The Exorcist (1973)
The movie that terrified a nation: William Friedkin’s take on Blatty’s novel tells the story of a little girl who begins acting strange and worries her mother. Her mother eventually seeks help from the Catholic church, who explain that she needs an exorcism if her soul is to be saved.
The Exorcist. You most likely heard whispers about the movie loooooooong before you knew it was a book. For many, it was the first taste of terror, glimpsed at from under a blanket or from behind the couch.
I was a bit late to the party on seeing this movie, not gonna lie. I saw this movie when I was about 13- long after I had already been rocking with the likes of Freddy, Jason, and those cute chicks from Evil Dead (okay, maybe they had a little bit too much makeup, but still). And honestly, I didn’t appreciate the movie much when I had initially seen it. I didn’t grow up catholic, so possession and demons just wasn’t my button. But I knew plenty of kids who watched it in the middle of the night under a blanket because their mom would have beat their ass if she knew they brought that devil shit into the house.
But having seen it many times since, I can truly appreciate the terror the movie created. The suspense. The unknown. The effects. It’s a movie that was well ahead of its time.
For those of you who have been living under a rock for the last forty years (or maybe just day dreaming about those Evil Dead girls), The Exorcist (1973) is the story of a little girl possessed by a demonic spirit, and the struggle of a mother to understand what exactly is happening to her daughter. After eventually calling upon a local priest at the suggestion of a friend, the priest begins his inquisition into the events surrounding the little girl- including the recent murder of a director near the house. Determining an exorcism might be warranted, he calls in the cavalry (in this case, a priest experienced in exorcisms)- and that’s when things really get cooking.
What I enjoyed about the movie- and bear with me on this one- is how it has aged. Having been made in 1973, I can’t think of one aspect of the movie off the top of my head that seems outdated or corny. Even some of the effects (re: green puke) hardly seem like something that could be improved upon if it were to be made today. None of the characters are over the top or stereotypical- they all are regular people dealing with an irregular situation. Father Karras, the priest who begins the investigation, is full of doubt regarding the situation. Though a man of faith, we as viewers see how uncertain he is of the little girl being possessed- it’s unheard of, FFS . As the movie progresses (and believe me, things progress quickly), you feel for each person- the worried mother, the doubtful priest, the solemn exorcist, even the possessed child. I can’t honestly say I would have reacted any different than any of the characters in the movie (though we horror fans might swear otherwise)- and I love that.
If I could ask for anything more of the movie, it would be this- I would have enjoyed seeing more of the detective and his investigation into related matters. Lieutenant Kinderman, played by Lee J. Cobb, was a very intelligent man- often playing the fool in order to get the information he needs. Cobb does a great job of balancing humor with intensity, and it is something I would have loved to see more of. Maybe a buddy cop movie, where he teams up with a local priest to fight crime?
A guy can dream I guess.
Rating: 666 spinning heads out of 10, because this is top tier when it comes to horror. Not too many movies can scare generations of people, so treat this one with some respeck’.
If you haven’t seen The Exorcist, grab a buddy, some big ass blankets, and some snacks (just hopefully nothing soupy or green-just a heads up), and watch this. After watching this, you might also want to check out the original The Amityville Horror (1979). A family moves into a home with a violent past, and it soon comes back to haunt them. The remake starring Ryan Reynolds is also pretty good in my opinion, though I know many people aren’t fans of it. If you need another classic horror movie to watch, be sure to check out Poltergeist (1982), another movie about a family who has strange things happen to them in their new home. (On a side notes, what the fuck was up with houses back in the day??? That’s why I stay living in apartments… definitely not because I’m broke…).
If you need some books to check out in the same vain, start off with The Exorcist by William Peter Blattey- the very book this movie was based off of. It has more details- always a good thing in my opinion. Blattey also wrote Legion, a sequel to the book that was also the basis of the third Exorcist film. It follows Kinderman (YEAHHH) as he investigates the ritualistic killings of the Gemini Killer, something that should not be possible- as the Gemini Killer has been killed years prior. You might also want to check out Stephen King’s IT, the story of a small group of children haunted- and hunted- by a demonic clown. It’s been adapted into two different movies now, and both are great- but only the book can do King justice.
What a wonderful day to read about an exorcism!
Until next time…
-M