Recently, I watched the 1973 horror film The Exorcist. I have known about this movie for a long time, but only recently got into horror as a genre (my favorites are Scream, The Sixth Sense, and Psycho, if you are interested). So, I figured I would like this movie, even if it creeped me out.
What did I think, you ask? I liked this movie, but I surprisingly did not find it very scary. I assume that because it was so groundbreaking in terms of content in the horror genre, it had to build a lot, but I actually found it a little slow... but I think I am now just used to more modern, fast-paced horror movies (that obviously would not exist without The Exorcist). I thought a lot of the scenes were simply disturbing, but in a sadistically funny way, which wasn't scary but rather unsettling. The ending, which I won't spoil, obviously raises questions about what sacrifices we are willing to make to save one another (unless, of course, you think that the ending was purely accidental, which is one interpretation). Interesting.
I remember taking a college tour of Georgetown and they mentioned the film's connection to the school/town with the famous steps, but now I understand what they meant! I'm interested in why Georgetown was so connected to the film-- did they get the school's permission? Would religious groups support this film, as it shows evil and then overcomes it?
I also think it's interesting that there was a clear switch from alien life forms invading the planet (War of the Worlds and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, for example) to religious fears of the Devil. I wonder what about that era triggered the shift. Maybe it's just my non-religious beliefs but I wasn't so scared of this movie, but maybe it has different effects if you are a strong believer in God/Catholicism. At the same time, I definitely do find the modern "creepy nun" theme to be pretty scary so maybe it's just me. Overall I liked the film but it didn't scare me as much as I thought it would.
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