Tyler Talks Horror: The Exorcist

By Tyler Hodg

Hi, my name is Tyler Hodgkinson and I am a total horror n00b.

In this series, I’ll be taking a look of classic, cult classic, and modern horror films with ignorant eyes. Its concept is scary simple.

When my brother was young, The Exorcist scared him so much that he needed to see a psychiatrist. He had trouble sleeping, and experienced tremendous night terrors. My parents raised us in a safe and comfortable environment, but letting a child watch one of the most horrifying films of all time may have been one of their few “whoops” moments. Needless to say, The Exorcist has lived on infamously in my mind, despite that fact that I never actually watched it.

I figured my “Tyler Talks Horror” series was the perfect excuse to finally see what the fuss was, and still is, all about. With that said, it was a much different film than the one that I had imagined in my mind. The iconic images of the possessed Regan MacNeil crawling down the stairs; spewing green, chunky demon vomit; and riding her levitating bed were actually more terrifying than I imagined. And what caught me off guard was that the majority of The Exorcist takes place during the daytime. The juxtaposition of the light environment with the demonized Reagan makes the scenes that much creepier.

I don’t need to say that The Exorcist is a cinematic masterpiece, because it is just common knowledge at this point. The cinematography is an accumulation of various filmmaking techniques that seem unique for not only the time, but also for today’s standards. Additionally, the characters actually have personal arcs that aren’t superficial or throw-away. The slow but rewarding pace allows for the story to build in a natural and satisfying manner. I found these aspects to be the most intriguing, but perhaps only because the classic sequences of the demon had already grazed my eyeballs at some point in my life though spoofs and clip shows.

I may not need to see a doctor after watching The Exorcist; however, I understand how this can send a young child into a spiral of confusion and horror. It’s not enough to say that the film lived up to my expectations—it surpassed them. I figured the only reason people held the work in such high regard was because it was terrifying for the time, but it is now apparent that there is so much more to the film. Because of its creative vision, magnificent moments, and truly terrifying imagery, The Exorcist rightfully deserves to continue ruining children’s (and adults’) lives for many years.