Don't forget to check out my Horror Movie themed notebooks for Spooky Season! - www.amazon.com/shop/reelreviewswithjen

@annaallen6335

2 жыл бұрын

Linda Blair did fracture her spine in that scene....

@wesleyrodgers886

2 жыл бұрын

Father Damien kills himself = suicide. So he goes to hell.

@markcarpenter6020

2 жыл бұрын

I think this was more than you were expecting.

@2apocalypsex

2 жыл бұрын

The Astronaut who Reagan says "Your Going to die up there" to is named is Captain Billy Cutshaw. He also makes an appearance in the film The Ninth Configuration, which along with The Exorcist and The Exorcist III (aka Legion) is part of a trilogy known as The Faith Trilogy. (He is played by a different actor in The Ninth Configuration.) William Peter Blatty considers The Ninth Configuration to be the true sequel to the Exorcist, along with The Exorcist III, and although it is very loosely connected to the Exorcist and Exorcist III it does share many of the same themes about faith.

@sammylane21

2 жыл бұрын

To me, it isn't Halloween until I hear "Tubular Bells", movie's main theme song, playing.

Out of ALL the reactors I've seen on the Tube of You reacting to this movie, you're only the second to catch that the man Regan told he was "going to die up there" was an astronaut, and the only one to catch that it was Burke's voice in the first head-spinning scene. I only caught that myself after repeated viewings. Very astute of you, well done. I wish I could like this reaction twice.

@gregyear201

2 жыл бұрын

I noticed her reaction to that too. Very observant of her. Not many catch the astronaut a d Burke’s voice.

@rnw2739

2 жыл бұрын

I'm amazed you didn't clock Burkes voice on first viewing as he says "You're c*nting daughter!" - C*nting being a very English expletive that we use alot over here....i rarely hear Americans using the word c**t, let alone adding the ING lol.

@michaelprince2749

2 жыл бұрын

Not only that but to add to what you said..remember the detective said burk was found at bottom of stairs with his head turned completely around..when she did burkes voice she also mimicked his murder when she turned her head completely around while doing his voice like showing what she did and tattling

When this movie came out people were freaking out, throwing up in the theater, passing out, crying. No one had seen anything like this before. I had taken a date, expecting a standard horror movie. My date made us leave at the point the bed was jumping around. I had to go back by myself a week later to see the rest of the movie.

@lordflashheart3680

Жыл бұрын

I'm a *bit* younger than you Bill ( I was a toddeler when this was released), but in all honesty when was the last time they made a fictional movie so impactful that people had those extreme reactions on viewng it?

Watched this at the drive-in when it was re-released years later. Fortunately a couple of friends went with me, but then after I dropped them off in town and went home to a big empty house out in the country with nobody home that weekend. Did not sleep a wink until the sun came up. Funny, I did not realize how ominous our furnace sounded before that night.

@eddietucker7005

2 жыл бұрын

We did the same thing. I lived in the DEEP sticks of the country. During the movie, my sister was trying to hide under the truck seat. I had to hide that I was reading the book from my mom.

Max Von Sydow was 43/44 in 1973. He passed away last year in March at the age of 90. RIP. He had quite a career. 166 credits spanning all the way back to 1949.

@ReelReviewsWithJen

2 жыл бұрын

So talented! I definitely need to watch more of his film, thanks for watching!

@PotatusFrye

2 жыл бұрын

@@ReelReviewsWithJen The Seventh Seal (1957) is an all time classic

Fun Fact: Actress Linda Blair was actually 13 years old when she filmed The Exorcist. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 1974 for the role. Actress Ellen Burstyn was nominated for Best Actress, actor Jason Miller was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty won Best Adapted Screenplay, William Friedkin was nominated for Best Director, and the film was nominated for Best Picture. It also won Best Sound.

@howrued1500

2 жыл бұрын

There is a what I call an ‘underseen’ movie w Burstyn called Lovely Still. It is wonderful. BUT don’t read any synopsis or reviews- bound to be 💯 spoiler!!! But great movie- w a tissue alert!

@bb21again.67

2 жыл бұрын

Jason Miller is a Tony award winning playwright.

@eddietucker7005

2 жыл бұрын

Linda Blair didn’t win best Supporting Actress but she was given a special Oscar for a performance by a child actor.

@44excalibur

2 жыл бұрын

@@eddietucker7005 I know. I said she was nominated for one.

@eddietucker7005

2 жыл бұрын

@@44excalibur yes you did. My point was that even though she did not win, she did get a special Oscar.

"That's the demon's true form.." It IS the demon, showing itself without shrouding itself, but that isn't what it looks like...it is what the priest's mind can interpret, and, more importantly, FILTER FROM SIGHT, of its unshrouded self. A good deal of the priest's power is, that he denies to see the worst of it.

"Okay, was this based on... a book, or anything like that?" Yes, Jen. The Exorcist is based on a book called The Exorcist, written by William Peter Blatty. The book was inspired by the 1949 exorcism performed on an anonymous young boy known as "Roland Doe" or "Robbie Mannheim" (which were pseudonyms) by the Jesuit priest Fr. William S. Bowdern, who formerly taught at both St. Louis University and St. Louis University High School.

@mciddangelo9790

2 жыл бұрын

Excellent. You've done your homework. :)

@stathissdz2125

2 жыл бұрын

William Peter Blatty also wrote the script to the movie, which ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The scene Which Should Not Be Named was actually toned down, compared to the original material

@44excalibur

2 жыл бұрын

@@stathissdz2125 I know, I already mentioned that in my other comments. lol

@stathissdz2125

2 жыл бұрын

@@44excalibur oh, OK! Haven't seen them!😊

@MKF30

2 жыл бұрын

@@stathissdz2125 I feel like this is the case with a lot of live movie or show adaptations like the same thing was with The Crow. Originally the comic had a much more brutal and nasty rape and murder scene than shown in the movie version with Brandon Lee. But that's interesting.

Yes, the priest in The Exorcist is named "Damien Karras," Jen. lol I know, but remember that The Exorcist came out three years before The Omen, and the name "Damien" hadn't become synonymous with the Antichrist yet. 😆

@bb21again.67

2 жыл бұрын

Damien was a priest who worked with victims of leprosy in Hawaii.

@MrSJMajer

2 жыл бұрын

@@bb21again.67 And he contracted the disease

@bb21again.67

2 жыл бұрын

@@MrSJMajer I vaguely remember seeing a bit of the movie 30 years ago,Honeycut from Mash starred.Was he Belgian?

@MrSJMajer

2 жыл бұрын

@@bb21again.67 I believe so, yes.

You kept saying "Cheese n Rice" and I'm like "No, it was pea soup"

@jean-paulaudette9246

2 жыл бұрын

Dang it, QUIT makin' me hungry!! you KNOW I'm a soup-feind!!

@judethaddeus9856

2 жыл бұрын

Huh

In case it hasn't already been mentioned. The actress who played Reagan (Linda Blair) was 14 when this was filmed. And she actually did get injured during the scene when she was being flung up and down. There is actually behind the scenes footage when the injury took place. I felt so bad for her when I saw that.

After the crucifx scene, they had to tie her down. Imagine having had to do that with that thing talking to you. Check out a short doc on KZread called The Cultural Impact of The Exorcist. It has footage from 1973 of people leaving the auditorium shaking, overwhelmed and some even faint.

I saw the 1st viewing of this movie when it came out in '73. you wouldn't believe the response by the audience. a lot of people were climbing over the seats to get out of there ...no joke. it scared the crap out of a lot of people and the theater was half empty when the pic ended . all the screaming during all the scenes added to the suspense but I stayed in my seat even though I was ready to make tracks myself .

The name Damien didn't have any significant meaning until 3 years later when "The Omen" came out. The kid in The Omen was named Damien. After that it was about 20 years before people started naming their kid Damien again.

@Whateva67

2 жыл бұрын

I work with a guy named Damien,he’s about 29 years old so you’re correct 🙂

Fun Fact: The special makeup effects for The Exorcist were done by special effects master Dick Smith, who worked on The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver, Scanners, Starman, Death Becomes Her, and won an Academy Award for his work on Amadeus.

"Oh my God, they're gonna break this kid's back!" Unfortunately, they did break the kid's back, Jen. As I said earlier, Linda Blair suffered a fractured vertebrae during that scene where she was strapped to the board that kept bending her back and forth.

@AutoPilate

2 жыл бұрын

Ellen Burstyn also injured her tailbone, which caused permanent damage to her spine.

Check out the documentary news coverage of this movie's release. It was pandemonium. People were having break downs, getting dragged out of the theater unconscious. They had to stockpile smelling salts. There were reports that ambulances were being swamped. And that's the theatrical release where they cut the crabwalk down the stairs out because it was too much for people.

@st0n3p0ny

2 жыл бұрын

@@spongebobandplanktonshould2920 yeah it's all relative. The first ever film screening of arrival of a train at a station, was black and white low resolution low light grainy blurry film projected on a wall. And people dove out of their seats for their lives thinking they were going to be run over.

You're absolutely right, Jen! The actress who plays Reagan's mother, Chris MacNeil, is Ellen Burstyn, who would later appear in Requiem For A Dream. Good call! lol

No, this wasn't Linda Blair's first role. She had previously worked on television, and had small roles in a couple of films before she was cast in The Exorcist.

The statue that Father Merrin was looking at in the beginning of the movie was a likeness of an ancient Mesopotamian god known as Pazuzu, from Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, Jen. Pazuzu was considered the king of the demons of the wind.

@catserver8577

2 жыл бұрын

"There is only one."

@44excalibur

2 жыл бұрын

@@catserver8577 “My name is Legion, for we are many." ~ Mark 5:9

@rnw2739

2 жыл бұрын

Pazuzu was indeed the King of the Demons of the Wind. In William Peter Blattys first draft of his novel, Regans early signs of possession manifested in her being afflicted with explosive flatulence. So much so, it was originally intended that one of Regans/Pazuzu's more potent gusts, blew Burke out of her bedroom window. Thankfully, he realised this would have been comical and induced hilarity in the audience, akin to 'The Phantom Raspberry Blower Of Old London Town' by The Two Ronnie's.

27:04 I'm truly impressed with most of the practical effects used in this movie; one of them is this moment when the priest shifts from his demon form to normal form. It's so subtle yet so seamless you realize that CGI still didn't exist at the time, and that's already an incredible feat.

This isn't a fun fact. A real life murderer was seen in one shot at the hospital. Paul Bateson. Bateson worked at the hospital where Friedkin shot one important scene. Bateman worked as a radiographer. Friedkin said he didn't know Bateman, but it does boggle the mind how he was kept in the film.

FYI, Linda Blair parodied herself in a comedy spoof of this movie call “Repossessed “ starring Leslie Neilson.

'Digitally' didn't really start after the mid-80's. That's what makes some of the old movies so incredible, the ways they had to come up with these effects. The funny thing is, often the solutions they came up on how to achieve the effects were sometimes laughingly simple. Though with some effects like lowering the room temperature so far that you can see their breaths must have been hard on the actors. Together with loosing or gaining weight, working out I sometimes wonder how far today's actors would go for a role.

Why can't real "demonic possession" cases be like this? If I saw a woman's head turn around 360 degrees and levitate off a bed I'd be in church tomorrow.

@dennydowling2169

2 жыл бұрын

Because if your head turns around like that you are dead. The physically impossible effects in this movie are just that, effects. They did not occur in the case of the real exorcism on which the book was based.

@tremorsfan

2 жыл бұрын

@@dennydowling2169 I know that they aren't real. I'm saying that if it did happen that would count as hard empirical evidence that would convince me to go to church.

@dr.burtgummerfan439

2 жыл бұрын

The signs and symptoms required for the Catholic Church to accept a case of possession are pretty strict, but not quite as dramatic, and many of them are discussed in the movie. While a lot of them can be explained by medical science and psychology/psychiatry, others cannot. Which is why Catholic Church approved exorcisms are quite rare. Other religions, denominations, sects, or cults, will have different criteria and are more liberal in their interpretation.

Fun Fact: The special effect that caused Reagan's bed to move was simple hydraulics, Jen. However, to get the effect of everyone's breath freezing, the entire set was refrigerated to 20 degrees below freezing.

@w1975b

2 жыл бұрын

One winter my furnace stopped working and I came home from work, you could see your breath very easily it was so cold. I live in Arkansas, doesn't usually get that cold.

@44excalibur

2 жыл бұрын

@@w1975b Yeah, but they needed it to be really cold so that the breath would easily show up on film.

@44excalibur

2 жыл бұрын

@7 Haunted Days It's stated in the documentary 'Raising Hell: Filming The Exorcist' that the production team set up four air conditioners to convert the bedroom into a refrigerated space with a temperature that sat at 20 degrees below zero.

Pazuzu's flashing face was played by Eileen Dietz, who also stood in for Linda Blair's more difficult stunts. She still acts to this day.

Linda Blair was 13 when she acted in Exorcist.

All of the effects were practical effects, they didn't have digital technology in that early of the 70, for instance her being whipped back and forth on the bed was done with a special harness so when she was screaming on camera she was actually screaming in pain from the effect. I always recommend watching the documentary about the movie "The Fear of God" which also goes into the supposed "curse" around the movie, and the infamous missing scene "the spider walk" which is one the creepiest things you'll ever see in your life, they did add the scene back in the more recent director cut.

7:40 Of course, dogs cannot operate medical diagnostic equipment...but catscan.

@ReelReviewsWithJen

2 жыл бұрын

Haha! Yes!

@dr.burtgummerfan439

2 жыл бұрын

A woman sees a stray dog get hit by a car. Being an animal lover, she picks it up and rushes to the vet. The vet gives the dog a quick once over and says "I'm sorry, ma'am, this dog is dying, there's nothing I can do" The woman says to the vet, "Oh how horrible, are you sure?" "Well", the vet says, "I can try something else." The vet comes back with a Labrador retriever and puts it on table. The Labrador walks around the dog, looks at the vet, and shakes his head. Then the vet brings in a cat. He puts the cat on the table. The cat walks all around the dog, looks up at the vet and shakes its head. "I'm sorry, ma'am, there's really nothing else I can do." The vet pulls out a pen and pad and hands the woman a bill for $2000.00. The woman is upset and says "That's outrageous! You're charging me $2000.00 just to tell me that you can't do anything?" "Ma'am", says the vet, "I wouldn't have charged you anything, but you insisted on a cat scan and a Lab report."

Coming out the year i was born, this movie is the grandaddy of horror movies, and can still school modern movies. It was filmed like a documentary, to be as real as possible. It was said, that when it was played in theaters, people had strong reactions, and became ill. You will never forget the exorcist. You nailed it, if you believe in evil, demons, and the devil, you will be disturbed at the very least. Even though I love this movie, I try not to watch it to often, partly because it is disturbing, and partly so I don't become numb to the horror, and I can experience it like the first time. This movie lives, and breathes.

This movie, released a year before I was born, is the reason that my father would never bring or allow horror films into our home, while I was growing up. I was forced to seek them out on my own.

@joaquinlechen8611

2 жыл бұрын

From exploding cameras to an actor being a real life murderer to unexplained fires and more, this is one of those films that was said to be Cursed. I can understand your father's reaction at the time.

