By Will Sorg

In 1973, William Friedkin’s film adaptation of The Exorcist was released onto audiences all over the world. With it’s modest $11,000,000 budget, it grossed $441,306,145 worldwide, and adjusting for inflation it is the most successful rated R movie ever made. Audiences were completely captivated by the horrific story of a young girl being possessed by a demonic spirit. It faced huge criticism at the time for its shocking subject matter yet that seemed to only cause even more buzz about the film. It was by all accounts, a horror phenomenon.
Its legacy is not only marked by its popularity but also from the idea that the production itself was in some way cursed. A plethora of production issues happened. During one scene, actress Ellen Burstyn suffered a back injury while doing a stunt and her scream of pain was kept in the movie due to its raw horror. Several cast and crew members had relatives pass away during production and actor Jack Macgowran tragically died of influenza a year before the film’s release. Perhaps the most infamous event that took place was a fire that burned down an entire house they were shooting in, except for the room where the exorcism scene took place.
The issues and reputation of this movie boosts the already tense atmosphere that is created in the film. It is methodical yet perfectly paced descent into a sinister conflict. In the film, we see the recently divorced actress Chris MacNiel attempt to solve the terrifying changes that have begun in her young daughter Regan. The theme of a child growing up in a difficult environment is twisted into horror by manifesting it through demonic possession. Along with this is the storyline of the lead male character, Father Karris. He is a young priest who grapples with his faith throughout the story before finally encountering the demon that holds young Regan hostage in her own body.
The film takes plenty of time to build up a delightfully unsettling feeling. The scenes where the demon shows its power over Regan are full of effective and disgusting body horror. The special effects have aged remarkably well, with a lot of visually memorable moments being accentuated by practical effects. The musical score is used sparsely but when it is, it further builds the creeping evil of the film. It all feels like a dark, dreamlike reflection of the difficulties people must face in their lives.
It would be hard to find a movie more suited for Halloween than this. A classic horror film with an eerie production story and some truly unsettling moments throughout the film itself. It terrified and captivated the audiences from the past and present. Very few things are as visually evocative as the exorcism scene at the climax of the film. As the two main priests of the film chant bible verses in a room so unnaturally cold that you can see the actors breath, we see some of the most influential moments in horror history.