|
The Exorcist
(1973)
In William Friedkin's blockbuster horror film about
demonic possession, there
were many scary scenes of possessed twelve year-old Regan MacNeil's
(Linda Blair) monstrous appearance with a vicious demon inside of
her:
- the scene at ancient temple ruins in Northern Iraq
when elderly Jesuit priest Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) confronted
the demonic statue of Pazuzu
- the film's intense special effects and violent horrors
of devil possession, and twelve year-old Regan MacNeill's monstrous appearance
- her public urination on the rug during a Georgetown
party
- Regan's back-handed slapping of a doctor across the
face and knocking him into a door and onto the floor, as her physically-repulsive
voice warned: "Keep away! The sow is mine!" She pulled
up the front of her nightgown, masturbated by rubbing herself, and
in a deep, strange voice, beckoned: "F--k me! F--k me!"
- the terrifying visit to a hospital where Regan was
subjected to a controversial and lengthy excruciatingly-torturous
medical examination sequence (and blood-letting) with markedly sexual
overtones
- the notorious self-abusive crucifix-masturbation (or
stabbing) scene of Regan's crotch with a bloody crucifix, as she
bellowed obscenities in the Devil's voice: "Let Jesus f--k you,
let Jesus f--k you! Let him f--k you!" - she spun her head backwards
180 degrees, threatening in a deep malevolent voice as she imitated
the British accent of a dead family friend to taunt Chris about his
murder: "Do you know what she did? Your c--ting daughter?"
Controversial Self-Abuse with Crucifix Sequence
|
|
|
|
- the scene of pea-soup spewing, after Father Damien
Karras (Jason Miller) entered the bedroom and saw the girl strapped
to a padded four-poster bed. Her face was cut, her hair matted,
her eyes wild-looking, and she had a plastic tube taped to one
nostril. The grotesque girl spoke with a disgusting, low-pitched
growl coming straight from hell. As he approached closer, in the
grossest scene of the film, Regan lurched forward on the bed and
spewed bilious, pea-green soup vomit from her mouth in a single
projectile stream directly into his face. The thick green slime
stuck to his face and clothing. Bits of vomit and bile acid also
dribbled down onto Regan's nightgown
- the silhouetted image of the arrival of the elderly
Jesuit priest Father Merrin on a dark and foggy night under a lamp-post
outside the MacNeill's Georgetown house
- her demonic tortured and vulgar voice (supplied by
veteran character actress Mercedes McCambridge) that screamed foul
obscenities and diabolical sounds that emanated from her mouth -
growling dogs, squealing pigs, rasping groans, and foul language;
raised welts that bubbled up across her abdomen read: "help
me."
- one of the other most objectionable and blasphemous
scenes was the sight on the Georgetown University campus of a white
marble statue of the Virgin Mary. It had been desecrated with red
paint and other materials, and taken on the appearance of a harlot.
The defiled statue had long red-tipped breasts, red color on both
hands, and an elongated, erect yet sagging penis-shaped clay protuberance
also daubed in red.
- the bedside exorcism ceremony, when Regan shouted
insults at Father Karras: ("Your mother sucks c--ks in hell,
Karras"), followed by her 360-degree spinning head as she sat
up in bed
- the demise of Father Damien Karras when he dared
the devil to enter his body: ("Take me. Come into me. God damn
you. Take me. Take me") - and he threw himself through Regan's
bedroom window to his death in the street below; he gave his own
life to save Regan's spirit and life, with the promise of being reborn;
from the bedroom window, Lt. Kinderman (Lee J. Cobb) viewed Karras'
bloodied body at the foot of the Prospect Street steps
|
|
|
Father Karras Wrestling with the Demon Inside
Regan
|
"Take me. Come into me. God damn you. Take
me. Take me"
|
-
Father Dyer (William O'Malley) broke through and
grabbed Karras' dying hand, beseeching him: "Do you want
to make a confession? Are you sorry for having offended God and
for all the sins of your past life?" Signaling his assent,
Karras unclenched and gripped Dyer's hand; Dyer absolved him
of his sins during the administration of last rites
|
Urination on the Rug
The Hospital Medical Examination Sequence
The Arrival of Father Merrin (Max von Sydow)
Raised Welts: "Help me"
Desecrated Virgin Mary Statue
360 Degree Spinning Head
Karras Hurled to His Death
|