The Exorcist Movie Review (Halloween)

Released: 26th December 1973

Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Jason Miller, and Max von Sydow

Length: 122 Minutes

Genre: Horror

Supernatural horror is an often exploited sub-genre in horror cinema; we’ve seen films like The Devil Inside and The Possession all but tarnish the idea of a spirit or demon infesting the body and soul of an individual. One of very few films that came close to perfection stretches back to 1973; The Exorcist is a relentlessly frightening film, one which continues to haunt audience to this day. The reason why is down to many things.

Based on the book of the same name by William Peter Blatty (who also adapted the story for film), The Exorcist tells the story of a 12-year-old girl named Reagan (Linda Blair) and her mother Chris Macneil (Ellen Burstyn). The innocent Reagan begins to act strangely, which gradually grows more and more severe in the film’s first act. Medical and scientific methods prove ineffective in fixing Reagan as her body begins to change despite appearing normal from doctor reports. Before long a sinister force takes hold of Reagan completely, yelling obscenities in a foul voice, committing frightful acts of violence and making objects move by will alone. The doctors direct Chris to the Catholic Church and the possibility of an exorcism and from there, it’s nothing but sheer scares and a serious creep factor broken up by scenes that take place outside the Macneil household. Cutting between several different locations, we learn more about the three main characters whilst also journeying through the slow growth of Reagan’s possession. The horror tropes are ones which have been adopted (and in other cases ripped off) by countless other supernatural horror films in the decades since, but The Exorcist is perhaps the only one to make them feel real, not to mention translating them into true horror; the degeneration of Reagan combined with the escalating supernatural elements grabs the audience by the throat and never lets go. It seamlessly maintains the scares, as opposed to other modern horror films. Simply put, you will constantly dread what will come next every time the characters enter into the upstairs room.

Most horror films feature fairly basic characters which lack depth, but those portrayed in The Exorcist are highly realised and detailed in the emotions they convey. The bond between Reagan and her mother is very believable; it’s built up over the film’s first act to great effect and we see the love they share for each other before the possession begins. It’s a great build-up which makes Ellen Burstyn’s performance of an intensely stressed and helpless mother that much more realised and sincere. Father Damian Karras (Jason Miller) has a very deep and underlying theme to his character; he’s having trouble with his faith whilst dealing with his dying mother and the way he deals with the possession makes him question his beliefs even further. It’s a great display of internal conflict and the many times he is on screen before attending to Reagan allows him to develop greatly. Reagan is played by Linda Blair and Mercedes McCambridge with the film juxtaposing the voices to show a clear and often shocking difference between the innocent young girl and the sadistic demon. It’s a curious creation indeed; you will believe that the voice coming out of Reagan is not from this world and that only adds to the fear the film instils into its audience. The one weak link in an otherwise stellar cast is Lee J. Cobb as the police lieutenant. When every other cast member puts so much into the film, he comes off as fairly underdeveloped and he could have had a larger role to play in the proceedings.

Perhaps the most critical aspect of the Exorcist that has terrified thousands of viewers lies with its special effects. Some of the most disturbing sights ever put to film were achieved with the work the filmmakers put into both atmosphere and puppet work. At the centre of the film is the Reagan puppet in the film’s third act, a truly hideous and frightful sight; scars and moles sprout on Reagan’s distinctively grey face, her head twists around in a full circle and a vile mucus erupts from her mouth. Just as Reagan’s mother is horrified at her daughter’s transformation, so too is the audience. Reagan’s room itself is laced with an air of constant anxiety and a grim atmosphere that is only enhanced with the cold air and eerie rumbling of the bed and other surrounding objects. You really do feel that a demonic presence has enveloped the room completely. The main piano theme that sweeps in at key moments is iconic for a reason; it has such a sense of foreboding to it, informing the audience that something terrible is about to happen. The demonic presence is enhanced even further with the shadowy lighting and silhouettes that sweep the proceedings. Every single aspect of the special effects in The Exorcist pulls every ounce of their weight to pull the audience in, something which modern horror films have almost completely forgotten about.

The Exorcist more than holds up today; the impact it had on the horror genre is something I can’t put into words in this review. The thematic ideas, superb acting and disturbing special effects hold its place at the top of supernatural terror. Is it the scariest movie of all time as some people say? That’s debatable, but nevertheless it’s still a thoroughly creepy piece of cinema that continues to mark its mark on everyone who puts themselves through it.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars