FIRST TIME WATCHING The Exorcist (1973) // Reaction & Commentary // HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
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- Опубліковано 30 жов 2021
- Today it's my FIRST TIME WATCHING The Exorcist!! A movie I was totally going to avoid forever!! Check out my reaction and let me know if you were flipped out during your first time?!
*This video was hit for copyright so I struggled to get it up for you -- apologies if it feels super disjointed*
Also Happy Halloween from me!!!
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RECENT WATCHES:
HALLOWEEN (1978)
• FIRST TIME WATCHING: H...
NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
• A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STR...
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*AS ALWAYS* I do NOT claim ownership of any clips used in this watch. Used for entertainment purposes only
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A lot of people miss the point that it is Burke's voice asking Chris if she knows what her daughter did, and showing it by twisting the head around, just like Burke was found.
Yep, very few people pick up on that, or if they do they never mention it during the reaction.
I saw this movie in the theater and many times since and I never picked up on that! Thank you for this great bit of trivia!
@@RebeccaODonnell-1941 There,s also a bit and i will try and word it right its said very quickly... When the mother goes in the loft and the candle blows up she turns to see Carl the butler she thinks he says there isn,t any rats but if you listen very carefully hes says it doesn,t want any straps... which is bone chilling its in the book but 99per cent miss it in the film...
Wow, all these decades and didn’t know that.
I've got to be honest... I didn't pick up on that.
Of all the actors in this film, you have to give a shoutout to the late Jason Miller. His portrayal of Father Karras was phenomenal. The amount of grief he showed from the death of his mother, and his loss of faith, was written spectacularly all over his face throughout the movie. The viewer could literally feel his pain.
Yes his eyes are express guilt, pain and sorrow. Amazing that the exorcist was Miller’s first screen role and was nominated for an Oscar.
It is great - but for me the best adult performance is from the actor that plays Father Dire.
It's rare to see a man be able to act truly sad like that as he is struggling to force out the words of the last rites for his friend Damian.
@@mnomadvfx actually he was having a hard time looking sad enough during the scene. They had done several takes and then Freidkin/the director slapped him across the face right before they got the final take.
@@mnomadvfx He wasn't an actor!
I agree...he was my favorite character! Edit: Jason Miller as Father Karras I mean. The one who was a real priest did a great job too...but Damien Karras is my favorite....so many emotions he had to bring out!
The story in the Exorcist is incredible. Karras resolves his own crisis of faith by a Christ like act of sacrificing himself to save the girl.
Except suicide is a mortal sin for Catholics..
Shanelle her whole life: "I'm never watching The Exorcist."
The Exorcist: "In time."
Timothy, a fine double meaning. It's the demon itself who says "in time".
Love it lol.
🤣🤣🤣
Viewers: Nervous?
Shanelle: Yes.
Viewers: First time?
Shanelle: No I've been nervous lots of times.
So you want her to watch Airplane! next? In due time...
Surely you jest..
Good luck. We're all counting on you.
@@Fmanzo10
I'm serious. And quit calling me Shirley.
It's a completely different kind of movie. Altogether.
“The Exorcist” with its 10 Academy Award nominations was the first horror film to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture. It won two . Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound.
And best art direction
It was nominated for Art Direction, however, it lost to “The Sting”.
Yes I stand corrected. Thank you
When this came out I snuck into the theater with a friend and his older brother. I was 9 and I didn't sleep well for years after. I met Linda Blair in 2018 and she was really sweet. I got to talk to her for a while and told her how she traumatized my childhood. She just laughed because she knows she affected the lives of hundreds of millions. It took her years to just accept that she will always be known as Regan, the possessed girl. And yea, I got my autographed photo of her as the demon.
She really owns the legacy of Reagan character when she did "Reposessed"
She did such a great job in The Exorcist that it really hurt her career. Most roles for child actors were in family oriented films. The industry didn't think families would go see a light romp featuring "the possessed girl".
9 years old?My parents had cable back in 80s and I was the same age as you were when I first saw this movie.It took me years to recover.I don't know what my parents were thinking when they let me watch it.
@Scrotie McBoogerballs You're right, March 2 1965.
@Scrotie McBoogerballs I look a lot younger, probably years of LOTS of daily amino acids. Time goes by really fast. My friends from when I was young, we still listen to Sabbath, Zeppelin and all the Punk groups from the early 80's, a lot of them we used to go see. One of my best friends (who lives in AZ now) just texted me today 'Remember when we used to shoot each other with BB guns'? We wore welding goggles and used to shoot at each other in the forest. You'll probably still like the things when your my age you do now. When we get together now (unfortunately mostly at parent's funerals now) we still act like we did when when we were young as much as are bodies allow. I never get totally wasted anymore...EXCEPT when I see my old friends.
The Exorcist theme music that sounds like Halloween is "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield. It was not recorded for the film. He was 19 and recorded the album by the same name nearly alone. It is only 2 songs Tubular Bells Pt 1 & 2. Almost 50 minutes long. It came out a few months before the film. It didn't sell until the movie came out. It was also the first album on Virgin records.
A bunch of random trivia for a trivia lover.
My sister's twin nieces just graduated from Fordham.
Super underrated album. Everyone seems to write it off as "The Exorcist theme song" but it's a masterpiece of progressive rock.
Haha - I went straight out to buy Tubular Bells after seeing The Exorcist for the first time.
For me, it was always 'The Exorcist theme song'. I loved the music because I loved the film.
Tbh, outside The Exorcist snippet, the rest of the album is >meh< tapering to god awful, esp. the bit where Oldfield speaks to introduce various instruments. "A slightly distorted acoustic guitar' (followed by sound of needle gouging across vinyl as I slap the playing arm away to spare my ears the auditory excrescence)
Hasn't he completely re-recorded the entire album several times as new formats became available?
Tubular Bells is the album that made the fortunes of the, newly started, Virgin Music.
@@AwkwardKyle I don't know about re-recorded, but remixed and remastered, definitely.
