Celebrating Three Years: Reflections on Blogging About The Exorcist
First, I want to pat myself on the back here and say that I have saved this review for a special occasion. This blog marks 3 years in a row of weekly entries. You may not care but, I’m proud of myself. Now, on to what matters – my thoughts on The Exorcist. I think this movie calls itself the scariest movie ever made and as far as I’m concerned, it’s right. There has never been a film that terrified me like The Exorcist. We’ll discuss this further, but Evil Dead was the other. I’ve grown out of some of the creepiness but, The Exorcist holds a special place with me. Grab your priest and a crucifix and let’s go help set Regan free – read on for my thoughts on The Exorcist from 1973.
Revisiting Classic Cinemas: A 1950s Theater and Its Horror Screenings
In downtown Anderson where I live, there is an old theatre that is now a church. It’s so cool to see because the ticket booth is there and the marquee sign too. I think it was my blog on Popcorn that I discussed this theatre. You can read this blog here if you’d like. Anyway, the photo below is of this theatre in the 1950s when it was functioning. Several years back before the church bought the theatre, a film group hosted a viewing of Nightmare on Elm Street in it. I missed this and regret it. I saw where another similar event took place once in ATL that featured The Exorcist. While I wanted to make this trip, I did not. I avoid Atlanta at all costs. Anyway, it would have been cool to see The Exorcist in a theatre.
Stories from 1973: How The Exorcist Shocked Its First Audiences
I had a friend long ago who saw the movie in 1973 when it came out. Conveniently, he had a nosebleed during the showing, and it freaked everyone around him out. Here is this terrible movie, especially for its time, playing and he’s pouring blood out of the front of his face. The timing of this movie and events like this one helped to create some of the scare hype around The Exorcist. I watched a video once that talked about several accounts of hysteria occurring. It even went on to say that there were ambulances parked at several theatres showing the movie in preparation for this condition and similar things. You can watch a good video about the reception and release of The Exorcist in the YouTube video linked here. Again, The Exorcist is the most frightening movie ever made.
Personal Beliefs and the Horror of Demonic Possession
This may not be a popular opinion and that’s fine, I stand on mine. To me, the reason why I find The Exorcist so terrifying is because I believe in demonic oppression and possession. Some of the most terrible things I’ve seen done and heard said on film were from The Exorcist. This adds to the terror for me. I am from the “Bible Belt”, and I believe the Bible is true. Demons and possession are mentioned in the scriptures several times so, I accept this as truth. I do not, however, think, that possession manifests itself like it does in The Exorcist. At least I think it is very rare if it does happen this way. To me, I think that it is more commonly manifested in the form of drug abuse, mental illness, etc.
Mental Health Parallels in The Exorcist’s Storyline
I have a BA in Psychology so, please know that I support mental health. I think some cases of mental illness are spiritual but, regardless, I don’t think that heads spin around. Regan’s torment is shared by her mother. I’ve seen the effects of mental illness on friends and family. I think that the torment on a parent is a very real thing. If you’ve ever seen someone you care for suffer and you can only stand by and watch, then you can relate to Regan’s mother. This may be one of the worst things about mental illness – the battle is within your own mind so; you’re stuck with it all the time. Perhaps this is one of the best illustrations of real possession and most terrifying pieces of The Exorcist. She had exhausted every effort to help her child and, Regan could get no relief.
Keeping my previous thoughts in mind, it’s important to remember that The Exorcist is based on a true event. You can read an article on the true story that inspired this movie here if you’d like. Years ago, I watched a documentary on the film that pointed this out. From what I remember, the possession happened to a young man and once he had been freed, he had no recollection of the events. To this day, at least at the time of the show, he did not remember any of it.
Ironies in The Exorcist
There were some ironies for me in The Exorcist – Hollywood and the butler. I get it – everything on the internet is true, right? While I know this is not the case, I don’t think that it’s any secret that witchcraft, the occult, Satan worship, and all other shades of evil are prevalent in Hollywood, California. I realize that many people may read this and have varying definitions of “all shades of evil” but, from my perspective, I think Hollywood has become a mecha for this. It doesn’t surprise me because the love of money is called the root of all evil and Hollywood is certainly a capital of wealth. Now, let’s move on to the other irony I mentioned, if irony is the right word anyway.
