Hey everyone, thank you so much for watching! Please consider subscribing to the channel. I've been running to the bedroom every night after I turn off the lights lol! Where does this film rank in your "Scariest Movies of All Time"? How did you feel after the first time you watched it?
watch the original version of "texas chainsaw massacre". put it this way. it was originally rated X. and not for sex. i just looked it up. it was R. i guess it was some story we kids believed.
Hi, At 35:15 did you notice, or did anyone else in the world notice reagan was holding her hand and arm upward during the hypnosis. wasn't the statue of pazuzu in the beginning of the movie in Iraq holding up its arm as well?
@@BobBenson-qz8lp i do see what you are saying but that is a common thing a psyche will do to the hypnotized. he will put their hand in air someplace and it will remain where he put it.
It's interesting how Zoomers keep waiting for jump scares when they watch this classic, I guess that's what they've become used to. I suppose that's why so many of them don't find this film scary, no enough cats jumping out of closets and such. 😏
@@ChucksCherubs3 I once saw a video of a careful slow motion analysis of the crucifix scene showing in the corner Karl laying on the floor when reagan spun her head backward imitating what she did to Burke dennings. Question remains: Did Karl go upstairs and give the crucifix to reagan to do that mutilation and he was knocked out by the demon?
@@jessebatres6895 I'm 1/2 Italian....many Italians and Greeks can look very similar, especially Southern Italians. They're all Mediterranean - my dad was Italian, our family was from Calabria, which is like the heel in the Italian "boot". He was on the shorter side, had very curly hair and a darker complexion. People sometimes thought he was Arabic or Greek. No reason to feel bad for making that mistake!
"He's a terribly broken person right now" - this is what this whole movie is about. It's about Karras' struggle with his faith and with his relationship to his mother.
On the money! His stress, guilt, and hopelessness was emanating from the screen and I was feeling it big time. There's so much to this film, beyond the horror. The horror is top of the line, but I love how we also get this powerhouse portrayal of a broken man that keeps us locked in and engaged.
What a great, honest reaction and in-depth analysis. I appreciate that. I love this film so much - way ahead of its time. I was 10 years old when the film came out and while too young to see it I remember the buzz around people fainting in the theater and getting sick. My brother is 8 years older than me and I remember him and a friend talking to my Mom about seeing the film and how people were screaming and one lady ran up the aisle out of the theater shouting everybody better get right with Jesus (lol). Looking forward to more reactions!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction and analysis! Growing up, I always had this strong need to just talk about a film afterwards and dissect it some more. DUDE, I just burst out laughing reading about that lady running up the aisle lol! And, you know damn well she wasn't trying to be funny and was 100% series haha! I'll be checking out part III in October. Thank you so much for watching and commenting! And for the laugh! 😆😂
Some behind the scenes info: Father Dyer (Karras's friend, Priest playing the piano at the party) was played by an actual Jesuit Priest, Father William O'Malley. The older Priest Damien Karras goes to see at the bar, where he talks about losing his faith, was also played by a real life Jesuit Priest, Father Tom Bermingham. Both priest's were onset advisors as well. One of the things I've always found goes a long way towards making this film so immersive, and realistic feeling, is that they took the time to get the Catholic aspects right. Father Bermingham also ended up performing a blessing on the set, after a few crew members started getting freaked out with what they thought were odd occurrences (like a fire in part of the set). Father Tom was adamant there was no supernatural stuff happening, and that everything had a mundane explanation, but did the blessing anyway for the crew's peace of mind. When Father Dyer is giving Father Karras the last rights at the end, the director, William Friedkin couldn't quite get the performance he wanted out of Father O'Malley (playing Father Dyer). So he pulled the priest aside, asked if he trusted him, and then hauled off and smacked him in the face. Father O'Malley was so shook up that his hand's started shaking, and that is the performance that made it into the film. The opening scenes were filmed in Iraq on an actual archaelogical dig at the ancient city of Hatra. Director William Friedkin got permission from a German Archaelogist leading the dig team to film on site. Iraq and the US had some major tensions at the time though, so Iraq pretty much only agreed to allow them to film in the country so long as no US cast or crew were present. They sent a second unit team over instead. There's also mention of the Iraq government apparently wanting Dick Smith's blood recipe as part of the rights to film. Linda Blair (Regan) was injured during the first possession scene, where she appears to be flying off the bed. That effect was done by having her wear a protective back brace, whilst a piston under the bed literally pushed her in the air, and flung her up and down. During one take the harness slipped and she ended up badly bruised. Ellen Burstyn was also quite seriously injured during the head rotating scene. When Regan knocks Chris across the room, Ellen Burstyn was on a wire designed to yank her backwards. Allegedly at Friedkin's urging one of the stunt co-ordinators pulled the wire too hard and Ellen Burstyn injured her back when she hit the floor (that is a genuine cry of pain in that scene) and ended up needing to be taken to hospital as soon as the scene was done. The hospital scan scene was filmed in a real radiology department, with real radiologists and medical assistants. One of the radiology assistants (guy with the blonde hair and beard) ended up being jailed for murder, and was the prime suspect in a series of serial murders in New York.
