CaptainHowdy.com The #1 Exorcist Fansite Since 1999
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It was different from any other film, horror or not, up to its time. It took a documentary and intellectual approach, employing understatement combined with scenes of deep shock. It portrayed its characters realistically, including its priests. It set the standard of all subsequent horror films. It outraged sensibilities and provoked debate.
No, I don’t think it was a “political” film with a social message – its primary intent was to entertain and to shock. However, the way in which Blatty wrote the novel and Friedkin directed the film was bound to make the audience ask questions about the nature of reality and the function of religion in relation to that question. But it wasn’t a “message” film in my view.
I must agree with granville 1 on all points that he made. I will also bring to light that the way Blatty wrote the novel, it was not just writen for the sake of a novel just to have been writen. Blatty touches many facets of our lives faith , guilt , the strugles of good and evil and that is just some of many layers that Blatty writes about in his novel.
I like the way Blatty uses all his subjects in his novel. He thought of all aspect to make the novel believable he left no rock left unturned.It is like Blatty wrote the novel thinking ummm… lets see if i were reading this novel what would be the facts i need for me to believe this little girl could be possed. Ok. Lets make the family atheist … that way there is no background of the family knowing any religious rituals ,i.e exorcisims, possesion.Ok. once girl starts to have a change of chracter due to the possesion of the demon lets exhaust all psychological help and as well as all medical test…. make the DR. look bewildered and steer them to make the proclamation that medicine can’t help but the church can help the symptoms that are taken place in the girl….. This is were i bring the religion aspect in the novel, good against evil.Ok … now i have two priest,the young one has lost or is questioning his faith and the older priest has had a past with the demon that has possed the little girl….and in the end the young priest will find his faith .Ok. The end …. lets see the two priest die but good wins and the girl is no longer possed.I know that i made no justice to Blatty’s novel but to me he made sure he exhausted every step before he went to another step in his novel.‘Cult’ tends to imply something that never hit the mainstream, but has a small dedicated following. The Exorcist was and still is huge.
It’s still a late night cinema Hallowe’en favourite and viewing it still a kind ‘rite of passage’ for teenagers.
It’s popular because it’s a beautifully constructed film, based on an excellent script.
I still prefer the 25 anniversary release in terms of structure. Other than Merrin’s and Karras’s conversation on the stairs, I think Billy Friedkin did the right thing trimming the film.
The bit that WPB goes on about – the doctor saying Regan is stressed being cut – never bothered me. I always assumed that after Regan peed herself, Kris called a local doctor to check Regan out!
lol, i cant look at a pic od regan all possessed without freaking out and thinking shes looking at me.euuugh.
Gabriel you said “Cult’ tends to imply something that never hit the mainstream, but has a small dedicated following. The Exorcist was and still is huge.”
so if it is as huge as i have seen, through research and all the reviewed changes in the film and certification rules changing ect- then the exorcist shouldnt be called a cult film…..
could you simply define a cult film as something creating controversy, or deabte or a following?
im not sure if thats what i believe btw, im just sparking off more debate.
cheers! x
Also what made you choose to join a site such as this? what is it that makes you like the film so much?
For me I joined the site because its excellence combined with my love of the novel and movie. Folks around here appreciate the genius of the film and novel. We range from materialists and skeptics to cautious believers to strong religionists to agnostics, but what we have in common is our devotion to the Exorcist phenomenon and to Captain Howdy’s excellent website. Stimulating conversation, state of the art news updates, nice people.
Hard to say exactly why I like the film so much – I thought the book was much better, but also think that Blatty and Friedkin’s judicious decisions about the film created one of the greatest films of all time.
First, I love Blatty’s characters. I love the way he was able to scare me with psychological, not primarily physical, dread. I love the way he hints at the possibility of spirituality and redemption even amid life’s “dung” so well portrayed in the possession of an adolescent girl. When Karras makes his silent confession to Dyer at the bottom of the steps, something transcendent enters both novel and film – something we don’t see every day in books or movies.
i was just wondering, why do you love this film so much? Why does it have such a cult following- ive only just got into the film and im 21! im intrigued….
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