THE MAKING OF THE EXORCIST: ICONOCLASM AND THE MAGIC OF THE BEYOND
When it comes to movie posters, there are probably none as iconic as 1973’s horror classic The Exorcist. The image of Max von Sydow’s character standing outside the house on Prospect Street, seen only as a haunting black silhouette is seared into the memories of anyone who has only a small interest in cinema history. The Exorcist is one of those rare films that scared audiences long before they walked through the doors of the cinema, seeping itself into the psyche of the zeitgeist through sheer hype and intrigue. Similar to other films released during its era such as A Clockwork Orange, the film built mystery and attracted interest through its controversial subject matter and rumours of a cursed production. When asked about the reception to his movie, director William Friedkin likened the experience of first-time moviegoers to that of walking down a street where you heard a murder occurred the night before. To put it mildly, audiences were terrified before they even sat down in front of the screen.
SOURCE MATERIAL
Much like many classic films, The Exorcist can trace its origin to that of a bestselling novel, in this case, a horror story based on the real-life case of an exorcism performed on a young boy in 1949 by Jesuit Priests. The novel written by William Blatty was a global bestseller, remaining on bestseller lists for over 57 weeks. Director William Friedkin—a huge fan of the source material—was obsessed with the story, holding it in the same regard as anything produced by legendary writers as Edgar Allen Poe or Franz Kafka. With his passion for the original novel, Friedkin set out to create something that captured the spirit of the book while diving deeper into the roots of the original case. His research even led him to use the original diaries of the Jesuit priests as inspiration.
Released in December 1973, The Exorcist was a runaway success, attracting more attention than even the original novel. It was reported at the time that lines outside cinemas reached the thousands with people clamouring for tickets. This kind of success was unheard of at the time, horror as a genre never had such a pull when it came to the box office, and some critics during that era suggested this surge in popularity was a result of fear felt by the American public during the ongoing war in Vietnam and reaction to the countercultural movement of the 1960s.
A CURSED SET
The production itself much like the themes of the film was engulfed in a dark and haunting atmosphere. Numerous members of the cast and crew met mysterious and sudden deaths.
According to lead actress Ellen Burstyn, up to nine deaths were linked to The Exorcist, including the stillborn death of a cameraman’s child and most notably actor Jack MacGowran, who played alcoholic director Burke Dennings. MacGowran’s character on screen also met a gruesome death in the film at the hands of the demon, which only adds to the horror and eerie feeling when he passed away a month before the film was released.
CASTING A MONSTER
A particularly difficult part in the production of the movie was the casting of the lead character Regan. Portraying a girl of such a young age being possessed by a demon under normal situations would have been extremely difficult but in the context of a more traditional and conservation 70s America and with a director at the helm who intended to stay true to the source material, even when faced with controversial scenes such as masturbation with religious icons—the task seemed monumental. Friedkin auditioned over 500 actresses for the part of Regan before settling on 12-year-old Linda Blair, the director being impressed by her positivity, and maturity for such a young child, believing that she had the gravitas to carry the film.
THE VOICE
It would be impossible to talk about The Exorcist without mentioning the iconic voice behind the possessing demon of Regan. Voiced by Oscar-winning actor Mercedes McCambridge, the performance is absolutely stellar, utilising a range of expressions that gives off the sense of multiple people uttering curses in unison. The tone of McCambridge was described by members of the crew as someone who had eaten raw eggs and drank straight whiskey all the while chain-smoking packet after packet of harsh cigarettes. The director auditioned many people—in the search for the particular voice that best invoked fear and despair into the hearts of the priests—including almost the entire set of cast and crew before coming to the realisation that someone who had a more gender-neutral and nuanced voice was required.
DICTATOR ON SET
However, the difficulties continued during the filming of the movie, with director William Friedkin regularly tormenting his actors in the pursuit of the perfect take. He would bring guns onto the set and fill them with blanks, sporadically firing them during the filming of crucial scenes in order to get the perfect reaction. During one crucial scene towards the end of the film, Friedkin even went so far as to slap one of the supporting actors in order to generate the right amount of stress in the character. In later interviews, William O’Malley, the actor in question, admitted that his hand shaking during filing was caused by the adrenaline of doing over twelve takes and just being hit before the tape rolled.
LEGACY
The Exorcist remains one of the most critically acclaimed and respected horror films in movie history, launching horror as a respected medium and being the first horror film to be nominated for best picture the Oscars. Its legacy has spawned multiple sequels, spin-offs and prequels and even parodies. However, the magic of the film lies not just in its technical accomplishment or even its plaudits but rather in what it says about humans and our relationship to the unknown. Through a troubled and difficult production, the film managed to deliver a poignant commentary on the nature of the afterlife. It was rumoured that church attendance increased after the film was released, indicating that a connection to spirituality, demons and the divine is something that even the power and magic of cinema can hold sway over. Friedkin stated that the power of The Exorcist lies in what the audience brings with them; why don’t you give it another watch and see what it says to you?