Yes, this psychological, shock horror classic did not end up on the AFI list of 100 Greatest American movies - instead, the best they could come up with was the original 1931 classic Frankenstein, ignoring the superior Bride of Frankenstein. Despite the lack of status on the AFI, there are several good reasons to celebrate The Exorcist (recently restored to a longer cut thanks to Friedkin and Blatty). "The Exorcist" is, gasp, a thinking man's horror film - a deeply spiritual film about faith. It is also the only horror film of this century to have convinced an exclusive number of people that the Devil exists. "She doesn't say she's a demon. She says she is the Devil himself. Now if you know as many psychotics as I do, you know it is the same thing as saying you are Napoleon Bonaparte," as Father Karras (Jason Miller) declares of his confrontation with Regan (played, of course, by Linda Blair) to Chris MacNeil. Now more popular than ever thanks to its re-release in theatres in 2000, "The Exorcist" is a reminder of what horror was and what horror should be - a terrifying look at the human condition and what faith is today in our modern world when confronted with evil.
"The Exorcist" is not what you expect each time you see it. It's not that I find multiple meanings in this film with each viewing or that I am astounded by some of the surprises in it, but I am always riveted by the experience. One notable example: I am more surprised by the exorcism sequence in particular - they have the power to frighten each time I see them. The levitating bed, the subliminal fast cuts of a demon in white face, the way that Jason Miller and Max von Sydow circle Regan's bedroom while she spews obscenities galore and vomits and rotates her bed 180 degrees, not to mention the tantalizing shot of Regan sitting up on her bed and reaching for the superimposed shot of the demon statue of Pazuzu, etc. There is genuine tension and terrific horror imagery throughout this amazing sequence.
The performances still rank among the best in contemporary horror: Wes Craven, take note. Ellen Burstyn's fits of rage as Chris MacNeil and Regan's physical and psychological abuse towards her have become the actress's trademark ever since. What is more impressive are Burstyn's quiet scenes, particularly with a youthful, pretty Linda Blair, and I like how they cavort in the bedroom about the men in Chris's life, or when they play in the basement with the Ouija board. I think Linda Blair is quite underrated in this movie (despite her controversial Best Supporting Actress nomination): she undergoes a thrilling, painful transformation from pubescent little girl with rosy cheeks to a raging, raving maniac with green eyes and a disgustingly long tongue - interestingly, she is not that different from the way Burstyn acts in her manic episodes. What helps Blair's performance is naturally Mercedes McCambridge's gargling, deep, multilayered voice, but Blair's facial expressions that run the gamut from happy, innocent and confused to angry, pathetic and fearsome is clearly a bona fide work of acting. Kudos must also go to the late Lee J. Cobb as the private detective, Lt. Kinderman, who has seen everything (and is a film buff) but nothing like the desecration at the church or the bizarre killing in front of the Exorcist steps (an ominous image in itself). And it is always a profound pleasure to see Max von Sydow, treading on Ingmar Bergman's religious God-fearing waters, in his role of the sickly 70-year-old Father Merrin who's performed exorcisms before.
A final note is the hard-edged performance by Jason Miller as Karras, the psychiatric Jesuit priest who questions his own faith (or lack of it) and feels responsible for the death of his own mother (this was Miller's debut on screen and thus received his first and only Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor). Karras is a torn man with doubts that are wiped away once he confronts the Devil. The scene where he visits Regan and records her growling voice while speaking to each other in Latin is probably the only humorously eerie scene in the entire movie. "The Exorcist" would not have endured for this long had it not been for William Friedkin's realistic direction and his acute sense of time and place. The cinematography by Owen Roizman is superbly realized, employing effective use of both the light and the dark. The best examples are the opening Iraq sequence (shot by Billy Williams), taking place in mostly sunlit digging areas, and the justifiably famous shot of a silhouetted Father Merrin standing outside of Regan's bedroom where a shaft of light and fog illuminates the scene. And you can savor the documentary-like scenes where Regan undergoes a spinal tap and several excruciating medical tests from doctors. Some people find these passages are as freaky and disturbing as anything else that happens afterward.
