Review of The Exorcist (1973) by Benskylerhill — 02 May 2018

I would not consider The Exorcist to be among the scariest movies of all time, but definitely among the most unsettling. It is a film that does not shy away from disturbing dialogue, visuals, or themes but rather embraces them and weaves them together to tell a tale that may not cause any fright-induced jumps, but will certainly leave a lingering sting of anxiety.

Where the true mastery lies in The Exorcist is in the storytelling. It is a landmark achievement in plot development from the opening scene to the final fade to black. It perfectly paces itself, provides subtle moments of clever foreshadowing throughout, develops moving character arcs (particularly those of Chris and Father Karras) and never ever loosens its grip on the nerves. Jack Nitzsche's musical score is absolute perfection here. It stops when it's not needed and comes in at the perfect moments to back up the right scenes with just the right amount of needed tension.

There is not a single scene or line of dialogue that feels out of place in The Exorcist. Every spoken word and every shot serve their purpose in advancing the plot, establishing the characters and making them real, and adding symbolism to the narrative. Every single actor in this film gives an authentic performance that brings their character to life in the most distressing sort of way. The biggest flaw in the movie is that not all of the characters are as developed as they could be. But despite this, each actor knows his/her role and they play it with strength and passion, and they are helped by a script that's equally well-balanced and genuine.

I love watching old films, particularly old horror films, because every visual trick is done so skillfully through makeup without computer assistance. The Exorcist's horrifying makeup design was truly groundbreaking and is still visually spectacular and grotesque by today's standards. Not only that, but all the stunt work and other effects are beautifully produced, as well.

The Exorcist is not just a great film, but one of the greatest films of all time. I'm not the first to say that, and I certainly will not be the last. It boasts powerful performances, sharp writing, hair-raising visual effects and music, and above all it's perfectly directed and edited to tie all the strong elements together into a cohesive, flowing narrative that becomes more appreciated with each consecutive viewing.