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Exorcist review
Hey folks, Harry here. Man... Alot of time has since the original review was posted below. July 26th, 1997. Wow. Before I get into my review of the new version of the film, I just want to bring up some changes that have come to pass in these 3 years. The review of THE EXORCIST beneath the vomiting Regan, was fairly early in the history of the site. It was on this night that Tim, the owner of the Alamo Drafthouse introduced himself to me in person. We have since become close friends, throwing events together and trying to help Austin become as cool as it can be. Also on that particular night, all those years ago, I received my pass to see MIMIC, the first film by Guillermo Del Toro that I had ever seen. At the time, Guillermo lived in Mexico, we did not know each other at all. Now, he is one of my closest friends and three years later... we saw THE EXORCIST revamped version together. Weird!
Upon seeing the film all those years ago in a theater, I felt that it didn't need anything done to the sound. The Alamo Drafthouse had cranked the sound up to a level where... The very fabric of your pantleg would swish back and forth. The decibels were cranked way up, and sitting on the second row, put you smack dab in the experience.
The screening I had last night at the GATEWAY THEATER in Austin, Texas with Claire (a vast improvement upon Roland I must say), Father Geek and Guillermo... Was a completely different film experience.
I'm not going to write a complete new review, because much of the film is the same as the film I saw all those years ago. But the sound, and the 12 or so extra minutes, go to create an experience which is akin to watching the director's cut of ALIENS vs the original cut of ALIENS. Both are great movies, but once you see the Director's Cut... you know which version you'll be watching for the rest of your life. Much like the two versions of BLADE RUNNER.
SOUND:
The newly created sound for THE EXORCIST simply destroys any sound you've heard in a theater in the last year or so. When we first walk into Regan's room with her mother to close her window and tuck her in... It's deadly silent, except for the bubbling of the fish tank in the far back right speaker... bubble bubble bubble bubble. Strange as it may sound, this just felt real spooky, sort of like when you walk around in a strange locale in the middle of the night and there is that strange constant noise. Like the refrigerator coming to life in an unfamiliar kitchen. The sort of sound that tells you the world hasn't stopped. Then there are the 'rats in the attic' sound. You'd swear they are walking around above you. When Merrin is walking through the areas in IRAQ... the sound... it's everywhere. People on all sides of you talking in a foreign language, the beating of metal... primary sound and echoes from the wall behind Merrin that is unseen by us. Then when Karras visits his mother. Like the sound in Morgan Freeman's room in SEVEN... you can hear different things from the paper thin walls around you. An arguement in room 11, a television show in room 15... and the room that Karras is in... All the pertinent noises... Out the window the sirens. It's a complete aural environment brilliantly realized.
Then there is the sounds of the demons, the medical equipment... The rumbling backmasked animal sounds swishing all around you, Karras' mother from the right, screams of "MERRIN!" from the left, primary dialogue from screen center. The ceiling cracks overhead, the door begins to shut behind you till the camera grabs it front and center. "YOUR MOTHER SUCKS COCKS IN HELL" seems to be screamed from every speaker. THE EXORCIST's sound engineering in 1973 broke all sorts of ground. Setting a standard for Ben Burtt to aspire to years later. Has a horror film ever sounded this good? I can't recall. Brilliant technical acheivement in 1973.... in 2000.... the mix is beyond anything you can really imagine. Take your best audio film experience... this is better. The reason? I believe that ONE: It's because the first part of the film is so silent... a mixture of lack of score and quiet moments.... The sound building and building and building throughout the film. The most interesting sound edition in this DOLBY DIGITAL EX print is the super low bass... that creates this nearly stomach churning sense of foreboding doom. No home woofer can reproduce this. It literally made me almost queasy.
