Greetings, and welcome back to October Horror Fest! Today, we will discuss a film that I have been dying to see. Rated as the scariest horror movie of all time by all major horror outlets, this is a classic that I needed to see. This film single handedly started a new genre of horror, and expanded on the horror genre itself. Venture with me into the world of the paranormal, the world of the afterlife, and the world of light. Without further ado, sit back, relax, turn off the lights, grab some Candy and Popcorn, and let’s review…

The Exorcist

We start our story in Northern Iraq, as we see a small army of workers cut into stone and sand with pickaxes. A young boy runs through the dig site, and finds an elderly man. He says that he found small pieces, and runs away. The elderly man follows, and digs under the earth. We see him find a small piece of an extremely old statue, as the music becomes more disoriented and threatening in the background. We cut to the morning, where the elderly man takes his heart medication with shaking hands. As the elderly man walks through the town after finding the statue, he sees demonic symbols. A man without his eye stares at our elder, as he bangs on a rock with a hammer, making a hellish chorus. We learn that the elderly man is named Father Merrin, and he is investigating the statue even closer. Father Merrin departs from the small Iraqi town he has found himself in, and drives to another dig site. Along the way, more demonic faces on normal people can be seen. Merrin travels through the archaeological site, and finds a statue facing him. He climbs up to it, and in an extremely famous scene, stares at it. Around him, people begin to stare, and two dogs begin to viciously fight in the background. Merrin continues to stare, as the music picks up once more. We see the sun, and we cut out.

We pick back up in Washington D.C., more specifically Georgetown, as we meet our protagonists. We meet Chris MacNeil, a famous actress who is staying in D.C. in her luxurious condo. We also meet her daughter, and our most important character, Regan MacNeil. We see Chris ask one of her housekeepers to get the rats out of the closet, as we cut to Chris filming a scene for a new movie. We see the director, Burke, hug Chris, as she films her scene. In the background, we see a priest watching, a priest we will be very well acquainted with, by the name of Damien Karras. Damien walks away, as Chris walks home. We hear the EXTREMELY famous and iconic Exorcist Theme as Chris walks. She passes by the church, where we see Damien once again. He talks to a fellow priest about always feeling like a fraud. Once Chris arrives home, she gets an invitation to have dinner at the White House. Regan has a sweet moment with her mother, as she begs for a horse. This characterizes her so well, and makes us care for what happens later. Regan then steals the invitation, and gets subdued by her mother’s bear hug.

We pick up with Damien, as he walks through an extremely rough neighborhood. He walks into an apartment, and finds his mother. He’s there to visit, and helps take care of his mother for the day. She is ill and elderly, and Damien wants to be there for her the best he can. Damien leaves, his depressed mood being seen by his mother. We cut back to the MacNeil’s, as Mother and Daughter play in the basement. Chris finds a Ouija board in the basement, which Regan said she’s played with. She attempts to contact “Captain Howdy”, and he does not respond when she shows her mom how to play. Before Regan is put to bed, she asks if her Mom will marry Burke. Regan knows she likes him, and the girls laugh. She promises Regan that she still loves her father, and the girls say their goodnights to one another.

In a bar, we find Damien. He is speaking to another high ranking priest named Tom. He says that he should have never left his mother, and how he is unworthy for the priesthood. Damien is a psychiatrist, and became a priest due to recommendations. He wants out, and says to Tom a famous line, “I think I’ve lost my faith, Tom.” The next morning, Chris goes off on the operator of the phone of Regan’s birthday, as her father isn’t picking up the phone. At night, in another important moment, Chris wakes up late at night, and sees Regan in her bed. Regan said she couldn’t sleep, as her bed was shaking. Chris leaves the room and heads up into the attic, where she is scared by Karl, her housekeeper, as he searches for the rats. This is another intense scene.

The next morning, we see the Church, as a priest goes about his duties. He walks into a Church building, and begins to set up flowers at the altar. He looks to his right, and a statue of the Virgin Mary has been extremely, extremely, even demonically, vandalized. We cut to Damien and his Uncle walking through a mental hospital, as we see horrific images of all the patients. Damien’s Mother was sent there due to her sickness, and is inconsolable as Damien attempts to get her home. She asks why he left her, and she doesn’t want to talk to him. Damien takes out his anger on a punching bag, which is aligned with the photos of him in his mother’s house of his time as a boxer.

