Winner of two Oscars (best sound and best screenplay) this is a film unmatched in its combination of shock, terror, writing and performances, bringing to life the fear of what would happen if a young girl became possessed. Oscar nominated Linda Blair is Regan MacNeil, an innocent young girl whose transformation to masturbating murderous spawn of the devil is still, more than 25 years after the film was released, a startling performance. This is the network television premiere of a film that left audiences shocked and speechless when it was first released, and while film effects have moved on it retains the power to shock.
It's the battle between good and evil in its purest form as Friedkin gradually winds up the tension developing his characters in minute detail. Regan's mother Chris (Ellen Burstyn) is a famous actress at the same time trying to build a relationship with her drunkard director, Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran). But innocent Regan suddenly starts to use foul language and her bedroom becomes freezing cold while her bed shakes whenever she lies on it. But this isn't all. Her talents include spinning her head round 360 degrees, vomiting on cue, blaspheming wildly and masturbating with a crucifix. Visits to doctors and psychiatrists don't help and the only thing they haven't tried is an exorcism. Enter Father Merrin (Max Von Sydow), who has performed exorcisms in the past, to begin what will be his greatest battle yet with the forces of evil.
Key to the film is the gripping tension developed by Friedkin, which is, if anything, more frightening than the blood and gore. As Roger Ebert said: "the shocks don't date; they still seem to grow from the material.. The Exorcist is a brilliant film, one with an archetypal ability to reach and disturb us." Friedkin's previous capacity as a documentary filmmaker comes across brilliantly, recording many of the film's sound effects as they happened during shooting, such as the terrifying, violent stamping of the possessed girl's bed.
While the suburban setting brings fear into the sanctuary of the home, the intense shock value of the film perhaps comes from the innocent, pre-teen nature of the victim and there has been much discussion over whether 12-year-old Linda Blair was exploited by the film, although she insists she wasn't. Doubles were used for the most graphically frightening scenes and the foul dialogue was dubbed over later
This film won Peter Blatty an Oscar for his screenplay, based on his novel. It was also nominated for many other Academy Awards.
Keywords:
Action, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Based-on-Novel, Sci Fi, Movie, Film, Movies, Films, Oscar Best Picture Nominated, Oscar Best Actress Nominee
Film
(1973) 
(4 Star)
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