still stands up after 34 years

Rating: 10/10 (13 October 2007)

I have just seen "The Exorcist" again, some 34 years after its initial release, and must praise this as an excellent movie.
Forget the hype of this being "The scariest movie ever made". It is simply excellent story-telling, and what makes the film work is the wonderful character development. Ellen Burstyn is outstanding as the distraught mother trying desperately to understand and cure her daughter's bizarre behaviour. Jason Miller is also wonderful as the priest whose own scientific training causes not only his own crisis of faith, but skepticism as to the nature of Regan's distress. Lee J. Cobb and Max von Sydow also do tremendous jobs in their supporting roles. Linda Blair's performance was so good that it ultimately ruined her prospects for any future career - she was the poster child for the term "typecast".
I will not rehash the story in my review; it has been adequately covered by others. Suffice to say, this is a story about people: Not only Regan and her possession, but most importantly the reaction of sane, logical, 20th-century educated people trying to make sense of inexplicable phenomena. And it is the increasing desperation in the face of no scientific, logical answers that plays so strongly on the audience. We are forced to ask questions regarding our own beliefs, and whether we have room for the supernatural in our own ideas of the universe.
The shock value of profanity and vomiting were novel in 1973; of course that's old hat today - although the spinal tap and other medical examination scenes still make me shudder - perhaps because they are all too real. But the overall thrill of the story hasn't aged a bit. In my view, that's what makes a film a classic - it stands the test of time in terms of its entertainment value. Well worth watching again and again.