We cut to Chris’s condo, as a gigantic party is being held. Father Dyre, another priest, is there. He talks to Chris, saying how Damien’s Mother had actually passed the previous night, a shocking realization to Chris, and to us. Burke, in a drunken stupor, starts a fight downstairs. We pan upstairs, as Chris kisses an “asleep” Regan. Regan opens her eyes, which are completely devoid of emotion. Burke heads out, as the rest of the party goers begin to sing songs. Regan then heads downstairs. She goes to a party member, and tells him that he is going to die up there. Regan then pees on the floor, still in a trance like state. The party goers are absolutely shocked, and Chris brings Regan to the bath. She washes her, as she doesn’t respond to her Mom’s questions, and just sits and stairs. Regan, in bed, asks what’s wrong with her, showing true fear. Chris heads downstairs, as we hear banging and Regan screaming from upstairs. Lights begin to flicker, as Chris heads into Regan’s room to see the bed shaking violently up and down. Chris gets on it in a futile attempt to halt the shaking.

We cut to Damien’s apartment. Damien is fully depressed, not caring about anything. Damien cries about not being there, and Father Dyre said that there was nothing he could do. Father Dyre tells him to go to bed, and leaves his fellow priestly friend. Damien has a dream, in which his priestly medallion falls from his neck. His mother is there, and he runs towards her. She disappears into the subway, as his medallion hits the floor.

The second it does, we hear Regan scream, and cut to the hospital. Regan is being sedated, while shouting expletives and trying to avoid the injection. We see Damien performing a mass, as we return to Chris. The Doctors say that there is a problem with Regan’s frontal lobe, a lesion in the brain, an extremely rare disturbance. He says that her behavior could turn criminal. The next scene, the doctors perform a surgery to remove the lesion. This creates an extremely well crafted body horror sequence, as Regan is punctured to make room for sedatives, and blood shoots out of her neck. She cries and tries not to move or yell, making an extremely sad and horrifying scene. This scene actually made me squirm while watching, and I am not squeamish in the slightest, I have a whole series dedicated to Horror after all. The x-rays are performed on the brain, and we see the pictures. Regan’s brain is clear, causing a question not even modern science can solve.

Chris calls the doctors to her home, as we hear Regan scream. We enter her room, as we see her violently convulsing as she sits up and down, crying for it to stop, and how it burns. At the end of this, Regan’s eyes go fully white, and she begins to growl. She attacks a doctor, and shouts more inappropriate suggestions and expletives. Chris begins to panic and scream, as Regan begins to scream once more. Pandemonium is unleashed, as Regan is sedated once more. In the hallway, the doctors once again tell about the frontal lobe, and recommend another brain surgery, one that Chris accepts. The doctors keep talking about pathological states. Chris begins to freak out, as the doctors recommend a psychiatrist.

At the next x-ray, they are all clear once again. The doctors tell this to Chris, and she, understandably, freaks out. The Doc recommends a psychiatrist once again, and asks if there are any drugs in the house. Chris says no to the drugs, and begins her hunt for a psychiatrist. Arriving back at home, the lights flicker violently, and begin to go out. Chris searches the apartment for her housekeeper, eventually entering Regan’s room. The window is wide open, and the room is icy cold. Regan is under no blankets. Chris covers her up, and the housekeeper says that Burke was with Regan for 10 minutes. A man enters, saying Burke is dead. He fell from the window to the steps, and broke his neck. Chris, understandably, is inconsolable about the whole situation.

A psychiatrist finally begins to talk to Regan, when she confirms that someone is inside of her. The psychiatrist sits back down, as the demon takes full control. The Demon’s name is Pazuzu, and Regan, possessed, attacks the Psychiatrist. He screams, and she begins to scream as well, her screams transitioning into a scenic field, where Damien is running. He is watched by a man in the stands. This man knows Father Karras, and he immediately can tell that Damien is a boxer. The man is Willaim F. Kinderman, and is a homicide detective. He asks Father Damien Karras about the death of Burke, witchcraft, ritual killings, and the Church as a whole. We learn that Burke died after being thrown from a window, not accidentally falling out. His head was turned completely around. Damien is secretive with his information, although he does not have much. Damien and William split off, and Damien leaves him with one final joke.

