The Exorcist (1973)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

William Friedkin

Writers:

William Peter Blatty (screenplay)
William Peter Blatty (novel)

Release Date:

26 December 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Something beyond comprehension is happening to a little girl on this street, in this house. A man has been called for as a last resort to try and save her. That man is The Exorcist.

Plot:

An adolescent girl is possessed by a mysterious entity and her mom seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter

Plot Keywords:

Teenage Girl | Defloration | Subliminal Message | Teenage Actress Playing Preteenage Girl | Teenager

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 14 nominations

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Ellen Burstyn	...	Chris MacNeil
Max von Sydow	...	Father Merrin
Lee J. Cobb	...	Lt. Kinderman
Kitty Winn	...	Sharon
Jack MacGowran	...	Burke Dennings
Jason Miller	...	Father Karras
Linda Blair	...	Regan
Reverend William O'Malley	...	Father Dyer (as Reverend William O'Malley S.J.)
Barton Heyman	...	Dr. Klein
Peter Masterson	...	Dr. Barringer, Clinic Director (as Pete Masterson)
Rudolf Schündler	...	Karl
Gina Petrushka	...	Willi
Robert Symonds	...	Dr. Taney
Arthur Storch	...	Psychiatrist
Reverend Thomas Bermingham	...	Tom, President of University (as Reverend Thomas Bermingham S.J.)

Also Known As:

The Exorcist 2000 (Australia) (cable TV title)
The Exorcist: The Version You Haven't Seen Yet (USA) (recut version)
The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen (USA) (promotional title)
William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

122 min | 132 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Latin | Greek | French | German | Arabic

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (1979 re-release) | DTS-ES (director's cut) | Dolby Digital EX (director's cut) | Mono (original release) | SDDS (director's cut)

Certification:

Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1998) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:R (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Malaysia:(Banned) | UK:(Banned) (original rating) | Italy:VM14 (director's cut) | Australia:MA (TV rating) | Brazil:14 | Singapore:(Banned) (original rating) | Singapore:R(A) (re-rating) (cut) | Canada:14A (re-rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:18 (original rating) | Canada:R (video rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (2000 re-release) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) (2000 re-release) | Canada:AA (Ontario) (2000 re-release) | Canada:R (Manitoba) (also 2000 version) | Chile:14 (re-rating) (2000) | Chile:18 (original rating) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 (director's cut) | France:-16 (original rating) | Germany:16 (bw) (2001 re-release) | Hong Kong:IIB | Hungary:18 | Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | Israel:18 | Italy:VM14 (re-release) | Mexico:C | Netherlands:16 (director's cut) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 (2000) | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 (video rating) (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (re-rating) (1990) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:18 (bw)

Filming Locations:

3600 Prospect Avenue, Georgetown, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Company:

Hoya Productions

Trivia:

The green pea soup used for the vomit scene was Anderson's specifically. The crew tried Campbell's but didn't like the "effect".

Goofs:

Continuity: In the 2000 re-release, when Father Merrin asks Chris McNeil what Regan's middle name is, she is wearing a fur coat. When the priests enter Regan's room and Father Karras closes the door in her face, Mrs. McNeil is no longer wearing the coat.

Quotes:

Pazuzu: You killed your mother! You left her alone to die! Bastard!
Father Damien Karras: Shut up!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Witches of Eastwick (1992) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Ramblin' Man

Still Shocking After All These Years

Few movies shocked people like this one when it came out. Almost 35 years later, it will still shock you if you've never seen it. It's definitely recommended, but beware of some very gross scenes, brutal language and a sordid and genuinely frightening story.

The special effects still hold up. They don't look dated and they are just as creepy. The story starts a bit slowly, but once in kicks in, it's tough to put this DVD on pause. This is still an intense, repulsive and scary movie filled with memorable scenes as a demon takes control over a young girl's body.

Two things bothered me in the film that probably don't upset most people: way too much usage of the Lord's name in vain - almost all by the girl's mother, played by Ellen Burstyn. The second - and I am not Catholic - is the pitiful portrayal of yet-another Hollwood weak priest. This priest is smokes, drinks, swears, steals, etc.. etc, and is a pitiful excuse for a cleric: just the kind filmmakers love to portray. One priest - get this - says his idea of heaven is to be a nightclub performer for eternity and have everyone like him. Obviously, people who makes films have NO clue about "religion." Not a single clue. But, this was '70: the most irreverent film-making period in our history, so it's no surprise.

However - to its credit - the film does an excellent job of convincing even the most ardent atheist that demons do exist, that there really is a devil, and that he is not to be taken lightly. It's no joke, and the shock value of this film might have gotten some people to start thinking there is something to all this "spiritual stuff."

Whatever your theology, or lack of it, this movie is one you will never forget. It is beyond anything seen before it or since. I recommend the DVD that advertises this as "The Exorist: The version you've never seen." That's the best and most complete version of this terrifying film.