I was 24 when it came out. To this day, no other movie has had such a profound effect on me. I was terrified of the possibility that such a thing could happen to someone I knew. And loved.
I think.we all suffer from the same problem were all afraid well end up in he'll for eternity.which is why this films so shocking to New viewers
I was 5 when it came out and my parents took me with them when they saw it in the drive in theater. They thought I would be asleep in the backseat of the car by the time the feature started. They were mistaken. Scared the crap out of me and stuck with me for decades thereafter.
Are you going to watch the Exorcist trilogy when it comes out? Ellen Burstyn is going to reprise her role as the mother. It's the right of passage for everyone to watch this movie. I have an older sister who is 47 and refuses to watch this!
@@AneudiD78 Probably not.
Fun fact - the movie was actually released on Christmas Day. There's a good documentary where there's much footage of the event because it was a highly anticipated movie.
It was released on Boxing Day,
I went to Georgetown University and our student movie series showed this every year. We used to walk up and down "the Exorcist Steps" when we were drinking on weekends, which could be harrowing.
The producers paid for the renovation of our chapel in return for filming on campus. But the desecration of the Statue of Mary was NOT filmed on campus - the university would not allow that.
It blows my mind that Max von Sydow was only in his 40s when this was filmed!
According to William Peter Blatty, in interviews, he stated that Father Karras was the principle target for the demon. Possessing Regan was a means to an end to bring them together. A Priest with waning faith is a powerful lure for a Demon.
But Karras nodded during last rights which would mean he had power over that demon upon death. Otherwise he'd deny repentence. So maybe Blatty doesn't know the religion very well. Plus the sequel has the same demon pazuzu return and Regan actually helps the priest at the end to cast it out or bond it from ever being able to possess again.
@@gerardfonz no human, regardless, has any power of any kind against these spirits. ever.
I disagree. The demon came for the elder archeologist/priest because he knew him already when he released him in Iraq. As soon as Father Maris walked in the house the demon called his name. The battle was always between the two who represented good and evil.
@@elizabethstops2362The demon wasn't vague here. "What an excellent day for an exorcism." "You'd like that?" "Intensely." "Wouldn't that drive you out?" "It'll bring us together." "You and Regan?" "You and us."
Revenge on Merrin was icing on the cake and helped push Damian over the edge, making him attack it physically. The one thing it didn't expect was that Karras's faith would be strong enough to keep control for just long enough. If you've seen The Exorcist III, you know that certain parties were not pleased with that outcome.
Great reaction.
It's refreshing to see see people acknowledge the movie was made nearly 50 years ago. No CGI, no internet. All press, word of mouth and cable TV as promotion.
Easily my favorite horror movie, although it really is a thriller with excellent pacing and acting.
This movie will always be a classic.
They might have had cable TV in New York, Los Angeles and the other big cities, but there was no cable TV in flyover country in 1973.
Cable tv in 1973?
I was a 9 year old kid when this came out, but I definitely remember it being very controversial at the time, with an R rating, while some people thought it deserved an X rating. That's how shocking this movie was for 1973's audience.
Judging by the reactions from all the first time watchers in 2021, it's still shocking.
@@doreybain That's because they are used to modern crap films marketed as 'horror' when its just cheap jump scares with a cheaper script.
@@doreybain People today are not expecting this level of imagery from a 50 year old movie, and keep in mind this is the extended cut with more of the random demon face shots plus the spider crawl which were cut from the theatrical release.
My favorite part of this story is when they show you this is simply one battle in a seemingly unending war. They were already seeking out the next soldier.
Love that
Fun Fact: When it was confirmed that Chris was an actress and you smiled, I smiled. Top notch reaction and commentary to this awesome film. It takes a person of faith to really get it, I think. This one, because of all the things you said, still is the only "horror" film to ever actually make me uneasy.
I had just graduated High School and was with my buddies from work, whom one was wanting to be a priest. We got to the theater a little late and had to sit in the front row. After it ended and we waited a bit to leave because of the crowd, my buddy, the aspiring Priest said, “I need a drink”. It was an experience for sure.
Since you like spiritual kind of horror, I'd suggest 'The Omen', which is also a 70's-era film. It has a lot of shocking scenes, great acting, a few jumpscares, and a stressful atmosphere. Yeah, I know Hallowen time is sadly over, but just a suggestion for a possible future viewing. 👍
Is that the movie with the happy ending?
@@matsv201 well, that depends. 🤣
@@matsv201 That depends on which character you ask. 😒
As a kid I was terrified of Linda Blair and the kid that played the Omen.😳
@@rayhume1971 He purposefully crashes into his mum whilst she's standing on a chair hanging a plant and causes her to plummet over the bannisters.
Are you going to say the giraffes and baboons were paranoid or suffering for group psychosis as well?
Oh and did he draw the 3 6's on his head underneath his hairline?
You require proof he is evil? Watch Damien: Omen II...
I saw this shortly after it came out. It scared the wits out of me. It still scares me. Body count movies do nothing for me. Jump scare movies don't do anything for me. This movie still has power over me.
I’ll watch this on lunch break, but just wanna say thx for the 40 min run time. Seen way too many reactors spend less than 20 min on this classic. You rock.
Shanelle: *giggling in her comfort blanket - "we are off to the races"
Regan: 'first one to the bottom of the stairs wins?'
Karras won..... 😭😭😭💀
I laughed real hard at that 😂
They did succeed in driving the demon out. Damien took it with him out the window.
Chris: "Is she going to die?"
Damien: "No."
He came to terms with his faith in that moment.
The Exorcist 2 isn't a good movie, but it's inconsequential, so you can skip it and miss nothing.
Exorcist III (AKA Legion) on the other hand is fantastic and a true sequel to the first. Written and directed by the author of The Exorcist novel. This one, you should see, for certain.
I love that moment! So awesome yet understated!
The show also as it continues this story
Exorcist 2 is a genuine contender for worst film ever made and should never be watched by anyone ever.