We cut to a massive hospital, as we see a montage of Regan’s ongoing possession, the effects clearly evident on her body, and her face especially. Many, many, many doctors, 88 in total, sit with Chris, and have worked on the case. They say that it is still all in her head, and that it is a disorder from a primitive culture. They ask if Chris or Regan have any religious beliefs, to which Chris immediately says no. They explain Exorcism to her, and they treat it as a psychological treatment, not a spiritual one. Chris doesn’t believe it at all, asking if they mean she has to take her daughter to a witch doctor. Clearly, modern science and medicine can take Chris no further, and she turns to the guidance of the Church. A nonbeliever, Chris, needs their help. Regan continues to sleep as Chris arrives home, and we see that a Crucifix was placed under her pillow. William makes his way up the stairs to the home. Chris exits Regan’s bedroom, and asks all her staff if they placed the Crucifix. They all deny it.

William then enters the apartment, and has Coffee with Chris. He asks about if Regan remembers if Burke was in her room, to which Chris says she does not, and she would ask when she is better. William seems to think that Burke was pushed by a force, or an extremely strong man. William then asks Chris to sign an autograph for his daughter, which, a bit creepily, he lies about, and says that it’s really for him. Remember, Chris is a world famous actress through all of this. William continues his creepiness, eventually leaving. Chris shuts the door and locks it behind him, as she hears Regan scream from upstairs. She heads upstairs, and is met by an absolutely insane scene. The objects in the room are flying all over the place, and the Pazazu has fully taken over Regan, her face being contorted into the famous demon one. Regan screams in pain underneath the Demon’s voice. The extremely controversial “Crucifix Scene” then begins, where Pazazu is repeatedly stabbing Regan in the legs with the Crucifix, in an extremely non PG connotation, as she asks Jesus to also do something also very non PG as she does this, which I will not get into at all. Yeah, this was a hard scene to watch. If I was Squeamish in the hospital scene, this scene was much worse for me. It was actually banned in many places. Blood is everywhere, and the Demon and Chris begin to fight. Pazazu covers Chris’s face with blood, and slaps her. She lands on the floor, and before her staff can come running in, the door is slammed shut with a chair. Objects begin to float and move, as Pazazu turns it’s head 360 degrees to look at the wounded, crawling Chris. Pazazu asks Chris if she knows what her daughter did, as her screams fade out, and we meet back with everyone’s favorite priest, Father Damien Karras.

Damien is walking down a bridge, and meets Chris, who is now bruised from the previous encounter. She asks Damien about his priesthood and how he is a psychologist, and asks for his help. She says that she needs an Exorcism to save Regan. Damien immediately dismisses the idea, saying it is old and retired, dangerous, and needs the Church’s approval. It’s been stopped since modern scientific discoveries were made. Damien says that the Church needs to make sure it is an actual possession, and after Chris falls into his shoulder and cries, Damien comes back to the house. He walks to Regan’s room, and enters the freezing space. Regan’s face is slashed open, bruised, and has Pazazu’s eyes. He has fully taken over, and is talking freely to Damien. Regan is strapped down, and says that she is the Devil. Damien is calm, until Pazazu says that his mother is in Regan with them. Damien counters, asking for his mother’s maiden name, to which Pazazu projectile vomits a green vomit onto Damien. He travels downstairs, and Chris cleans his clothes. Damien says that he would do more harm than good in the Exorcism, saying that he needs evidence, like her speaking in a language she doesn’t know. Damien doesn’t know all the specifics, and Damien says that saying you are the Devil is the same as saying you are Napoleon Bonaparte. He recommends 6 months under observation in a hospital, and goes to leave, as Chris keeps saying that her Daughter is not there. Damien goes to leave, and Chris says that Regan had no idea his mother died. Damien processes this, and leaves.

We see William outside, and in the window, Regan begins to move. The next day, Damien has a hard time performing mass, his mind clouded with thoughts of Regan. We cut back to the possessed Regan, saying the famous line, “What an excellent day for an Exorcism.” Pazazu and Damien talk, as he sets up a recorder. The Demon then begins to open drawers, and speaks Latin. Damien, as cool as can be, begins to record, and asks for Pazazu’s name in Latin, getting audio evidence for the Church. Pazazu speaks French as well, and when Damien asks how long he will be in Regan, he responds by saying until she is rotting in the Earth. Damien smirks, and brings out holy water, to which Pazazu says to keep it away. He does the sign of the cross, and Regan convulses, several different voices in different foreign tongues coming out.

