"The Exorcist" (1973)

The scariest film of all time? Hmm...I don’t know about that, but it is by far one of the better ones, and most successful of its genre. Based on the novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty, we have the story of 12 year old Regan MacNeil who lives with her mother, Chris MacNeil, an actress adored by many. Strange things begin to happen, including Regan publically urinating at one of her mother’s house parties. As time goes by, Chris decides to take her daughter to see some doctors, but following extensive examinations and tests, no possible or logic diagnosis can be made for Regan’s self-destructive behaviours. Therefore, as a last resort, the option of having an exorcism is floated.

Honestly, the first time I watched it I was bored. Fifty minutes into the movie and all we got was the bed shaking! So by the time we actually got to the “scary” scenes, I wasn’t engaged with the story enough to care about the characters. I was able to understand how it could have gained the title of the scariest movie, there were some pretty “horrifying” scenes, but personally I didn’t find it scary at all.

However, let me tell you a little story:

A year after watching this film, I was daring enough to venture into a House of Horrors walk-through. I was most interested in trying this one out as it had characters from the horror movies, as opposed to just random ghosts and monsters and such. One of these characters included Regan MacNeil. We were taken down in a lift underground and because it wasn’t a particularly busy day, we were left to fend for ourselves down there amidst just black bar, our only means of direction being a little red light...which, I hasten to add, wasn’t always reliable... Having seen a few trailers for this horror house on YouTube, I was aware she would be there, and would jump up with arms flailing upon passing by her bed. This is why when the photo was taken, I am smiling. This smile vanished seconds later as she slowly emerged from the bed and proceeded to block the doorway to the next section of horrors. I can tell you, the legs nearly went from under me. I’m very proud of that picture.

Following this self-inflicted experience, a new light was shed upon The Exorcist and it took me a year before I was brave enough to watch it again. Of course, I’ve watched it a few times since then, developing a kind of morbid fascination with it, and I think I can say the pair of us have reached a civil understanding at last. While I don’t believe in the whole possession-thing or the grounds behind it, I’ve come to appreciate the mechanics of the film and how it was made. When broken down, it is very impressive, even receiving an Oscar for Best Picture, among others.

The film is set up very realistically, I think, which adds to the whole fear and wonder as to how this kind of thing could actually happen to this poor girl. There is such a gradual descent up to a certain point, and then all of a sudden things have suddenly gotten very bad. What I like about it is the amount of layers this film has. Although Regan might be the central point of the story, almost all of the other characters introduced have their own obstacles and fears to overcome. Father Karras, for one, has the obstacle of coming to terms with his mother’s death and the guilt he feels over this, as well as undergoing a crisis of faith.

  

The masturbation scene is, and will remain, the only scene I was moderately traumatised by. It’s just...I don’ t even know. The cross goes up, starts to come down again and my eyes shut. I can’t. For me, this was the worst scene. They fashioned this doll to look exactly like Linda Blair, who plays Regan, because the scene involves her head doing a 180 degree turn (in later scenes the full 360 degree turn)....which of course is impossible as you’d break your neck, but audiences seemed to have bought into it nonetheless. That doll is nearly the most frightening aspect of the film; I wouldn’t like to encounter it in a dark alleyway... The eyes move and everything. This scene is quite horrible. It is, I suppose, the turning point or transformative point of the film, as the “demon” is seen really abusing Regan both physically and mentally. It explains how she got all her cuts etc in later scenes. However, aside from all this, this scene does have one line “You know what she did? Your cunting daughter” and it’s just the way it’s said, makes me laugh.

The sound editing in this film is something I find impressive. Sticking with the above scene for a minute, as she turns her head around the 180 degrees, you can clearly hear the neck cracking, and this was very cleverly achieved by twisting a sound crew member’s old leather wallet in front of a mike. The editing to take out Linda Blair’s voice and put in the voice of the demon is interesting as well. The demon’s voice sounds neither male nor female, which adds to the creepiness, I suppose. The unique voice was achieved through the distinctive talents of actress, Mercedes McCambridge. Apparently the sound of the demon leaving Regan’s body is actually the sound of pigs being herded for slaughter. The eerie sounds over the opening credits were achieved by rubbing the rim of a wine goblet. I find this all very fascinating.

The makeup in this film is another aspect to be admired hugely. The task was undertaken by Dick Smith and Rick Baker. I can tell you I got some surprise to realise that Father Merrin was in fact acted by young actor, Max Von Sidow, a 43 year old, who was turned into a 70 year old in the space of four hours each day! I watched an interview with the cast and didn’t recognise him at all! The makeup to make him look older is incredible. And of course he played the part excellently too, we can’t ignore! Even the makeup on Linda Blair to give her the “demonic look” is remarkable. In the space of three hours each day they managed to turn such a pretty girl into this hideous creature quite flawlessly.

