Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Exorcist

The Exorcist
Released: December 26, 1973
  • Director: William Friedkin
  • Leading Characters: Linda Blair-Regan, Ellen Bustyn-Chris MacNeil, Jason Miller-Father Damien Karras
  • Horror/Thriller
  • Rated R: strong language and disturbing images
  • #571 on list
When movie actress Chris MacNeil begins to suspect that an evil spirit is possessing her young daughter, Regan she calls in two priests to try and exorcise the demon against frightening and formidable odds.
*Taken from Netflix

The first major blockbuster in horror movie history, this film had a exerted a powerful influence on the subsequent development of the genre. Never before had a horror film been the subject of so much pre-release hype, so much gossip about post-production strife, so much speculation as to why people of all ages would stand in line for hours to watch something reputed to induce fits of vomiting, fainting, even temporary psychosis. The cultural impact of The Exorcist can hardly be overestimated. It challenged existing regulations specifying what was acceptable the show on the big screen. The film stole U.S. newspaper headlines away from the ongoing Watergate scandal, at least for a while, lead to a detectable increase in a number of "real life" spiritual possessions reported, and, as one critic wrote, "established...disgust as mas entertainment for a large audience." *taken from 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die - 5th Anniversary Edition by Steven Jay Schneider 

The movie was good, not great. I don't quite understand where all the hype over the film came from. Maybe I am just biased because I am so used to today's typical horror film with crazy special effects and very realistic make-up, the photo we are all so used to seeing of the young demon possessed girl with sickly green skin and sores all over her face, to me, almost seemed comical. The story was good with the mother trying all she can to find out what's wrong with her daughter, going from doctors to shrinks to priest who tell her to go back to the doctors. All the while there is the police lieutenant constantly in the back ground. Over all definitely worth watching for all those horror film fans, though I doubt you'll be scared. 3 out of 5 stars.
*Written by John

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