According to the film critics, the Exorcist is the only movie about demonic possession that should have ever been made. Every subsequent movie with a "possession" theme was labeled a "rip-off." I'm pretty sure that Beyond the Door was the first "rip-off." One film critic described this movie as vulgar. Perhaps. Was the Exorcist any less vulgar? The Exorcist had a good director, good actors and good production values. It is these attributes which set the Exorcist apart from all the follow-up films. However, if you are offended by someone regurgitating green slime, does it really matter whether it's coming from Linda Blair or anyone else? I have always thought that the Exorcist worked as well on a dramatic level as it does a horror movie. This is probably something you shouldn't be able to say about an effective horror movie. I once listened to William Friedkin's audio commentary while watching the movie. He and I agree on which scene is the best part of the movie. It is the exchange between Ellen Burstyn and the great Lee J Cobb. As a police lieutenant, Cobb has more compassion for Burstyn than priest she seeks help from. When Cobb is about to leave Burstyn's house, he says: "You're a nice lady." She replies: "You're a nice man." This is actually touching! Ironically, this touching scene is directly followed by one of the most wild and disturbing scenes in the movie. In fact, I've always wondered how the movie escaped an X rating with this scene intact. However, I still believe the tender scene which precedes this resonates more. All things considered, the Exorcist is definitely one of the greatest horror movies of all time, as well as one of the most influential. Not number one, though. My choice for Number One took place in Texas. Something to do with chain saws.
Review of The Exorcist
