[Blizzi]

I hadn’t noticed that Merrin was walking on a cross… very observant of you to see that! I had taken note of the song, though I didn’t associate Karras’ wandering with the demon being a “travelin’ man”. Good job! 🙂

[granville1]

Thanks, Blizzi… sorry to reply so late. Again, I’m not _certain_ it’s meant to show Merrin walking down a cross, but the way it’s framed sure suggests it to me…

[Jason Stringer]

I believe anything you can make your own while watching any film is what makes it personal to you. It’s things like this that made The Exorcist such a fascinating film to watch. Nice attention to detail, granville1

[granville1]

Thanks for the kind words, Captain. The film seems to yield more symbology the more one views it…

[Greg]

You are a very observant man, Granville. This is something seemingly rare these days with filmgoers, which possibly is attributed to the lower quality of films these days. I often see a lot of symbology in Orson Welles’ films and many people think I’m crazy despite the fact that Welles admitted he put a lot of it in his films. Now if one were to say that Luis Bunuel’s films had symbology might be incorrect (connecting to Capn’s point about making any film your own with your personal perspective), but that is beside my overall point. Your astuteness has always impressed me, sir. 🙂

[granville1]

Greg, thanks for your kind words. I only just now read them – sorry it took me so long!

[granville1]

I keep wondering if there is a reference to Merrin’s pride in the Prologue in Northern Iraq. After the Iraqi boy tells Merrin that there are fragments to examine “at the base of the mound”, Merrin goes to the dig site. Two pits have been dug, one on each side of Merrin, and he walks down along a “wall” separating the pits. The way this is photographed – and this is just apersonal impression – it looks like Merrin is walking down a cross. The vertical “beam” is the wall between the pits, and the transverse “beam” is formed by the upper section of the pits. This could be an allusion to Merrin’s pride – he is trampling or trodding on the cross.

Another scene is where Karras fetches the beers in the tavern. The soundtrack (the “live” bar music”) plays the Altman Bros. hit, “I was born a ramblin’ man…” This is descriptive of Karras, who is a “journeyer” in the Church, going where the Jesuit Order sends him. He travels “like a dark cloud in search of some storm”, “carrying pain in a black valise”. Karras is also metaphorically “wandering” between doubt and faith. (There is also a possible extended reference to this by Blatty in the Legion film, where – speaking through Karras – the demon says, “I’m a traveling man” – the demon, too, is a traveler among ages and human bodies. Wandering, rambling, and traveling seem somehow related to both Karras and the demon.)

Just a couple of ideas on the many resonances in the film… I’m sure others have noticed these as well.

[Author]

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