The Exorcist (1973)

Introduction

When The Exorcist premiered in 1973, it wasn’t just a film — it was a cultural event, igniting controversy, fascination, and outright terror. People fainted in theatres. Some walked out. Others couldn’t sleep for weeks. Nearly half a century later, it remains a landmark in horror cinema — not just for its visceral scares, but for its unnerving exploration of faith, innocence, and evil.

Directed by William Friedkin and adapted by William Peter Blatty from his best-selling novel, The Exorcist redefined what horror could be. It was the first horror film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards — and with good reason. It’s not just a scare machine; it’s a serious, chilling psychological and theological drama that uses horror to ask profound questions about good, evil, and the human soul.

Plot Summary

The film centres on Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), a sweet and precocious 12-year-old girl living with her mother, Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), an actress working in Washington, D.C. When Regan begins exhibiting bizarre and violent behaviour, medical science offers no answers. As her condition worsens — cursing, convulsing, speaking in tongues, displaying impossible strength — Chris turns in desperation to the Church.

Enter Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a Jesuit priest and psychiatrist struggling with a crisis of faith. Initially sceptical, he comes to believe that Regan is possessed by a demonic entity. With the approval of the Church, he is joined by Father Merrin (Max von Sydow), an aging priest with experience in exorcisms.

What follows is a harrowing battle not just for a young girl’s life, but for her soul — and for the spiritual integrity of the priests themselves.

Performances

Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil

Burstyn grounds the film with a raw and emotionally devastating performance. As a mother watching her child fall apart, her arc from rational doubt to desperate belief is heartbreakingly believable. Her scenes with the doctors, and later the priests, capture a kind of maternal helplessness rarely portrayed with such force.

Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil

This is one of the most astonishing child performances in film history. Blair had to endure hours of intense prosthetics, makeup, and physical rigging, yet she never falters. Whether sweet and innocent or feral and blasphemous, Blair’s Regan is deeply affecting. Though voice actor Mercedes McCambridge provided the demon’s guttural speech, it’s Blair’s body and expressions that make the performance unforgettable.

Jason Miller as Father Karras

Miller, a playwright and first-time film actor, brings a haunted intensity to Karras. Struggling with guilt over his mother’s death and loss of faith, Karras is a deeply human priest — conflicted, intelligent, and tormented. His arc is the soul of the film: from doubt to sacrifice.

Max von Sydow as Father Merrin

Though his screen time is limited, von Sydow’s presence looms large. A revered actor by this time, he imbues Merrin with a serene gravitas — the calm before the storm. His arrival at the MacNeil house is one of the most iconic moments in cinema, perfectly captured in silhouette beneath a streetlight in a foggy night.

Direction and Tone

William Friedkin’s direction is precise, documentary-like, and emotionally ruthless. There’s no gothic grandeur or over-stylization. Instead, the camera lingers, often motionless, observing the horror unfold in quiet, clinical detail. This realistic style makes the supernatural elements feel all the more disturbing.

The pacing is masterful. The first half is almost a medical drama, gradually giving way to spiritual terror. By the time the exorcism begins, the dread has been building for over an hour — making the final confrontation feel earned, not rushed.

Friedkin was infamous for his controversial methods during production, including firing guns on set and physically yanking actors for more realistic reactions. While ethically questionable, the results are undeniable: the performances are intense, immediate, and visceral.

Cinematography and Atmosphere

Shot by Owen Roizman, the cinematography plays with stark contrasts — cold interiors, dim lighting, and claustrophobic framing. The MacNeil house becomes a pressure cooker, slowly suffocating the viewer as the walls seem to close in.

The bedroom, where most of the film's climactic horror takes place, transforms into a hellish chamber of suffering: windows iced over, lights flickering, Regan’s bed thrashing like a ship in a storm.

Every element — the cold colour palette, the stillness, the natural lighting — contributes to a mood of oppressive dread.

Sound and Music

The sound design in The Exorcist is exceptional. Growls, whispering voices, and mechanical groans echo from corners of the frame. The use of silence is just as important — long stretches without music or dialogue let the horror breathe.

The film’s most recognizable musical cue is Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells”, which plays like an eerie lullaby. It’s used sparingly but effectively, contributing to the film’s cold, haunting atmosphere.

Themes and Analysis

Faith vs. Doubt

At its core, The Exorcist is about the crisis of faith — in science, in religion, in the self. Karras represents the modern world’s struggle to believe in anything beyond material reality. His journey parallels the audience’s: sceptical at first, but forced to confront something inexplicable and terrifying.

The Nature of Evil

The film doesn’t just show evil; it explores its banality and power. The demon is not a movie monster. It’s ancient, cunning, cruel. It mocks, lies, and manipulates. It targets the vulnerable — a child, a grieving priest — and turns suffering into a weapon.

Loss of Control and Innocence

Regan’s possession is horrifying not just because it’s supernatural, but because it represents the ultimate loss of control. A child becomes unrecognizable. A mother can do nothing. Institutions — medical and spiritual — fail. The invasion of innocence makes the horror deeply personal and intimate.

The Cost of Sacrifice

The film’s climax is not about holy incantations or divine intervention — it’s about human sacrifice. Karras’s final act is one of profound courage and tragedy, reflecting the film’s belief that salvation is not easy or clean, but born through suffering.

Controversy and Cultural Impact

Upon release, The Exorcist shocked audiences. Its graphic language, religious themes, and disturbing imagery led to bans, protests, and heated debates. Yet, it became a massive box office hit, and quickly earned a reputation as the most frightening film ever made.

Its legacy is immense:

Inspired a wave of possession/exorcism films.

Elevated horror to serious cinematic art.

Influenced filmmakers from David Fincher to Ari Aster.

Sparked scholarly and theological debate.

Continues to scare and disturb, even after multiple viewings.

Versions and Edits

There are two primary versions:

The Theatrical Cut (1973): Tighter, more ambiguous. Omitted some of the book’s material, including the “spider-walk” scene.

The Extended Director’s Cut (2000) (aka “The Version You’ve Never Seen”): Adds 10 minutes, including the infamous spider-walk, more dialogue between the priests, and a greater emphasis on the friendship between Karras and Merrin.

Both are excellent, though the extended cut may slightly dilute the original’s precision for some viewers. Others find it richer and more complete.

Final Thoughts

The Exorcist is not just a horror classic — it is a masterpiece of American cinema. Visceral and cerebral, grounded yet spiritual, it works as both a terrifying thriller and a deeply moving story of faith and sacrifice.

What makes it endure is not just its scares (though they remain potent), but its emotional weight. The horror is real because the characters are real. And it dares to suggest that evil isn’t just a fantasy — it’s something ancient, personal, and horrifyingly plausible.

Verdict

Unrelenting, intelligent, and emotionally powerful. The Exorcist isn’t just one of the best horror films ever made — it’s one of the greatest films, period.