As a confessed horror film junky since an early age, I must admit that the exorcist was the one film I really wanted to watch. It was banned in Britain for 25 years, so I thought it had to be good, and having waited so long to see it, I rushed out and purchased it as soon as it was re-released.
What followed for me was the most boring film I had the misfortune to watch. I expected a supernatural thriller, with shocks galore, but what I saw was a long boring build up, climaxing in a short, needlessly disgusting ending.
The film was slow to begin with, focusing mainly on a priests relationship with his mother, and then Regan's progressive possession but I persevered, hoping that once the shocks started it would get better - it never did.
In fact, for me, the BBC documentary on the excorsist prior to its release was better than the film itself, and it made the film look more terrifying than it was.
It may well have been a good film when it was first released, and I can find few faults with the acting and special effects which were good for the time, but a pointless 25 year ban made it look dated and unconvincing.
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Production Year: 2001 - Horror - Director: Stephen Sommers - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Brendan Fraser, John Hannah, Rachel Weisz, Arnold Vosloo, Freddie Boath, Oded Fehr, The Rock, Tim Murdock
Production Year: 1977 - Horror - Director: John Boorman - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Ned Beatty, Richard Burton, Linda Blair, Louise Fletcher, Max Von Sydow, Kitty Winn, Paul Henreid, James Earl Jones
Excellent movie. Did scare the hell out of me when i watched it as a kid. Though its funny now, especially after watching Scary Movie. jedi_kickass ( ' _ ' )
Magdalena 15.10.2002 23:40
I totally agree - the trailers and documentaries made of The Exorcist made it look far scarier than it actually is (which is actually not at all!) The older generation must be wimps to have been so scared in the first place when it was first released - I heard things from my Mother like people were running out of the cinema crying and screaming - makes you wonder whether they were watching the same film as us, doesn't it?!
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The belief in evil - and that evil can be cast out. From these two strands of faith, ... more
author William Peter Blatty and director William Friedkin wove The Exorcist, the frightening and realistic story of an innocent girl inhabited by a malevolent entity. ...
Advantages: Great screenplay and caught Friedkin in his top form Disadvantages: remarks about the film that turn away patrons whether good or bad for its publicity
CrutcHead 06.05.2004 (07.05.2004)
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Review of The Exorcist (DVD)