The special effects are quite extraordinary in themselves, what with it being made in a time before computer aided technology to achieve such aims nowadays. In order to make the bed shake they had ropes tied to it and men off camera pulling these ropes to make it move. I imagine it was quite a strenuous task!

In the later scenes upon entering Regan’s room, it had to be very cold to the point one would see their breath. However, they’d shot the scene and the director, William Freidkin, realised they were missing this feature and so had to go back and shoot it again! But unlike most films these days, they achieved the misted breath through more “natural” means, as opposed to adding fake breath: The bedroom set was cooled with four air conditioners and temperatures would plunge to around 30-40 degrees below zero. It was so cold that perspiration would freeze on some of the cast and crew!

The projectile vomiting was achieved by a plastic device worn over Linda Blair’s mouth and a button would be pressed to make it spew.  – It was only thick pea soup though, just in case anyone was curious! The sound effect was achieved by Mercedes McCambridge regurgitating a mixture of chewed mushy apples and raw eggs. There is one particularly revolting moment when it just oozes really thickly onto Father Merrin’s collar.

William Friedkin, as a director, sounds like quite an eccentric fellow, but I have to say, I admire his style.  He apparently went to some extraordinary lengths to get the desired startled reaction from the cast, including firing off guns behind them, is said to have supposedly slapped one actor across the face before rolling the camera, and had Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyne (who plays Chris MacNeil) in a harness and instructed the crew members to yank them violently. This is evident in one of the scenes towards the beginning where Regan is on her shaking bed being rocked back and forth violently and uncontrollably.

There’s actually a scene which they cut from the film and I really wish they hadn’t! Known as “The Spider Walk Scene”, I actually think it’s kind of creepy and gave me a much needed fright when I saw it...you don’t get much other frights in this film. All is quiet and all of a sudden Regan comes scurrying down the stairs upside down with blood in her mouth. It’s the pace she moves; it’s creepy.

One of the most famous scenes in the movie would be when Father Merrin steps out of a taxi and stands in front of the MacNeil house with an eerie glow falling around him. It’s a very effective shot and was used on many of the posters to advertise the film. It was inspired by the 1954 painting “L’Empire des Lumières” (left) by surrealist painter, Rene Magritte. Even the music used in this scene is quite eerie. We are given a small glimpse of Regan’s face shrouded in darkness as he approaches, she is alert, as if sensing his imminent arrival.

I really like the theme song, "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield. I’ve always felt that to take it away from the film and just listen to it as it is, it’s not a scary piece at all. In fact, I reckon if you put it as the music accompanying say, Peter Pan’s flight to Neverland or something, it would be quite a happy song! Though not many have agreed with me on this suggestion...

LISTEN HERE:

For the matter of it, the whole soundtrack is genius. The song "Wind Harp" is so eerie. We hear it at the moment the exorcist arrives outside Regan's house. There's not a lot to it, and no real tune as such, it's just a sound...but one which strongly suggests something ominous is afoot. To listen to it in pitch dark is quite something!

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There's another song called "Night of The Electric Insects" and I think it's brilliant. The strings go crazy in this pitch frenzy. It actually does resemble the name its given! It's creepy, especially to listen to it in pitch dark!! I dare you to try it!

LISTEN HERE:

Another song which is quite interesting to listen to is "String Quartet"...You can't call it a song because it doesn't exactly have a tune. It's just like an experimentation of the different sounds which can be made with the string instruments. It's kind of cool and creepy at the same time. They all seem to jumble together in some kind of pandemonium of sound. I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it, but it's sort of interesting nonetheless I think. Though I can't imagine many agreeing....

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This film caused such a fuss when it first came out, including many reports of people fainting or going into hysterics inside in the cinema, to the point where paramedics were called upon to treat the incidences! I’ve heard William Peter Blatty remarking that you get out of this film what you put into it. I guess if you are a very religious person, you might find it scarier than others, but with or without this aspect, he seemed to think it depends a lot on your own personal outlook on life: If you have a dismal view of the world, then you will view the conclusion in a dismal light. Conversely, if you have an optimistic perception of the world, then you may view the film with a good-triumphs-evil conclusion. So it really depends on the viewer.

The fact that the book on which this was based, was itself loosely based on “true events” reported to have taken place in 1949, adds to the superstition, I guess...though I’ve never bought into that side of it. I think people have the ability to lose the run of themselves a bit. That’s just me being sceptical! – However, just to add to the superstition, there have been stories about ominous incidences surrounding the year-long shoot. These included the deaths of nine people associated with the production, and a mysterious fire that destroyed the set one weekend.

A lot has been said about The Exorcist; some hate it, some are indifferent, some love it in many different ways and for many different reasons....But whatever the opinion, it can’t be said that this is a bad movie. I, and others I imagine, may not like to admit it all the time, but there is something pretty special about it. Many “remakes” have been attempted in the subsequent years, as well as sequels, but I don’t believe anything will ever come close to this original.

I would say the best way to watch this film is to just enjoy it for what it is, and not to get too hung up on the basis or ideas of the story!

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