Reviewed by Geno McGahee
Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is an actress that has gone through a divorce and lives with her 12 year old daughter, Regan (Linda Blair). The tension in the house and the use of a ouija board, an evil spirit has been allowed into the home, living inside young Regan. Strange behavior follows from using excessive profanity to urinating on the floor.
Father Damian Karras (Jason Miller) is a young priest with a sickly mother, a lot of guilt, and some doubts about his faith. He is living in poverty and is drinking away his sorrows until Chris MacNeil approaches. She tells him about Regan and the strange occurrences and how she believes that her daughter may be possessed by a demon and an exorcism is in order. At first, Damian looks at the art of exorcism as an overused and somewhat ancient tool that really no longer has a place in this world with the psychology and the advances in mental disorder identification.
Countless tests are performed on Regan and several reasons are given by doctors as to why she is acting the way that she is, but every theory is exhausted and only one remains: possession, and now that Damien will have to listen and he does. The attempts by psychologists only end up with a shrink with squashed grapes. Any stranger that agrees to baby sit Regan ends up dead, and when Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran), a Hollywood bigwig, is found with his head nearly twisted off, dead below Regan’s window, it prompts Detective Kinderman (Lee J. Cobb) to investigate. He does not believe that Burke fell out of the window accidentally.
Lee J. Cobb was a fantastic actor and really stands out in this role as Detective Kinderman. He was also great in 12 Angry Men, which is not a horror movie, but great none the less.
In one of the most disturbing scenes in the history of film, Regan is violently screwing herself with a crucifix, screaming: “Let Jesus F$%# you!” Her mother walks in and items are flying through the air, and then her head is shoved into her daughter’s hoo-ha, while she yells: “Lick me!” Then, just in case the scene couldn’t get more disturbing, the famous head turning scene, where Regan’s head turns completely around with a smile on her face.
Damian Karras finally agrees, after a lot of pleading from Chris, to see young Regan and immediately comes to realize that the unthinkable is actually happening. He approaches the church to get their permission to conduct an exorcism, which they approve, but only if he works alongside the seasoned Priest, Father Merrin (Max Von Sydow). They are going to double team this demon.
This movie is a classic horror film and no other exorcism related movie has come even close to recreating the terror that this one has done. The character development, writing, story, and look of this movie are fantastic. I love this movie and consider it one of the scariest and best horror films of all time. And special props have to be given to Linda Blair for her portrayal of Regan and especially for her time as the possessed young girl.
From beginning to end, this movie moves along at a great pace, and the character of Father Karras and his struggle with faith and his own demons add a great deal to this film, and the ending and Damian’s final decision is a memorable horror movie moment. I highly recommend this movie.
Scared Stiff Rating: 9/10. A fantastic scary movie.