Dish of the Day
Just some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Saturday, April 22, 2023
Today on TCM:
The Exorcist (1973)
Max von Sydow
For anyone remotely interested in movies who was conscious in 1973, it would have been impossible to be unaware of the sensation caused by The Exorcist upon its initial release. People lined up for hours. Some of those witnessing this astonishing level of terror for the first time fainted, became ill and had to leave the theatre early. This landmark film, now celebrating its 50th Anniversary, took the cinematic universe by storm because of a perfect storm: its highly sensational and controversial literary source, opening screenings that prompted both a widely publicised positive response from critics matched with an overwhelming emotional effect they were having on audiences, and perhaps most astounding of all this was a horror film that was being taken by everyone, it seems, damn seriously.
For the critics who, unlike today, held incredible sway over public perception at the time, most were impressed… as they should have been.
In the opening scenes, the filmmakers introduce and slowly expand upon our awareness of two priests at opposite ends of the world and faith related temperament. This early exposition lets us know that The Exorcist will have far more sophisticated and carefully conceived storytelling than what we are use to seeing, not only in this genre but in the vast majority of American cinema. The dramatic build-up continues with an afflicted young girl suffering from the worst trauma imaginable and her exasperated mother trying desperately to alleviate her daughter’s severe suffering. To add even further intensification, the young girl’s actions lead to murder and an ensuing investigation. By the time the story reaches the exorcism itself, the clash of wills have escalated to devastating proportions since we have become so conscious of, and consumed with, the diverse participants and their calamities leading up to, and converging at, this crucial event. All of the preceding conflicts including some deep personal issues with faith, contribute to the tumultuous ferocity in these brilliantly executed final scenes. Of course there is the infamous demonic possession itself with its blasphemous, violently abusive words and actions unrivalled in motion picture history and delivered with a guttural force that defies description. Most formidable of all are the two priests’ showdown of life-and-death consequence not only with the demons at large, but at times between themselves.
William Friedkin, at the height of his considerable yarn spinning powers, directed from William Peter Blatty’s screenplay adapted from the latter’s novel. The performers, including Max von Sydow and Jason Miller as the two priests, Ellen Burstyn as the mother of Linda Blair’s possessed child, Lee J. Cobb as the detective and Mercedes McCambridge giving voice to the devil, bestow their roles with the utmost creative commitment. All of the technical contributions are top-shelf, most notably Owen Roizman’s vivid and memorable cinematographic imagery.
TCM has, unfortunately, decided to present The Extended Director’s Cut (updated) Sunday, November 26 (2023) at 7 pm PST. This version, unnecessarily tinkered with, is a considerable step down from The Theatrical Cut. I’ve also made a comparison between these two versions in a “Dish of the Day” column here.
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All responses are not only welcomed but encouraged in the comments section below.
Hope to see you tomorrow.
A.G.