It was a huge hit. Lines around the block. There were reports of people in the audience vomiting and fainting. There were features about in on the nightly news. There were quick knock offs like "Beyond the Door" and studios made their own religious themed horror films like "The Omen". Pretty much every film since that has depicted demonic possession borrowed from this film.

Jen, you have to see Exorcist 3: Legion to find out the reason why Damien was "chosen" by Pazuzu. I would normally say skip Exorcist 2: The Heretic, because it is widely regarded as trash, but since you react to "bad movies" it might be worth a watch. DEFINITELY watch part 3. Do the theatrical version because the "director's cut" floating around is fan made and leaves out all of the terrifying parts that make it a great "direct" sequel to the first film. And for the record, Linda Blair was only 14 when The Exorcist was made.

@roubador

2 жыл бұрын

I second this. I view part 3 as the best movie in the franchise. Definitely avoid the "director's cut". The theatrical version is clearly superior.

@Greenwood4727

2 жыл бұрын

I veiw 2 as a comedy

@howrued1500

2 жыл бұрын

‘The scene’😱😱😱 You know what I’m talkin’ about!!!

@joesanchez9811

2 жыл бұрын

also watch exorcist the beginning, though not as good but enjoyable it cleverly shows the first time Merrin and pazuzu went at it which makes the exorcist seem like round 2 or unfinished business.

@2apocalypsex

2 жыл бұрын

Someone needs to "Exorcise" that directors cut out of existence

I was THREE when my grandma showed this to me and I definitely was traumatized. I believed in Hell and Satan and was simply terrified. Now, as a grown-up atheist, I find this movie amazing for its script, the acting, the art and camera direction, etc. It's definitely one of my favorite movies. I highly recommend watching "The Exorcist III." Such a great film in and of itself.

@davidnorman4786

2 жыл бұрын

LOL... well that beat me. I was 8. And yes, I was freaked out too.

Linda Blair got an Oscar nomination for supporting actress but lost out to another child actress Tatum O’Neal in Paper Moon.

Yes, you've seen Max Von Sydow in Flash Gordon, as Ming the Merciless, Jen. lol But again, in real life he was much younger than his character. Von Sydow was 43 years old at the time he filmed The Exorcist, but Dick Smith's makeup made him look like the 70 year old Father Lankester Merrin.

@joaquinlechen8611

2 жыл бұрын

First Academy Award for Make Up. Dick Smith R.I.P.

According to William Peter Blatty, the author of the book and screenplay, the whole point of the "crucifix" scene was not to be shocking or disturbing. It was, from the point of view of the story and writing, he said he came to the point in the story of what was the worst thing he could think of that would finally convince this atheist/agnostic mother that this is genuinely possession and she needs an exorcism. What's funny is you talked about the medical procedures. According to William Friedkin, the director, most people were actually more shocked by those scenes than the possession scenes. Mercedes Macambridge, an Oscar winning actress from the golden age of Hollywood, provided the voice of the demon. Dick Smith was the make up artist on the film.

"It'll bring us together." "You and Reagan?" "You and us." Taking Karris was its plan from the start. It just didn't expect Karris to resist so much.

You should know that Max Van Synodow played: Father Lancaster (the archialigost), and older priest at the age of 43. He passed away last year. He's also responsible for movies such as "Shutter Island", "Needful Things", "Flash Gordon", "What Dreams May Come", "Ghostbusters 2" and "Extremely Loud, & Incredibly Close". He also reprised his role as " Vigo" in the "Ghostbusters" video game in 2010.

@Greenwood4727

2 жыл бұрын

he was also in dune she just watched

@shaitanlavey

2 жыл бұрын

Vigo was played by Wilhelm von Homburg in Ghostbusters 2, Max von Sydow did the voice only.

@richardbuckendorf1390

2 жыл бұрын

@@shaitanlavey appreciate the clarification. I didn't note that and meant to

I was 8 when this came out. My friend 9, his older brother about 17 and I snuck into Exorcist. I didn't have many good nights sleep for years. I met Linda Blair (Regan) in 2018 and told her about my trouble sleeping because of her. She's really sweet and fully aware of affect on literally hundreds of millions of people. Oh, also got an autographed photo of her as the demon. I'm not a celebrity autograph type person but I had to get hers because of the impact on childhood.

I saw this on video when I was 14, alone, in the middle of the night as my parents were sleeping = BIG MISTAKE. Interestingly if you skip the buildup and go straight to the exorcism it's not scary at all. BUT if you watch it again from the start with all the buildup, it's scary as hell., so ya it's all about the buildup.

There is a urban legend about the book. A VP at a company was reading the book and said it was terrifying. He went on his lunch hour and threw the book in a river. His secretary bought a copy of the book, ran it under the faucet, and put it in the VP's desk drawer.

Looks like she watched the original theatrical version. The lack of any musical score really made it seem that much more real, didn't it?

@rnw2739

2 жыл бұрын

Cheese and rice!

@jeanmarienadal7268

2 жыл бұрын

Fun fact is that this film bases in the lack of faith.

@davidnorman4786

2 жыл бұрын

I'm not sure about that. The flashes of the demon early on were not in the original version. I know in this version, we saw one when Father Damien had the dream about his mother. We see a brief flash of the demon. I don't think that was in the original. It didn't show up until we got "The version you've never seen" in the 90's. I could be wrong about that though.