@@williammatthews693 Yes. Too understated in my opinion.
But the ritual of Exorcism did not succeed. It took Damien to bring the demon upon himself and then sacrificing himself.
The perfect classic horror movie to end spooky month with! This is the grand daddy of the all, the possession movie from which all others get their inspiration XD
I love that you take into account when the movie came out and not comparing it to today's standards of horror.
Well of course... she's a film student.
There are some small islands of good quality content - like Haunting of Hill House.
That is quality horror.
I honestly would also love to see you watch The Exorcist III. It is an excellent psychological thriller, with amazing performances from George C. Scott and Brad Dourif. Great vid 👍
And the scene with the nurse going across the hall!!! That still gets me every single time!!
@@iChristyD That scared me so much. Shocking.
ANY movie witb Brad Dourif is worth seeing. Been a fan ever since Wise Blood.
@@dr.burtgummerfan439 And you can start with his excellent performance in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest".
@@centuryrox Yeah, he was great in that too!
Shanelle, thanks for another of your refreshingly sophisticated reactions. I was around in 1973 but for some reason didn't see the movie during its first run. A few days ago on another reaction channel I said the scene of Karras's hurling himself out the window was, though very brief, the most heroic act I'd ever seen on film. Another poster (a person, not a flyer) added the fact that Karras never got to meet the "normal" Regan, and therefore was sacrificing himself for a young girl he'd never met. Magnificent character.
Also, when Father Merrin first enters the house, before he goes upstairs, we hear the demon scream loudly. I'd always thought it was just a scream until someone told me no... and I later recognized it was a name: M E R R I N !!!
For me the most powerful bit of acting in the film is Father Dire giving Karras his last rites.
Pretty rare to see a man truly choked up like that on film and doing it convincingly, it shows just how good of a friend he was to Damian.
@@mnomadvfx Emotional, but hardly anything compared to Damian's sacrifice. Dyer was a very minor character, and as a priest it was his duty to bestow last rites. Damian wasn't doing his duty. He got the demon to leave Regan and come into him, and then without hesitation hurled himself and the demon out the window and down the stairs. THAT was powerful.
2:07 The Exorcism of Emily Rose is such an underrated gem ❤
I enjoyed The Rite
@@d3l3tes00n Never saw that one, Anthony Hopkins right? Maybe I'll check it out on my channel! ♥
@@dan.loves.movies Yeah it was surprisingly creepy, from what I remember.
@@dan.loves.movies I think you’re thinking of Audrey Rose.
Great reactions and commentary. I saw this movie when it first came out in the theatres as a young bloke - I’m an old Aussie. It was, and still is, awesome. I am also an old Catholic Altar Boy and the Catholic undertones are sprinkled throughout this movie. Thanks again for your thoughtful and perceptive observations. Cheers from the Land Down Under! 🤗🙏👍🌹
Shanelle: "I thought that they succeed in getting the spirit out?"
Us: "Well...they did. Just at a high cost."
If you remember the older priests comment too damien. Hes "1"!!!!!!!!!
Max Von Sydow was much younger than portrayed here, makeup made him look so old. if you look at Max in his old age you can see how effective that make up was, you'd be forgiven for thinking he looked old his entire life.
also the scene showing the medical procedure with Reagan was actually performed on her.
And the male nurse who was holding her head during the operation became a real serial killer years after.
@@moonakieater2308 that, i did not know...
@@moonakieater2308 suspected serial killer. He was the main suspect in a series of murders in New York called the bag murders. They never had enough evidence to link it to him so he was only convicted of one murder. He was paroled in 2003 and as of now nobody knows if he’s dead or alive.
@@Fmanzo10 yeah, if he did the one, he most likely did them all
@@moonakieater2308 probably but without evidence I guess we’ll never know for sure.
When it comes to the original audience reaction, keep in mind it was released after the summer of love and the rest of the innocent sixties. The movie was a shock for many.
The Summer of Love was 1967, by the time this movie came out in December of 1973 we had the Manson Murders, the realization that the Viet Nam was was lost and a total failure, and the country was knee deep in the Watergate scandal. The 60s were way over by the time this movie was released.
Yes, those innocent sixties--the film era of Bonnie & Clyde and The Wild Bunch. The two most graphically violent films made when this was released.
Thank you for finally watching The Exorcist! I've been waiting. This is like my new favorite thing, watching people watch The Exorcist!
I felt like my face was so blank in this one, but I cannot stress enough how much I LOVE that storytelling :):)
As terrible as the events are in this book and film, I have always viewed it as more of a love story. A devoted mothers love for her daughter, doing whatever she could for her. Father Karass's love for his mother and being unable to help her. Finding his faith in God again and ultimately giving his life for a child he didn't even know. Reagan kissing the priest at the end of things. At the worst of times no one left reagan or gave up on her. Of course there is the whole demon thing, but, the strong theme of love running through the story from beginning to end , at least for me, tone down the effects and language it's a story of love and hope and self sacrifice.
Precisely, a demon's only weakness is love and true virtues.
You can also say that the demon had a longing or "love" for Father Merrin since they first met back in Iraq and wanted to find a way back to him again.
Great point.
@@moonakieater2308 Maybe he wanted to possess Merrin but it coudn't, he died before he could even get close to it.
THE best horror movie I've ever seen and I remember it vividly when I saw it in 1973 and it shook me to my bones. No other movie has been able to do that to me again.
I saw the Exorcist in 1973 at the State-Lake theatre in downtown Chicago. I was 15 at the time and the theatre was packed and the audience went berserk!! Six years later, I repeated the experience when I saw ALIEN.
As a Catholic, the most terrifying part of the Exorcist is that it actually happen, as opposed to all the comic book stuff you see today, including all the slasher movies. As a southerner, I can tell you that the bar room scene with Jason Miller got an ovation from the audience because The Allman Brother's Rambling Man was playing on the jukebox. 7 years later, when I saw AIRPLANE! in a packed theater, I saw my second standing ovation when the plane knocks down the radio tower of a station that had.just proclaimed "station (whatever) where disco lives forever!"Crash!!!Standing O with cheering and.applause.