NEW ADDITIONS TO THE FILM:
In my original review below, I discuss how much more effective the jumpcuts in THE EXORCIST (1973) were to the high tech morphings of today. Well... When I read in Tom Joad's Blatty interview and in his and Quint's reviews of this new edition... A sense of dread overcame me. I've come to hate morphs in everything save T2 and HEAVENLY CREATURES, as it just takes waaaay too long and feels like excess. I voiced this criticism of morphing 3 years ago, and it seems that Friedkin figured out how to use the technology and use it to the level of disturbance that it really really needed to be. The morphs are done at the speed of a jumpcut... No long 3 second transition, but a nearly snap of the fingers violent wrench accompanied by appropriately painful sound effects to produce a wrenchingly upsetting effect. VERY WELL DONE! Perhaps the best use of the technology since T2. Amazingly well done.
The SPIDER WALK scene. I thought I knew what this looked like, based upon the DVD release of the film, years ago. WRONG! The shot of this scene that they used was from a completely different take. And folks... it's friggin freaky. Like the shock value of the crucifix fuck or the first pea-soup vomit or the first twisty head... this scene screws with ya. It works fantastically.
However, there are two other additions, among the rest, that I felt were the best additions. The first one is Regan's pre-peeing on the carpet visit to the doctor, to diagnose her hyperactivity issues that her mother has. Ever wonder why her mother didn't want her to eat that cookie early on? Ever wonder why mommy instantly had a doctor to take her to? It's because Regan was a bit of a problem child. Captain Howdy, was slowly taking her over... not just one day, but over a period of time. These initial tests... the misdiagnosis and prescribing of ritilin, weakening Regan so Captain Howdy could become more agressive in his taking over of Regan. These scenes are sad and haunting and add pathos to not only Regan but her mother as well.
Then there are the scenes where Karras is listening to a tape that Regan made for her father with her mother. It's after his first visit, and you can see him beginning to care about the girl. It's a stark reminder that this was once a little girl... giggles and cheerful. Now she is an abomination. You can see Karras' level of emotional involvement. Very very very good.
There are other scenes, but having only seen this edition once, I'm hard pressed to remember them all, but there are a pair of questions that I've seen in Talk Backs that need answering. First "What ending is it?" All I will say, is that it isn't the 'Casablanca' ending that so many dread. Second "Are the subliminal additions as bad as Gus Van Sant's in PSYCHO?" Oh God No. These subliminals are brought in as Karras first enters the house and is headed through the house and up to Regan's room. They are in the shadows of the rooms. And they create a feeling like.... OH MAN... GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?!?!?! LEAVE MAN! DON'T YOU SEE THAT FREAKY SHIT!
If you live in one of the 3 towns it is showing, go see it. Take friends. Having seen it, hurry to gather more friends to see it again. Talk to classmates, co-workers, family members, etc. It is our duty as film lovers to help this film get a national release so people around the world won't have to watch this on a TV. Spread the word. Call your local radio station! Get the local Catholic church involved. In 1973, the Catholic church embraced this film. Get butts in seats! Save this Movie!
Now... Here's my review from 3 years ago...
![[IMAGE]](images/exorcist.gif)
I just got back from seeing THE EXORCIST at the Alamo DraftHouse here in Austin,
and I felt compelled to write up a review of it. I mean here is a film, that is truly as
shocking and downright fantastic as it was when it originally came out.
Let me set up the experience a bit for ya. This theater shows mostly films in between their
Primary runs and their Secondary runs. That sort of neutral period after the film has
played the first run houses (or is finishing it's run) and before the Dollar Theaters (strange
how these theaters now cost $2). It's situated in the hub of trendy Austin. The
walkthrough traffic is non-stop and is a perfect location for a Dinner (Film) Theater,
something my town has been needing forever.
For those of you in cities without this form of entertainment. Go get a bank loan, a cook
and a location and start one up. Instead of paying $2.50 for a small Popcorn, you can get
delicious Blue Bell ice cream with hot fudge and sprinkles. Or a piece of CheeseCake
with a carmel pecan topping, like my friend Roland had. Or a Coffee Frozen Expresso
thingamagig. All taste wonderful. They serve pizzas, sandwiches, and other edibles at
prices and quality like that of the "cool" eating places, plus instead of listening to people
chatter about this and that, you can gorge yourself and watch a movie.
