Remarkable how time can affect the way you reflect on something and film is no exception. My remembrance of “The Exorcist” was of a film that, rather than scaring the pants of me or disturbing me to my core, struck me with awe at the quality of the film. I remember the shocks and a feeling of complete absorption first time around and at the end, a sense of “Woah! That was something special.
This time….the gaps were filled in. The story (as I remembered it) was fleshed out and the characters made their way back to the front, easing the shocking scenes of the exorcism itself into the darker recesses. And it had just the same effect. Gripping and taught, the narrative is compelling and the performances on screen deliver a stand out performance. The film has stood the test of time, not just in popular culture, it has a reputation it is worthy of, but on repeat viewings, it looses none of it’s impact, back then, or now.
The film is renowned for the shock stories it generated on it’s first release and has been parodied and lampooned on many occasions. Amongst all that, the fact that there are deep characterisations and a smooth, slow burn development is often forgotten. It is a remarkable film and certainly one of a limited amount that can be classified as a “Classic”.
No comments:
Post a Comment