I saw this alone in the theatre when I was 14, I never wanted a movie to end so badly. Toward the end I was a scared shitless mess. In Junior High a paperback copy of The Exorcist got passed around. Page 50-60ish is a sex story.
Great job Shanelle, you rock.
I saw the movie in high school (mid-'90s) after my dad had told me it was the scariest movie he'd ever seen. He saw it in the theatre and said people walked out and generally lost their sh*t. In one of my religion classes (it was a Catholic high school), the priest who taught us said he'd read the book in several days straight when it came out, it was such a page-turner he couldn't put it down. So even though I'd seen the movie, I borrowed the book from the library and gave it a go.
Like my teacher, the priest, *I could not put it down* and got through it in a few days. I highly recommend reading Blatty's original novel, it's that good. But just don't make any other plans, haha.
absolutely...the book adds another layer to experience as a whole, and is genuinely a creepy read. Not even King at his best could write this. Don't get me wrong, I love King....The Stand is one of my top 5 reads regardless of genre, and there are spots in It and Salem's Lot that get pretty close to this novel's creepiness, but nothing touches The Exorcist's novelization. Now, I grew up in the deep south in a southern baptist household, so I had a lot of religious idea's in my head when I first saw the movie. I was about 12, and believing possession to be something that could happen, it traumatized me a bit. Since I've stopped believing in fairy tales, not much gets to me anymore, and that's actually kind of sad. But watching people react to this movie is fun.
Bravo! Ultimate mad props to you, Shanelle. I love that you went into this with the respect owed this type of film.
As a lifelong horror fan, I’m as pleased as punch that you understand the different styles of this genre. Movies like Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street are roller coaster rides meant to thrill and entertain, but The Exorcist is something else altogether.
This film is actually a sober “drama,” which happens to contain spiritual horror elements, and everyone involved (screenwriter, director, cinematographer, actors, art/production director, costume designer, etc.) addressed it as such. And that’s why this film has the staying power that it has. Sometimes the planets align perfectly, enabling all creative departments to reach their highest peak (although I think Mercedes McCambridge’s voice acting may be the secret sauce of the entire production - try listening to it with your eyes closed and you’ll see what I mean; still scary AF).
And you are a BOSS for dropping this on “All Hallows Eve.” If I could subscribe ten more times I would. You made my night. 👌🏽😆
Thanks as always for excellent reaction, review and commentary. I'm 53 and I unfortunately watched this when I was about 11 on tv. It traumatized my sleep for months after and still haunts me to this day, even though later in life I developed an obsession with it.
I’m almost 49, just the commercials of it when it would play on local tv would scare the crap out of me. Finally watched it with my best friend and future wife at 17 during the middle of the day in a lit up house😂. It’s terrifying if you’re a person of faith, when I out grew religion I was able to watch it again and appreciate it for what a great film it is. And it’s still scary!
Most horror movies don't scare me because they're all 3rd person, so it's someone else's story, contained within a fictitious universe. The only way to get to me is if the plot feels like something that could, somehow, invade and impact my life. So even the top rated horror movies, I love them, but I don't get personally frightened by them.
This one unnerves me though.
While I absolutely love the fact that younger audiences are more exposed to these older films, you lack one very important thing, context of the times. It is very difficult for the youth of today to imagine a time when there was no internet, cable tv, and phones were an affixed part of our homes. We had only three TV stations (and two or three on UHF if you were very lucky) and news was an anticipated thing rather than the virtual onslaught that it is today. We also had no "on demand" so basically we had only word of mouth and reviews in the local papers to go on when it came to how movies were and if they were worth seeing. Exposure was, therefor, very limited. I thoroughly enjoyed the reaction and hope you will take this advice when watching the older movies.
Fun Fact:The Exorcist Theme is a pre-existing orchestral arrangement called "Tubular Bells" that just happened to have the right amount of religious history and ominous instrumentation for Friedkin to say "Yep, that is the theme I want for my scary movie. Get me the copyrights even if ya gotta literally go to Hell and back for `em!"
Great reaction Shanelle. It is interesting to see when a movie really effects you. You tend to stop analyzing for us and simply "watch" the movie. We can tell that you were really shook, and you told us so. The same effect that most everyone has when they experience this story. Good job.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! You get it, and respect it! This is my favorite film of all time. I do film studies of this movie, and have watched countless of interviews, and documentaries on it. You should definitely read the novel. The audio book narratived by the author is also excellent. I have watched so many reactions to this film and it disappoints me how few people understand it. You just got a new subscriber!
"In 1973 this probably would have been the grossest thing you every seen on the screen". You should check out the YT video of the audience reaction when it came out.
Only halfway through, but your edit is a million times better than anyone else who reacted to this. Great frickin job!
The scene where father Damien is sitting downstairs with his head down and looking rather defeated and Chris McNeil asks him, “Is she going to die?” THATS the moment he gets his faith back! He realizes that it’s up to him and if he is weak, Regan McNeil would die. He knows he can’t let that happen and goes back into the fray fully determined to do what he came to do.
You’re right that the evil entities and spiritual possession is far more terrifying than an external threat. The person possessed is battling evil from the inside. Scary stuff!
Cool reaction. Thanks!
Facts.
Fantastic reaction!! What a great way to end my Halloween week.
Friedkin, like Lumet, is one of the often under-rated masters of the golden age. French Connection, Sorcerer, Bug, are all terrific. That being said, William Friedkin was also of the Hitchcock/Kubrick school in another way: he was absolutely sadistic towards his actors when filming The Exorcist. Randomly firing guns on set was the least of it.
i understand his addiction to authenticity!! but I'd be SO MAD if he blew out my ear drum for a shot. Not worth it!! 😂
@@ShanelleRiccio this was the first possesion movie...uve seen alot of them...imagine watching this the very first on the big screan
@@ShanelleRiccio watch The Fear of God The Making of The Exorcist......Scarier than move...also Peter Blatty wrote the book ispired by the true case of 14 year old Ronald Doe 1949 Maryland
@@ShanelleRiccio Fr Karras was Greek
@@ShanelleRiccio if you haven't found it yet, there is a video "The Cultural Impact of The Exorcist" very good, actually made when the movie was still playing its original run in theaters.
