The Exorcist: The Version You Never Saw (1973/2000) Warner Bros./Horror RT: 132 minutes Rated R (strong language, disturbing images, violence, blasphemy) Director: William Friedkin Screenplay: William Peter Blatty Music: Mike Oldfield and Jack Nitzsche Cinematography: Owen Roizman and Billy Williams Release date(s): December 26, 1973 (original)/September 22, 2000 (extended) Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn, Jack MacGowran, Father William O’Malley, Peter Masterson, Rudolf Schundler, Gina Petrushka, Mercedes McCambridge, Vasiliki Maliaros, Robert Symonds, Barton Heyman, Arthur Storch, Titos Vandis. Box Office: $232.6 million (US)/$441 million (World)
Rating: ****
NOTE TO READERS: Technically, this review is about the extended version of The Exorcist that hit theaters in fall 2000 (aka The Version You Never Saw). However, much of what I’m going to say applies more to the original 1973 version. How can I write about the movie otherwise?
As I watched The Exorcist for the umpteenth time, an interesting thought occurred to me. There’s no way it would go over with today’s audiences. This tale of demonic possession, a concept that’s become old hat in the 50+ years since its original release, moves too slowly for a generation raised on noisy, overedited, unscary hack jobs that lack the personal touch of the films of yesteryear. Directed by William Friedkin (The French Connection), The Exorcist, while scary as hell, is about more than a possessed child. It has a lot to say about the nature of faith and the presence of evil in the world. It provides context for the ultimate showdown between good (the two priests) and evil (the demonically possessed child).
I was too young to see The Exorcist when it first came out. I wasn’t aware of the stir it created at the box office. Initially released to just 26 theaters around the country, it became a smash hit. People lined up around the block to see it. Stories of audience members vomiting or fainting got around. Some theaters started giving out barf bags with every ticket. Sales of pea soup dropped precipitously (I’m just guessing at that one but I wouldn’t surprised if it was true). The Exorcist became the first horror film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. In fact, it was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and walked away with two wins, Adapted Screenplay and Sound Mixing.
I never quite understood the opening 15 minutes of The Exorcist until recently. It begins with Father Lankester Merrin (von Sydow, The Seventh Seal) on an archeological dig in Iraq where he finds an amulet bearing the image of the demon Pazuzu with whom he had a previous encounter. Although his name is NEVER mentioned in this first movie, Pazuzu is the demon that possesses 12YO Regan MacNeil (Blair, Born Innocent). The discovery prompts Merrin to return home to prepare for round two against the powerful demon.
Actress Chris MacNeil (Burstyn, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore) lives in Washington DC with her daughter Regan, a preteen who’s all smiles and innocence. That is until she starts messing with a Ouija board she finds in a closet. She communicates with somebody she calls “Captain Howdy”. She starts behaving strangely after that, using obscene language and lashing out violently. Medical professionals can’t find anything physically wrong with her and attribute her bizarre behavior to “nerves”. One of them suggests to Chris that she consult a priest about an exorcism to rid her daughter of the evil spirit that appears to inhabit her body.
Father Damien Karras (stage actor Miller) is undergoing a crisis of faith since the death of his elderly mother. He’s also a psychiatrist so he’s not too quick to believe that Regan is possessed. When he finally becomes convinced that she’s possessed, he seeks permission from the church to perform an exorcism. It’s decided that Merrin will perform the exorcism since he has experience with Karras assisting him.
There’s also a cop, Lt. William Kinderman (Cobb, On the Waterfront), poking around. He’s investigating the mysterious death of director Burke Dennings (MacGowran, The Fearless Vampire Killers) who was thrown down a flight of steps outside Regan’s bedroom.
The Exorcist is a superbly crafted horror movie that delivers chills, thrills and honest-to-God legit scares. Friedkin takes his time building up to the exorcism, but it’s in the build-up that the truly creepy stuff is found, much of it also disturbing- e.g. Regan masturbating with a crucifix. The special effects and makeup in the scenes of possession, although crude by today’s standards (admittedly, the head spin looks totally fake), are still effective.
Friedkin imbues The Exorcist with this unsettling vibe that hits viewers on a level deeper than the typical horror movie. He achieves this in part by the subliminal imagery seen throughout the movie. Look quickly and you’ll spot quick shots of a demonic face. Friedkin also makes great use of sound. Regan’s moaning and groaning were achieved by remixing pig squeals. Also, actress Mercedes McCambridge provides the voice of possessed Regan. The scenes of Regan’s medical examinations are defined by the unpleasant sounds of the equipment at work. The score is suitably eerie, especially Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells”. The cinematography and editing are also outstanding.
The cast does an excellent job all-around. Blair is perfect as cherubic Regan who easily switches from evil demon to scared kid in the same moment. One moment, she’s happy; the next, she has this blank look that’s quite unnerving. In his first movie role, Miller is great. He’s totally convincing as a priest experiencing a crisis of faith in the face of events that would leave the most stoic among us shaken. Von Sydow, as always, is great. He’s made-up to look much older than the actor’s 48 years and it works. Burstyn commands every scene she’s in with her character’s strong maternal instinct to protect her young.
Now what about The Version You Never Saw? I have to say that I like a great many things about it. In some ways, it’s a better movie than the original. The additional scenes give the characters more depth. The addition of the spider-walk scene- Regan crawls backward down the stairs spider-style- is cool because it’s such a freaky scene. I also like the shots of demonic faces on walls and doors. The only scene that doesn’t work is the final scene of the movie. Instead of ending with a shot of Father Dyer walking away from the MacNeil house after watching them leave, there’s an additional scene of Lt. Kinderman inviting him to a movie. It‘s less powerful than the original ending. Aside from that, it’s that rare director’s cut that improves on rather than takes away from the original.
Either way, The Exorcist is a great horror movie. It’s legitimately scary, intelligent and even thought-provoking.
