Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • Thank You
    • 4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
    • 3999. The Pianist (2002)
    • 3998. Philadelphia (1993)
    • 3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
    • 3996. The Green Mile (1999)
    • 3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
    • 3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»3130. The Exorcist (1973)

    3130. The Exorcist (1973)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on October 23, 2020 120-129 mins, 1973, 8 - 10, Drama, Horror, Movies Of 2020, Oct 20, Review, United States
    8.5 Extremely distressing
    • Acting 8.4
    • Directing 8.6
    • Story 8.4
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb

    Director: William Friedkin

    Running Time: 121 mins


    The Exorcist is an American film about a 12 year-old girl who becomes possessed by a demonic entity, leading her increasingly distressed mother to seek the help of the clergy to save her.

    As iconic and well-known a film as it is, there’s no preparing you for just how traumatising The Exorcist can be. A dark, dark, dark film with an unrelenting sense of distress, it’s an undeniably intoxicating watch, but not a comfortable one by any means.

    I’ll be the first to confess that supernatural horror, as well as a lot of faith-based horror, just isn’t my cup of tea. There’s something about this part of the genre that really doesn’t grab me, but The Exorcist is an enormous exception.

    An ingenious story that never holds back from the darkest recesses of horror, The Exorcist is far more of a psychological drama than a supernatural horror, with much more in the way of mental torment than simple scares.

    Admittedly, the film gets off to a slow start, with a collection of different characters that don’t seem to have much connection to one another. Also, with slow pacing yet a dark, heavy atmosphere, it can be a bit of an exhausting opening act, but the film is one to stick with through those less-than-stellar initial moments.

    Because, once the story begins to take a turn for the strange, things go south very, very quickly. Starting with the unexplained psychological condition of a sweet young girl, The Exorcist immediately shocks you with a powerful use of profanity, gore and violence in a way that I’ve never seen in another film.

    Though extremely bold and very graphic, the film is never excessive, which is part of what makes it such an intoxicating watch. It seems to balance on the verge of a preposterous supernatural horror story, but it keeps things grounded with harsh, realistic emotional depth that takes centre stage for the vast majority of the runtime.

    The possession of the little girl might be the centre of focus, but it’s actually the mental distress of a handful of characters that makes this such a fascinating film. Ellen Burstyn and Jason Miller in particular give incredible performances full of deep anguish, and it’s their characters’ stories which really captivate your imagination.

    As you sympathise with them and begin to feel the same sense of pain and distress at an increasingly desperate and confusing situation, the film continues to up the ante, with a series of shocking revelations and twists that build up the tension and stakes of trying to rescue the little girl from a terrifying possession.

    The movie keeps its slow and generally quiet style all the way through, with the exception of moments of traumatising intensity with a gut-punching sense of terror. Again, it’s not because those moments are violent or even particularly scary, but it’s the patient yet very effective build-up of emotion through the story that makes this such a powerful film at times.

    And with all of that in hand, the film delivers a staggering finale which even the greatest supernatural horror sceptics won’t be able to resist. Using religious rituals to ingenious effect, The Exorcist tells a faith-based supernatural horror which feels fully grounded in reality, and which has a powerful psychological impact.

    Overall, there’s no getting away from the fact that The Exorcist is an astonishing film. Although a little slow at first, the film really builds up well, cleverly drawing its main characters together in an often confusing but intoxicating story.

    Using graphic horror to incredible effect, the movie can be on occasion unfathomably dark, but delivers a bold and unforgettable viewing experience at the same time. So, that’s why I’m giving The Exorcist an 8.5.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. From January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2022, he watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    8.2

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    8.2
    December 25, 2022

    3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

    5.6
    December 10, 2022

    3969. Falling For Christmas (2022)

    6.9
    December 4, 2022

    3956. The People We Hate At The Wedding (2022)

    5.4
    December 3, 2022

    3954. Disenchanted (2022)

    7.4
    December 3, 2022

    3953. Meet Cute (2022)

    7.6
    November 23, 2022

    3934. Do Revenge (2022)

    7.0
    November 18, 2022

    3929. The Wonder (2022)

    6.7
    November 13, 2022

    3924. See How They Run (2022)

    Recommended Movies
    8.4
    Review
    March 7, 20170

    1684. John Wick (2014)

    8.3
    Review
    July 17, 20150

    1027. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

    8.4
    Review
    February 24, 20130

    65. Dogma (1999)

    8.0
    Review
    December 3, 20200

    3171. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)

    8.1
    Review
    October 25, 20160

    1528. The Fundamentals Of Caring (2016)

    Popular Posts
    December 31, 2022

    Thank You

    8.2
    December 31, 2022

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8
    December 30, 2022

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2
    December 29, 2022

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    7.5
    December 28, 2022

    3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

    9.1
    December 27, 2022

    3996. The Green Mile (1999)

    7.6
    December 26, 2022

    3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)

    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.