Wasn’t born for another 13 years after this film was released. However I saw this film when I was 12 years old. It was on TV, heavily edited, dubbed in Spanish ( I wouldn’t start learning Spanish for another year) and it still managed to mess me up for 3 whole days. I had never been so scared in my life. The only positive take away I received from watching this film is that I no longer feared the dark. This movie pretty much toughened a whole generation up, and you don’t see the reactions they got back in ‘73.
It's shit like Shanelle chanting "Needles on screen! Needles on screen!" followed by "I love it" that makes me love this channel 😂
I can't believe you made it through this. What a trip. Still to this day I haven't seen a movie as dark since. And I LOVE horror movies. 🙃
I've never seen you actually scared, and you were...
Imagine watching this when it was released it did effect many people. Creepiest movie in my eyes, good to see you scared hehe 😆
I got to see The Exorcist in the cinema when it was reissued in the late 90s; it was absolutely stunning on the big screen. The juxtaposition of very bright, loud scenes & dark, quiet scenes in one of the things that helps add to the terrifying nature of this film.
Fun Fact:
In ancient Mesopotamia, the demon Pazuzu was the king of the demons of the wind, brother of Humbaba and son of the god Hanbi. He also represented the southwestern wind, the bearer of storms and drought.
Pazuzu is often depicted as a combination of diverse animal and human parts. He has the body of a man, the head of a lion or dog, talons of an eagle, two pairs of wings, a scorpion's tail and a serpentine penis. He has his right hand up and left hand down.
Pazuzu was invoked in apotropaic amulets (the charm we see falling & which Regan has). These combat the powers of his rival, the malicious goddess Lamashtu, who was believed to cause harm to mother and child during childbirth. Although Pazuzu is, himself, considered to be an evil spirit, he drives and frightens away other evil spirits, therefore protecting humans against plagues and misfortunes. So technically when Pazuzu appears in Regan’s bedroom, he was protecting her.
Also Regarding Ouija Boards
The Ouija board, in fact, came straight out of the American 19th century obsession with spiritualism, the belief that the dead are able to communicate with the living. Spiritualism, which had been around for years in Europe, hit America hard in 1848 with the sudden prominence of the Fox sisters of upstate New York; the Foxes claimed to receive messages from spirits who rapped on the walls in answer to questions, recreating this feat of channeling in parlors across the state. Aided by the stories about the celebrity sisters and other spiritualists in the new national press, spiritualism reached millions of adherents at its peak in the second half of the 19th century. Spiritualism worked for Americans: it was compatible with Christian dogma, meaning one could hold a séance on Saturday night and have no qualms about going to church the next day. It was an acceptable, even wholesome activity to contact spirits at séances, through automatic writing, or table turning parties, in which participants would place their hands on a small table and watch it begin shake and rattle, while they all declared that they weren’t moving it. The movement also offered solace in an era when the average lifespan was less than 50: Women died in childbirth; children died of disease; and men died in war. Even Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of the venerable president, conducted séances in the White House after their 11-year-old son died of a fever in 1862; during the Civil War, spiritualism gained adherents in droves, people desperate to connect with loved ones who’d gone away to war and never come home.
Over the years the popularity of Ouija boards fluctuated, but following the success of The Exorcist, the fabric of popular culture surrounding them was forever changed & we’re left with what is nothing more than an irrational fear of a board game.
@@noirflame8904 I often feel Spiritualism; like Paganism, Satanism, Wicca, The Occult & Druidism etc is something of a joke to the mainstream…partially due to how it’s shown in film & television.
There’s no need to be fearful of them; in fact no less than the organised religions that dominate western society.
The same applies to deities from the ancient world; In fact the original Greek word daimon did not carry negative connotations. The Ancient Greek word daimōn denotes a spirit or divine power. It was in Christianity that morally ambivalent daimons were replaced by demons, forces of evil only striving for corruption.
Shanelle, easily the Best reaction to first time viewing this movie, and I’ve seen quite a few by now. Thanks for giving it the respect it deserves, taking it seriously, and appreciating it! Really enjoyed that. Subbed. You sealed the deal. I don’t generally watch people reacting to movies, but I’ve been interested in reactions to this classic. Most were basically fair, but Some have left me bewildered, I was about 7 years old when we were visiting my grandparents at Christmas time, and my dad and his father went to see it together. They got home at about 11:30 pm, maybe later, and when my father walked in after dropping his father off. He had to drive about two miles by himself. I immediately asked him, was it scary?! His response? “Good God yes…” Great reaction Shanelle.
If you haven't already, you should watch "The Omen" (1976). There's a Damien in it too.
Hey, Shanelle! 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.
The demon likely gained entry to Regan via the ouija board and the Iraq prologue establishes Merrin as a former combatant of Pazuzu who recognizes the harbingers of his return. The priest faces the statue squaring off for a second confrontation and possessed Regan bellows his name when he enters the Georgetown residence.
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!
You saw the Director's Cut which 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.
Your face impression is totally priceless. I knew you would enjoy, yet be terrified. Subscribed!!!
I can remember that the AM radio talk shows were going crazy talking about exorcisms, interviewing people who claimed possession, ect... right after this movie came out.
“I know those stairs. Those are The Exorcist stairs.”
…
I’m one of the probably few who never found this particular movie scary, even when younger (which was strange because I found LOTS of other horror movies, and even horror-comedy movies, freaky as all hell, when tons of other friends and people didn’t-The Omen, Ghostbusters, even the Thriller music video scared me lol).
