BFI Film Classics The Exorcist
by Mark Kermode
I was very excited to read this BFI Modern Classics
about The Exorcist, one of my favorite films of all time. Furthermore, in
other books I’ve read about the film version of The Exorcist, Mark Kermode
is often cited as the authority on this film. The book doesn’t disappoint as it
explores the production of the film, as well examining key decisions that both
Blatty and Freidkin made in the script, direction, and editing of the film, and
how this potentially altered the meaning and themes of the film. Kermode starts
the book, though, exploring some of the background from the true story of a boy
who underwent an exorcism in the 1940s, and how this story inspired William
Peter Blatty, a young screenwriter in the 1960s.
One of the best parts of the book is in Chapter 2 where Kermode
explores the beginning of The Exorcist, which takes place in Iraq, and
involves the discovery of a Christian medal in an ancient tomb that pre-dates
Christianity. I’ve always loved this opening scene since there isn’t really any
dialogue, but a series of images that viewers are left to assemble and assign
meaning to. What I didn’t realize, though, was that some of the sounds are
heard again later in the film when Father Merrin is battling the demon in Regan.
The tone of this part is so menacing, especially when the dogs fight. Kermode
also notes the visual cues that appear again, from the statue of Pazuzu to the
cataract in a man’s eye, which appears like the whites of Regan’s eyes when she
is possessed. It also helps to show that this battle between good and evil,
between old and new, is something that is continuous and has spanned
generations and many different eras in time.
From there Kermode moves the analysis to Georgetown, where
the actress Chris MacNeil is working on a new film that seems to be about
campus protests, again highlighting the kind of battle between older
generations and younger generations, who seemingly have different values and
ideas about achieving their goals. This was something I had previously read
about in other books about the film, but it makes sense that part of what was so
appealing and frightening for adults watching The Exorcist was that it
was about teenage rebellion, about growing and changing, and the challenges
that these kinds of changes have on the relationships between parents and kids.
Kermode doesn’t necessarily frame the analysis this way, looking at it more
from generational differences, but it is interesting to consider that element
of it, even if Regan represents extreme changes. In fact, some of the doctors
in the film who are looking for an organic or physiological explanation for
Regan’s behavior changes seem to think that her outbursts are related to mental
or physical disorders possibly occurring before puberty. While Chris begins to
experience these challenges with Regan, Father Damien Karras, a young Jesuit
priest in Georgetown, is also struggling with relationship with his mother, who
lives in New York and requires support for her ailing health. Karras also seems
to struggle with his faith, wondering whether he still believes in God, as he
sees suffering all around him. Again, Kermode notes some of the visual cues
that Friedkin emphasizes and returns to throughout the film, especially in his
analysis of Karras’s dream after his mother passes away. Again, I’ve always thought
that these kind of surreal montages in the film are what distinguishes it from
other films. It’s an incredible way of telling the story and conveying emotion
and empathy in viewers.
In addition to analyzing the film choices from Blatty and
Friedkin, Kermode also explores the innovative special and make-up effects that
made so many people frightened and fascinated with The Exorcist. It was
really cool to find out more about how some of the effects were pulled off,
although it’s sad to read about the injuries that Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn
sustained on the set. Furthermore, we learned about the stunt double and voice
actor who weren’t credited for their work initially. If you don’t know about
this story, it’s an interesting piece of trivia for the film, especially since
the stunt double was the one who wore the Captain Howdy makeup in which there
are some jump cuts to show her face randomly in the film. Kermode also mentions
a few of the “cursed” elements of the film, like the injuries that the actors
sustained, as well as the deaths of some of the other actors shortly after, and
the set burning at one point that delayed shooting. However, what I really
enjoyed reading about what the attempts to recut the film in the late 90s, and
how Friedkin’s decision to re-evaluate the themes and meaning of the film led him
to seek out footage in the Warner Brothers vaults and recut the film to add in
different scenes. This included the infamous spider walk scene that apparently
couldn’t be included in the film until digital editing was available to remove
the appearance of the wires. Kermode also interviews the effect coordinator who
devised the wire harness that allowed for the spider walk. It was really
amazing to learn more about the decisions that went into editing the film, and about
how ordering certain scenes and conversations altered meaning and understanding
of the plot points. Interestingly, in the original theatrical cut, Regan is
never prescribed pills, but they are mentioned at some point prior to the exorcism.
As Kermode explains Friedkin’s directing skills prevented many viewers from
catching this flaw. The story and pace of the film moved so well with the
action that people didn’t really notice. It wasn’t until the recut of the film
in 1999 where they incorporated the doctor’s prescription in. I remember seeing
that version in the theater, and the medical scenes are almost more horrifying
than the exorcism itself. The cold, clinical setting of the hospital paired
with the industrial soundtrack of the diagnostic machines added to an anxious
feeling as we, like Chris, witness Regan suffering to find out how to end her
suffering. In any event, it was amazing to read more about the decisions to
re-cut the film, and the challenges that Friedkin faced in finding soundtracks
and footage to include in the new version. I also didn’t realize that there
were montages of Regan and Chris exploring DC on their own, and as Kermode
explained, these were not included because there were no audio tracks for this
scene. Regardless, I loved the 1999 version and seeing it on the big screen was
so exciting. Reading this book is also exciting and fascinating. Not only did I
gain a deeper insight into elements of the film, but I also loved learning more
about the decisions and choices that went into making the film, whether it
involved editing decisions, soundtracks, or characters and dialogue. It was
amazing to read about all of these different aspects of The Exorcist and
how they can impact the meaning and themes of the film. Highly recommended.
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