Sympathy for the Devil

The Exorcist
1973
Director: William Friedkin
Warner Brothers

Some images are so shocking, so primal, that they burn themselves into your brain. This film, easily one of the ten best films of all time, horror or otherwise, contains several glances at such images. The twisted, grimacing black and white demon that pops onscreen for a fraction of a second at several moments, the infamous crucifix masturbation sequence, the horrifying ‘head twist”; each of these sequences have earned “The Exorcist” its reputation as one of the most disturbing and unsettling films in the horror canon.

The film tells the story of Regan McNeil and her mother, actress Chris, who are in Georgetown while Chris works on a film. Experiments with a Quija Board lead to mysterious rappings, then unexplained and bizarre behavior from Regan. Chris’ director dies mysteriously at the McNeil home while only Regan was there, and finally the girl begins to manifest a thick-voiced, amber-eyed presence capable of incredible and atrocious feats. Finally, the weary mother turns to a priest, the haunted Father Karras. Karras is having a crisis of faith, exacerbated by the loss of his mother. Faced with what seems like incontrovertible proof of the existence of the devil, Karras seeks, and is granted, permission to perform an exorcism, under the watchful eye of Father Merrin, who may have battled this demon before.

Friedkin shot the film in documentary style, his set-ups are never arty or contrived, so when the horror starts, it is unexpected and, well, horrifying. The cast is stellar, Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller, and Linda Blair all received Oscar nominations for their work. Burstyn is particularly effective, her realistic emotional responses grounding the enormous spiritual questions at the center of the film. Blair is also magnificent, helped in no small part by the demonic vocalizations of veteran actress Mercedes McCambridge. The script is exquisite, languid and beautifully paced. Watch “The Exorcist” to be reminded of how satisfying a slow build up can be. Writer William Peter Blatty, adapting his own equally exceptional novel, wisely plays it neutral, not taking a side on the faith vs. science debate, but still providing a satisfying story with real philosophical weight.

“The Exorcist” remains a litmus test, a way for horror fans to prove their mettle by sitting through it. Unfortunately, this has kept meeker eyes off the film, which is a shame, since it is one of the most extraordinary movies of all time, a film that shows you, rather than tells you, that opens the window to the horror, but points no fingers. It is a classic, and I still can’t watch it with the lights off.