The Exorcist

My son bought us tickets to see The Exorcist in Clarksville, Tennessee last Sunday. The original movie was playing there. I saw it in 2000 when it was re-released and I was ready to watch it again on the big screen.

Seeing this on the big screen changes everything. William Friedkin, the director, managed to keep the dread atmosphere all the way through the movie and never let up. Friedkin worked on this film for the re-release and the colors pop out at you. He just passed away on August 7, 2023. If you get a chance to see it and this doesn’t upset you…do it. The book was written by William Peter Blatty.

At one time I considered this a horror movie but I’ve changed my mind about that. How can I put it in the same category as slasher movies or some of the stupid horror movies? This is a classic movie with horror elements and should be treated as such. Is it scary? Oh yes, it is…in fact, it’s the only movie to really scare and spook me but I would not belittle it by putting it in with some of those movies. That is not a knock on those other horror movies that have their place…but this one is playing in a different league. What makes it so effective is it feels so real. This is not set in Salem or ancient times but in modern times. A normal 12-year-old girl gets possessed…something that feels tangible.

A few years ago I wrote on the cultural impact of this movie. This time I just want to talk about the characters of the movie. It’s unbelievable how many other movies have stolen bits and pieces of this or the whole thing. A lot of copycat movies came out like The Omen (which is really good), Beyond The Door (a low-budget one that I liked), and more.

The characters in The Exorcist are all vital and necessary. There are no wasted moments in the film. I first saw it when I was around 15-16 on a VHS copy and for days I would look around corners. In 2000 I was an adult but it still got to me then. What impresses me about the movie are the characters. Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) and Father Lankester Merrin (Max Van Sydow) finally converge near the end of the movie.

The acting of Jason Miller who plays Father Karras is outstanding especially since this was his first role. Father Karras is a guilt-ridden man who is losing his faith. All of this plays a part in his transformation to help with the Exorcism. Miller was first a playwright and a good one and this started his acting career. Max Von Sydow was only 44 while playing an old Father Merrin and like Blair…if it wasn’t convincing the movie would not have worked.

Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) and Regan MacNeil play mother and daughter and are at the story’s center. Both do a great job and of course, Linda Blair was very convincing because if not…the movie would have died on the vine. Ellen Burstyn ties the movie together with her portrayal of Regan’s mom.

Another character who felt real was Father Dyer who was played by the real Father William O’Malley…he had the experience. Also, Lt William Kinderman (Lee J. Cobb) is super as the Police Detective. He is such a real sort of character that you have known some Kindermans in your life. You can see him softening people up to get information from them in a wise old man way.

It’s worth mentioning 90-year-old Vasiliki Maliaros who played Father Karras’ mother. It was her only acting role. William Friedkin saw her in a cafe and cast her.

No character is used too much or too little and its pacing is perfect. One of my favorite scenes of all time is in this movie. When Father Merrin pulls up in the taxi and walks in the fog with light coming from a street light and the house. You can take away a lot from the ending and it’s all subjective but for me, it’s good conquering evil…you may have a different thought.

The original trailer…it was ultimately banned by film executives over concerns it was too disturbing for audiences.

When I think of horror movies..this one tops the list. I don’t get scared easily and slasher films make me laugh more than anything. This film is different to me than other horror movies. It’s been copied with sometimes awful results.

I got to see this in a theater in 2000 on Halloween at the re-release of the director’s cut. It was an experience I’ll never forget. The place was full of teenagers who were scared even though they had seen more modern horror movies but this one still worked.

When it was released in 1973 it was a huge success. Lines wrapped around street corners waiting to get in to see this. It broke records across the nation in most theaters it opened. The Exorcist went on to gross $232.91 million (1.6 Billion adjusted to today) domestically. The Exorcist film has grossed over $441 million at the worldwide box office.

I remember firsthand how this was handled by theaters. My cousin was pregnant at the time this movie premiered in 1973 and they would not let her in to see the movie because they did not want to be liable.

People were fainting or becoming ill at almost every show. This movie has its place firmly in 70’s pop culture.

Stephen King: [The Exorcist] is a film about explosive social change, a finely honed focusing point for that entire youth explosion that took place in the late sixties and early seventies. It was a movie for all those parents who felt, in a kind of agony and terror, that they were losing their children and could not understand why or how it was happening.

Tag: The Exorcist

Culture Impact of The Exorcist…