Reactions to the Exorcist

[occupant]

I remember standing in a line to purchase tickets which was a block behind another line of ticket holders who were waiting for the earlier showing to end. It was winter and we were in Manhattan freezing out butts off. The movie had just come to our City and we wanted to be first to see it, so rather than waiting for weeks until it made it's way to the suburbs, we all made the trip into "the City." 

I had read the book which was a real page turner and I was eager to see if the movie would do the story justice. I understand we saw the original version complete with subliminal scenes. Those scenes, I heard, were removed after complaints they violated the law. The premise is they go by so quickly you barely have time to comprehend what you just saw, but a subliminal message is planted in your brain.  I heard many  years ago advertisers experimented with projecting images of their products in such a fashion to see if people would buy their soda or snacks and people did rush to the concession stands suddenly craving those items. That practice was banned because it's like brainwashing.  

I will say I watched every minute of that movie and even laughed at grown men who covered their faces with their coats when scenes became too intense and disturbing to watch. I was fine until several days later when I saw a priest from the Vatican on a late night talk show talking about how this was based on an actual case of demonic possession of a boy. He even played a recording made during that exorcism  and advised people not to see that movie.  Huh?? Wait a minute, this was just another made up horror story from a book. What do you mean people can be possessed?  I was Catholic at the time and that revelation scared me very much.  I got such a case of heebie jeebies that night that I had to sleep with the lights on for many nights after. I even feared a bulb would burn out and that scared me. I didn't even want to be alone in the house in the daytime.  I was messed up for a while mainly because I thought to myself, dang, if priests can barely fight a demonic spirit, what chance would a teenager like me have?

Many years have passed and I have a whole new perspective on demonic activity.  To quote author  C.S. Lewis, "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or magician with the same delight." From the Screwtape Letters. 1941.

[endo]

I saw the movie before I read the book and liked the book a lot more. The movie was terrifying for me though, especially at my age.
It's one of those classics that you really can't think of anything you'd change about. I don't remember others reactions during the movie in the theater, but I was glued to it. I was scared and wanted to look away, but I couldn't.
And, the book, at least to me, is even better!

[MacReadyOrNot]

I can't imagine what it was like to see this film with a whole bunch of people for the first time it came out to theaters. I mean, the YouTube clips alone. People fainting. Walking out. Would have definitely been an experience to last a lifetime.

I probably watched this movie for the first time either in middle school or high school. Late '90s, early '00s. On VHS no less.

Iconic for reason. A classic much more so.

Tubular Bells. Linda Blair. Ellen Burstyn. Max von Sydow. Jason Miller.

Regan and Father Merrin may be more of what people focus on in talking about this movie, but really this movie's central character has got to be Father Karras. Highly underrated and underappreciated.

Now, I can't speak for the book, but this is a great movie. One day I'll sit down and read William Peter Blatty's novel.

This may seem slow to some, but stick with it. So very much worth it. Possession movies don't always work for me, but this one most certainly does. Tenfold.