I thoroughly enjoyed watching The Exorcist in 2023 when movie theaters offered screenings for the film’s 50th anniversary. I eagerly anticipated seeing it a second time when I learned that Broadway Centre Cinemas had scheduled it in this year’s Tower of Terror lineup. (Tower of Terror is the Salt Lake Film Society’s series of classic horror films that runs from the end of September through October each year.) I went to the 7:00 p.m. showing last night among a packed house of moviegovers, at least half of whom expressed during the pre-show introduction that they were seeing The Exorcist for the first time. Being among newcomers contributed to a more quiet, subdued viewing of the film — they were taking it all in — compared to my 2023 experience as the newcomer among horror aficionados who knew the film well enough to laugh boisterously at key absurd moments. After seeing The Exorcist a second time, my 2023 review (also linked below) still holds true. I also came away with some fresh insights to share that warrant their own review.
The beauty of the film’s cinematography really captivated me this time. The more I see movies, both old and new, the more I notice how filmmaking has changed and how those changes affect the finished product. Advances in digital, computer technology have given filmmakers greater ability to create sharp, high-resolution images and believable alternate worlds, yet they have compromised creating natural shots with compelling lighting and composition. Movies from yesteryear have a softness and glow to them that current movies lack. They offer a tactile experience akin to listening to music recorded on vinyl or reading a physical copy of a book. They have a deeper soul. Every frame in The Exorcist is a masterpiece in this regard. The opening sequence in Iraq, the scenes around Georgetown, the rooms in Carol MacNeil’s rented house, Father Damien Karras on the subway, his mother’s old New York City neighborhood and apartment, and the events on the infamous staircase are alive with rich color and texture that enhance the telling of the story. However advanced filmmaking becomes, may the craft never lose this profound sensitivity and attention to detail.
I tuned in more closely to specific actors’ character portrayals this time. Ellen Burstyn delivers a powerful performance as Chris MacNeil, a strong, single mother who tirelessly pursues finding an appropriate remedy for her daughter Regan’s (Linda Blair) perplexing condition. Burstyn gives Chris grit, tenacity, and keen maternal instinct that are incredibly satisfying to watch. Jason Miller effectively conveys Father Damien Karras’s deep internal conflict. He simultaneously shows Karras wanting to help people, doubting his own faith, and experiencing intense guilt over having (in his mind) failed his mother, and the viewer empathizes with the character’s inadequacies. Perhaps an overlooked character due to his supporting role, homicide detective Lieutenant William F. Kinderman (Lee J. Cobb) infuses warmth, humor, refinement, and logic into a plot that would otherwise spiral out of control due to the evil preternatural activity that is occurring. He seeks truth and justice while also extending mercy and grace. I appreciated his comforting presence in the narrative.
The film’s vulgar content, both verbal and visual, had a greater visceral impact on me seeing it the second time compared to the first. Similar to my first time seeing it, I didn’t find the vulgar content to be frightening, just disturbing and difficult to hear or watch — a little more so this time. The R rating is completely justified, as long-time horror fans already know, and young or sensitive viewers should exercise caution. Shocking though this content is, it drives home the point that evil is offensive. Being disturbed or taking offense is the correct response. The question then becomes: what does a person do with being disturbed? Look away and ignore it? Or, confront and process it? The redeeming fact of the film continues to be that goodness does prevail. I remained fully invested in the exorcism scenes when Father Merrin and Father Karras exhibit fortitude against the demon’s relentless attacks.
This year’s Tower of Terror at the Broadway has one more showing of The Exorcist tonight, Saturday, October 25, at 9:15 p.m. Click here for tickets and information.
The Good Life 
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