The Power of THE EXORCIST Franchise Compels You To Read This Retro Review
The Exorcist (1973)
Written by William Peter Blatty, based on his novel
Directed By William Friedkin
[All images courtesy The Exorcist Official Facebook page]
We’ll kick off this Retro Review of the 1973 classic horror movie The Exorcist with, of course, a quote from the late, unlamented Showtime television series The Tudors.
“You think you know a story…”
Because, c’mon everyone knows what happens in The Exorcist!
Pea-soup vomit!
180-degree rotating heads!
That potty-mouthed little girl!
“The Power of Christ Compels You!”
And so on.
Unfortunately, The Exorcist is a horror movie that everybody knows for specific gut churning moments that tend to overwhelm and distort the movie viewers think they know. The Grandest of Guignol moments, like those mentioned above, insure The Exorcist a place at the top of any 25/50/100 Scariest Movies list worth its pixels, from the 1999 Entertainment Weekly 25 Scariest Movies of All Time to the 2012 TimeOut London Best Horror Films.
What gets lost amid those highlights is, I would argue, the heart of the movie. Or more precisely, the three hearts, the three intertwined stories of The Exorcist that give it an emotional core that is just as essential to its status as a classic of horror. The stories of an old man facing a last battle of faith (Father Merrin), a young man in the depths of grief and despair (Father Karras), and a mother who will face any test, even that of her own unbelief, to save her child (Chris MacNeil and her daughter Regan).
The Exorcist begins quietly. The first section of the film follows scholar/cleric Father Lancaster Merrin (Max von Sydow) as he works at an archaeological excavation in Iraq. We hear pickaxes hitting earth, untranslated dialogue passing like a stream while the merciless sun bathes the screen in a brilliant light we won’t see once the story moves to Georgetown, D.C. Already a quiet, yet somehow troubled man, Fr. Merrin finds a small silver medallion that disquiets him further and prompts him to leave Iraq. Before leaving, Fr. Merrin makes one last trip to the dig site to have a stare down contest with an ancient grotesque stone idol. Thankfully, we don’t find out the demons’ rather non-scary name – Pazuzu – at any point during the movie.
The narrative makes a quiet, jarring switch to the well-heeled Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The tone of the film becomes quiet, grey, and muted, with only falling leaves and Trick-or-Treaters to break the mood. Actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is renting a home in the area while filming a movie at Georgetown University. The relationship between Chris and her twelve year old daughter Regan is warm and affectionate; the prolonged unexplained absence of Mr. MacNeil in Europe doesn’t seem to matter to either of them (yet).
While her mom is filming, Regan spends a lot of time in the (very nice) basement of the Georgetown house. Between tutoring sessions, Regan sculpts, paints, draws … and communicates with her new invisible friend using an old Ouija board found in the basement closet. Regan is happy to introduce her mom to “Captain Howdy”. Although the Cap won’t communicate with Chris, there doesn’t seem to be any harm in letting Regan carry on.
Until Chris hears scratching of “rats” in the attic.
Until Regan insists on sleeping in her mother’s room because her own bed won’t stop shaking.
Until Regan, while sleepwalking, warns a dinner party guest of their imminent death before urinating on the living room floor.
Terrified, Chris gets her child the best medical care available even as Regan’s behavior turns increasingly bizarre and violent. After a protracted and painful series of tests that rival the clinical horror of any David Cronenberg movie, the medical experts advise the non-religious Mrs. MacNeil to consider an exorcism.
When Regan mutilates herself with a Crucifix and attacks her mother, Chris finally contacts Father Dyer, a guest from the dinner party. Through Fr. Dyer, Chris meets and finally persuades Father Damien Karras to see her daughter.
With the introduction of Fr. Karras, The Exorcist transitions from a disquieting slow burn to a relentless buildup of dread. Regan is confined to her room, restrained to prevent her from harming herself. The director of Chris’s movie watches over Regan only to be found at the base of a steep stairway outside Regan’s window – neck broken, head twisted backwards. Lt. William Kinderman of the D.C. police may suspect murder, but gets no answers at the MacNeil home.
Fr. Karras is a priest and psychiatrist who counsels the fellow religious. He’s finding it increasingly difficult to fulfill either his duties as priest or counselor since his mother’s death. Mrs. Karras died in her tiny New York City apartment, alone and undiscovered for days; Fr. Karras blames himself.
What Fr. Karras witnesses in the MacNeil home soon convinces him that an exorcism is warranted. He may not believe a demon causes the words “Help Me” to appear on Regan’s stomach or combine guttural vulgarities with backwards speech. He may still believe Regan is mentally ill, but Fr. Karras seeks and receives authorization for an exorcism. It will be led by Fr. Merrin.
The exorcism proceeds. Fr. Merrin is calm. “Regan” pulls out all the tricks we’ve seen before – vomit, levitation, profanity and blasphemous cursing. Fr. Merrin remains calm. In the dark, freezing cold room he leads the Rite of Exorcism. Fr. Karras, distracted by demons tricks, falls silent. Fr. Merrin gently sends Fr. Karras outside Regan’s room and continues the exorcism alone.
Even back in Iraq, we saw the older priest taking medication, apparently for a heart condition. When Fr. Karras re-enters the room, we’re not shocked that Fr. Merrin is dead.
Father Karras rages at the demon, physically attacking the Regan/Demon. He taunts the demon to enter him instead of tormenting a child. The demon accepts the challenge. We see the priest’s eyes turn yellow and his hands reach to strangle a crying Regan. In one final act of faith, Fr. Karras takes control for one moment, enough time to hurl himself out that fatal bedroom window, crashing down the stairs to his death.
Fr. Karras wills himself to stay alive long enough to grasp Fr. Dyer’s hand as he performs the Last Rites.
Whew.
While there is a short coda of Chris and an apparently healthy Regan leaving the Georgetown house and Father Dyer meeting with Lt. Kinderman, The Exorcist (in my mind), ends with the death of Father Karras at the base of those deadly steps.
After all the goop, gore and profanity, a silent reaffirmation of a dying man’s faith expresses the underlying messages of faith, love and struggle that make The Exorcist a classic.
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