Review of The Exorcist

A full-blooded psychological horror that is still shocking today. Watching sweet girl Regan turn into the foul-mouthed twisty-headed demon still sends shivers down even the most hardened of spines.

The key element to the success of The Exorcist is the religious dialogue present throughout the film. Watching Father Karras mourn his own mother and battle with a crisis of faith is unendingly more fascinating that the supposed possession, with the latter happily serving up material for the former to explore.

Of course, the possession itself is riveting and, in the most literal sense of the word, horrific. Linda Blair’s performance is so immaculate that it is easy to forget that there is a young girl of 13 acting beneath all that make-up and dubbed voices.
And what a voice. The deep, multi-layered growl is haunting and disturbing, adding extra fear into the scenes, leaving a distinct impression long after the film has ended.

Despite its age, The Exorcist has proved to be timeless in its power. We can joke about the dodgy fashions or the décor on display but the issues within the film are timeless, and no other supernatural film before or since has rivalled its authority as a pinnacle of the genre.