Social Stigma Explored: The Butler’s Story and Its Historical Ties
The family’s butler is a German and is bantered by a party guest about being a Nazi. Eventually, this irrupts into a fight. I thought about this. My grandfather was a WWII veteran, and I knew a man who had been on Normandy Beach too. I have no idea if any WWII veterans are still around or not, but the other side of WWII produced veterans too. It would follow that like in America, not everyone served because they wanted to. I’m no historian but, I imagine in America and Nazi Germany there would have been differences in recruiting. In the US, you would have gone to jail if you refused to serve. In Deutschland, a refusal would have sent you to a much worse “jail” or the graveyard. If the butler was indeed part of the Axis, he likely had no choice.
I’m sure that Germans faced this kind of ridicule in America following WWII. I know the Japanese did. It just goes to show that human beings have been socially and physically cruel to each other for a long time. When I was much younger, there was a Japanese lady who lived near my grandmother. I visited her to learn the meaning of a kanji inscribed on the hilt of a katana belonging to my friend’s grandfather. This was before Google Translate. While there, I learned that she had married an American in WWII. She told me of how terribly both were treated post-war. Folks in the small town of Belton, SC wouldn’t speak to either of them for many, many years. I suppose he was considered to have been “sleeping with the enemy.” She gave me a Japanese translation of the Bible that I have today.
Iconic Imagery: What Made The Exorcist a Cultural Phenomenon
On a more positive note, what do we get to see in The Exorcist? Well, there’s a lot. Sure, there’s iconic possession stuff that Hollywood has tried and tried to top but, in my opinion, hasn’t come close. The medical equipment and scans were horrific and to think this was real. Arabic culture makes up the first part of the film. For instance, we see the Islamic prayer rituals. The main character, Regan, is the daughter of a wealthy actress so, we see her lifestyle which includes high-end homes, lifestyles, butlers, and cars. There is a Mercedez Benz featured in The Exorcist as an example – read more about the vehicles in this film here. Of course, the movie was filmed to portray everyday life, kind of, in 1973 so, we get all the clothes, hairstyles, etc. from this decade on display.
The Legacy of The Exorcist: Special Effects and Storytelling
As I wrap this blog marking 3 years up, I must say that I still consider The Exorcist to be the most terrifying movie of all time. The effects in this movie were great, especially for 1973. There were voice changes, cold breath, crab walking, vomiting, and the infamous head rotation. You can read a great article about all these effects here. In my opinion, the ending could have been a little better. It seemed abrupt. Removing the Saint Christopher medal allowed the priest to be possessed by Pazuzu. Why his committing suicide ended the demon’s power I don’t know. I also felt like the backstory could have been better. The Ouija board idea just didn’t seem well thought out to me.
Reflections and Regrets: My Encounters with The Exorcist Cast
I used to watch The Exorcist once every 2 years and never alone. Similarly to Evil Dead (read my blog on this classic here and its sequel here), I didn’t find this film as terrifying this time around. Years ago, I was at a horror convention and had the opportunity to meet Linda Blair. She was literally sitting alone at a table playing on her phone with no line. I should have got Blair while I had the chance. Later, her line was insane. Anyway, and a closing question, I heard that she is not a friendly person. Has anyone out there met her? Is this true? If I have the chance to meet again, I am regardless. One other thing – why is the name Damien always in devil movies? Did the Omen (read my blog on this film here) borrow from The Exorcist? Anyone know?
There is certainly some fan art on deck from The Exorcist. I’m not going to reveal too much of the vision here – you’ll get to see it when it happens. I must find a particular item first. I once painted Regan on the flowerpot that held a Trinidad Scorpion Pepper that I grew but, otherwise this is a new frontier for fan art for me. You’re invited to follow my art journey on social media, visit my website, and consider supporting and buying my work here. Peace.