the most anxiety-inducing Mother’s Day imaginable. The latest Above The Line double-bill screening pairs Darren Aronofsky’s bonkers, art-horror fable mother! with William Friedkin’s petrifying hall-of-famer, The Exorcist. It’s not standard Mothering Sunday fare, we’ll admit, but if mum’s got a strong stomach and a taste for video nasties, then this could be an outing to remember.

Aronofsky’s mother! prompted walkouts, moralising and a fair bit of flak on release in 2017. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as the young wife of Javier Bardem’s poet. Together they live in an idyllic country house where Bardem’s character is trying to write while Lawrence’s works hard on renovations. One day a man (Ed Harris) and a woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) arrive, beg to for a room and soon overstay their welcome. It’s a simple premise of fraught domesticity, but Aronofsky borrows from Biblical blueprints to build it into something grander as a quiet opening opens up into a horror of mobs, blood and relentless screaming. Somewhere within there is a climate change parable and a statement on the pains of artistic creation. It’s certainly overwrought, but undeniably effective stuff.

Now, mother! generated its fair share of op-ed finger wagging, but it’s got nothing on The Exorcist. William Friedkin’s 1973 adaptation of William Peter Blatty’s novel follows the demonic possession of 12-year-old Regan (Linda Blair) and famously features enough vulgarities and creative use of a crucifix to keep the film from a home video release in Britain until 1999. Frequently cited as one of the scariest films of all time, the story is loosely based upon the last known official Catholic exorcism in the United States. Fictionalising the tale, Blatty lowered the age and changed the sex of the child from a boy to a girl — decisions that almost certainly helped fuel the controversy. For his part, Friedkin created some of horror cinemas indelible images, including Blair scurrying down the stairs on all fours and that paranormal head twist.

Perfect preparation for the week ahead.

Above The Line presents: Screening 08. Mother! & The Exorcist at YES, Manchester 31 March 2019 Entrance is free

Where to go near Above The Line presents: Screening 08. Mother! & The Exorcist at YES

food and drink
Restaurant
Belzan

Belzan is a modern bistro serving delicious food in a relaxed and friendly setting, in an unexpected location.

food and drink
Restaurant
NORD

A Scandi-inspired restaurants that celebrates Northern hospitality, with a seasonal menu made from locally-sourced ingredients.

food and drink
Liverpool
Restaurant
Mahoe Blue

Mahoe Blue is a bar and bistro that serves authentic Jamaican food in a cosy venue in South Liverpool.

music 2
City Centre
Music venue
Rough Trade

The largest of Rough Trade stores, it’s record shop, event space and concert venue in the heart of Liverpool, complete with its own gift shop

exhibition
Wirral
Gallery
Hamilton Vault Studios

A disused bank vault now conceals a unique gallery space and filming location, championing local creatives and their vision.

exhibition
Wirral
Gallery
Lake Gallery

Lake Gallery is an artist-run space in West Kirby, showcasing fine art and contemporary craft in regularly changing exhibitions.

literature
Library
Birkenhead Central Library

Birkenhead Central Library provides books and resources, and welcomes everyone to their community hub in a stunning, historic location.

library
Shop
The Reader, Calderstones Park

The Reader brings people together through a shared love of literature and their home is in the beautiful Calderstones Park in Liverpool.

bar
City Centre
Brewery
Ye Cracke

Hidden in the Georgian Quarter, Ye Cracke is a historic Liverpool pub, known for being John Lennon’s local in his student days

record shop
City Centre
Shop
81 Renshaw

81 Renshaw is a record store in Liverpool city centre, selling new and second-hand vinyl from a location with a long musical history

shop
Lark Lane
Shop
Larks

Larks is a vintage clothing and gift emporium in a bright pink shop where you’ll find a bit of everything, sprinkled with glitter.

What's on: Cinema

A man lies in bed reading a book by lamplight.
Until
CinemaManchester
Best Films of 2024 at HOME

Featuring hidden gems, exciting debuts and some of the most talked about films of the year, HOME bring the best of 2024 back to the big screen.

from £7.95

Culture Guides

A man and a woman stood in front of a window at night look into each others' eyes
Cinema in the North

Hollywood greats and early bird film fest tickets are on our horizon as we head into the new year.

Music in the North

Warm, intimate storytelling is the thread connecting our new picks, which include a number of brilliant folk artists.

A sculpture of a dark brown dog looks to the right, hanging out of its middle and the back are what appears to be its insides (in cream) spilling out.
Exhibitions in the North

From genre-defying art film to vibrant embroidery and Surrealist sculpture, check out the best winter exhibitions to see right now.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

From contemporary dance to ballet classics, and cult rock ‘n’ roll musicals to new writing, our theatre guide spans the festive season and beyond.

Raver Tots at Escape to Freight Island
Family things to do in the North

As we move into festive season, Manchester and the North is packed with fun events and activities for families, both indoors and outdoors.