Luke
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CibbuanoThe Exorcist
August 4th 2006 06:02
The Exorcist (1973)
Often billed as 'the scariest movie of all time' and now re-released as 'the version you've never seen', 'The Exorcist' was one of those classic 70s stylish horror films that I simply had to check out (like 'The Omen'). So I did. Check it out, I mean.
Now, 'scariest film of all time' is a lot to live up to, and I can pay that it might've been the scariest film of it's time, but I don't think the ‘all-time’ call can still be made today. It's atmospheric, sure, and it's certainly shocking and disturbing, but I wasn't really scared by it; it doesn't haunt me the way some films have and it didn't give me any sort of case of the willies.
Anyway, for those unaware of the premise (yes, I'm looking in the direction of about 0.0001% of the population), a little girl, Regan, gets possessed by the devil and must hence be exorcised (no, not exercised). There's little more to the film than that, most of it concerns Regan's gradual transformation into the living embodiment of evil and the encroaching helplessness of her mother as they exhausts all possibilities of who to turn to. Don't expect any explanations, because you won't get them. There are hints towards the origins of Regan's conditions but they are esoteric and subtle (and herein lies some of the beauty of the film).
Jason Miller gives a good performance as Father Damien Karras, the archetypal priest-in-doubt, and Max Von Sydow is hypnotic as the enigmatic Exorcist of the title (and appears all too briefly for someone who's name is shown so prominently on the cover). Ellen Burstyn is realistically panic-stricken as Regan's mother, and Linda Blair is adequate as the little girl in question (most of her demonic performance owes more to special effects and another actress' voice). The direction is beautiful; at once subtle and grand, with director William Friedkin relying more on visuals (including some frightening 'subliminal' images - which I'm told feature more in this new version of the film) than dialogue to tell the story.
It's safe to say that 'The Exorcist's reputation is justified, if a little hyperbolic. I can't say I've completely figured out the point of the lengthy opening sequence set in Iraq but I can say that it was a nice introduction to the mysteries of the 'demonic'. This isn't a fast film, and it takes it's time in building up, but this is part of it's appeal - lulling you before it shocks you.
HIGHLIGHTS: I can't really make comparisons between this re-release and the original version, but I did notice that the effects are pretty seamless. Having some knowledge of what Friedkin restored and added in, I can only wonder how confusing the film might have been on it's original release without all the extra footage.
TRIVIA: Won two Academy Awards (Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound), and was nominated for 8 more (Best Actress - Ellen Burstyn, Best Supporting Actor - Jason Miller, Best Supporting Actress - Linda Blair, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction and Best Film Editing). The Exorcist was banned in both Finland and England for a time.
Followed by two sequels, a prequel and a parody ('Repossessed').
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Really works well as both a thriller and as a drama. William Friedkin is so restrained, shame about his last few efforts.