I still cannot believe this film ever got made.

Rating: 10/10 (10 September 2005)

It's safe to assume that there will never be another film like The Exorcist. Never.
It's not so much because of the subject matter, which is highly controversial even to this day...but the conditions of the filming. Actors were strapped into harnesses and violently yanked across the room, Friedkin shooting off guns to get a startled effect from the actors, having them work in a room that has been refrigerated to such a level that their breath shows up on screen, and everything that 14 year-old Linda Blair had to go through in this film.
Friedkin also used several single-frame inserts of the "devil's face" that some people will not even notice. Also, the strange sounds coming from the room is actually the sound of pigs being slaughtered. All of the subliminal touches and hellish conditions really add to the effect of the film. Another technique that I noticed was that there's often a cut from a loud, violent situation to a quiet, calm setting. The effect is extremely unnerving.
The climax of the film, the infamous exorcism scene...is one of the most brilliant moments in film history that still has a HUGE impact even to this day. Keep in mind that all the effects were accomplished without the use of CGI. Which is great, because if they were done with computers, it would look 1000% fake, even if they did it today.
Friedkin really shines here as director, creating many memorable scenes and dozens of physically and aesthetically brilliant shots. His use of the camera is impeccable, and this is surely the greatest film he has ever made to this date, and most likely his best of all time. It's clearly one of the most impactful horror films ever made, and one of the greatest films, period.
If there was one complaint I have, it is the archaeological dig at the beginning of the film. It really doesn't give us any necessary information and doesn't fit with the rest of the film. Other than that, everything is great, especially the cinematography and music (Tubular Bells is a classic).
I'd like to end this review by pointing out something that you will NEVER see in another film ever again. A doctor smoking in a hospital. Watch for it.