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| Favorite shot: A demonic face subtly spliced between shots of Linda Blair |
When it all comes down to the red herrings, Catholic mumbo jumbo, I just don’t buy into it. After a few sequels, for some inexplicable reason, films about exorcisms took off in the 2000s, as there is obviously an audience for them, even poorly made ones (which most of them are). But, there is something undeniably "special" about The Exorcist, despite my misgivings. Peppered throughout the spoiler summary are various other shots (and then some) I could appreciate.
Move Spoiler Summary
During an excavation in Northern Iraq, clerical archaeologist Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) discovers a couple of ancient artifacts that are incongruent with the rest of the finds. At a café, he ingests some medication while his hands tremble. After examining the two finds—a pendant and idol head—the worn man parts ways with a member of the staff. He makes his rounds to return to a site where there is a statue of an evil archangel while two dogs viciously fight each other in the distance.
On the other side of the globe in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., actress Chris MacNeil's (Ellen Burstyn) prep work is interrupted by same strange sounds. She walks into the room of her daughter Regan (Linda Blair) and, feeling the chill, shuts her window, kissing her affectionately. Little does she know the young girl has just become possessed by a demon spirit.
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| Foreshadowing: her daughter will soon dawn a costume of her own that will scare the holy Hell out of her |
The next morning, while the chef cooks, Chris' assistant Sharon Spencer (Kitty Winn) and Karl (Rudolf Schündler) argue over whether there are rats in the attic. On the set of the film Crash Course, the director Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran) films a scene where Chris’ character joins a peace rally and delivers a speech over a megaphone. After the film wraps for the day, Chris walks past Father Damian Karras (Jason Miller) on her way home. Once she arrives, she debriefs with her assistant and spends time with her daughter.
Father Karras takes the subway home to the apartment he shares with his mother (Vasiliki Maliaros). They talk and he takes care of some of her needs. In the MacNeil basement, Chris and Regan play with a Ouija board summoning the spirit of Captain Howdy. Mom puts daughter to bed and they discuss Regan’s birthday and Chris’ boyfriend. Father Karras meets with Tom (Thomas Bermingham), the president of the university, to inform him that he can no longer carry on as a clerical psychiatrist counselor. At her house, Chris has a meltdown on the phone while trying to get hold of Regan’s father on her birthday. She’s woken up by a call in the middle of the night and then discovers Regan's bed shaking while she's in it.
Chris hears noises again coming from the attic and investigates. Karl startles her. The next day, the Father finds the statue of Mary inside of his church defaced and vandalized. Father Karras’ uncle (Titos Vandis) escorts him to the mental hospital where his heartbroken mother is staying, because they don’t have enough money to admit her to a proper facility. Father Karras takes his frustrations out on a punching bag at a gym.
At a party she throws for the cast and crew, Chris inquires to a couple of guests about Father Karras and learns of his vocation as well as the recent tragic passing of his mother. Throughout the party the drunk director Burke taunts a bespeckled guest about being a Nazi. Chris tucks Regan in bed and sends the director home. The party continues at the piano with singing, but is soon interrupted by Regan who informs one of the guests, “you’re going to die up there,” and proceeds to urinate on the rug. After sending the guests home, the shocked Chris gives Regan a bath and calmly tries to extract some answers out of her before she puts her back to bed. While the maid cleans the stain in the rug, Chris rushes back up to her daughter’s room where her bed is jumping up and down off the floor much more violently than before.
The next day, Father Dyer (William O'Malley) visits Father Karras mourning neglecting his mother. The father falls asleep and dreams about his mother, as well as imagery from the archaeological dig. At the hospital, Regan fights the staff as they try to administer a sedative via syringe. Father Karras conducts a service.
Doctor Klein (Barton Heyman) tries to explain to Chris that there is a lesion on Regan’s temporal lobe. The hospital preps the sedate Regan for a brain scan. Dr. Klein and Dr. Taney (Robert Symonds) arrive at the MacNeil house, where Regan is burning up while flopping uncontrollably on her bed. Her eyes turn over, as she hits one of the doctors and begins to swear and make lewd gestures in a voice that isn’t her own (Mercedes McCambridge). They manage to overpower her and sedate her yet again. The doctors try to placate Chris with a scientific explanation, as well as inform her that further scanning will be necessary. Nothing shows up. Dr. Klein inquires about drugs in her home and that leads to a conversation about the duration of time Chris will be staying in D.C.
On her way home, she passes an ambulance. When she arrives, the phone is ringing and the lights are flickering. In Regan’s room, the window is open and the temperature is ice cold. Chris is disapproving when her assistant informs her that Burke had been watching her daughter. Chuck (Rob Faber) arrives and informs them that Burke died after a fall down one of the neighborhood stairwells. A psychiatrist (Arthur Storch) places Regan under hypnosis, as Chris and another man observe. The spirit takes possession of Regan and attacks the doctor before she's pulled off.
On her way home, she passes an ambulance. When she arrives, the phone is ringing and the lights are flickering. In Regan’s room, the window is open and the temperature is ice cold. Chris is disapproving when her assistant informs her that Burke had been watching her daughter. Chuck (Rob Faber) arrives and informs them that Burke died after a fall down one of the neighborhood stairwells. A psychiatrist (Arthur Storch) places Regan under hypnosis, as Chris and another man observe. The spirit takes possession of Regan and attacks the doctor before she's pulled off.
