Film Review: The Exorcist (1973)
This Tale of Demonic Possession Is Still The Greatest Horror Film
Feb 11, 2009
is a film of unparalleled exception in the realm of horror. It treats its fascinating subject matter with a discerning intellectual curiosity and sincere respect, never slipping down the path of cheap horror; never going for the easy scare and consistently taking its time to expertly tell a gripping, terrifying tale.
1973 Classic, The Exorcist Still Has Dominion Over The Horror Genre
The story of The Exorcist involves a young girl, Regan (Linda Blair), who becomes increasing bizarre in her behavior and disposition, eventually causing her mother, Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), an actress working on a film and living in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C., to seek help. At first she first seeks help from the medical field, but as Regan’s behavior grows more serious and other events become increasingly disconcerting (Regan’s bed shaking violently for no apparent reason, for example), the evermore distraught Chris turns to more unorthodox sources of help. She approaches the local diocese and seeks the help of Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller). When Father Karras witnesses the horrific condition of young Regan, her trauma is asserted to be possession and, with the help of an experienced priest, Karras and Father Merrin (Max Von Sydow), make preparations to perform a little known and mostly unspoken of act; an exorcism.
Possession and Exorcism Proved Fertile Horror Material for Unprepared Audiences
The Exorcist explores provocative ideas, from faith, doubt, the nature of evil and the concept of demonic possession by. When the film was released back in 1973, the concept of exorcism was little known and the terror of possession had never been explored with such clinical precision and such demanding and unfiltered rawness. Possession proved to be absolutely terrifying, particularly to those of faith, and remains perhaps the most consciously chilling of any horror concept.
Performances throughout are exceptional, with the 12-year-old Linda Blair portraying the possessed Regan with an unfaltering believability and unsettling realism that it is unendingly notorious. Ellen Burstyn as the distressed mother exudes motherly concern and a frightened protectiveness that she literally serves as the onscreen expression of the audiences fear and the vessel through it experiences the nightmare world she and her daughter find themselves in.
In his first starring role, Jason Miller as Father Karras, a man whose faith is in doubt when he begins the startling journey, is wonderful. His performance is mostly understated and pragmatic, facing the violent and grotesque possession with earnestness and muted astonishment. Finally, Max Von Sydow’s sober and somber Father Merrin is faultless. He is entirely credible as a priest who has witness unprecedented evil in his day and becomes a hero of sorts as the tension rises and intensity increases.
Oscar Winning Script by William Peter Blatty Helps Create The Greatest Horror Film Ever
The film was written by William Peter Blatty, who won an Oscar for his brilliant script, and was directed by William Friedkin. Combined, they create more of an examination of demonic possession than a traditional story. Friedkin patiently tells this tale, slowly drawing the audience in with a procedural examination of Regan’s ills and the lives of those who will come together to face the unspeakable evil invading young the young girl. As the film progresses, the experience becomes evermore engrossing and Friedkin provides shock and maintains the tension at such a palpable and determined height that those watching must remind themselves to breathe.
The Exorcist has scared people silly for decades, terrifying movie goers upon its initial release and serving to petrify the world since. The iconic image of the priest standing atop the famous Georgetown steps, beneath the stark streetlight as a light mist drifts by, conjures the gravity of the film’s topic and serves a great enticement to those seeking not only a frightening movie experience, but also a first class film.
