Widely considered one of the greatest horror movies of all time,William Friedkin’sThe Exorcist(1973) exploded into the pop culture zeitgeist quickly becoming a nationwide phenomenon, complete with literal fainting during some screenings and lines around the block in frigid weather. It was a movie that everyone needed to have a take on which was unheard of considering its graphic content and horror genre. With the recent passing of Friedkin back in August, the film has no doubt been revisited by old and new fans alike.The Exorcistis based on a novel byWilliam Peter Blattyby the same name, who also wrote the screenplay, and spawned multiple sequels. It is the basis for the reboot trilogy, starting withThe Exorcist: Believer, which is in theaters now.
The film follows the possession of a girl named Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) who, after a series of medical tests prove ineffective, is seen by two priests to exorcise an evil demon, known as Pazazu, from her. The local priest who first takes up the case Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) is eventually aided by an experienced exorcist, Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow). In the end, Regan is freed from her possession but at the cost of both the priests’ lives. The ending was fast-paced compared to the slow tension building in acts one and two, which can cause some confusion. Fear not, as the power of this article will compel you to finally get a firmer grasp on what went on.
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By the timeFather Karrasgets to see Regan in the film, she has already been visited by numerous doctors and specialists. Father Karras, a Jesuit-taught psychiatrist struggling with his own faith, is reluctant to agree that something as outdated as an exorcist would be needed. The beginning of the final act in the movie is when the diocese permits an exorcism to be done as long as Karras is accompanied by someone who has experience. In walks Father Merrin, who had been mentioned in fear by the demon inside Regan. Merrin was sent due to his experience with exorcism before, including with the same demon that was inside Regan. When Father Merrin arrives at the MacNeil home, the exorcism can finally begin.
The two priests begin the ritual and all the while thedemon is cursing and taunting them. Merrin, although practiced in exorcism before Regan, is older, and this time the ordeal is taking a lot out of him, as shown by his trembling, and taking medicine before a quick break from being in the bedroom. Merrin excuses Karras from the room after the break, sensing that the emotional manipulation by the demon, who briefly takes on the voice of Karras' mother, may be getting to the priest. When Father Karras goes back into the room, Merrin is dead, clearly because of whatever is inside Regan’s body.
Father Karras’ Final Act Is One of Sacrifice
Upon seeing Father Merrin dead, Karras hits his emotional breaking point. Karras lunges at the demon and begins throwing fists of fury, begging the demon inside to take him instead. In a flash, the demon grabs ahold of Karras’ Saint Joseph medallion and rips it from his neck. With this symbol of protection gone, the demon enters Karras' body, shown with stellar editing as Regan’s entire face changes, as does Karras’, taking a pale hue familiar to the audience by this time. In a final desperate act, Karras hurls himself out of Regan’s window, tumbling down those now famous stone steps, to his ultimate demise. Regan’s soul is saved and although there was loss, good triumphed over evil.
For nearly the entire film, Father Karras is having a difficult time reconciling his faith with reality. He is amid this crisis of faith when Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) approaches him about seeing her daughter. By the time he is plummeting to his death, this is no longer the case. In Catholicism, the religion Father Karras is ordained in, one of the core principles is that Jesus died for the sins of man to be forgiven. Similarly, Karras makes a final sacrifice himself in order to save the soul of Regan. His acceptance of Last Rites, administered by a priest friend while Karras is at the bottom of the steps bleeding out, shows that he has seen the powers that are at play beneath the world he inhabits. His internal struggle is resolved in one final act of selfless faith.
What Happens to Regan?
After the events of the exorcism, Regan is restored back to her old self. The evidence that she even went through the ordeal is only seen in already healing cuts and light bruises. The entire ordeal was nothing more than a forgotten nightmare for Regan. Her mother Chris even explains that she doesn’t remember any of what happened, something that would be reversed in the sequels to the film through flashbacks. As a final gift, Father Chris, the priest who originally introduced Karras to the MacNeils and performed Last Rites, gives Regan the medallion of Saint Joseph, showing that the holy protection is now with her.
The Exorcistis ingrained in the Cinema Hall of Fame for its shocking new take on horror as well as the critical acclaim it received. The horror genre was taken seriously for one of the first times in history, and it couldn’t have done so without the masterful ending audiences got. On top of that,the sheer magnitutde of the cultural impactcannot be overstated. Although a franchise was launched from the original, nothing has come close to the craft and execution of an exorcism story such as the Friedkin’s back in ’73. With the reboot of the franchise, it will be interesting to see what direction is taken in coming back to the world ofThe Exorcist.
The Exorcist: Believerisa direct sequelto the original 1973 film and not any of the sequels, prequels, or television series. The movie, starringLeslie Odom Jr., features a supporting role from Ellen Burstyn, reprising her character as Chris MacNeil.