The mom’s performance here was fantastic though, and I was only today years old when I learned she was also the same mom as Requiem for a Dream.
Same for me with Halloween.. I know its a cult classic and one of the best horror movies of all time but it never scared me.. most slashers dont scare me tbh.. maybe because there is realistic depth in it which makes me think that I could fight it off irl if something like that happened or idk.. its always supernatural stuff like The Exorcist or Oculus that gets me more.. guess it depends person to person.
There's always one...
Religious horror doesn't do much for me, so this, The Omen, Carrie, etc. don't scare me. I can recognize them as being good or great movies, though :)
Have to admit that I came for the beautiful looks and stayed for the insightful reactions. Found you last night and have enjoyed your reactions so far. Thank you!
One of the hospital technicians running tests on Reagan (the guy with the wide leather strap on his wrist) was not only an actual hospital technician, he turned out to be a serial killer (Paul Bateson if you want to go down that rabbit hole). After he was caught, Friedkin interviewed him and his story was part of the basis for a later Friedkin film, CRUISING.
The flashing demonic faces appeared less in the original theatric version and were much more effective because of it. Also the guy who appears as the medical technician during the brain scan procedure scenes later turned out to be a serial killer in real life.
Yep, that’s true
I believe that this was the first "possession" trope or genre in film, and therefore that in itself made it shocking. Then take Linda Blair's character and what she says and does, at her depicted age, in 1973, which adds to the shock. And the sound design, which is relentless. So I imagine it had a much more profound effect on audiences then than it might now. But it's still a good and important movie in terms of cinematic history. For another religious angle horror with a psychological aspect, you might check out "Saint Maude" from a few years ago.
I think you are right. I don't recall any film with this as a subject. I'm Catholic; all my friends were too and no one had ever even heard of an exorcism before the book and movie came out.
You are so so relaxing to watch and listen to!!! Great reaction vids!!!
It was fun to watch you be truly frightened. You hide it well with laughter, but if you have any beliefs, especially in Catholisism, this is the movie that is going to get you and I'm pretty sure it did exactly that!
I was about 10 or 11 the first time I saw this and I didn't have the nerve to watch it again for at least 6 years. It still frightens me to this day like no other movie can.
Great reaction. You are impressively sharp at picking up the smallest of details. It's refreshing.
Cheers!
25:10 Spongebob is such an underrated gem ❤
I saw the film in 1975 at the age of 16… I managed to sneak in to the cinema with my cousin. I was terrified going home that night in the dark to an empty and dark house (my parents were out).
The Exorcist was NEW to people in 1973. There was nothing like it. Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ (1960) was previously the closest to (although very far from) causing as much of an upset.
Since then, The Exorcist opened up the way for a new breed of horror films. Consequently, today’s audience is immune to the shock experienced by 1973 audiences.
To many people today the fright and disgust effect of this film is tame as they’re all too accustomed to worse.
"To many people today the fright and disgust effect of this film is tame as they’re all too accustomed to worse. "
You are confusing numbness to the shock of jump scare tropes to having immunity to horror.
Part of the problem of modern horror film making is that the directors and screenwriters have zero patience to build suspense and use subtle hints to build an atmosphere.
For the most obvious example - watch the Carpenter's 1982 The Thing, and then watch the terrible 2011 prequel.
In Carpenter's film you are constantly kept in suspense about who is infected, and what it will do when it reveals itself.
In the prequel it's reduced to little more than a twopence jump scare around EVERY corner.
Chances are if you ask yourself "is the alien round the next corner?", the answer is usually yes - and that is just terrible film making, it's saturation rather than suspense, and it gets old really fast.
Every movie since that shows possession has taken from this movie. So while it's still effective, it doesn't have the same impact it had initially. Just imagine seeing this in 1973 when no one had seen anything like it before. This was the first R rated movie I ever saw. I saw it in the theater with friends in 1973. We went with an attitude like "Oh yeah, scare us". None of us slep that night. Some didn't sleep for a week. This movie was huge. There were news reports of people fainting and vomiting. Reports on the nightly news about the popularity of the movie. Interviews with priests and psychologists. There were lines around the block. It was huge. A famous psychic, Jean Dixon, made a prediction that anyone who watched The Exorcist would die within ten years (still here). It's a phenomenal movie and after decades of watching horror movies, nothing has been as scary. Nothing.
Just randomly saw your reaction. LOVED It. your breakdown is awesome. New Fan and Sub here from New Zealand keep it up
The scariest part of the film (for me) is the Spinal Tap in the hospital, horrified me the first time I saw it... then I found out that the actor playing the technician, the one with a beard, in that scene is a serial killer.
He's been out of prison since 2003 though.
In addition to the subliminal imagery I recall there was some low frequency audio trickery that might not translate to a home viewing setup very well. Low frequency sounds as I understand it can cause a physical reaction in people and might explain some of the stuff original audiences experienced.
I confirm what you said. They did do that to the movie audience. I read certain low frequencies can cause anxiety, paranoia and even hallucinations. Several haunting sites were explained by low frequency vibrations.
it took me a couple days to watch this because this movie has freaked me the eff OUT for so many years. i could only watch you through my fingers omg.
Great reaction! I knew you'd love this movie from a filmmaker's perspective since it's a technical masterpiece.
Fun Fact: other child actresses considered for the role of Regan included Jamie Lee Curtis, Brooke Shields, and Eve Plumb ("Jan Brady")
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is based on the story of Anneliese Michel, and the true story is far more horrifying and ultimately heartbreaking than the movie portrayed. A genuinely haunting story of suffering, religion and the clash of science and spirituality. My favourite podcast, Mysterious Universe, did an outstanding episode about Anneliese Michel and is worth finding if these kinds of stories fascinate you.
I have a true story concerning the Exorcist trilogy. I know because it happened to me.
