THE
EXORCIST: SPECIAL EDITION
Synopsis
 Re-release
of the 1973 horror classic which pits two priests against
the devil in the form of a possessed 12-year-old girl
(Blair). While her mother (Burstyn) struggles to determine
what's wrong with her daughter, the priests take on evil
directly in the hopes of saving the girl.
Review
After
wondering where films such as "Stigmata" and
"End of Days" discovered their story roots,
the answer is revealed while watching "The Exorcist".
Starting
off with the scenery of an excavation in Iraq, the film
shifts to Georgetown, where a single mother - actress
is shooting a film. Strangely enough, her daughter begins
to show signs of aggression and mental instability. This
leads to the observations of many doctors on the physical
and mental level. After an inconclusive observation, experts
recommend for the mother to seek an exorcism [a religious
ritual meant to separate a possessed host and the demon
in the host's body].
Reminding
us that special effects have only been a wonder of computer
science for the past decade, "The Exorcist"
takes us back to the time of realistic gore. While obviously
rough, the enhancements of make-up and other out-of-this-world
factors show us that a film isn't about how many scenes
where done with a click of a mouse, but with the hands
and imagination of the artist.
If
seeing this film after taking in "The Cell",
released a few weeks earlier, ones definitely
observes the higher level of mental distortion during
"The Exorcist". The big screen truly makes a
difference: you can't change the channel, you can't be
distracted - attention is all on the film. With this newly
obtained level of processing information, the viewer simply
becomes part of the film.
Unfortunately,
the film contains loop holes and other falls in the plot.
In addition, the extensive introduction and body of the
film has a very abrupt and sudden conclusion, leaving
the audience with many questions. While forcing the observer
to think means excellence for a film, some questions should
be answered. Overall, the film is doing as well as it's
doing for the same reasons all of the re-releases do -
hype.
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Category:
Horror
Starring: Linda
Blair and Ellen Burstyn
Directed by: William
Friedkin
Rated: R
Running time: 132
min.
Rating:
C- |
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