@@soraya377 OMG, I just noticed that. Thanks, I completely got the names around the wrong way. Not like I don't own the book and movie, LOL. I'll fix it.
As a 55-year-old man, I could easily be your father. It’s absolutely amazing that young men like you can love movies that are over 50 years of age. It is very rare to watch the same channel twice when it comes to this masterpiece. I watched a considerable number of channels responding to my favorite movie of all time and some are really good. But yours is really excellent. The way you analyzed all the details and how you got involved in the film which is really a masterpiece in itself touched me deeply. You were emotionaly, physically and spiritualy involved in every aspect of it from start to finish. It’s really great to see that the younger generation can appreciate these pioneering films of the 70s with a real critical sense and objectivity. Keep up the good job gentleman, the growth of your channel is on your way.
Thank you so much for the kind and supportive words! It means a great deal that you took the time to share your feedback and thoughts :) Something I truly love about this film is that it transcends horror. Obviously, horror is the main element around it, but there is so much to take away from this masterpiece such as the significant and powerful dramatic moments, the psychological journeys, heartbreaking conversations and visuals, etc. I love that I can call this "A GREAT FILM" not just a "GREAT HORROR FILM". Thank you again! And I look forward to bringing you more reactions, and soon some film reviews and other content around film :)
@@jessebatres6895 I just had to reply to your comment. You got this film. I've watched a few others commenting and not one of them had the depth of thought that you possess. You mentioned that no one ever called you the sharpest tool.....well, you seem pretty sharp to me! I was 20 when this movie debuted. I went to see it about a month later with a male friend because by then people were fainting and some were leaving the theaters so of course we had to go. That's why watching your response was close to home for me all these 51 yrs. later. Thanks for the memory and keep up your great work!
Hey Jesse. Finally someone who gets it! Who understands! The best Exorcist reaction ever! You were able to sit back and get into the movie. The actor who played the old priest Merrin was Max Von Sydow who was in old age makeup. Von Sydow was only 42 yrs old at the time. The medicine he was taking were Nitroglycerin tablets for heart patients. Also, Karras, his mother and uncle were Greek. Thank you! P.S. Don't be afraid of the dark! LOL
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! As you can see I really get into films, and even though a film may fall under the umbrella of a specific genre, I like when it executes other elements incredibly well. The horror is out of this world, but there's also those dramatic and emotional moments that elevate the film even higher. I loved the performances and there's this constant feeling of being on edge and you kind of start feeling that dread and things unravelling psychologically. It's just an awesome film all the way around! :) And yeah I feel like an idiot for mistaking them for Italian. It blows my mind that the "old" priest was portrayed by such a young actor, but he was so convincing and definitely had me thinking he was on his last leg. LOL! Yeah I'm a night owl and it's been interesting these past few nights haha!
One of the best reactions to this film. You really invested yourself in the craftsmanship of this classic. Loved your recap. You get this movie for the masterpiece it is. A mother who has no religious beliefs desperately seeking the help of a guilt redden priest who had lost his faith. Only to redeem himself by sacrificing his life for a child who he never knew. Oscar for best screenplay well deserved.