Damien sits with Chris, telling her to tell Regan’s father what is happening. He tells about the Holy Water, and reveals that it was only tap water. Chris reveals that the possessed Regan was the one that killed Burke. We cut to the Church, as Damien plays the recording. The other priest noticed that it was English in reverse. Damien continues to listen at his house, the tape saying “I am no one” and “Kill the Priest ”. Damien’s phone rings, scaring him. He gets a call from Sharon, the housekeeper of Chris, asking him to come to the house. The two head up to Regan’s room without Chris, being very silent. The room is frigid, and Sharon takes off Regan’s clothes. She reveals her stomach to Damien, and on it, in another horrifying and heartbreaking scene, two words are inscribed. “Help me.” Regan is still in there, and is pleading for help. Damien then goes to the top ranks of the Church, saying that the conditions meet the Exorcism requirements, and that he would perform the Exorcism. The High Ranking Priest, referred to by Damien as his excellency, thinks of having a man of experience with him. The two high ranking priests then suggest Merrin, our Priest from the beginning of the film. The man who was originally chosen to fight Pazazu has returned. He is back in the states, and has already performed a months long exorcism that nearly killed him. Merrin gets the letter, and heads to the MacNeil household.

Merrin arrives, as we see close ups of Regan’s possessed face. Merrin stands in the fog and streetlight in front of the house, in one of the most iconic horror shots of all time. Father Merrin enters, and talks to Damien. They are very glad to meet each other, as we hear Regan scream from upstairs. Merrin is still elderly, and asks Damien to run to the Church to grab supplies. Merrin says that the Demon wants to confuse them and attack them psychologically. It mixes in truth with lies, and Merrin tells Damien to never listen. After the priests prepare, like soldiers ready for a battle, they walk into the room of the growling demon Regan. They walk past a tearful Chris, and shut the door of the frigid room. Merrin brings out a small Crucifix, and kisses it. He then brings out Holy Water, and the two priests begin the exorcism. Regan begins to convulse and vomit everywhere, her eyes becoming white once again. This entire scene is terrifying, as Regan’s bed begins to shake once more. The bed begins to levitate, as Damien is late on a response to a prayer from Merrin, showing his fear. The lights begin to flicker, as we see the true face of Pazazu come out of Regan briefly. The priests continue the Exorcism, green vomit spewing from Regan’s mouth. It covers the priestly towel of Merrin, and Damien washes it, as Merrin, still elderly and ill, begins to shake more and more. He coughs, and has to take a minute to collect himself, as Regan laughs and shouts more expletives at the priests. They then begin to keep cursing the demons out of Regan, as the entire room begins to shake, as Regan’s head turns 360 degrees once again. Pazazu’s face is seen as even more pandemonium is unleashed. The room shakes as if in a hurricane, as Pazazu taunts Damien about his mother.

The straps begin to break, as the room shakes once more. Pazazu’s eyes turn white, and he enters a trance like state, as Regan begins to levitate. The priests throw holy water onto the Demon, even causing a large slash in Regan’s leg when it lands. The priests say the immortal line, “The Power of Christ Compels You!” repeatedly in an INCREDIBLY powerful moment, acting and storywise. Pazazu lands back on the bed, floating back down. Damien ties Regan’s hands together, as Merrin continues to compel the Demon, Regan then sits up, and hits Damien over the back of the head, knocking him down. With the sign of the cross from Merrin, Pazazu falls back into pain. The room shakes extremely violently, knocking both priests down to the floor. They look up, and in an absolutely incredible cinematic shot, the silhouette of Regan reaches up, as the statue from the beginning of the film briefly comes into the room. That was the statue of Pazazu, and Merrin is here with Damien to be God’s Champions. Regan continues to convulse in pain, as the Demon falls into a trance like sleeping state. The priests are extremely tired, and Merrin rests before starting again. Damien waits in the room just a bit longer, with a haunted look on his face. He turns back to Regan, as we cut to him and Merrin on the stairs, resting. Merrin is tired, and Damien is determined. Merrin goes into the bathroom, and in the bathroom, with shaking hands, he has to take more heart medication. Damien enters Regan’s room, alone. He stares at the Demon with pure hatred, as we see that it briefly looked like his mother. Regan, in this trance like state, stares up at the ceiling. Damien wipes the sweat off of her forehead, as Pazazu takes the voice of his Mother, mocking Damien. The priests says that it isn’t his mother, and uses a stethoscope to listen to Regan’s heart. It isn’t doing well. Pazazu continues in her voice, and Damien screams, saying that it isn’t his mother. Merrin looks at him, and tells him to leave the room.