@braunhausmedia

Жыл бұрын

@@davidnorman4786 I saw it when it was released in the theater and don't remember any flashes of the demon.

@damianlatimer2290

4 ай бұрын

​@@davidnorman4786this is the original version

"Close the gate! Do you want to robbers as well as demons?" 🤣

@ReelReviewsWithJen

2 жыл бұрын

Seriously! Haha pet peeve of mine in movies

@OblivionGate

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah because robbers can't open a gate!

@jean-paulaudette9246

2 жыл бұрын

@@OblivionGate "Locks keep honest people honest." -- my dad

I'm 52, I saw this movie when I was about 10. I love horror movies, and to this day The Exorcist is the only movie that truly scares me. I was brought up Catholic so this movie terrified me, and still does even though I am not religious anymore. You should watch some documentaries on this movie. This movie was banned in many places. And where it did play some people thought it was real, much like the Blair Witch Project.

@evedavey2475

8 ай бұрын

Yeah same with me I'm 54 and this movie still scares me more than any other .I can't watch it alone .

There is also “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” which is also based on a true story of a girl who was possessed, and died during an exorcism attempt that went on for days.

Iconic horror movie of all time and it ranked at #3 in the 100 scariest movie moments on Bravo

@ReelReviewsWithJen

2 жыл бұрын

I believe it! So creepy!

16:59 - that was a happy accident lol. The puke was supposed to go over the priest's shoulder but the trajectory was off and got him in the face. His reaction was real and the director kept that take

Hey, Jen! My dad saw this in a theater when he was in his 30s and my mom said he came out white as a sheet! He refuses to watch it again. Lol. Father Merrin is played by legendary Swedish actor Max von Sydow who regularly starred in Ingmar Bergman films. There is a famous image of him as a medieval knight returned from the Crusades playing chess with a black-robed, white-faced Death on a stony beach in Sweden from Bergman's "The Seventh Seal" in 1957. There is a prequel to "The Exorcist" about Father Merrin's first encounter with the demon Pazuzu starring Stellan Skarsgard as a young Merrin in East Africa called "The Exorcist: The Beginning" from 2004 directed by Renny Harlin with some really terrifying scares that had people moaning with fear in the audience! Another really good movie about demonic possession is "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" directed by Scott Derrickson in 2005. The William Peter Blatty book William Friedkin adapted for this movie is based on a real incident in Missouri in 1949. A lot of freaky and spooky things happened during the film's production including a set fire, the deaths of nine people involved in the film, a back injury from a botched stunt suffered by Ellen Burstyn and a bit player who actually murdered someone for real six years later. The famous shot of Father Merrin standing in a shaft of light piercing the gloom outside the MacNeil residence is based on Rene Magritte's series of paintings called "Empire of Light". The green goop was split pea soup and the projectile vomit that splats in Karras' face was actually supposed to hit his chest! His shock is totally real! Linda Blair's incredible performance left such an indelible impression, she could never escape being associated with the role. Mercedes McCambridge, a veteran character actress from the '40's-'80's who lent support to many of Hollywood's leading ladies, was the voice of Pazuzu. She achieved the desired effect by gorging on raw eggs, chain-smoking and binge drinking before reading her lines! The Director's Cut features the famous "spider-walk" scene where a contortionist stand-in for Blair scuttles downstairs bent-over backwards like a spider! Karras' faith is renewed by his experience and the shock of Merrin's death. Only then is he able to expel Pazuzu from Regan by offering himself as a tasty alternative. Pazuzu opts for the priest's soul over the child's as the greater prize but is thwarted from seizing full control by the priest's newfound belief long enough for Karras to leap to his death thereby denying Pazuzu a host. When Regan kisses Father Dyer's cheek, it indicates to the audience she has been freed of the demon's grip. She has no conscious recollection of what occurred but seeing Dyer's collar stirs a subconscious compulsion to express gratitude. Some devout Christians feel this movie glorifies evil but it is actually a powerful example of the renewal of faith! Jason Miller, who played Father Damien Karras, is Jason Patric's dad.

My theory ... I've heard enough of what Hollywood bigshots do to 12-year-old girls. Burke, the filmmaker, was left alone with Regan, not understanding what the problem was with Regan. Lost story short, Regan didn't like being fondled and the devil didn't like being interrupted, so they telekinetically opened the window and threw Burke out.

Nothing was added digitally in 1973. For the "cold breath" scenes, the bedroom set was constructed inside a large industrial freezer.

I wish I could have talked to Jen before she watched this movie. I would have told her, "Do NOT go into this movie underestimating it, or it will eat you alive till daylight."

Watch how this movie was made this movie was not suppose to be a horror movie but a psychological movie. the struggle of a mother trying to protect her daughter. the movie set burnt down and the only thing that wasnt burnt down was actually regans room, they used high powered air conditioners to cool the room and it got that cold it actually snowed in the room. watch the episodes on how it was made and the reaction of people in 70's. people were fainting and had to leave to go to the lobby. watch it, its truly amazing what the director did to get the actors reactions while filming. they also used real priests in the movie

The crucifix scene is the "Red Wedding" of the 1970s. Once you see it, you're never the same.

