The Exorcist has gained a very strong cult following since it's release in December of 1973, and justifably so. The film has been named the scariest movie ever made by many horror fans. While, I cannot agree on the fact that it may be the scariest, I can agree that it is by far one of the best.
The Exorcist is a story of possession on the surface, but the sub-plots are what really make this film memorable. Father Karras, an alcoholic priest, struggling with the death of his own mother begins work on the case of a possessed daughter of a movie star, while Father Merrin, fresh off the heels of a religious excavation around the city of Nineveh, agrees to perfom the exorcism with Father Karras.
The movie's terror is not most prominent in the scenes of Regan possessed by Pazuzu, but in the most subliminal and psychological asects of the film. Subliminal imagery is present in many scenes throughout the movie, such as Captain Howdy's face appearing as Regan is tested at the hospital Captain Howdy/Pazuzu's face appearing above the stove as the lights flicker, the face of the Pazuzu statue on Regan's door. The movie dives into the psychology of the human mind too, treating mourn in a realistic way, and even suggesting that mourn can cause a person of even the strongest faith to fall victim to it.
William Friedkin is a very talented filmmaker. The way Friedkin filmed the movie assisted in giving the film a longer staying power, as they film never appears to have any sort of distinct 70's. The choice of music is brilliant, as anyone who has seen this film could agree with.
If you've never seen The Exorcist, but are considering it, let me be the first one to recommend this film. It's not a sarcreligious film, it actually glamorizes Catholicism, something I can not back. If any horror deserved to be a classic, The Exorcist would be my number one on that list. Happy haunting! (Or possessing!)
-Ben South
3 comments:
Just realized I spelled William Freidkin's name wrong throughout. What a bummer!
Good eye dude, fixed. Good review too. I haven't seen this flick since it was re-released in theaters with that new footage. Will now re-watch because of the review for sure.
watched this movie for the first time in an empty house, in the dark. shit was awesome. like you said, the worst parts were the little flashes. that shit haunted me for a while. definitely my favorite mainstream horror movie, or perhaps one of the only mainstream/big hit horror movies i really like.
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