Thank you so much! I love when a film hits so many different elements well. I think most people would only focus on the horror, but the emotional and dramatic moments are masterful here as well. I don't think there's a single bad performance in this film. Everyone was hitting on all cylinders and I love the pacing of it. It definitely deserved and earned that Oscar for best screenplay. :)
Many viewers don't realize that the Catholic Church actually acted as consultants on this film and completely endorsed it despite the many sacrileges portrayed. They supported it because it portrays Good and Evil as really existing.
Ah that's super interesting! I figured they'd stay away from it and not want any involvement. It would be interesting to hear how someone deeply connected to their faith may have reacted to the film and their thoughts on it.
@@jessebatres6895 I know the Reverend Billy Graham claimed to avoid streets where it was showing in theaters. I would guess that most religious people were put off by it despite the Catholic Church's view.
Fun facts: 1 - The movie ushers were all required to carry smelling salts for the audiences that fainted. Mostly fainting with the spinal tap/scan scene. 2 - They recommended to watch cartoons after viewing and before going to bed, 3 - Merrin exorcised this demon from an african boy 20 yrs earlier, the demons name was Pazuzu. 4 - 2 people died during the filming of the movie. 5 - They had it originally going to be set at X rated until they made the decision to make it a hard R rating for movie sales and profit. 6 - The audiences were terrified in 73/74 and didn't even have to experience the spider walk!
My family are all Catholics…I’m the only one who would watch it. Despite the fact it shows the battle between good and evil my parents want nothing to do with it.
Saw this in 73 with friends from school..we took blodder acid before. What a trip!.. movie totally affected me for life..lmao ..I'm 64 now . Great reaction.
The Actor playing the old priest was 43 years old in the movie. Max von Sydow is a very good actor. The only time I've seen a younger man playing a much older man and you can't tell he is a much younger man.
Hey man, I just stumbled on this reaction a bit late, but I like your honest reactions. You got it. You were right on a lot of details and yes, this was shocking when it was released. Nobody had seen anything like this or heard stuff like it. But this movie is scary not in the traditional sense of the genre as we know it today, it's more psychological where your own mind bends back on itself. When you're vulnerable, you are ripe for being influenced and invaded by unclean spirits----Regan's loneliness, her parents divorce; Damien's loss of faith, his own academic rationale mind versus faith based belief and guilt over his mom. But the story's heroes don't have that happy ending, instead it's a melancholy ending, where the demon managed to kill the Merrin and Karass, and it's heartbreaking. The audience wasn't expecting that they would die, sacrificing themselves to save Regan. And in the end, Karrass redeems himself and gains his faith back but it cost him his life. I get teary eyed at the end. This is a great movie and a lot deeper with character development!
LOL! Man little did I know that was just a small appetizer haha! Yeah I ended up hoping in the shower later on haha! I somewhat survived, as it's been interesting these last few nights and my imagination running away with me. 😅😂
Great reaction. I love watching you young people discover this incredible movie. The best thing for me is watching you get freaked out halfway thru because I know how much worse it’s going to get.
Thanks so much Todd! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction! And yeah, it's crazy because even the start of the film when Father Merrin is staring at the large statue and the music starts to build was freaking me out. Little did I know I was in for so much worse 😂 I still get goosebumps randomly at night and start thinking about this movie
As a tuff high school senior football captain in the mid 70's i went to the theater to watch this alone and drove home alone with the doors locked scared shitless! Same year jaws came out, so now i don't swim in ocean lol. Loved your honesty in your reaction! Peace from Northern Michigan.
Haha! I believe it! I bet you were looking at your rearview mirror hoping something wouldn't popup from the backseat lol! I think this is that one film that can make anyone scared shitless. It has that impact of keeping you scared, especially whenever you're just chilling on your own and suddenly it enters your mind and you feel uneasy and look around. At least that's what has been happening to me lol!
This movie still kicks my ass. Watching your reaction made me feel lots of empathy for you. If you look on RUclips there's videos showing early news footage of people passing out at theaters where The Exorcist had showings.