Double congrats: 1. You watched the theatrical release. Good choice. 2. I’ve seen a bunch of reactions to this, and you’re the first to have picked up that he’s an astronaut, and he’s going to die in space.

@ReelReviewsWithJen

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching! Yeah it was a quick scene but I remembered him mentioning space travel 👨‍🚀

The demon that possessed Regan took on Burke's voice after it made Regan's head turn 180 degrees.

Jen, I think you have seen enough horror movies now that it's not fair to say you are "branching out". Face it, you are now one of us. A veteran and a fan! Good job. Keep it up.

For so many years this was exalted as the greatest horror movie ever made and suchlike, with references/homages/parodies all over the place, that it was very hard for a first-time viewer to see it properly (without a lot of it having been spoiled beforehand, and without unrealistic expectations). I guess it's now old enough that someone can finally see it truly fresh. If anything, the medical procedure scenes get more disturbing over time, and the bit with the crucifix has certainly not dulled either (probably because that was one part that you almost never saw referenced elsewhere, so the shock of it wasn't ruined). Bill Friedkin made quite a few good films in his time (this one, To Live & Die in L.A., The French Connection - which won him an Oscar - and Sorcerer, which is my favorite) but their opening acts tend to be a little slack; not sure why, since as he started out as a documentarian one would think setting the scene and getting on with things would be a strength of his. Don't know if you've seen anything by David Cronenberg but he was just about the best maker of 'body horror' movies (of which I guess you could call The Exorcist an example), as well as maybe the best filmmaker to come out of Canada - and he actually stayed here for some time, rather than the usual of dashing off the US as soon as he became well-known. The Fly and Dead Ringers are especially good, but he's made lots of terrific ones. As for the original book, this is the only instance I can think of where (1) a really good book was (2) faithfully adapted into (3) a really good movie; it probably helped that the book's author wrote and produced the film.

@gregyear201

2 жыл бұрын

Yes and William Peter Blatty won an Oscar for his adapted screenplay.

I hate to correct you, Jen, but there were no Steadicam shots in The Exorcist. The Steadicam wasn't invented until 1975 and was first used in movies like Bound For Glory and Rocky. The shots in The Exorcist were done with cranes, dollys, and hand-held cameras.

@ReelReviewsWithJen

2 жыл бұрын

Ah okay fair enough, the hand held shots really added that up close feel!

The St. Christopher's pedant necklace is what protected Fr Karras from being possessed by the demon and evil. The demon had to take the necklace off of him in order to possess him. If only Fr. Merrin didn't uncover the Pazuzu demon statue from the ruins in Iraq and Regan didn't play with the oujia board then Burke, Fr. Merrin and Fr. Karras would all be alive. But then we wouldn't have a movie.

@dalee72

2 жыл бұрын

@@jean-paulaudette9246 At the moment I blanked out and couldn't remember the correct spelling. Excuse my misspelling. But you knew what I meant.

Linda Blair was 13 when she filmed this movie.

They had no version of a steady cam at the time. Instead they suspended a chair on ropes from tracks on the ceiling, and several people pulled it backwards up the stairs while the cameraman sat on it, filming the actors.

My response/rebuttal to tour intro would be *NO,* everybody should *NOT* watch this. Faint hearts, weak hearts, weak minds, the spiritually vulnerable, overly fearful people, etc. I first watched this when I was a kid. This was from a novel perhaps, but it is actually based on a true story. I do not have details, but I do know that when this was released there were several suicides and faintings, etc. This was serious stuff back then as well as it is now.

"Captain Howdy" was Pazuzu, the demon that possessed Regan. And there was no CGI in the movies in 1973. Those were all practical, physical effects. There's a sale on pea soup right now. Stock up.

1. I first saw this with friends when I was 12. Back then nobody paid much attention to what rating system there was. I was aware of the head twisting, puking and language so I kind of had an idea what I was in for. What freaked me out the most was the flashing demon. 2. When the doctor is looking at Reagan's skull x-rays and say's there's "nothing in there" I always 🤣 3. The spider crawl down the stairs was NOT in the original release. 4. Linda Blair was 14 years old when this was made. 5. Father Merrin and the demon had a previous encounter where he almost killed the father. Merin doesn't acknowledge the receipt of the note and tells Karras there's no need for analysis. 6. The demon doesn't kill Merrin. From the beginning we know he has a heart problem most likely brought on by the previous encounter. 7 Karras doesn't kill the demon. He does manage to draw it out of her and sacrificed himself for her. 8. Karras is confessing and asking for forgiveness of his MORTAL SIN of suicide with the other priest. 9. Imagine how hard it was to sell that house. Finally: You seemed to have missed Father Karras' losing of faith.

People were horrified by this movie when it came out. You can watch archive footage of people interviewed by reporters outside theaters. I’ll never forget seeing this woman being interviewed and you can see she was extremely shaken up by what she watched. There are great movies but then are movies like this, Frankenstein and Jaws that have an impact on society when they come out.

All the best horrors have a great sound design. The Innocents (1961) is another film where what you hear is just as important as what you see.

I never hear of exorcism before I saw this movie in 1973. This movie brought the word exorcism into popular culture and it became a subject inserted into later movies. This effect on popular culture is another way that this movie broke new ground.