The documentary, known as The Fear of God, is available on the 25th Anniversary video/DVD edition of "The Exorcist" (the DVD version has the complete 75-minute version). It is an enlightening, informative documentary hosted by Mark Kermode, and it focuses on the various accidents, deaths and mysteries surrounding the making of the film. Most revealing are William Friedkin's tactics in getting his actors to react honestly or emote properly by firing a gun into the air - a tactic shared by Roman Polanski. I also liked some of the scenes cut from the original version, including the infamous "Spider-Walk" where Regan walks on all fours and wiggles her tongue like a serpent at the nanny's legs after Chris learns of Burke Dennings's death. There is also a final scene between Father Dyer (Reverend William O'Malley) and Kinderman after Chris and Regan leave from the dreaded Georgetown house. It may be easy for people to laugh at "The Exorcist" now since there have been several unwarranted rip-offs (excepting The Omen), sequels and parodies. Still, the film continues to be compelling, powerful, scary, haunting and shocking (the masturbation with the crucifix is still tough to watch). The difference between "The Exorcist" and most horror films'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">horror films of late is that the former takes itself seriously, and that is part of its emotional power. It's the seminal, supernatural horror film of the century, unsurpassed in its ugly vision of the genuine force of evil in today's world.
EXORCIST FACTS AND TRIVIA
There are so many subtleties and clues in "The Exorcist" that they are easy to miss and/or dismiss. I am surprised at the number of "E" sites I've looked at that have not picked up on the importance of such minute details. Although the film may not have the understatement of Rosemary's Baby, it still manages to be just as implicit in its mysteries about faith and belief in the forces of good and evil. Firstly, let's correct some misconceptions and unsubstantial rumors regarding specific shots in the film:
It has been assumed that an actress (Eileen Dietz) was used as Linda's double for the vomitting scene, and that is only partially true. Just after Father Karras (Jason Miller) asks Regan about his mother's name, a stream of green vomit splashes on his face (originally it was to have hit his jacket only but it missed). The very first shot of Regan is a medium shot of her strapped to her bed, and it is clearly Linda Blair vomitting (look at it in slow-motion if you don't believe me). The next shot is of Karras being hit, and following that shot we see a shadowy, darkly lit shot of Eileen spewing what's left out of her mouth. How repulsive! The White-Faced Demon: Pazuzu There are three half-second shots of a demon in white face in "The Exorcist." These shots are called subliminal cuts - one of the greatest, most powerful tools of cinematic expression since Eisenstein's montage editing system. The first subliminal shot occurs during Karras's dream where he sees his mother crying by a subway station. He runs towards her. We see quick shots of his mother in a dark room, a grandfather clock'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">grandfather clock, and a cross or necklace of some kind falling in slow-motion (later identified as the St. Joseph's medal). In between these shots, we see a single-frame shot of a white-faced demon with red eyes staring down at the screen looking frighteningly gaunt and skeletal-like. The next two shots of the demon are during the exorcism sequence: there is another single-frame shot while Regan is writhing in bed and the lights are flashing on and off. The last shot of the demon is in a famous, intensely ugly close-up of Regan staring right at Karras. We see Regan's face and a superimposition of the demon's right eye and part of its mouth.
There has been some talk about who actually plays the white-faced demon. The Internet Movie Database and Mark Kermode's invaluable book on the film mention Eileen Dietz as the demon. Some have actually suggested that Jason Miller plays the demon and, although it is an unfounded rumor, it does draw an interesting parallel. One can infer that if the demon is Karras's death mask, it would inevitably lead to his final jump to the death at the bottom of the Exorcist stairs. Nevertheless, according to Kermode's book, director William Friedkin said that make-up'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">make-up effects of the demon were tested...and he decided it was best to use flashes (subliminal cuts) of the demon since they would not work as separate whole scenes for the film during the exorcism. Although this throws my Karras theory out the window, I still think it is a good one.
There are moments in "The Exorcist" that are so strange and mystical, both aurally and visually, that it is indeed one of the most aesthetically beautiful films ever made. The one famous image, used in the advertising of the film, is of a silhouetted Father Merrin standing by the MacNeil house where a shaft of light bursts through Regan's window. Below are other fascinating examples of image and sound:
1.) The slingshot sound effect is first heard when Chris MacNeil walks up to the attic thinking there are rats in there. The second time she hears them, she enters the attic only to discover that her servant Karl is there and tells her, "See. No rats." The next time we hear the slingshot sound effect is just after Chris's meeting with Lt. Kinderman. She hears the sound followed by Regan's cries for help with the demon yelling at her: You bitch! As Chris races to help Regan, she's horrified to find Regan masturbating with a bloody crucifix. As Chris tries to snatch the crucifix, she is hit in the face and falls on the floor. When Chris looks back, she sees Regan rotating her head and screaming at her with a British accent that mimics Burke Dennings, Chris's director: Do you know what she did? Your c*&*%#@ daughter!"
