The year 1973 was filled with several important historical events. The Endangered Species Act was passed. UPC barcodes were first seen on grocery store shelves across America. OPEC doubled the price of oil, causing a nationwide gas crisis. But, these all pale in comparison to an occurrence that rocked the country and changed the lives of millions forever: The Exorcist was released. Okay, so maybe that was a little dramatic, but this movie had a huge impact on the world of horror cinema, and on me.
I will never forget the first time I saw this movie. I was eleven, and I had to watch it secretly. So there I sat in my little pajamas, watching what is arguably the most terrifying film ever created, and I loved every second. From Reagan’s head spinning and spewing green vomit, to the eternal battle for a child’s soul. The experience changed me forever. I am a horror movie nut, and I really believe The Exorcist started my obsession.
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So why is it I can’t help feeling that every copy of the movie should be destroyed immediately? I know that I would miss The Exorcist just as much as I would miss any dear friend. The problem that I have now is that the true spirit of the movie is lost on our modern society. When The Exorcist premiered, people were leaving the theater in tears or sick to their stomach, but that was 1973. In 2009, most of us see footage far more shocking on the evening news every night.
Don’t get me wrong, the movie deserves all the accolades it has ever received, including 10 Oscar nominations. I just don’t think that the film would have as profound an effect on any other eleven year old little boy or girl, if they watched it for the first time today. So that is why I am pleading with every film maker in Hollywood: Please, do not remake this movie. It belongs in 1973, when America was a country far less desensitized by the constant bombardment of media violence.
There will never be another Linda Blair. Her performance was mind blowing, and I cannot even think of any other young actress working today who could play Reagan with such demonic naiveté. The planets aligned when this movie was made, and I don’t want to see its legacy tarnished by a cheesy Hollywood "retelling".
Halloween is approaching, and that means an entire month filled with some of the best horror movies ever produced, and no lineup would be complete without The Exorcist. But this year, I am going to try to reconnect with that scared little girl who first saw the movie in her mom’s front room. She will be far more frightened and moved by the experience than this 31 year old wife and mother. Hopefully, all of you out there will try to do the same. Maybe this will keep the true essence of the film alive long enough for my daughter to be scared out of her mind when she turns eleven!
Here are the top Horror Movie Remakes.