The Exorcist (1973)
Posted on September 1, 2007
Filed Under Classics, Creepy stuff, Movies, Nasties, The Occult
The Exorcist is that rare beast - a genre film that becomes a genuine cinematic and cultural touchpoint. A controversial phenomenon on its release - and banned in the UK until the late 90s - it achieves its unique power through William Friedkin’s deliberate, un-flashy direction and author / screenwriter William Peter Blatty’s absolutely rigid plotting and pacing.
A first time viewer might be surprised, given the film’s reputation, that the titular exorcism only really takes place in the last 20 minutes. But the demonic possession of the 12 year-old Regan McNeil is not so much the film’s raison-d’etre as it is the catalyst for three different plot strands which span the supernatural and the personal: actress Chris McNeil’s relationship with her daughter following her breakup with the child’s father; Father Merrin’s apparent awakening of a demon on an archaeological dig in Iraq; and Father Karras’ crisis of faith, compounded by the death of his mother. When Regan is possessed - and it’s only halfway through the film that we become aware that she is - the film is not just a display of overt, graphic horror; the possession has consequences for these very real people. The infamous displays of violence and abusive language are secondary to the fact that - for the audience - the fate of the child matters.
All this is helped by the absolutely pitch-perfect performances of the lead actors. Ellen Burstyn runs the full gamut between tenderness and hysteria in the role of Chris, and she is never less than convincing. Likewise, Jason Miller’s is immensely likeable and sympathetic as the conflicted Father Karras, and forms a good contrast with Max von Sydow’s legendary turn as Father Merrin. Von Sydow captures - perhaps more so than any other film I can think of - the essence of a man whose faith is so strong that it in turn strengthens him into a powerhouse whose presence and gravitas hulk over the latter part of the film.
At the heart of the film, though, is Linda Blair as Regan. Since the film, Blair has been tainted somewhat by dubious career moves and personal controversy, and it’s widely felt that she was robbed of an Oscar for her role here by Friedkin’s initial unwillingness to disclose that the voice of the demon was provided by Mercedes McCambridge rather than Blair herself. She is, though, astonishing in the part, showing a precocious range that is way beyond her years. Her chemistry with Burstyn in the film’s early scenes is immensely touching, meaning that her coldness in the earlier throes of her possession are actually more disturbing than the creature that she becomes. To see the ‘ideal daughter’ of the film’s opening masturbating with a crucifix and using obscene language is nothing less than horrifying.
Ultimately, The Exorcist succumbed to the fate of all great genre movies - franchising, foreign rip-offs, second-rate homages and special editions. At the centre of it, though, is this relatively simple, heartfelt and utterly devastating film, which over thirty years on has lost none of its ability to draw you into its world and shock you. Peerless, and highly recommended.
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