Where was The Exorcist filmed? Mostly in Washington DC, at Georgetown University, and several other interior scenes were filmed in New York City at CECO Studios in Manhattan, along with New York University Medical Center and Fordham University in the Bronx. The opening sequences were filmed in and near the city of Mosul, Iraq.

You noticed A LOT more than most people do on a first watching. BIG props for realizing Regan defaced the church.

@gregyear201

2 жыл бұрын

She also noticed Burke’s voice used in the head turn and also the astronaut who “is going to die up there. Many do not notice those.

Not So Fun Fact: During the scene were Reagan MacNeil is convulsing in her bed, actress Linda Blair was strapped to a wooden board attached to a spring-mounted hinge that rapidly thrust her body back and forth, which resulted in Blair suffering a fractured vertebrae in her back.

According to mythology, a demon can't be killed bcuz it was never alive to begin with so by sacrificing himself, he drove the beast back to hell, freeing himself and Regan from it. Also, Linda Blair was only 12 when she made this movie, not 20.

Fun Fact: The voice of the demon, Pazuzu, was the voice of actress Mercedes McCambridge, who reportedly chain smoked right before her voice-overs to get the required sound. The face of Pazuzu seen by Damien Karras was actress Eileen Dietz, who was also Linda Blair's stunt double during the scene where Reagan vomits green liquid at Father Karras.

@tremorsfan

2 жыл бұрын

Not just chain smoke. She also consumed raw eggs and whisky. She also insisted on being restrained for the scenes where Reagan is strapped down.

@44excalibur

2 жыл бұрын

@@tremorsfan Welp, she really went for it, didn't she?

The filmmaking is even more impressive in this movie when you take into account the fact that the steadicam wasn't invented yet. It was first used in 1975 biopic Bound for Glory. All of these shots were ä cams and any of the old complicated methods. Which were a real pain in the ass, and time consuming to set up. The first horror film to use the Panaglide (Paramount's version of the steadicam) camera, was "Halloween", for their famous long, single takes.

The actress that played Regan (Linda Blair) was only 14 when the movie was released. She received a Golden Globe and Oscar Nomination for her performance. In the long run, not sure if this role helped her career though, being so iconic would make it difficult to break away from it's influence. Linda Blair also appeared in an episode of the TV show Supernatural. I don't remember any reference to the Exorcist until the end, when the boys are leaving and Dean starts saying that he really wants some Pea Soup.

@jean-paulaudette9246

2 жыл бұрын

She also played in the parody film 'Repossessed," with Leslie Nielsen.

I was a teenager when this shocker was released. I was one of the people that waited 4 hours in line to see it. Seeing it first run in a theater with all that anticipation was a great experience flash forward 50 years it still packs a punch. It almost equates to King Kong back in 1933 when those audiences were shocked at what they saw.

Regan's bedroom was surrounded by refrigeration units so the steam coming from their breath was real.

Yep. The room was kept at freezing temperatures to produce the steam-breaths and to make the actors as uncomfortable as possible, to make their performances more consistent with a feeling of misery.

27:57 The scene here where the [genuine] priest is giving the last rites, if you watch you can see his hands are shaking - that's genuine. The director asked the priest/actor if he trusted him and when he said yes he slapped him hard across the face and shouted action ! The poor guy was so shaken he shook and that's what you see on screen. Genuine terror.

You mentioned admiring the Regan effects, they were created by a master of special effects of the film making period, Stan Winston.

@kennethwilliams7731

2 жыл бұрын

Stan Winston ?I don't think he was involved with this film. Never heard that before....

There is no denying that it was the scariest movie made up till that date and even today few movies come close. People ran from the theater, became ill during the film, some were affected long after they had seen the movie!

No, Jen, that disgusting scene with Reagan in the hospital wasn't a lobotomy. lol It's an angiography or arteriography, a medical imaging technique used to visualize the inside, or lumen, of blood vessels and organs of the body, with particular interest in the arteries, veins, and the heart chambers. This is traditionally done by injecting a radio-opaque contrast agent into the blood vessel and imaging using X-ray based techniques such as fluoroscopy. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but they still do this. lol 😂

@ReelReviewsWithJen

2 жыл бұрын

Wow that’s insane!

@Greenwood4727

2 жыл бұрын

@@ReelReviewsWithJen I had a version of that in the mid 80's i had an issue i grew 12 inches in a year and it caused s afew metabolism issues.. and that caused my brain some issues.

Nominated for 10 Oscars including Best Picture but won for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound Editing. It was the highest grossing movie of 1973, $440 million dollars against a $13 million dollar budget. Adjusted for inflation, it would have made $2.4 billion dollars. The movie is said to be cursed as most of the actors and crew got into unexplained accidents before and during filming.