I feel like this is one of those films that someone could never get used to. If anything it might scare people more after each time of watching it. I looked up some of the trailers from back then and man they're haunting! I'll check out some of the news reports and I'm sure there's some kind of documentary available, so I'd like to check that out as well. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Jesse, I was a freshman in high school when this was released and (after having read the book) me and my friends went to one of the first showings of this. I cannot begin to tell you what seeing this on a big screen in a packed theater was like!! We were sitting way up front in the 4th row!!!! OMG!!! Yes, we were scared SHITLESS!! No one had ever seen anything like this before. And remember, this was before CGI. This was all done the old fashioned way. You should go online to look up audience reaction to this upon its initial release. People were passing out, people were getting sick, people were crying….on top of that, we’re Roman Catholic so we had some background knowledge of this BUT seeing this depicted was beyond anything we could have ever imagined. I could not sleep FOR MONTHS!!! Also, when I read the book, (everyone was reading the book at the time) - I could not keep it on my night table where I could see the cover. I had to put it away in the drawer. The BOOK is terrifying. In addition, if you read up on the making of the film, there were a lot of weird things that happened during the filming - really really creepy stuff. Glad it scared you too!! That’s the mark of the great horror film - that all these years later, (especially certain parts of it) really disturb and unsettle people. Oscar-winning makeup artist Dick Smith did a phenomenal job giving us a nightmare-inducing “face” to remember forever! LOL!!!
While reading your comment - I said "Oh god no!" when I read the part about you being in the 4th row lol! I've been watching some of the videos the audience reaction, and saw one where some lady just fell backwards and the theater staff rushed towards her. MAN! If I had a time machine, I'd love to go and see so many of these iconic films during their release. I completely understand your fear about having that book so nearby. It's so strange because to me just the combination of letters in the word "Exorcist" is off-putting. Don't know how to describe it, but there's just something about it. And yes, it completely horrified and still does each day and night lol! My god, that face is one I can't stare at for too long. Each time I come to answer comments, the damn thumbnail is right there on my screen so it's not too fun haha! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
Saw this when it was released back in 73. Was 12.. Nightmares since. One of the greatest movies ever made. 1st of its kind. The Goat. Was nominated for 10 academy awards winning only 2. They were robbed for Actress, supporting actress, supporting actor, effects, director and movie. Was based on the true story of Ronald Hunkeler, who this kinda happened to him back in 1949. He recently passed away keeping his identity a secret so no one knew it was him. He worked for NASSA and with Apollo missions. William Friedken the director won the previous year for best director for The French Connection. So they didn't give him back to back academy's. He took an unknown actor Jason Miller, child actress Linda Blair and not yet well known actress Ellen Burstyn to deliver academy award performances. Unheard of in 1973. Lines were around the block waiting for hours to see it. One of the greats.. Good review..
So awesome! Thanks for sharing this great feedback! I read up on the film after watching it, and was actually not surprised by how many accolades and nominations it had because DAMN was it an extremely well made film. That horror is great and unrivaled, but it hits so well in many other areas also. The performances are top tier, and I really ended up caring about all the characters. It felt like watching real people going through this. It almost felt too real at times if that makes sense. Yeah, the Academy will do that right. Give someone an award and the following year they may be even more deserving but they refrain from giving back to back awards to the same person. I'm going to find some footage of back in the day and how the crowds were reacting. I'm sure there's a documentary available, which I'd like to check out as well. Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@jessebatres6895 The Oscars gave most of the awards that year to a lesser movie called "The Sting". It' was a comedy/western type of movie but a "safe" choice. Nobody remembers "The Sting" but everyone knows of the "The Exorcist". I saw both of them and "The Sting" was a well-made generic movie over a brilliant but controversial movie. Also, the actor who played the old priest "Father Merrin" was only 46 years old when he made this movie. Still, "The Exorcist" managed to get 10 Oscar nominations
@jessebatres6895 there's videos from 1973 on RUclips from people who actually fainted and were so disturbed they left the theater and vomited. It was a different time. It was also the first movie to charge $4.00 to see. We used to pay 2.50 to watch double and triple features. LOL.. There's also a Blaxploitation movie they say copied it called Abby. It was OK. Low budget but Warner Brothers had it shelved because of the similarities. It's available now. Check it out if you get a chance. The Conjuring and Hereditary are pretty good movies based on this nature to.
