Directed by:
William FriedkinScreenplay:
William Peter BlattyCinematography:
Owen RoizmanComposer:
Jack NitzscheCast:
Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Jason Miller, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn, William O'Malley, Jack MacGowran, Barton Heyman, Peter Masterson (more)VOD (1)
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When a 12-year old girl is possessed by demons, a young priest takes it upon himself to selflessly save her at the behest of her famous movie-star mother. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (13)
As a cult classic, The Exorcist may not have been one of the best horror films I've ever seen, but it still deserves recognition and attention. The truly frightening scenes could be counted on one hand, but the transformation of Regan and the special effects were terrifying in their own right. The beginning was a bit drawn out, incomprehensible to me at times, but later the plot began to build up to the very finale. In short, one of those films that over time has found its rightful place among the must-see films of a lifetime.
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Well, the filmmaking is undoubtedly excellent and the atmosphere is quite unpleasant in some moments, but given that this is considered the scariest film of all time, I was not extremely tense while watching it. It moves pretty slowly and the director seems to be unhurriedly strumming on the viewer's nerves. Things get a lot more intense as time goes on, Linda Blair's face becomes less and less likeable and her horrific actions move the story along at lightning speed. Unfortunately, after the premature climax, when Linda runs down the stairs in an absolutely insane position, the film couldn't surprise me anymore and all the tension vanished after the door to Satan's room was opened, just as user Tosim writes. The strongest and most suspenseful horror film for me remains Kubrick's The Shining. 75%
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The Exorcist is a horror masterpiece that pushed its genre into dimensions that are entirely different than the current standards. The psychology of the characters and the power of the story make this film a full-fledged, nerve-racking drama that compares favourably to the best of Hitchcock’s work.
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During the scene where Regan's bed is shaking, I felt a very chilling sensation in my stomach for the first time, which revealed how much I had been confused by what had thus far been a cautiously stepping chilling. Because a kind of tension comes, sneaking in through the back door, unseen and unheard by anyone, and once you let yourself be lightly enticed, it strikes fully. And when the vomiting or the escalated conclusion easily overcome all the tone deaf moments from the first half, it's a win. This girl deserves her place among the classics.
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The Exorcist was obviously directed by someone who understood the film industry, the audience, and the market. At the time of filming, there was a peak of interest in the trendy satanic theme, and the audience was already accustomed to many things. One of the few remaining taboos was the connection of satanism with a child as a symbol of innocence. Within a short period, three genre films were created that successfully attempted this and gained cult film status. Alongside The Omen and Rosemary's Baby was The Exorcist. Shocked viewers held their breath as they watched the fragile girl transform into a vulgar monster full of anger. Unfortunately, for me, The Exorcist has always been a film where the prologue and the final scene work. What comes in between, which logically makes up the majority, goes over my head due to its excessive literalness. The prologue, which is unrelated to the rest of the story, is filled with sinister anticipation, tension, and a menacing premonition. Something is not right, but you still don't know where the blow will come from. In the final scene of the film, the camera focuses on the stairs in front of the house where someone had died shortly before. Through that shot, you feel an unspoken question - will the horror continue? The rest of the film plays with such open cards and is so descriptive that it simply becomes uninteresting to me. The director wants to emotionally manipulate me, but it doesn't work anymore because we don't live in the early 70s. For me, it still holds true that fear and tension are best evoked by what you cannot see and do not know. A film is the most powerful when it leaves you to wander in uncertainty. A film like The Exorcism of Emily Rose is much more attractive and impactful to me. Overall impression: 40%.
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