Now the best times, are the midnight films, and on this weekend they are showing THE
EXORCIST. Just the mention of the title sends shivers of that tinkly music theme. So
cool. THE EXORCIST. And now the image of a street light casting light upon a mist
and the shadow of Max Von Sydow. One of the most striking film images ever captured
on the temporal lobes of my mind. Unforgettable.
I have seen the film several times in my life, but this is only the second time I've seen it on
the big screen (where it belongs). The first was when I was two years old. If I
concentrate I can remember the impressions of sitting on my father's lap at the ol Capitol
Plaza staring at the screen. When I asked my father tonight if this was a valid memory, he
said yes (in a stunned kinda way. I have an uncanny recollection of exactly where I saw all
the good movies in my life, along with the stinkers. Ahhh Megaforce and Northcross
Mall).
This brings me to tonight. I dragged my oldest friend with my father and I to see the film.
Roland (imagine the biggest cutest New Yawk accented teddy bear dude and you got em)
had never seen it. I love seeing movies like this with the film virgin, the purity of the post-
film conversation is taken to the next level.
Why had Roland not seen it? Well, you remember the remake of INVASION OF THE
BODY SNATCHERS? When the dog with the dude's face licks his lips, Roland (the big
tough guy) swore off horror films (or Freaky Films as he calls em). What a wuss!!!
The owner of the DraftHouse comes over to me as I enter the place and does the
introduction thing. This is still an odd experience for me. I mean, I'm a geek, I have a
website, and owners of theaters feel the need to talk with me. I'm flattered. Really. He
tells me there is a surprise in front of the film. A special trailer that just came in that day.
Hmmmm. (Somethings afoot methinks).
Then a girl I recognize from about 30 days of film festival goings ons (SXSW and
HEART OF TEXAS) comes up and introduces herself and gives me a group of passes for
MIMIC next Friday morning. Coooool.
At this point Roland, my father and I enter the screening room. Nice air conditioning.
(My house is un-air conditioned, typing on my computer is akin to manuel labor) We
order our drinks, desserts and kick back to await the film.
The lights finally go down, and it's trailer time. Oh goody, I get to see the 'surprise'.
The first trailer was CARRIE. "and introducing the motion picture debut of John
Travolta" Coooooooooooooool. I can't wait for this one to come to the Alamo, I'm
there. Cool Cool Cool. Neat little trailer, filled with that cheesy 70's announcer voice, as
opposed to the Sleazy Self-Serious Announcer voice we have today. What a cool
'surprise' I think.
But I was WRONG!!! The "SURPRISE" trailer was next. What was it? Reise ins
Jenseits: Die Welt des Ãœbernatuerlichen or JOURNEY INTO THE BEYOND. A German
film with narration by John Carradine. WOW. This was something. A documentary of
strange occult and semi-occult phenomenon. Real excorcism, spontaneous boils forming,
gouging of human eyes, and much more. Bloody, gruesome, gut wrenching, a perfect
mixer for getting you in the mood for THE EXORCIST. WoW, that was something.
Trailer 3 was OPERATION CONDOR. Love that Jackie Chan!!! Go see this film, really
fun.
Trailer 4 was MEN IN BLACK, my friend Roland leans over, "I need to see that one
again!" Sigh.
Then the screen goes RED and that funky W appears on screen. Early 1970's Warner
Bros Logo. Ahhhh, the good ol days.
If you have managed to live your life without seeing THE EXORCIST you are missing
one of the most powerfully compelling pieces of intense film making. William Friedkin
was in top form, the year I was born he made THE FRENCH CONNECTION, then he
did this. While I like FRENCH CONNECTION, THE EXORCIST in terms of using
every tool in the film makers handbook is mind blowing. The sound engineering is
amazing. I mean there is a little girl on a bed, but the sounds, my god, the sounds. Here is
a girl tied to a bed that is a 100 times scarier than a great white shark, a child killer with
razor bladed gloves, or a T-Rex chomping down on people.