Ellen Burstyn who played the mother is still alive she is 91. She and Linda Blair who played Regan were both injured during filming. Burstyn was nominated for best actress, Blair was nominated for best supporting actress, and Jason Miller ( Karras ) was nominated for best supporting actor, none of them won.
This film had so many amazing performances! Even the smaller roles like the older priest and Father Karras' mother. Man it's criminal that not one of them walked away with the award.
@@jessebatres6895do you know what I just love it so much it's looks good and great deal Linda Blair she was going 👍👍 so much very good since she Hollywood studios WB studio's haunted house movie James wan knows all about it before and after Tim burton his own business with oasr awesome picture awards TCM hollywood movies on the best friend
Stumbled across ur reaction. Seen the film as a child in theaters’73. (Yeah I’m old) It’s a BRILLIANT film. Nothing hit the world prior, the possession, vulgarity, it set the standard.. Just wanted to say the best reaction we’ve seen to this classic. Thx for letting my family relive this classic with you. 52yrs and over 100 times seeing it. It’s more a brilliant film about individual characters dealing with their own “Demons” coming together at the end. Brilliant character development film (a slow burn). Ok… thx again, glad u enjoyed THE one that started it all. Hope you got some sleep? 👍
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with it! I agree with you that it definitely set the standard, and actually I'm not sure if other films have quite gotten to that level. I have a lot more horror films to watch, but as far as disturbing and shocking, I feel like it's going to be in a league of its own. I'm glad you've called it a "Brilliant Film" and not "Brilliant Horror film" because it truly is an incredible achievement of cinema. I really enjoyed the dramatic and emotional elements, and for me the pacing worked incredibly well. Fortunately, I've gotten sleep but it's been bad when I have to turn out the lights at night. RUNNING TO THE ROOM! lol!
Excellent reaction /observation Jesse. I`ll never forget when this film was released in the UK in 1974. The effect it created is impossible to describe. The word "phenomenon" doesn`t even come close.
Thank you so much Jim! It had my heart pounding and stopping so many times lol! I've had a chance to watch some of the audience interviews from when it was released, and man those people like completely terrified and many even seemed traumatized. What a film it is!!
This is based on a novel. In the book we find out the mom had a son who she loved very much before she had Reagan. Suddenly, he gets very sick and the doctors can't figure out what's wrong. Out of desperation they give him an experimental medication, he has an allergic reaction and dies. Chris developed a distrust of doctors after that. I think this film is a true masterpiece and I wouldn't change a thing. However, if you watch the movie knowing that it adds a extra layer to the mother's reaction and frustration with the doctors. It also makes the moment when she asks the priest: "...is she gonna die?" even more guy wretching.
WOW! That makes me look at her character very differently, from the medial angle and how she was responding to the doctors. I'm so glad you shared that with me! And yes! Now with this context that line hits so differently! Thank you for watching and commenting!
Great reaction.....bro I was 11 yrs old when saw......accidentally watched (screwed me up) for a few weeks, and was afraid to tell my parents, cause they would be pissed😂😂😂😂😂
Father Merrin was played by Max von Sydow who only was in his early 40s at the time of filming. As years went by and he got older he started to look more and more like Merrin in real life. Amazing make-up job!
I agree! It's not just a great horror film with amazing scares, but just a fantastic film that makes you care about the characters so when we see them going through all that pain it makes us feel terrible for them. Loved it!
Bro, I love your reactions! I'll be looking at your playlists & see if you've reacted to various of my favorite movies. I'm just commenting as I'm going along I'm about 1/3 of the way through - just wanted to point out that Karras' mother didn't die in the psych ward, he brought her back home right away after the scene & then hadn't seen her for a short time when she passed away. He felt guilty because he was too busy to visit her & she died before he had a chance to see her again.
