A Savage Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (12 July 2009)

I want to make this clear from the beginning: I have only seen the extended version of "The Exorcist," but it is one of my favorite supernatural movies, and definitely in the top 30 movies I've ever seen, sadly behind Richard Donner's nearly-incomparable "The Omen." "The Exorcist" lacks the thrilling subtlety and possible coincidence of "Omen," which is both a key strength and a notable shortcoming. It is a strength because it allows for a more visceral reaction to the violent images as they unfold, but it can also detract from the plausibility of the film if, as I do, the viewer subscribes to a non-Judeo-Christian faith. We know very clearly what really goes on in the film-- this is no psychological torment, it is all real, and too brutal to be convincingly faked.
Except, that is, by a team of Hollywood experts like the one assembled to make the film. It may be a supreme irony that the film was released in a year that also saw the G-rated Biblical musicals "Godspell" and "Jesus Christ Superstar," allowing some members of the audience to experience in the same year both the benevolence of Christ and the uninhibited evil of Satan. But one thing is for sure: as "Godspell" and "Superstar" were classics of re-imagined spirituality, so is "Exorcist," but in a totally different way.
The main conflict of the film is the demonic possession of a 12-year-old (I'm guessing) girl. Her mother (the excellent Ellen Burstyn) and everyone around loves her, and sees a wonderful purity and goodness in her soul. But when she starts cursing out everything that moves, engaging in violent spasms on her bed, and saying weird, chilling things, something goes terribly wrong.
Paying lip service to Occam's razor, mama Burstyn goes looking for the simplest explanation first-- physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, etc.-- but when one suggests exorcism (not out of belief in possession, but as a "force of suggestion" cure), motherly love convinces her to try the bizarre ritual. Despite the title, there are two "exorcists"-- the jaded young Father Karras (played perfectly by Jason Miller) and Father Merrin (Max von Sydow-- remember when he played Jesus?), a seasoned veteran in the war against demonic spirits.
The actual ritual doesn't occur until at least the last half hour of the movie, but it is one of the most compelling 30-minute sections of film ever captured. With equal twists of the psychological and the supernatural, director William Friedkin turns loose one of the most chilling spectacles of terror ever captured. Even with my beliefs, I still find it hard to go to sleep when scenes from the film creep into my late-night thoughts. That, I think, is a testament to its power as a movie.
For those who insist that the film "glorifies Satanism," I suggest you watch it and actually pay attention. Does anybody who sees this movie actually *want* to become possessed, or serve the devil? Hard to believe.
It does have a few weaknesses (pacing, dialogue, and even that Oscar-winning audio), but you'd be hard-pressed to find a stronger horror movie (except "The Omen," which is more of a thriller anyway) with as potent an emotional impact.