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| Crafty lighting |
Father Karras runs around a track while Lt. William Kinderman (Lee J. Cobb) watches him from the bleachers. He makes introductions and shares his belief that the recent church desecration and Burke’s death are probably connected. He inquires if the father knows of anyone who may have been involved, but he’s unfourthcoming.
Chris sits down with a table of doctors and they inform her that Regan is demonically possessed and the only option she has left is an exorcist. She takes Regan home. While the lieutenant rummages around the crime scene, he finds a piece of the idol. Chris asks Karl, Sharon and the maid about a crucifix she finds in Regan’s bedroom. The lieutenant pays Chris a visit and discusses the night of the murder. The conversation ends with the lieutenant asking Chris for her autograph. After he leaves, she contemplates the possibility that her daughter is a murderer. Hearing noises, she runs up to Regan’s room where she is masturbating (or stabbing herself, depending on your perspective) with a crucifix. She proceeds to sexually and physically assault her mother. Furniture moves, trapping Chris in the room and Regan’s head turns 180 degrees and speaks in another voice.
Chris sits down with a table of doctors and they inform her that Regan is demonically possessed and the only option she has left is an exorcist. She takes Regan home. While the lieutenant rummages around the crime scene, he finds a piece of the idol. Chris asks Karl, Sharon and the maid about a crucifix she finds in Regan’s bedroom. The lieutenant pays Chris a visit and discusses the night of the murder. The conversation ends with the lieutenant asking Chris for her autograph. After he leaves, she contemplates the possibility that her daughter is a murderer. Hearing noises, she runs up to Regan’s room where she is masturbating (or stabbing herself, depending on your perspective) with a crucifix. She proceeds to sexually and physically assault her mother. Furniture moves, trapping Chris in the room and Regan’s head turns 180 degrees and speaks in another voice.
Out of options, defeated and marked up, Chris meets with Father Karras. She enlists his help for an exorcism, but he informs her that such things rarely happen and require cutting through thick bureaucratic clerical tape. He agrees to see her anyway and they find Regan in bed, soiled in many liquids, strapped to her bed. He converses with the irate girl speaking in a different voice. She insinuates knowing private details about the father and when he asks her for his mother’s maiden name, she pukes on him.
While Chris irons his freshly cleaned clothes in the basement, he insists she needs psychiatric help. After realizing that Regan knew things about him she couldn’t possibly know, he departs. The lieutenant observes him leaving. The father conducts another service. He returns to Regan. After she starts speaking foreign languages, he records their session and throws tap water on her. Because it burned her and wasn’t holy water, he informs Chris that she doesn’t meet the requirements of exorcism. Chris admits that Regan killed Burke. Father Karras plays the tape for a language expert who informs him that she’s speaking English backwards. At the MacNeil home, he responds to Sharon’s urgent call. They walk inside Regan’s cold room and she shows him the message “help me” written on Regan’s abdomen.
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| The iconic shot transformed into the movie poster |
Father Karras requests to perform an exorcism. Bishop Michael (Wallace Rooney) discusses the possible candidates with Jesuit Dean (Roy Cooper) and they decide on Father Merrin. He takes a cab to the MacNeil home, where he’s greeted by Chris and Father Karras. Regan immediately begins acting up and Merrin requests various supplies. They prepare for the exorcism.
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| A mother on her last tether |
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| David Fincher may have considered refrigerating The Social Network set rather than use CGI to create the same effect |
The two fathers enter her room and begin the exorcisms, performing various rituals, while Regan moans and carries on in her vulgar ways. She doesn’t take well to the biblical readings. Her bed starts jumping and then levitating. She sticks her tongue out. The room starts to crack at the seams and cave in. She does a full 360 with her head. She manages to break free and levitates in the air. The fathers repeat “The power of Christs compels you,” while they toss holy water on her. They subdue her levitation and retie her hands to the bed. She strikes Karras. An explosion knocks Merrin to the ground. The statue from the beginning of the film appears. They finish their rituals and wait outside her door.
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| One last well-lit hurrah |
Merrin excuses himself to the bathroom and takes some of his medication. Karras has visions of his mother in Regan’s room. Through her body, he hears his mother’s voice. He informs Merrin that Regan’s heart is weak and she is about to go into a coma. Karras leaves and Merrin prays over the girl. Karras consoles Chris. When the Lieutenant arrives, Karras finds Merrin’s body lying at Regan’s feet. Karras starts beating and strangling her. The demon enters Karras’ body and he jumps out the window, falling down the stairs and killing himself, much like the manner in which Burke probably died. Regan cries in a corner while Chris holds her daughter. Father Dyer finds Karras’ bloody body amidst a sudden circus of onlookers and he performs last rites.
Sharon helps Chris pack up their belongings, before they part ways. She gives her the pendant she finds in her room. Outside, Father Dyer talks to Chris and introduces Regan to him, even though they had already met while Regan peed on the carpet at the party. She doesn’t remember either just as screenwriter/director/film editor didn't and kisses him before they leave. Chris hands him the pendant. He observes the steps where Burke and Karras died and walks away.
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