The Exorcist (film)
"The Exorcist" is a 1973 horror film directed by William Friedkin, based on the novel by William Peter Blatty, who also penned the screenplay. The film revolves around the harrowing possession of a young girl named Regan MacNeil, portrayed by Linda Blair, by the demon Pazuzu. Her mother, Chris MacNeil, played by Ellen Burstyn, seeks the help of Father Damien Karras, a priest struggling with his faith, and the experienced exorcist Father Lankester Merrin, portrayed by Max von Sydow. Their attempts to exorcise the demon through traditional Roman Catholic rites lead to traumatic and devastating outcomes.
"The Exorcist" had a profound cultural impact, igniting discussions about faith, morality, and the supernatural. Its graphic content and groundbreaking special effects, including Regan’s disturbing transformations, shocked audiences and led to significant media coverage, influencing perceptions of horror films as serious and psychologically impactful rather than mere entertainment. The film's release sparked intense debates among viewers and religious figures, reflecting the societal tensions of the 1970s. Notably, its legacy includes a shift in audience expectations for horror films and the emergence of sequels that, while commercially viable, did not replicate the original's intense experience. Overall, "The Exorcist" remains a pivotal work in cinematic history, shaping the horror genre and cultural discourse.
The Exorcist (film)
Identification Horror film
Date Released in 1973
Director William Friedkin
The film version of The Exorcist transcended its status as a motion picture to become a major cultural phenomenon of the 1970’s and one of the most famous and influential films of the decade.
Key Figures
William Friedkin (1935- ), film director
Based on the 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty, who also wrote the screenplay for the film, The Exorcist intertwines two major plots: the horror story of a young teenage girl, Regan MacNeil (played by Linda Blair), who is possessed by the demon Pazuzu and transformed into a hideous creature; and the spiritual drama of a priest, Damien Karras (Jason Miller), who fears he is losing his faith. These story lines converge when Karras is approached for help by Regan’s desperate mother, Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), who is an actor. Karras is joined by older priest Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow), who has experience with demonic possession, and together they conduct the ancient Roman Catholic ritual of exorcism in an effort to drive the demon from Regan, with devastating results.
It is impossible to overstate the effect that The Exorcist had on American culture. Newspapers, talk shows, magazines, and other media obsessively detailed not only its financial success but also its effects on audiences. Dick Smith’s innovative special effects, including Regan’s demonic appearance and her 360-degree-spinning head, shocked and fascinated audiences. The film’s graphic, unprecedented scenes of blasphemy and sexual violence earned the film an “X” rating in the Washington, D.C., region—where the story is set and the film’s exterior scenes were shot—while its official national “R” rating was criticized as being too lenient for such a catalog of nightmarish images. Discussion of the film reached beyond critics and horror film enthusiasts: The spiritual aspects of the film intrigued and disturbed many viewers, leading to spiritual debates and conversions and positive and negative commentary by religious leaders. A blaxploitation film variant, Abby, was produced but quickly suppressed when Warner Bros. sued to stop its release.
It is possible to see vestiges of the 1970’s culture in the post-Kent State college protest movie that Chris MacNeil is filming in Georgetown, near Washington, D.C. Some critics saw in Regan’s monstrous transformation a parallel with the unease of adults over the 1970’s youth rebellion. Beyond that, The Exorcist changed audience perceptions of filmgoing in radical ways. While contemporary reports of patrons becoming ill and fainting were anecdotal and difficult to verify, there is no doubt that many people felt spiritually or psychologically ravaged by what they saw on the screen. Horror films, previously considered children’s fare, were suddenly “dangerous” entertainment and would never be “safe” again. Three sequels followed, none with a hint of the original’s power.
Impact
The Exorcist captured the popular imagination of the United States in unexpected, unprecedented ways. It changed forever what audiences expected from motion pictures and from horror films in particular.
Bibliography
Kermode, Mark. BFI Modern Classics: “The Exorcist.” 2d ed. London: British Film Institute, 1998.
McCabe, Bob. “The Exorcist”—Out of the Shadows: The Full Story of the Film. Reprint. London: Omnibus Press, 1999.