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| image credit: Stephen Whitmore from DirectTVDeal.com |
This is by Alex Smith -- hope you enjoy it, I did.
In the year 1973, society, as we now know it,
was shaped in ways that, at the time, were almost unimaginable. Countries
around the word experienced a plethora of financial hardships, most notably
caused by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) restricting
oil flow, which caused gas prices to increase nearly 200%. Roe vs. Wade made
abortion a constitutional American right. Student riots caused Greece to fall
under Martial Law. American troops withdrew from Vietnam and Watergate hearings
began, placing then-President Richard Nixon in the forefront of public
scrutiny.
1973 also ushered in a new era of mainstream
film, with the release of one of history’s most terrifying and
socially-influential cinema masterpieces: The Exorcist.
Inspired by the 1971 novel by William Peter
Blatty, and released to $66.3 million in initial revenue, the Exorcist deals
with the demonic possession of 12-year-old Regan McNeil. The story was based
upon, reportedly, a true-to-life account which took place in Maryland in 1949.
Casting Linda Blair, a relatively unknown child-actor, the film established a
new “norm” and set the bar for further horror films. To this day, it remains
the foundation by which the genre was built and bears the mark of being the
standard by which all others are judged.
Upon its release, The Exorcist ignited a
firestorm of religious backlash for what many Catholics believed was a brazen
attack on their faith. Its gruesome, grotesque and, sometimes, eerily-realistic
footage and plotline, dealing with the rarely-discussed topic of satanic
possession, caused many Catholics to renew their faith. The movie was so
religiously controversial, in fact, that revered preachers, such as Billy
Graham and the Pope, himself, were highly critical of its release, going so far
as to refer to it as religious pornography.
The Exorcist,
at the time, was also seen as a representation of youth rebellion and women’s
revolt. The female protagonist, played by Blair, while possessed by the devil,
rebelled against parental authority and the commands of moral character,
portrayed in the form of Father Karras. Viewing her possession as a kind of
manifestation of the ‘70s teenager, Blair’s character displayed strong
sexuality, violent rage and feminist traits, which can be seen in overtones
throughout the film. This connotation was also mirrored by famed horror writer
Stephen King, who stated in his non-fiction essay collection Danse Macabre
that it was The Exorcist was very much of its time, being “aptly suited
in the wake of the youth upheavals of the late 1960s and early '70s.”
To date, the film which thrust director William
Friedkin into movie history, has grossed over $441,071,011, worldwide. It has
become known as the “Scariest Movie of All Time,” as selected by several
popular trade organizations and has influenced popular culture in ways that
continue to reverberate throughout the changing times. Friedkin’s masterpiece
was, for lack of a better description, a true work of art. To this day, critics
and fans continue to revere The Exorcist as one of film’s most iconic works,
and one of horror’s scariest masterpieces.
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Author
Bio: Alex Smith is a freelance entertainment and film blogger for DirectTVDeal.com. When he isn’t blogging, Alex spends his free time watching
horror films and assuring his neighbors that the screaming is not an actual
person in his apartment.
