185. The Exorcist

The Exorcist (1973)

Director: William Friedkin

Starring: Ellen Burstyn

Jason Miller

Linda Blair

IMDb Rating: 8

My Rating: 9

"The power of Christ compels you."

The year was 1997 and I was living on an Air Force Base outside of Great Falls, Montana. At that time in my life, I was very active in my families' church. Although being fifteen, all I really wanted to do was give my parents hell. One evening I walked into the living room and pronounced to my father that I didn't believe in God and would no longer be attending church. He just smiled and said, "Okay." He then left the house for about thirty minutes and returned with a VHS copy of William Friedkin's The Exorcist. He made me watch it that evening. I was terrified to say the very least, but somehow managed to fall asleep. Around two o'clock in the morning, my father sneaked into my room and crawled under my bed. Then he proceeded to make it shake just as poor Linda Blair's did in the film. It is safe to say that I did not sleep a wink the rest of night, and was in church that very next Sunday. So I guess you could say that my belief in God exists today partly because of a demon possessed little girl and a father with a cruel sense of humor.

Movie actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is living in Washington D.C. with her daughter Regan (Linda Blair), while she works on her latest film. Things haven't been going so well for Chris. Her films script isn't to her liking and Regan's father is frustratingly absent. Added to these problems, Regan's behavior starts to change rapidly soon after moving in. At first her problems seem minor like some sort of depression, but it isn't long before she starts becoming violent. Doctors have not been able to explain any of Regan's behaviors including even a few supernatural occurrences. Chris not knowing where to turn talks to Father Karras (Jason Miller) about possibly performing an exorcism. At first he declines such an offer, but once he meets with Regan, he realizes that something must be done.

The Exorcist ranks on many lists as the essential horror classic. When it was first released in 1973, it shocked, terrified, and repulsed audiences. I would have to say for an almost forty year old film, it holds up quite well. The scenes of Regan's possession are just as iconic as they are scary. Much of the film's longevity can be credited to young Linda Blair. At the age of thirteen, she took on a role with subject matter that most actresses twice her age would turn away from even today. Blair's career never really took off, as most child stars seem not to. Although, her performance in The Exorcist will always be remembered for it's shocking content and mature approach to the role.

I have always really enjoyed The Exorcist. It provides a great story and was really the first film to use a child to scare the living daylights out of us. The only thing that I really dislike about this film is the cheap scare tactic they take when they cut the white demon face into random scenes of the picture. I have heard the director's defense in using it, but I still feel like it was out of place in an otherwise excellent picture. Overall, this film really thrives because of how serious it takes it self, which means that the typical "rules of scary movies" don't apply. If you have never seen this film, you owe it to yourself to do so... just don't plan on eating any split pea soup while doing so.