So, my first entry into my Halloween
Challenge for 2011 is THE EXORCIST.
The minute one hears the title of this
flick, especially younger viewers, there is danger of being caught up
in the cliché. This film has been spoofed, mocked and stolen from
for the past 30 years and one can see the film without having “seen”
the film.
For me, THE EXORCIST holds up, not only
as one of the greatest horror films of all time, but one of the best
examples of American cinema. Its pacing is deliberate, its
characters rich and complicated and its villain the kind of evil that
invades and corrupts anything it desires, in this case, a little
girl. It is bold, daring and unapologetic in its portrayal of the
Devil's corruption.
Nothing about this film is intended to
be cheap or tawdry. You won't find camp sluts with boobies dangling,
nor will you ever root for the villain as he cuts a swath through
co-eds. Instead, the film challenges faith, psychology and normalcy
with such depth that moments of the film creep you out and stay with
you long after it's over. The film mixes subtlety with the extreme.
While there is no global threat (the fate of mankind isn't at stake
here) we know, through the performances, that the fate of this little
girl might be all that stands between all of us and and an eternity
of hell or grace. That this goal is never stated makes it seem more
real and makes us both terrified by whats happening to Reagan and
feel for her at the same time.
As a filmmaker, the story of how they
brought the movie to life: from using a meatlocker for Reagan's room
to throwing the actors around agains their will, there is a feeling
that these folks worked their tail off.
In short, I love the film. Everything
about it. As a Catholic, I will say that I am a believer that, if
God can work through us, why not the other side. And that part is
scary. Funny story: I went to see the film with Father Dennis
Peterson (RIP). He said, if he'd been the Exorcist, he would have
shot the firl and left. I guess he was scared too.
What say you?
After going through 22 years without seeing this film, I have to be honest and say I was SLIGHTLY disappointed at first. Most likely due to the fact that the word 'scary' is a completely different beast in my generation than in the one this movie was deemed so.
ReplyDeleteNo quick cuts, no 'omg I'm scared, let's have sex' scenes? WHAT!?
However, once I got past the, what I considered, slow, odd intro, I soon realized how incredible the movie actually was, especially when putting into perspective the time period in which it was made.
Opposite of my 'quick cut' fascination in usual horror movies, I became extremely appreciative of the long, awkward scenes showing what this little girl was doing to herself and other people. Furthermore, the intensity of those actions are what made that movie. I mean, watching her masturbate/stab herself with a cross? Woa, that's a lot. And not something you see even now in movies. It was normal human behavior taken to the most evil/demented degree. That's terrifying.
Also, something to be appreciated was the simplicity of the story. It was Good vs. Evil. There was no alternate universe working through the 20 spirits of walking zombies through the consciousness of a serial killer with multiple personalities. The Devil was in this kid and God had to take him out.
It all looked great too. Older horror movies always worry me because I know I'm jaded by computer generated visuals and other newfangled modern ways of making things appear 'real'. However, Regan looked busted, to'e up, and all kinds of possessed. I believed it.
Overall, I wasn't scared. I was horrified. In a good way.