The Exorcist: Difference between revisions

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Initially manifesting as strange behavior in little Regan and her Ouija-board trysts with an [[Imaginary Friend|invisible companion]] calling itself Captain Howdy, the being's infiltration is at first dismissed as Regan acting out frustrations after her mother's divorce. As the demon takes hold of Regan, however, she undergoes drastic changes in appearance and behavior, manifesting physical symptoms and incredible strength that cannot be explained by medical science. After Regan starts gliding around the house on all fours ''face up'', licking Sharon's ankles, her mother decides that it is time to consult a higher authority...

* [[Abnormal Limb Rotation Range]]

** [[Exorcist Head]]

** Regan's possession also counts. The idea of a mother being unable to save her child from a mysterious, unexplainable disease that [[That Thing Is Not My Child|completely wipes out her mind and personality]] is ''far'' scarier than any monster or demon.

** This is why Friedkin originally cut out the spider-walk scene. He knew that if the audience spent the whole movie wondering if/when Regan was going to leave the bedroom and attack somebody, it would distract from the drama unfolding outside. That's right: a scene where a demon-possessed [[Creepy Child]] walks backwards down a staircase and vomits blood was cut out because it was ''less scary'' than a mother's agony over her child's well-being.

* [[Affectionate Parody]]: ''[[Repossessed]]'', starring Leslie Nielsen and Linda Blair [[Adam Westing]].

* [[Big No]]: Karras just before {{spoiler|he kills himself to prevent Pazuzu, who has gone inside of him, from killing Regan.}}

* [[CAT Trap]]: As one transcript puts it, "a huge machine, two pieces on either side of Regan's head and a piece above."

* [[Christianity Is Catholic]]: Justified. Any reference to the original Lutheran clergy that Regan's mom consulted was left out, perhaps because Lutherans have no exorcism tradition.

{{quote| '''Regan/Demon:''' Let Jesus fuck you! Let Jesus fuck you! Let Him fuck you! <br />

'''Regan/Demon:''' [http://www.btinternet.com/~schwa/fuckme.wav Fuck me! Fuck me!] }}

* [[Evil Sounds Deep]]: A twelve-year-old girl should not sound like Mercedes McCambridge.

* [[Evil Plan]]: ''The Exorcist'' is {{spoiler|Pazuzu's revenge on Fr. Merrin for evicting him from a child in Africa.}}

* [[Film of the Book]]

* [[Good Shepherd]]: Fr. Merrin.

* [[Mood Motif]]: It's all about the Ominous Bells here...

* [[Obfuscating Stupidity]]: Kinderman, in the books. He calls it "schmaltz". Everything he does has a purpose. Chris tells people she is "dumb" to get them to explain things to her.

* [[Placebo Effect]]: Subverted. Regan screams in pain when Father Karras douses her with tap water, which he claims is holy water. Later, it's implied that Pazuzu intentionally did this to fool Karras into thinking that Regan wasn't really possessed. When he douses her with ''real'' holy water in the exorcism scene, the screams are real.

* [[Playing Gertrude]]: Max Von Sydow was only 44 when he played the elderly Father Merrin.

* [[That Thing Is Not My Child]]: Literally, in Chris' impassioned speech to Father Karras.

* [[Troubled Production]]: William Friedkin was on full [[Prima Donna Director]] mode, [[Bad Boss|abusing the cast and crew]] (see also [[Enforced Method Acting]] above) and leading the film over budget and past schedule. To make it worse, incidents such as a fire and the deaths of two actors lead people to believe the set was cursed.

* [[Voice of the Legion]]: Pazuzu invokes this when possesing Regan, but Merrin confirms that it's a trick and that there is only ''one'' demon inside of the girl.

* [[Vomit Indiscretion Shot]]: The most well-known example of someone blowing chunks on screen ''ever''.

** Though, actually, Regan isn't regurgitating. She's spitting up loads of bile - [[Fridge Horror|which is worse]].

* [[Xanatos Gambit]]: Pazuzu tries to do this; either the priest or the girl but the priest decides to [[Take a Third Option]]

* [[Your Mom]]: "'''''[[Memetic Mutation|YOUR MOTHER SUCKS]] [[Narm|COCKS IN HELL!!!]]'''''"

<Sandra's eyes get as big as dinner plates><br />

'''Regan:''' "Oh, it's okay. He's gone!" }}

* [[Posthumous Character]]: {{spoiler|Father Merrin}}

* [[Psychic Powers]]: {{spoiler|Regan has them.}}

* [[Hannibal Lecture]]. Brad Dourif actually ''out-[[Hannibal Lecture|Hannibal Lectures]] Hannibal Lecter''; ''The Exorcist III'' was released a year ''before'' ''[[The Silence of the Lambs]]''.

{{quote| '''The Gemini Killer:''' It's too bad about Father Dyer. I killed him, you know. An interesting problem, but finally... it worked! First, a bit of the ole succinylcholine to permit one to work without, ah, annoying distractions, then... a three foot catheter threaded directly into the inferior vena cava -- or, superior vena cava. It's a matter of taste, I think, don't you? Then the tube moves through the vein, under the crease of the arm, into the vein that leads directly into the heart, and then, you just hold up the legs and you SQUEEZE the blood manually into the tube from the arms and the legs. There's a little shaking and pounding at the end for the dregs -- it isn't perfect, there's a little blood left I'm afraid. BUT, regardless, the overall effect is astonishing! And isn't that REALLY what counts in the end? Yes, of course, GOOD SHOW BIZ, Lieutenant, the EFFECT! And then, off comes the head without spilling one single drop of blood. Now I call that SHOWMANSHIP, Lieutenant!}}

* [[Jaws First Person Perspective]]

* [[Large Ham]]. ''The Exorcist III'' has George C. Scott in his hammiest role, ever.

* [[Sacrificial Lion]]: {{spoiler|Father Dyer}}.

* [[Serial Killer]]: The Gemini Killer.

{{quote| '''Gemini Killer:''' ''(after Kinderman breaks his nose, mockingly)'' Oooh, a few boos from the peanut gallery.}}

* [[Shout Out]]: The nurse Lisa in [[Silent Hill]] is based off of a scene with a nurse in a red sweater.