“The Exorcist” is widely considered one of the scariest movies of all time. The 1973 horror classic was directed by William Friedkin. It’s based off the 1971 William Peter Blatty novel of the same name. Though I had witnessed the host of iconic scenes on their own, I had never sat down and watched the film. One that was nominated for ten Academy Awards and winner of two. Would it live up to a nearly half-century long mystique?
The plot revolves around the demonic possession of a young girl. Fourteen-year-old Linda Blair plays Regan and, with what she is given, does a great job. Confined to a bed for the majority of the film, Regan and the makeup department transform the pleasant looking teen into a hideous ghoul. I’ll offer high praise in the character of Regan. The transformation itself is enough to make your skin crawl.
Ellen Burstyn plays Regan’s mother.
Burstyn is equally impressive with her performance. The situation is hopeless. Burstyn brings full emotions as a mother watching the horrific transformation of her daughter right before her eyes. She’ll do whatever it takes to save her child. Jason Miller plays a local priest who gets involved. Miller’s character is by far the most complex and interesting one in the film. He’s dealing with his own demons. His mother has recently died, and he himself is suffering nightmares as a result. The character also brokers the arrangement between Regan’s mother and the titular exorcist.
I did enjoy many of the more infamous scenes. Whether or not you’ve watched the movie, you know the head twist, the spider walk, the shaking bed. These moments are truly frightful and done quite well considering the lack of effects available at the time. However memorable these moments are, they aren’t devoid of (heavy) criticism.
There is a stark difference between scary and gross.
“The Shining” is scary. “Saw” is gross. The terrifying moments in “The Exorcist” are plagued by the inclusion of disgusting imagery that, while included to offer a sense of unease, are frankly just sickening. Regan urinating on the floor. A statue in a church bludgeoned in a sexual way. Spewing green vomit. Fondling oneself to the point of bleeding with a crucifix. Sorry, but these parts aren’t scary. They’re gruesome, and not in a good way. A film of lesser quality and stature would be admonished for such cheap thrills, and as should be the case with this one.
I also disliked the vulgar potty-mouthed demon. Super scary is a teenage girl twisting her head completely around. Not scary is the demonic voice using obscenities immediately thereafter. One part sees Regan being treated by doctors, who inject a large needle deep into her neck. The moment is chilling. But for some reason, Friedkin then includes a geyser of blood spraying out. It goes too far.
The movie runs slightly over two hours. The pacing is sluggish. The scenes are slow. I can accept that as par for the course. A movie in 1973 will never be as taut as one of today. Judge the outcome for yourself.
“The Exorcist” has the distinction of being the first horror movie nominated for Best Picture. I don’t care for the film. But I am glad I watched it. I would recommend it to anyone who fancies themselves a student of horror. Six months until Halloween!
“The Exorcist” is currently available to stream on Netflix
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