The only recent film I can think of that even approaches the sheer level of mental torture
on the audience is HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, but this is a far
superiour film in my opinion.
The use of semi-subliminal imagery to denote the demonic possession shows exactly how
stupid the constant use of Hollywood morphing is. The jump cut is both more jarring and
disturbing for the audience. A morph simply takes too long in my opinion. And it isn't
forceful. I've yet to see a morph that has the impact of the demonic face of Megan which
briefly (an eighth of a second tops) flashes to the normal girl.
Word is that we will be treated to a digital 25 year anniversary release of THE
EXORCIST, but in my opinion there ain't nothing broke. In just Dolby Sound, the sound
went through me. Shivered my spine and cause poor Roland to twitch and jerk. This is
exactly the films that make being a film geek worth while.
If you have a revival theater in your town, make use of it, the best films playing, are
playing there. In Austin we have the PARAMOUNT and the ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE.
I saw 3 geeks that introduced themselves to me tonight, and one just emailed me to ask if
that 4th row occupant was indeed Head Geek, and yes it was.
In fact I'll be all around in the darkened theater. I'll be everywhere, wherever you can
look and see a good movie. Wherever there's a fight so hungry geeks can devour film, I'll
be there. Wherever there's a studio beatin' up a guy's good script, I'll be there. I'll be in the way geeks yell
when they're mad about stupid plots and castings. I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're
watching a cool movie and they know the toys are battery ready and where fans are
viewing the films they love and livin' in the theaters that only show quality films. I'll be
there, too. And if Grapes Of Wrath is showing, I'll be there, too.
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+ Expand All
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Mar 21, 2000 2:32:32 AM CST
How many fucking Exorcist Reviews are you going to do this week?
by darthpsychotic
Now take my old show The Larry Sanders Show, that was really a piece. Oh well, at least you didn't work The Iron Giant into the review like you did last time with your anal fetish fantasy you have with that movie. Now I like Todd, however given the choice between reading about The Iron Giant again here, well I rather watch 2 hyenas hump on The Discovery Channel. **Hey Now!!**
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With the exception of the Star Wars trilogy, I have never in 9 years of managing a movie theater seen a re-release or special edition do any kind of business. So I guess they don't do any business because they are not marketed, and they are not marketed because they don't do any business. Oh well.
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One thing that has gone unmentioned in a lot of these recent Exorcist articles is the fact that the film was nominated for 10 Oscars in a time that had a lot of great films. At this point the Academy was willing to nominate controversial and tough subject matter (Clockwork Orange a couple years before). The reason I'm bringing this up is because of that I feel is the terrible mistake of nominating The Sixth Sense for Best Picture & other major awards. While a very well made thriller/ghost story, it pales in comparison to the visceral experience of The Exorcist. The screenplay doesn't hinge on a twist. The directing is brutal yet masterful. The music, the acting, etc. Say what you want about Haley Joel Osment, but he didn't quite subject himself to the horror that Linda Blair (or Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver) had to go through. When The Exorcist got a Best Picture nod, it was nominated against The Sting, American Graffiti, Cries and Whispers, and A Touch of Class. Not mediocre audience-pleasers like The Green Mile & Cider House Rules. Overlooked for Best Picture in 1973 were Serpico, The Last Detail, Paper Moon, The Long Goodbye, and Last Tango in Paris, all masterpieces. But The Exorcist was at least worthy of the acclaim. I feel the Sixth Sense only appears so great because every other horror film in recent years SUCKS. Overlooking challenging work like Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia, Fight Club to nominate The Sixth Sense is an indication of how lame the Academy has become in 25+ years. And we make fun of the "Old Guard". Some of the new academy members in 1973 are still voting, and maybe they are competing with new members of today who like spoonfed films. That would be a sad truth to discover. Anyway, that's my rant. I think Warner Bros should give The Exorcist a wide release just to show how The Sixth Sense wasn't the greatest thing since sliced teenagers.
