The Exorcist (1973) | Haddonfield Movie Club
Do you hate scary movies but are tempted by their allure? Are you curious about why the horror genre remains as popular as ever? Or do you need an excuse to rewatch the creepy classics?
Haddonfield Movie Club is a monthly Least Important Things article series focused on the foundational movies in the horror genre. So, whether you're a scaredy cat or a hardened veteran, together, we'll dissect the history, impact, and throughlines of the genre. So grab a pillow to hide behind and pop a fresh bag of popcorn. It's time to get scared.
Before prestige horror was a label, there was The Exorcist.
The 1973 William Friedkin-directed film was the first of its kind in a long line of sequels, spin-offs, and interpretations, so much so that “possession” flicks have become their own subgenre.
The Exorcist was nominated for ten Oscars and won two of them–best-adapted screenplay and sound–making it the standard in accolades for the horror genre.
Pound for pound, it’s still one of the most acclaimed horror movies of all time. But does it still hit for new audiences? How can a concept that’s become so synonymous in cinema withstand its own cliche?
The Story
A well-known actress rents a Georgetown house while filming an upcoming picture. After her daughter starts experiencing strange symptoms of psychosis, she obsessively searches for answers. Meanwhile, a young priest with a dark past is connected with the death of a fellow chaplain at the university.
The two sullen souls collide when the mother seeks out a last-ditch effort to heal her daughter–exorcism.
Why You Should Watch
Serene Cinematopgry: Filmed in the Capitol-city neighborhood, Owen Roizman captures the gothic tone of the brick-laid streets and stone cathedrals that feels ancient by American standards. It’s the perfect movie to nestle into the dark winter months.
Hot Priest: Before Andrew Scott lustfully captured our attention as “Hot Priest” in Fleabag, Jason Miller's dark eyes and aloof performance made us believe that being a man of the cloth could make us wonder what’s under it.
Special Effects: It’s easy to get caught up in the debate of practical versus CGI effects, but at the time of filming The Exorcist, the only tools special effects supervisor Marcel Vercoutere had at his disposal were latex and ingenuity. The visuals of Regan’s possession by the demon Pazuzu are still shockingly effective today, all the more sold by one of the most incredible child-acting performances by Linda Blair.
The Unknown: Although the subsequent sequels and spin-offs delve deeper into the world of demons, the reality of recorded exorcism within the Catholic Church gives the original a cloak of unknown. Paired with its setting in the early 1970s, as an audience today, we can reasonably understand how the day's technology wouldn’t be able to diagnose Regan (this is similar to how the original Halloween feels like a time capsule of the era).
It’s the mystery that is scary—the fear of the unknown. And the pain of not being able to help the ones you love. Or maybe the chaotic nature on the set that burnt itself on the celluloid makes The Exorcist a monument that cannot be replicated.
The original “hot priest.”
Scare-O-Meter = 4
1 = Watching a creepy Disney cartoon from the 60s and wondering how they got away with that.
5 = You can't finish the movie because you're so scared.
Yes, The Exorcist still is terrifying. Because of the spiritual nature of the film, it’s difficult to suspend your disbelief entirely as a viewer. Having a child as the central receiver of physical aliment will always be traumatic for any sane viewer, especially when the adult cast performances are effectively fearful.
Member Takes
No movie has ever taken itself so seriously. And the closest to it might be Strangers.
It's so real and so serious.
Also, the shock of it: the effects, the vulgar language is still so unsettling. For that iconic image of the man under the street light. Freidkin took two days just to get that shot right.
No movie today or ever again will have that much attention to detail.
-Curtis Felten, founder member of the Haddonfield Movie Club
Homework: Black Christmas (1974)
In light of the approaching holidays, we’re going sidestep to a film not necessarily in the canon of influential cinema but a film that continued the legacy of a holiday-based slasher.
1974’s Black Christmas.
Where can you stream Black Christmas 1974
Peacock (free with subscription)
Roku Channel (free with ads)
Tubi (free with ads)
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