50 years of ‘The Exorcist’, the hero with the collar

On this occasion, two priests armed only with their faith face supernatural forces that threaten the innocence of a girl. Cultural changes, social uncertainty and the discovery that science cannot explain everything form the context of the film’s action.

Religion in aid of science

With a script based on the novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty, allegedly inspired by a real exorcism that took place in Washington in 1949, the film tells the story of Regan, a twelve-year-old girl who is the victim of a paranormal phenomenon.

A catalog of unexplained symptoms, including levitation, superhuman twists and jerky movements, lead his mother to seek the help of science.

Changes in horror cinema

Another of the film’s successes is the transformation of many classic horror premises. From stories starring fantastic creatures and unfolding in imaginary scenarios, we move on to look for the intrinsic evil of human beings in everyday situations immersed in common scenarios.

‘The Exorcist’ was not the first film to use this argument. Previously, Roman Polanski directed ‘Devil’s Seed’ (Rosemary’s Baby, 1968), in which a couple recently moved into a building in New York live with neighbors with shady intentions.

But without a doubt ‘The Exorcist’ is the film that best sums up the new trend. All the aforementioned components come together to turn it into a disturbing film, where the deepest fears are unleashed without having to resort to the gloomy sets or menacing monsters characteristic of previous decades.

*Changes in horror movies*

Another of the film’s successes is the transformation of many classic horror premises. From stories starring fantastic creatures and unfolding in imaginary scenarios, we move on to look for the intrinsic evil of human beings in everyday situations immersed in common scenarios.

‘The Exorcist’ was not the first film to use this argument. Previously, Roman Polanski directed ‘Devil’s Seed’ (Rosemary’s Baby, 1968), in which a couple recently moved into a building in New York live with neighbors with shady intentions.

But without a doubt ‘The Exorcist’ is the film that best sums up the new trend. All the aforementioned components come together to turn it into a disturbing film, where the deepest fears are unleashed without having to resort to the gloomy sets or menacing monsters characteristic of previous decades.