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The Exorcist is one of the two or three greatest films ever made, fight the good fight Knowlesy and keep it rocking...
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Mar 21, 2000 5:01:34 AM CST
Why the Exorcist WILL make big box-office if re-released properl
by mickey finn
Okay, a few things. I saw the re-released Exorcist at the cinema in Britain last year, and it kicked ass. All of you guys saying
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Well, I live in South Africa and a while ago a new TV channel was launched. It's first movie was going to be none other than THE EXORCIST!!! But of course there was a public outcry and the film
was not shown. Damn. So close. Obviously I was pissed and I swore that I would get my revenge. -
Tres sad but me first right? Right? FB out.
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Believe me, this new version deserves a wide release - even if it's just for a week or two. I'll tell you, I'd seen it multiple times prior to last week's premier- and I came away for the first time a little uneasy and had a little difficulty sleeping that night...Harry is right, the sound re-mix is brilliant. One of the best sound experiences I've ever had in a theater! This new version needs to be seen in a modern high quality cinema or its impact will be lost! God knows, on the "creepy" scale - it blows away "Blair Witch" and "Sixth Sense"...
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Anyone hear anything recently about Exorcist: Dominion? The prequel???
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I agree that the movie does not deserve to be in the Best Picture category, but Toni Collette deserves her best supporting actress nod and Haley Joel Osmet deserved a nomination, though I'm not sure he deserves the award (have heard good things about Michael Caine and Tom Cruise). If you compare Osmet's experience to Blair's in "Excorcist," well, there's no contest...the poor girl would win out. She might as well have been posessed because she went through hell for that film and her life has never been the same. (I find it funny that she lost to the girl from "Paper Moon," another one of those wonderful, but often forgotten films.) Even so, I think there is still a big defense for Osmet being in that supporting actor category this year, as well as for him winning the award. Dammit...I wish there was a movie theatre that showed all the Oscar nominated films not out on video so those of us who regretably missed them the first time around can go see them before Sunday night. I honestly would spend the fifty or so bucks it would take to see all five nominated films for "Best Picture" before then.
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This is why I'm still a little queasy about this new version, even though I'm sure to see it if it ever is shown on the big screen in my neck o the woods -- I'll say it one last time: I HATE the special edition of ALIENS. Why? Because I LOVE the movie, and because I believe that -- in horror films, especially -- more is not more, less is more. The ALIENS special edition goes with Cameron's increasing impulse towards "more is more," and just hits you over the head with everything that an intelligent viewer could *imagine* from the original cut -- what had happened to Newt and the colony, Ripley's motherly instinct, etc. Plus, it's too damn slow! I just hope that this new Exorcist doesn't kill all the subtlety and intelligence of the original version with "more". Anybody who has seen it and is tracking with the above -- can you allay my worries? Thanks. Duke Ray out.
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Mickey - you're right mate...The Exorcist has been making a lot of money in the last two years both at the cinema and on DVD /VHS thanks in no small way to Mark Kermode. He's a good lad too, introducing Evil Dead 2 and Zmobie Flesheaters on Channel 4 last year for their premiere's and describing video dealers distributing banned horror flicks in the late 70's/early 80's as more widespread than drug dealers...
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I thought I saw a link earlier today for the original "Exorcist" trailer...anyone know where it went?
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the trailer's at the OTHER Harry review
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Mar 21, 2000 6:53:43 PM CST
Gettin' a lil carried away with your barf-spewing animated .gif
by devils halo
I understood the tearful Harry... the booger slurpin' Harry left me a little unnerved but still ok nonetheless, but the barf spewin' Harry.. now that takes the cake. What's next? Ellen Burstyn Harry.. with "Lick me Mother" action?
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Hey Harry! Want to earn some credibility for a change? How about writing a hard-hitting expose of all the subliminal Scientologist messages in Battlefield Earth?
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A PERSON HASN'T SEEN THIS MOVIE TIL THEY'VE SEEN IT ON THE BIG SCREEN.My TV set does no justice for the way this movie has the ability to make a person feel.