This scene is significant on many levels: it cleverly builds the horror subliminally from the onset, and serves as a turning point n Chris's character. She first discovers that Regan is exhibiting a split personality, though no brain lesions are to be found. Then she gets more bad news that her director and close friend Burke is dead (originally followed by the Spider-Walk scene), followed by finding her daughter masturbating and bringing up the memory of Burke, resulting in her desperate consultation with Karras to perform an exorcism.
2.) Kinderman discovers a piece of clay at the bottom of the long Exorcist steps. This piece of clay seems to come from Regan since he later discovers other pieces of clay in Chris's house. The manner in which the Lieutenant brushes the dirt off of the clay piece is similar to Merrin's discovery of a sculptured head piece of Pazuzu covered in dirt.
3.) Father Damien Karras, one of the most important characters in "The Exorcist", undergoes quite a few changes in the film. At the beginning of the film, he seems to be a man losing his faith in God and in his own life, particularly with the declining health of his mother. When he first confronts Regan, she says to him offscreen, "Can you help an old altar boy, faddah?". Karras recollects that this was the same voice of a homeless person he ignored in the subway when he went to visit his mother. Regan also verbally attacks Karras about his mother's death on many occasions. She tells him that his mother's soul is within her, and thus pretends to be his mother by mimicking her Greek accent. At one point during the exorcism, Regan yells to Karras: "You killed your mother! You left her alone to die! She'll never forgive you, you bastard!" All of these moments serve to underlie Karras's lack of faith in himself and in others, especially when dealing with his inability to help the mentally ill or the homeless. When he tells Tom, another priest, that he's losing his faith, there's a quick transitional cut to the MacNeil house where the wind blows the leaves off the ground.
4.) When Chris tearfully tells Karras that her daughter is possessed and needs an exorcist, we hear young girls and boys playing in a nearby playground. This is an indication that Chris wants things to go back to normal - after all the youthful, sweetly innocent Regan should be out there playing with the kids as well.
5.) Ellen Burstyn undergoes several emotionally traumatic moments as the tormented Chris - it must have been pure hell to be in such an emotional state for nine months of production. My favorite moment is one that is easy to miss: when Kinderman visits the house, Chris asks him if he would like some more coffee. As she approaches the kitchen, she tries to maintain her composure while the lieutenant peruses Regan's clay objects and her painted pictures. Another moment is her horrified look when Regan yells and makes obscene gestures at the doctors.
6.) Regan's demonic giggle when Karras tries to bring back Father Merrin is heard briefly on the soundtrack of "The Exorcist III" when Kinderman is at a church and hears the wind blowing.
7.) St. Joseph's medal is the medal first seen in Iraq where Merrin peers over it and says, "This is strange." Later it is seen in Karras's dream. Then it is found around Karras's neck while attempting to force the demonic spirit out of Regan. Regan manages to remove it from his neck. By the end of the film, it is found in Sharon, the nanny's hands (played by Kitty Winn), where she gives it to Chris who then hands it back to Father Dyer as if in remembrance of Father Karras. If you have seen the new version, Dyer hands it back to her. Exactly what the significance of the medal is remains a mystery - it is a detail not to be found in the book. As Friedkin mentioned in his commentary on the film, it is a cinematic device, a sort of magic talisman and finally the thread between the Iraq scenes and the Georgetown scenes.
IN MEMORIAM: JASON MILLER 1939-2001 - the one and only Father Karras passed away May 16th of a heart attack. He is best known for writing the play THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON. He will be missed.
IN MEMORIAM: MERCEDES MCCAMBRIDGE 1918-2004 - a stupendous actress who supplied the gargling, multilayered voices of the demon in THE EXORCIST died on March 2, 2004 of natural causes. Won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for ALL THE KING'S MEN (1949)
Review of Exorcist: The Beginning (Renny Harlin's disastrous prequel)
Check out my review of the Director's Cut
EXORCIST TRIBUTE and with great pictures, too!
TAXI DRIVER VS. BRINGING OUT THE DEAD