League of Movies (Fifth Edition | Week 02): The Exorcist .

The Exorcist was premiered on December 26, 1973. The film, based on Peter Blatty book and directed by Oscar winner William Friedkin, tells the story of a mother's suffering due to her daughter's strange illness.

The writer Peter Blatty was inspired by an alleged case of diabolical possession that occurred in 1949 in Maryland to a young man of 14 years, he was so fascinated by this story, that he began to write the novel entitled "The Exorcist".

Starring Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil a girl who is the victim of demonic possession.
Ellen Burstyn is Chris MacNeil's actress and Regan's mother.
Max Von Sydow : Father Lankester Merrin Archaeologist, and Father Karra's experienced assistant for exorcism.
Jason Miller as Father Damien Karras priest and psychiatrist who has lost his faith due to the death of his mother.
Pazuzu king of the demons in Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, takes possession of the body of Regan.

It was the first film that provoked a real terror among the spectators, long queues at the entrances of the cinemas, ambulances were hired to treat people who fainted, vomited, or had nervous breakdowns. The Exorcist became a social phenomenon; experts appeared on television to analyze the most shocking scenes.

Regan's room represented hell, something that happened on a neighborhood street, was so close to normal that people were afraid it would happen in their homes.

The scene of the little girl masturbating with a crucifix was the most controversial in this movie, it was played by her double Eileen Dietz. The voice of the devil belongs to the actress Mercedes McCambridge.

Religious fanatics threatened to kill the girl Blair, there were protests, so she had to use bodyguards.

The soundtrack was done by Mike Olfield. The song Tubular Bellsand, makeup Dick Smith and Warner Bros Pictures the production company. The film received 11 Oscar nominations, but only received two statuettes: Best Adapted Screenplay, for Blatty and Best Sound.

In the picture: Actress Eileen Dietz's "Devil's Mask" short images that frightened the viewers.

It is the most popular horror movie in history, it explores good and evil, it moves you, it scares you, it makes you uneasy, whoever saw it in 1973 knows what I'm talking about, it was a terrifying experience that will live with us for the rest of our lives.

My experience:
In my mind there will always be The Exorcist, I wasn't old enough to go to the movies, I watched it on VHS and was impressed for months, I remember I was eating chocolates and it melted in my hands, I was in shock watching Regan's head spin, the parents screaming, the green vomit, the voice of the devil, the music, the atmosphere, and above all because it was inspired by a real case, it could happen to anyone, yet it made me curious about the horror genre.

Exorcist Saga:

The Exorcist 2: The Heretic'.1977.
Director: John Boorman.
-The Exorcist III. 1990.
Director: William Peter Blatty.
The Exorcist: The Beginning'. 2004.
Director: Renny Harlin
The Exorcist: The Beginning -The Forbidden Version: 2005.
Director: Paul Schrader.
In 2000, Warner Bros Pictures re-released the film in a remastered format, including the famous "spider scene" version.