I realise that many people watch this movie with the sense it's a simple horror flick...which is why I think today's generation may not understand it and see the true fear within.
The first time I saw this film, I didn't find it as interesting as it was hyped to be...but then I watched it again...alone...at night...with no distractions. It scared the crap out of me...for reasons I didn't know...which is why this film is seriously frightening.
The silence that takes over this whole film allows the viewer to be constantly uneasy...but can be destroyed if there are noisy viewers in the room. The hellish language in this film has yet to be matched...Even today. With all the figurative communication people express today, the bad language in this movie still strikes me in a way that truly offends even my dirty mouth and mind.
I recommend this film for silent analysis in which there should be no distractions. ABSOLUTELY NOT FOR slumber parties and noisy viewers which will numb the movie into a boring horror flick. A good film to give to a friend who will be alone the night they watch it...make then watch it in the dark. heheh -
What do we need to do to get this released nationally??? I haven't seen this movie in public since it came out and I had to watch it from the back seat of my parents car pretending to be asleep. I never slept well again) What do we need to do????
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I must admit to really enjoying THE SIXTH SENSE and THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, but Friedkin's 1973 horror opus still stands head and shoulders above a lot of dreck that on its best day wishes it was a good horror flick. What really made it kick was its IMPLIED horror-worked a charm for Hitchcock, right? In fact, critic Roger Ebert compared the film with the works of famed Swede Ingmar Bergman-a good comparison. And isn't it fitting that the film was made during the reign of the New Hollywood, arguably the greatest in movie history?
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I saw the new release in Athens, GA, back in March. When is the the rest of the world going to see it? I have friends waiting.
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I'm not trying to mock anyone who likes the exorcist by what I'm about to say. My friends and I hired the exorcist one night and started watching it with all the lights off at midnight. We watched it on a big, big TV with really good sound. It was a special edition with a behind the scenes and original trailers. We skipped the behind the scenes because we didn't want to know anything about the story but watched the trailers. After watching the trailers we all got a bit scared I think, as everyone's attention was entirely focused on the screen. None of us had actually seen The Exorcist before but had been looking forward to it. We started watching it but got a bit distracted as the first 1/2 hour was dead boring. The first time the little girl started acting strange we all focused our attention back to the screen and stayed watching the rest of the movie. Now, I must say, some scenes were freaky, but honestly, I can't believe people think this is the scariest movie ever. I'm not some dickhead who wanted to see the Exorcist so I could talk about how hardcore I am. I was really looking forward to what other people told me was a genuinely scary and frightening movie. People might say that the movie is only frightening when you watch it by yourself, but seriously, just sitting by yourself in the dark at midnight, watching anything is a bit scary. The effects and make-up were done well, and the cold-breath look was cool, but seriously, what is so scary about someone swearing stupid offensive things that don't even make sense. For me, I think the Exorcist was like the Blair Witch Project in that when watching it, it wasn't scary, but it would be constantly-shitting your pants scary if you were infact in that situation. By the way, has anyone seen the Leslie Neilson comedy 'Repossessed'? It is a take-off of the exorcist but it stars Linda Blair when she is grown up. When she gets possessed, the make-up is pretty much identical to that used in the exorcist. I saw 'Repossessed' a while ago and thought that was pretty scary. The Exorcist however relied on vulgar language and nothing but shock horror. I was really disappointed.
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This movie is now on the top of my list of all-time scariest films. Not only is it frightening, it also has an awesome story, awesome characters, etc. Unlike formulaic horror films of today, in which some psycho runs around killing people, the Exorcist had a unique premise and wonderful three-dimensional performances. This is the kind of film that gives you nightmares, but makes you yearn to see the film again. And it's not just about goosebumps and fear -- there's a great message in this film too about losing one's faith and redeeming yourself. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out. If you define the horror genre by such films as SCREAM, FRIDAY 13th, etc., then go see THE EXORCIST and prepare to be rocked.
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