Arguably the
scariest motion picture ever
made, William Friedkin's THE
EXORCIST was unleashed on an
unsuspecting American public in
1973. The film quickly became a
nationwide sensation, leading to
religious boycotts, fainting,
and a huge box office return.
Oscar nominee Linda Blair beat
out hundreds of other child
actors to land the role of Regan
MacNeil, a 12-year-old who is
possessed by the devil. After
exhausting all other practical
options, Regan's mother, Chris
(Ellen Burstyn), acknowledges
the supernatural nature of her
daughter's condition and
recruits Father Damien Karras (Jason
Miller) to stage an exorcism.
Aided by the mysterious Jesuit
exorcist Father Merrin (Max von
Sydow), Father Damien must
confront not only the
supernatural phenomena in front
of him, but also his own
inadequate faith and displaced
guilt over his mother's recent
death. |