When I was younger, I was big into horror movies. I'd actually seen the Exorcist when I was around Linda Blair's age. It made an impression, to say the least. I did appreciate the film as a masterpiece, even though it scared the crap out of me. I didn't bother seeing the second Exorcist, it got horrible reviews.
But when the third Exorcist came out in 1990, I was determined to see it on the night of its premiere at a local theater not far from my apartment in Gainesville, Florida. I briefly debated if I should walk or drive to it. I drove.
The local parking lot was full, and would be full until the wee hours of the morning with returning college students (University of Florida) and their parents, etc. It was a well lit, friendly setting. I had seen TONS of horror movies. I even once had a boyfriend who had been into horror makeup and showed me several techniques. So, I was not easily frightened by horror movies.
I went in to see the 10pm-ish showing of Exorcist III. At first, I realized it wasn't nearly as frightening as it should be, and I kind of felt sorry for George C. Scott for being in the thing.
Then something very creepy happened, and I didn't know why until four years later.
At first, I just felt... uncomfortable. The phrase "There's a goose walking on my grave" came to mind. I wondered if the film had subluminals to generate the increasing feeling of fear and dread I had. As the movie progressed, I felt more and more freaked out and nervous. When it finally ended, I bolted out the theater and into the parking lot. I wanted to go home and get rid of this strange, kind of embarrassing feeling of panic.
And I'll never forget... as I touched my car door, it was like someone was suddenly, silently screaming in my ear "DON'T GO! DON'T GO! DON'T GET IN YOUR CAR!, SOMETHING IS. VERY. WRONG. HERE. SOMETHING VERY, VERY BAD!!!"
I also have expressed this feeling as a herd of antelope who know the lion is in the grass, but they don't know where. The phrase "dirty oil, filthy oil in your brain" suddenly popped into my head, I could not make it stop. I felt nauseated and polluted.
I was freaking out, and embarrassed at the same time. BTW, I do not drink. I was not into any drug, prescription or otherwise. I'm a normal, sane person, and this was not typical of me at all.
So I forced myself to get in my car. I forced myself to turn the key. And then...it was like someone had turned the silent screaming from 10 up to 100. I had an absolutely overwhelming feeling of evil and dread, and had to turn off the car engine and try to collect myself.
After fifteen minutes of trying to convince myself to simply drive three blocks over to my apartment, I had to give in. Then I did something I've never done before or since, which is why I remembered it so well four years later. I went in and saw another movie. It was "My Blue Heaven". I could not enjoy the first part, my mind would not let go of the fear. At about 2am when the show let out, I finally went home. My panic had abruptly stopped.
Two weeks later, the Gainesville serial killings started.
Danny Rolling killed four women, one man. All the women were in their early 20's, petite, brunette UF college students who lived on the ground floor of an apartment with sliding glass doors. He would break in, duct tape them, torture them with mutilation for hours while videoing them, then kill them brutally. The only man he killed was an accident. His male victim had been staying over at his female friends apartment to make her feel more safe. Both he and his friend were murdered. Women freaked out and left the college and town. There were emergency tents set up with counselors, and the city was crawling with police and FBI agents.
Thankfully, they caught Rolling only a few months later, tried him, sentenced him to death. He was executed in 2006.
But, in 1994, I was in a grocery store check-out line in Utah. I was looking at the tabloids by the register. The "Star" tabloid had a big headline "WHY DID DANNY DO IT?"
They had interviewed Danny Rolling and his (ew) girlfriend. Asked what his favorite books and albums were, etc.
Then, they asked him what his favorite film was. He said "Exorcist III. I was at the Butler Plaza Theater the day it premiered. I saw it over and over that day, every showing. I fanaticized as I watched about what I would do to my victims."
I was at that theater. I was there the night of the premiere. He could of been sitting next to me for all I know.
Some have said I had a guardian angel. My cousin has a theory that he gave off a subliminal smell as a signal he was insane. All I know is, it would be an amazing coincidence if the only time I ever panicked like that was on the exact same night I was sitting in a theater with a serial killer.
Evil tends to attract evil.
Love your videos. The reason your awesome is you actually watch the movie, comment on it while watching, love that. My girlfriend just watches her phone while we watch a movie. Then, ask her for thoughts, I get " it was good", that's it. So keep it up and I'll keep watching.
Coming from Scranton, PA - the legacy of Jason Miller is so well deserved here in his hometown. He also attended the University of Scranton - a Jessuit University.
But I read the book before I saw the movie. The movie is scary, but the book is so much scarier!!
Unbelievable props to 14 year old Linda Blair. She was absolutely amazing! 8th grade? No words for her performance.
The 70s was the high water mark of film in my opinion...great stories, acting, music, everything....
Don’t know if anyone else has recommended it but ‘Stigmata’ from 1999 is very good if you prefer the more spiritual and possession type of movies. Patricia Arquette and Gabriel Byrne.
Love that movie!
It got lost in the rush of religious/apocalyptic movies around the year 2000, but I always liked it.
Hate to admit it, but having seen this film so many times (dating back to the 70s), I kept laughing when Shanelle would get uneasy and worried about what would come next.
I saw this masterpiece in a movie theater when it came out. It was an experience I’ll never forget. So intense, so suspenseful, so graphic for its time. Brutal.
Ellen Burstyn got more beautiful the older she gets I swear! She’s going to be 90 in December and I just saw her on the new Law and Order Organized Crime playing Stabler’s Mom and she’s still stunning!! She also has 5 things in production including a sequel to the Exorcist!! I had no idea till I just looked.
It's always women that talk about a woman getting more beautiful as she gets older but it's definitely not the case for men. Women are always more attractive when they're young from a man's point of view. I'm not criticizing just making a point. Ellen Burstyn is a great actress and she said in an interview that early in her career she relied a lot on her looks. She was beautiful when she was in her twenties and was still attractive as she got older but in a different way.
@@BartholomewSmutz That’s not true for all men, because I’ve come across several men that have said the exact same thing I’ve said about Ellen and several other women. Not all men think the younger the better.
