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The 70s and 80s were a simpler time and the threat of falling foul of the occult seemed far more real than it does today. People had a genuine fear of the devil and his drugged up, murderous bohemian followers that led clandestine lives full of dark rituals and perversions. It was in this fertile atmosphere that many classic occult themed horror films were made, playing on this pervasive fear of evil lurking within the mundane. Only one of them still stands as controversial in today's jaded cinematic climate, and has garnered the reputation as "the scariest movie of all time".
The screenplay of The Exorcist (written by author William Peter Blatty, who had penned the novel two years earlier) was bounced around a number of directors, many of whom objected to the film's controversial content as well as the practicalities of making a film centered on a child's performance in a demanding role. The studio finally settled upon William Friedkin, who had previously directed Oscar winning crime drama The French Connection (1971), famed for its gritty and violent portrayal of the war on drugs.
When The Exorcist was released it received mixed reviews, but was the second highest earner at the box office in 1974 and was nominated for 10 Oscars, but only won two: for sound design and best adapted screenplay. It also won four Golden Globes and has gone on to be one of the best selling horror movies of all time on DVD and video, despite several bans in parts of the world.
To see just what a mighty force The Exorcist is in the world of horror and public imagination in general, you only need to compare it to current horror films that are considered daring and controversial. A decade from now, who will be talking about Hostel or Saw, and how they impacted on the cultural landscape? The Exorcist excels in so many areas, combining a fantastic script, brilliant acting, grotesque visuals and cutting edge soundtrack to create something truly special – a niche horror film with a pulp plot that stands shoulder to shoulder with the best films of all time, admired by cinema buffs and horror fans alike.
Much of The Exorcist's dramatic pull comes from the performances of Ellen Burstyn (as film actress, Chris MacNeil) and Linda Blair (as her daughter, Regan MacNeil). Their relationship at the start of the film is strained - Chris has been filming for months away from home and has Regan with her after a messy divorce. Her painfully real performance is one of a mother desperately trying to cope, knowing her daughter may be dangerously ill with an unknown condition. As things go from bad to indescribably bad, we are treated to a tangible descent into her distress. The scene in which she breaks down while asking local priest, Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), for help with an exorcism is desperation at its most raw.
The movie slowly creates tension by easing slowly into the horror – by the time the supernatural elements are revealed there has already been a massive build up of tension and Friedkin deliberately spaces out the outlandish scenes for maximum shock effect.
The effects themselves are striking and most haven't dated badly, despite continuous spoofing in comedies from The Simpsons to Scary Movie (2000). Friedkin went to great lengths to get the eerie atmosphere just right, building the set of Regan's room inside a cold storage unit to show the actor's breaths and having both Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair attached to harnesses to jerk them around during certain scenes, causing massive bruising and Burstyn a permanent back injury.
As Regan's possession progresses, both Chris and Father Karras try to deny what they are seeing as irrational and impossible. The performance of Linda Blair is amazing for such a young actress (she was 14 at the time of filming), and this portrayal of innocence rotting from within is the film's central focus.
Regan's rapid change into a grotesque caricature of herself is not only a metaphor for terminal disease and mental illness, but also makes the horror easier to understand than in many other 'devil child' films, where the child is born evil and is essentially an out and out villain. Regan is the prime victim here, and any attempted cure will very possibly hurt or kill her.
Considering Linda Blair's youth, it's no wonder the possession scenes are so controversial, even though the demon Pazuzu was voiced by a different actress. It is impossible not to be shocked by this young girl masturbating with a bloody crucifix repeatedly screaming "Let Jesus f*** you!" at her mother and Father Karras. Like a cat playing with a dying mouse, the demon brutally abuses Regan to cause despair to those around her, and by extension, the audience, as they helplessly watch her suffer.
As the torment becomes more extreme and Pazuzu starts to physically manifest, it becomes clear that it's not some scheming villain with an ulterior motive, but a base thing whose sole purpose is evil. During the exorcism, the dialogue has the tension of a twisted legal drama, punctured by grotesque outbursts and animalistic moans. The voice of Pazuzu is often multi-tracked, slowed down or even reversed, giving it an otherworldly quality that helped earn the film one of its two Oscars.
In the end it's a battle of wills, not weapons or crazy stunts, that gives us the thrilling showdown between the demon and the two priests. The film ends on a note of redemption for Father Karras, whose recently deceased mother provides a handy target for the demon to latch onto when it is trying to drive him over the edge.
William Friedkin apparently rejected a few proposed lighter endings, which would've spelled out the obvious and given the whole film a more sentimental twist, instead demanding the melancholy conclusion that sees exhausted people emerging scarred from a great trauma.
I was lucky enough to catch The Exorcist on the big screen during the cinematic release of the remastered version, and it's still one of the most nail-biting films I've ever seen. The characters are so fully realised that you can't help but feel for the terrible situation the MacNeils find themselves in, as well as the personal turmoil that plagues Father Karras as he stoically battles a being he can scarcely believe exists.
Replace the supernatural with the psychological and The Exorcist would still be an award winning drama for its emotional immediacy and fine acting. As it stands, you would be hard pressed to find a movie that communicates terror so effectively, touching on uncertainty of everyday life and making superstition so utterly believable.
The Exorcist is certainly one of my favourite films of all time, and one of the best horror films ever made, if not the best. For sheer quality and inventiveness it stands up favourably against any current shockers, while maintaining a class rarely seen in the genre. It has become such a cornerstone of our collective awareness and has been spoofed so many times that a lot of people think of it as some toothless old Hammer production devoid of anything even remotely evil. I'd suggest they find a copy, turn out the lights and hit play – and prepare to have their nerves shredded in the best possible way.
Quotes:
Dr. Barringer, Clinic Director: [looking at Regan on the monitor screen] It looks like a type of disorder that you rarely ever see anymore, except in primitive cultures. We call it a somnambuliform possession.
Dr. Barringer: [Regan has welts on her face and is screaming] Quite frankly, we don't know much about it except that it starts with some conflict or guilt that eventually leads to the patient's delusion that his body's been invaded by an alien intelligence; a spirit if you will.
Chris MacNeil: Look, I'm telling you again and you'd better believe it, I'm not about to put her in a goddamn asylum! And I don't care what you call it! I'm not putting her away!
Male Doctor: Do you have any religious beliefs?
Chris MacNeil: No.
Female Doctor: What about your daughter?
Chris MacNeil: No, why?
Dr. Barringer: Have you ever heard of exorcism?
Dr. Barringer: [Chris looks at him baffled] It's a stylised ritual in which rabbis or priests try to drive out the so-called invading spirit. It's pretty much discarded these days, except by the Catholics who keep it in the closet as a sort of embarrassment. It has worked, in fact, although not for the reason they think, of course. It was purely the force of suggestion. The victim's belief in possession helped cause it; and just in the same way this belief in the power of exorcism can make it disappear.
Chris MacNeil: You're telling me that, I should take my daughter to a witch doctor? Is that it?
[at Regan's bedside]
Father Merrin: I cast you out! Unclean Spirt!
Pazuzu: Shove it up your ass, you faggot!
Pazuzu: What an excellent day for an exorcism.
Father Damien Karras: You would like that?
Pazuzu: Intensely.
Father Damien Karras: But wouldn't that drive you out of Regan?
Pazuzu: It would bring us together.
Father Damien Karras: You and Regan?
Pazuzu: You and us.
Pazuzu: Your mother sucks cocks in Hell, Karras, you faithless slime.
