I’m shocked I’ve never written about this movie before. I did review the sequel, Exorcist II: The Heretic, for Cinema Sentries. I would have sworn I reviewed Exorcist III, but I can’t find it anywhere. The Exorcist is often considered to be the greatest horror movie of all time. I’m not quite in that category, but it is certainly a great horror movie, filled with some incredible set pieces, practical effects, and performances. It is truly a terrifying film. I’ve watched it several times, but it has been a good eight years or so since my last viewing. I always forget how slow it is for much of the movie. How it takes its time getting to the absolute terror. I remember it begins in Iraq, where an excavation digs up some old weird relic. But then in my mind, after a brief introduction of our main characters, things get dicey quick.
I remember the projectile vomiting, masturbating with a crucifix, and “The Power of Christ compels you!, and that incredible image of the priest standing before the house bathed in shadow and light,” all coming fairly quickly in the film.
But that isn’t how things play out. The film takes its time getting to the possession. We are introduced to Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), a famous actress working on a film in Georgetown, and her young daughter Reagan (Linda Blair.) We spend a little time on the film set, and at home with the servants. Mother and daughter have a very nice rapport. Burstyn is wonderful in these scenes, very natural and warm toward her daughter. Blair is terrific too, just beaming, which makes her transition into something so evil even more frightening.
But we also spend a lot of time with Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a priest who is also a trained psychologist. He’s grown tired of his job, and is no longer sure of his calling. His mother is also very ill, and she’ll die before things really get going. There is also Lee J. Cobb as a cop investigating the death of one of the characters who seems to have been thrown out of Regan’s window. I wish they’d done more with him, actually.
There is an assuredness to director William Friedkin’s filmmaking in these scenes. He takes his time here, letting us get to know these characters, knowing we’ll wait for the horror to begin.
But he does tease us a little. Chris discovers a Ouija board and asks Reagan about it. She admits she’s been playing with it by herself and often talks to a spirit called Captain Howdy. We’ll see it move on its own. During a dinner party, Reagan will come downstairs in her nightgown, point to one of the guests, tell him he’s going to die, and then urinate on the carpet. One night Reagan’s bed starts shaking violently, and she takes on an angry, vulgar personality.
Chris takes her to a series of doctors, and they run a series of tests, but cannot find anything wrong with her. Again, Ellen Burkin is so good in this film. That playful, kind woman fades into a mother who is desperate and angry, filled with concern for her child. Psychiatrists are brought in, but they are no help. Eventually, someone recommends an exorcism. They don’t believe in that stuff, but if Regan thinks she is possessed, then maybe it will help.
Father Karras is brought in, and he brings Father Lankester Merrin (Max Von Sydow), an older priest who has previously done an exorcism. This is the last half hour or so. Things get intense.
By building things slowly, by letting us have numerous character moments, we really care about the actual exorcism and how it turns out. It is a wild final act to the movie. In the previous scenes, Friedkin’s camera is carefully placed. He creates some wonderful images and moves his camera fluidly. For the exorcism, things get chaotic and crazy.
One of the things I noticed this viewing is that all the scenes in that bedroom throughout the film, when Reagan is dealing with the possession, always cut before things are resolved. She’ll shake and curse, telekinetically throw things around the room, and blaspheme. But then it will do a fast cut to something else. Something more relaxed. We rarely see Reagan calmed down or anything resolved until the end. That keeps us on edge.
This is a very good movie. I especially love the practical effects. I have no idea how they did some of the things they put Reagan through (poor Linda Blair; this must have been a nightmare shoot for a 14-year-old girl). But they look amazing.
I do love this film, but never quite as much as I want to. Critically, I can appreciate the slow build, but ultimately I’m kind of ready for things to get going a bit before they really do. I think I’ve probably seen it too many times to truly be shocked by it anymore. But really, this is a terrific horror film.
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