@@iChristyD I guess I should have said most there are exceptions to the rule but I don't know what those men are thinking LOL.
@@BartholomewSmutz They are thinking “damn, what a experienced and extremely beautiful woman. I would be so lucky to be with her!”
@@iChristyD Maybe you're right and maybe women are lookinig at me and saying "what a great looking old bald guy, I wish I could be with him!" If you can live in a virtual alternate universe so can I lol.
In the words of Beetlejuice: "It keeps getting funnier everytime I see it."
I believe he's seen it 67 times.
@@Psilocybin77 167
You know what's great about this reaction? I just came from your "the thing" reaction where you were laughing and enjoying the effects etc. Saying you don't get scared by horror movies. I love that you admit how unsettling this film is! Its more than a horror, it gets under your skin way more than some gorefest.
my grandma said this & The Shining are more unsettling than scary or horrorific
I'm glad you enjoyed this movie, it has become one of my all time favorite films! I was 14 when this movie came out and I couldn't wait to see it! My parents wouldn't take me so while visiting my older sister over spring break she and her husband took me. So, on a Friday night we drove from Torrance to Westwood to see the film and ended up missing the 8:00pm show. We had to wait for about 2 1/2 hours until the next showing and my brother-in-law was pissed! Showtime rolls around we get in, load up on snacks and get a seat, lucky for me we ended up in the back row on the isle. At some point about an hour and some minutes into it Regan's head does the 360 and I decided I need some air. I got up walk into the lobby, leaned against the wall and pass out! We ended up leaving without finishing the movie, brother-in-law even more pissed over wasted money spent and vows to never take me to a movie again. This movie really messed me up for a long while! I finally saw it all the way through a few years later with friends at a drive-in. To date nothing has scared me or messed with me mentally the way this movie did...... I love it!
"I'm not proud I was never going to see this movie"
Shanelle, you should know movies become classics for a reason. Never vow to avoid classics.
And what about 12 angry men (1957)? A must-see too
I love that the end can be taken one of two ways. Happy’ish ending is he willingly accepted the demon so he could save the girl, a great sacrifice. The bad ending is what the demon told him, it was all about bringing them together, not the demon and her but the demon and himself… the demon got what it wanted.
Many of the demon face flashes were part of the re-release done around 2000. Adds a few scenes (stairs crawl and a couple extensions) but does have some wonky face morphs and digital additions which sadly does feel out of place.
One of the best reactions with sharp comments. The sense of strong guilt that tormented Father Karras was rooted in his incapacity to offer a proper, dignified life to his beloved mother. His uncle adds to this guilt by shaming him. You can tell how much Father Karras loved his mother on two particular occasions: the way he holds his mother and very tenderly looks at her when he visits her (not shown in the reaction video here) -- it is the only time in the movie that his eyes express so much love and tenderness (kudos to Jason Miller for that). The next moment is just seconds away before he lets the demon take hold of his body: the face of his mother appears to him in a flash as his very final thoughts before possession and death by sacrifice are for his beloved mother.
To protect the stuntman the stairs where coated in an half inch of foam rubber. The scene was shot twice and when Jason Miller asked the stuntman how he did it he replied "zen".
If they made more of these kinds of horror movies I might actually enjoy the genre. This movie gives you time to calm down between intense scenes, even the climax has breaks. The modern formula of keeping your anxiety levels high and giving jump scares every few minutes isn't fun, it's just tedious and annoying. Really the only horror I've properly enjoyed has been The Exorcist, Cube, Cube Zero, and Alien, maybe a few others I can't remember off the top of my head (Blair Witch wasn't bad, does Ghostbusters count?).
Cube is an absolute gem.
The movie was rated X in 1973. This just meant 18 and over at that time. Later they invented NC 17 to separate from naked films
It got an (R) rating.
Many were surprised it didn't receive an (X) rating.
It did receive harsher ratings outside of the US and was even outright band in others.
Yeah,this never had an X rating in the states,only an R.However it did get banned in the 80s in the UK during the "video nasties" craze.
I saw it in '73. I was 17. It was the first R rated movie I ever saw. What's funny is that Midnight Cowboy with Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman did get an X and there's nothing in that film as extreme as there is in The Exorcist. Midnight Cowboy was subsequently rerated as R. When The Exorcist was rereleased with additional footage, I thought it might get an NC-17. But apparently, once those scenes passed the first time, they can't lose the lower rating.
How have I only just discovered your reaction video? Fantastic.
"Love it. Love it."
Seconds later grabbing hold of a blanket tighter than ever! lol
You're not the only one that thinks of the priest that looks like a boxer looks like Rocky Balboa, but this film came out two years before Rocky. So in fact, Rocky looks like a priest!!🤣😂🤣😂
I always thought he looked more like Gabriel Byrne.
This movie ranked at #3 in the 100 scariest movie moments on Bravo
At one time this was considered the scariest movie ever.
what were 1 and 2?
@@foreignmilk5589 1 Jaws 2 Alien
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_100_Scariest_Movie_Moments
Great reaction and commentary. The slow moments of just people talking or walking really work to build the tension for the big moments. I love supernatural stuff in horror as it just seems more interesting.
In the original theatrical version there is only one flash of the demon face (during the dream sequence). It's way overused in the Director's Cut (which I otherwise like)/ With all due respect to Linda Blair (who was great), Tatum O'Neal won the Oscar that year, only 8 years old, the youngest winner ever, for her incredible performance in "Paper Moon", a movie I really hope you get to see one day, Shanelle, on or off the channel, because you will love that movie. If had the money to be a super duper Patreon, that would be the movie I would "force" you to watch, lol. You've seen "American Graffiti" and "The Exorcist".....but "Paper Moon" is another classic from '73 that was practically made just for you! Madeline Kahn is also in it, and was also nominated for Supporting Actress that year. Tatum O'Neal beat them both and she deserved it. GREAT movie. "Paper Moon", directed by Peter Bogdonovich, with Ryan and Tatum O'Neal.