Although the 70s definitely had their share of "slow burns", that was specifically a trademark of this particular director, William Friedkin. There were always fast-paced movies going on. "A Clockwork Orange" for instance, I wouldn't call a slow burn! :D /Although Linda Blair did wrench her back when filming that scene, she had a great time filming the Exorcist. The trouble was AFTER the Exorcist; people were so sure she had been abused and traumatized, she had to go do a world tour of press junkets, holding puppies and smiling like a cutie pie. The movie has dogged her career ever since. But the filming of the movie itself, she had fun; Friedkin made sure that the set was extremely happy and light-hearted when shooting anything to do with her. (which was unusual for Friedkin; he is famous for "tricking" the actors, slapping them, doing extreme things for reactions, arguing with actors). But with Blair, it was all done in the spirit of play and fun. Same with Danny Lloyd in The Shining./Although Blair didn't win the Oscar, she lost it to an even younger actress, Tatum O'Neal, at 8-years old the youngest winner in history. That's for the FANTASTIC comedy-drama "Paper Moon", highly, highly recommended. I wouldn't be surprised if you've seen it already, but if you haven't, that's a must-see, Jen, on or off the channel. A real classic. I'd love to see your thoughts on that one."Paper Moon" with Ryan and Tatum O'Neal. And Madeline Kahn, who lost to her co-star Tatum right alongside Linda Blair, so they're all in good company!/ This 20-minute news report from 1974 has unbelievable footage of people freaking out at the theaters, and interviews with moviegoers....an incredible time capsule and you will really dig it: kzread.info/dash/bejne/aIOo1LyoobGTqNI.html LASTLY: How about the stuntman who had to do that fall down the stairs?!!!! Whew!

@thunderstruck5484

2 жыл бұрын

So many different great films back then I miss that Hollywood and yes Paper Moon is excellent Ryan O’Neil always a favorite in so many roles thanks

Other young actresses considered for the role of Regan included Jamie Lee Curtis, Brooke Shields, and Eve Plumb (Jan Brady from the Brady Bunch). Some of their parents declined due to the content. While Linda Blair did a great job, the success severely hampered her career. Most roles for child actors were for family-oriented movies. Studios didn't think parents would take their kids to a movie with "the possessed girl".

@gregyear201

2 жыл бұрын

I can’t imagine anyone but Linda Blair in her iconic role.

PS: Yes, that room was kept extremely cold so that you could see their breath/Religious attendance DID go up in the Catholic church after this movie. You can even see someone say that in the documentary I linked you to (here it is again: kzread.info/dash/bejne/aIOo1LyoobGTqNI.html ). They say they're definitely going to mass tomorrow, lol.

Other great films about demons: Demons (Italian film 1985), Legend (Tom Cruise 1985), Evil Dead 2 (1987), Prince of Darkness (1987), Night of the Demons (1988), The Conjuring (2013)

@jean-paulaudette9246

2 жыл бұрын

The Gate (1987)

Pazuzu is the name of the demon in this movie, he was a “demon” in ancient Sumer. He was actually a powerful demon who protected the people against his enemy “the angel” called Lamashtu. She would eat children and men, she didn’t eat women. Pazuzu would bring famine and death and use debt against those who were in debt. He would also protect people from other demons. The fight with the 2 dogs was Pazuzu summoning them to illustrate to father Merrin that this would be a fight between good and evil to the death.

The Exorcist received 10 Academy Awards nominations, including for Best Picture. No Horror picture before or after received this level of accolades. This was considered a great movie that just happened to be a horror movie.

Jen! Awesome, I've been waiting for this, can't wait to see your full reaction on Patreon. Their breath was genuine, the film set was refrigerated to show the mist out of their mouths. Some trivia, it was the first horror film to be nominated for a best picture Oscar (10 nominations total). It was based on a true story(but on a 14 year old boy). Most disturbing film I've ever seen! That film score sticks with you.

The album Tubular Bells from which a portion of the soundtrack theme comes from, is an excellent piece of music

@OblivionGate

2 жыл бұрын

Mike Oldfield is an English musician who wrote Tubular Bells and played every instrument on the album.

Linda Blair, the actress who played Reagan, was 14 years old when this film was released

@gregyear201

2 жыл бұрын

She was actually 13 at beginning of filming. She says so in one of the documentaries.

@KC1976fromDetroit

2 жыл бұрын

@@gregyear201 - yep. I said when the movie released, not when it was filmed.

Mrs. Karras and Burke died in real life in Jan.and Feb. of 73.. The movie premiered Dec. 26th 1973

Filmed in the Georgetown section of Washington DC the long steps are real and became a tourist attraction almost as famous and popular to visit as The Washington Monument. The book's author William Peter Blatty before this novel wrote several comedy movie screenplays in the 1960's.

The breath was real... they refrigerated the room. A Demon would not die if the human dies... it just goes somewhere else. You can't destroy a demon, you can only make it leave a possession.

This movie was so extreme back in 1973 that it was literally worth it to see it 2 or three times just to watch the audience reaction around you.

Fun Fact: Arthur Penn, Mike Nichols, and Stanley Kubrick were all offered the job of directing The Exorcist, and all of them turned it down. Director William Friedkin was offered the job based on his success with the Oscar winning film, The French Connection, two years earlier. It was The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty himself who insisted on the hiring of Friedkin.

The priest at the beginning was a bit intrepid when looking at the statute of Pazuzu because the priest had once before exercised that demon from someone and this was Pazuzu's way of telling the priest - we're going at it again.

Linda Blair ( Reagan ) was 14 when the movie was releashed, so making her 12 or 13 during filming!

@ReelReviewsWithJen

2 жыл бұрын

That’s crazy! So young! She did such a good job!