People just can't appreciate subtlety these days

Rating: Null/10 (11 August 2004)

It never ceases to amaze me that nothing seems to scare people these days unless it involves loads of gore and is blunt and in your face. The Exorcist is an amazing movie and one of the main reasons for this is the subtlety and depth that exudes right through the movie. The tension is built up to breaking point several times during the movie and it is the unexpected explosion of tension that provides the chill.
The depth of character progression and the subtle subplots (most people see the main Good v Evil plot, however the controversy surrounding ritalin [sp?], the issues of faith, the tensions of bringing up kids for a single parent, the sacrifice at the end, the science v alternative treatment argument etc) give great depth that is rarely seen in the Horror/Thriller scene. All of the characters are fully realized and give a level of reality to the movie that is missing in many films. It is the realism of the film that helps to drive the horror home, as opposed to excessive gore.
The quality of the film is also bought out in the intricacy of the visuals and the amazing soundscape that William Friedkin has been able to portray. The contrast of light and dark and extreme noise and extreme silence is amazing. The subtle overlay of the "devil" images at certain times of the film are very effectively used and utter silence at times is used like no other film I have seen to great effect. And how can you not go past Mike Oldfields Tubular Bells for a great atmospheric lead in. I think that I was most impressed by the overall atmosphere when I first saw the movie (and that was only last year when I saw it 4 years ago at the re-release). I don't think that this film loses anything 31 years on, I think that the amount of discussion that it has raised since it was first released (both positive and negative) shows that it is a movie that has been very effective and can be called a classic in its own right.
I give it a 10 out of 10.