[kj] OT - The Exorcist

[Jim Harper]

"One of the only really, truly scary movies."
 
I'm afraid I can't agree there. The Exorcist is a good film, but it's not a 'truly scary movie', and there's more than a few.
 
There are plenty of acknowledged 'classic' horror films that aren't worth more than a cursory watch, just so you can say you've seen it (The Shining and The Wicker Man fit the bill very nicely). To Friedkin's credit, he does at least ensure that The Exorcist doesn't turn into the kind of colossal monument to tedium that those two films are, but he does fall short of the 'classic' he usually gets landed with. I've always preferred The Omen. I realise comparing those two films- The Exorcist and The Omen- is likely to get me lynched, but The Omen is a more entertaining film. Mainly because it doesn't try to hide what it is. Both films are trashy exploitation, but whereas The Omen accepts that and gets on with business of being a really fun piece of trashy exploitation, The Exorcist (mainly through William Friedkin and William Peter Blatty, who spun the same crap about his novel when it came out) tries to pass itself off as a serious meditation on the
 mystery of Faith. Bollocks. Aside from one line, faith is never even mentioned. It's just a scary, gross horror movie, but one with ideas above its station.
 
My apologies for the rambling there!
 
Jim.

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--- On Sun, 7/9/08, Leigh Newton <angrytomhanks at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Leigh Newton <angrytomhanks at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [kj] OT - The Exorcist
To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)" <gathering at misera.net>
Date: Sunday, 7 September, 2008, 9:42 PM

Also the classic "Stick your cock up her ass, you motherfucking worthless
COCKSUCKER!"

One of the only really, truly scary movies. The original Black Christmas and
The Changeling are two more that come to mind. Anyone got anymore? I'm
talking SCARY, not just kind of creepy or gross.

Leigh



      
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