Merrin faces the demon, alone. He takes out his tools, his blessed Crucifix, and his holy water. He kneels once again, and opens the Bible once more. He does the sign of the cross, causing Pazazu to once again feel pain. Merirn takes Regan’s hand, and begins the Lord’s prayer. “Our Father, who art in heaven…” We cut to Damien, head in his hands downstairs. Chris joins him, asking if it’s over. He says no. He promises Chris that Regan will not die, and with a look of determination and priestly love on his face, he climbs the steps, and enters Regan’s room. Outside, William appears once more.

As Damien enters, we find the lifeless body of Merrin, with Regan at the corner of the bed. His holy water is dripping onto the floor, almost empty. Damien tries to restart his heart, to no avail. His head collapses onto his friend’s chest, as Pazazu begins to laugh. Damien looks, and in one of my favorite scenes in the film, his face is filled with pure hatred, disgust, and holiness. He is prepared to do anything to save this girl, and to avenge his friend. To grow from the man questioning his faith, to the man strong in his. He jumps up, and begins beating Regan on the floor. He tells Pazazu to take him, and it rips his medallion off of his neck. We see Damien’s features contort, and he becomes possessed. Regan begins to cry on the ground, as Damien comes in to kill her. However, Father Damien Karras will not let that happen. Defying the demon, and becoming the Priest he was always destined to be, a true defender and warrior of the faith, Damien prevails. He takes back control, and his face returns to normal. He screams no, and jumps out of the window. He falls down the steps, and as Willaim looks outside, we see his body on the concrete, the floor around him stained with blood. Regan begins to weep and cry, as Mother and Daughter hug. Merrin’s lifeless body remains, as Father Dyre re-enters. He grabs the still moving hand of his friend, and performs the last rites. He cries, and does the sign of the cross on Damien, completing last rites. We see a crowd gather, as Father Dyre falls onto the body of his friend.

We cut to the morning, looking at the cleaned stairs. Karl is packing the MacNeil’s bags in the car, as they move out and back home. Sharon hugs Chris in a heartwarming moment. She says she found Damien’s medallion, and gives it to Chris. Regan comes down the stairs and outside, as we see Father Dyre observing the family. He walks over, and says hello to Chris and Regan. Chris says that Regan doesn’t remember anything. Chris, evolving from the skeptic she was, and Regan, transforming herself entirely, greet Dyre with the title, Father. The Church has become the father figure to this family. Regan looks much better, although slight scarring from the incident can be seen on her face. The car is packed, and Chris says, “Goodbye, Father.” She promises to call him, and walks away. Regan looks back at Father Dyre, and sees the white, priestly collar hanging on his neck. Seeing this, and implying that deep, deep, deep in Regan’s psyche, she does remember what happened, she kisses Father Dyre on the cheek. After she kisses him, she runs to the car. Father Dyre smiles, knowing that his friend succeeded in his mission. Just before the MacNeil’s leave, they stop in the street. Chris calls Father Dyre over, and gives him Father Damien Karras’s medallion. Father Dyre walks to the steps where his friend died, and stares. We pan behind him, as the iconic theme starts to play once more.

I hope everyone enjoyed The Exorcist! I am shocked that I waited so long to see this movie, and I am so happy I saw it now. This movie is by far one of my favorite horror movies I’ve ever seen, and is just so well put together. As a Catholic myself, it was powerful seeing the perseverance of good in the face of adversity in this film, and I’m sure this one will stick with me for a long time. Also, IT WAS TERRIFYING! It deserves its spot as the scariest movie ever made, and I recommend it to all of you. This also seems to clock in as my longest Horror Fest Review yet! I hope you all enjoyed it! But, just before I go, remember this, possession can run rampant whenever you aren’t prepared. After all, today is an Excellent day for an Exorcism…