Isn't it amazing how a film that's 51 years old can still shock and scare in this day and age? Ellen Burystn and Lynda Blair both gave Oscar-worthy performances. And hiring Mercedes McCambridge as the voice of the Puzuzu (the demon) was the golden touch. In the novel, when Lt. Kinderman arrives back at the McNeill house, he had an arrest warrant for Regan but after witnessing what occurred, he quickly deduced what took place and actually helped cover up the incident to protect Regan. Sadly, the other films in the franchise are nowhere near as good as this one, with the exception of the 3rd film, which serves as a better direct sequel to this one (and one which I hope you do a reaction video to).
That's something that is shocking to me - The level of horror this film reached is insane for any era. It's almost hard to comprehend how the creative minds and film makers thought about all of this 5 decades ago. I just saw that it was the first horror film that was nominated for Best Picture, and that's not surprising with how fantastic it was. I agree, there are quite a few Oscar level performance in this film. A lot of horror today falls short more often than not. I'll definitely be watching part III, and I'm thinking about watching it in October. :)
@@jessebatres6895 Just imagine how it must have freaked audiences out in 1973 ... I do recommend that you watch all of the films in the series, however, I'm really looking forward to your reaction to the 3rd one. There are some tidbits about it I won't go into now (to avoid spoilers) but I'll be sure to post a comment. :)
I saw this movie on the big screen when it came out in 73. I didn't notice anyone leaving the theater but I've read that many people reacted that way. As for me, I watched until the end of the movie but it lingered in my thoughts for a week or so especially as I tried to sleep. I've enjoyed seeing how a new generation reacts to it. Your reaction is the most honest and genuine that I have seen.
Happy I got a chance to see this in theaters when it was re-released in the early 2000's. The atmosphere of the film from the visuals to the sound design are very unsettling
I 100% agree. This film maintains this atmosphere of horror, even in the scenes that are more low key and quiet. It just hits so well throughout and you can't help but feel this evil presence around every corner or somewhere in that room, or on that street, or in that train stations. So amazing!
Thank you so much James! I love seeing an entire shot and evaluating things and even pocketing a few things that I feel might come back to see how they connect to future moments. This was a brilliant film that deserves all of the recognition it got from a film making stand point. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Great reaction! You're very good at absorbing the details as you watch. This a very powerful film because it concentrates so much on character and realism, rather than shocks and jump scares. There is a "looseness" to the dialogue, and a lack of music cues which gives the film almost a documentary-style quality, which adds to the oddness of it. I saw it at the cinema in the '70s (although I was too young to legally be there) and a lot of people were freaking out before twenty minutes had even elapsed. This isn't because anything really scary happens in the early part of the movie, but because the producers had hyped up the movie so intensely that people were nervous wrecks before they even entered the cinema.
Thank you so much! I'm fascinated with the different factors that go into the making of a film, so I love looking at an entire shot to try and capture everything. I love your comparison of it being like a documentary. It does have that kind of feel, especially during the hospital scenes. Damn, so people we're already on edge and freaking out. You know, I feel like I could show the film to someone who has never heard of it, and I have a feeling they'd be scared out of their mind as well lol! It's just such an impactful film with haunting visuals and dramatic elements that make you care and feel terrible for the characters.
@@jessebatres6895 There are several "making of" documentaries of the Exorcist which came from DVD extras but some of them can still be seen on RUclips. The most well-regarded one is probably Mark Kermode's "Fear of God" documentary but there are other really good ones too. ruclips.net/video/mZQw4k-3Uno/видео.html
Thank you Sarah! There's so many heartbreaking moments throughout the film, and I think it works perfectly because it breaks down the characters mentally which makes them incredibly vulnerable to the demon.
Great reaction! I saw this film at its premiere in Buenos Aires in the winter of 1974, when I was barely 17 years old. It was terrible. It's one of my favorite movies. After watching it, I was never scared by another horror movie again. Masterful performances, spectacular sound, incredible effects and a unique, disturbing and terrifying atmosphere. Greetings from Argentina! 🇦🇷🤗
Max Von Sydow (Old Father Merrick) was only 43 yrs old. He did a great job playing a frail old man. He was Emperor Ming in Flash Gordon, and plays the Head Doctor in Shutter Island where he was actually an old man by then lol. RIP
Father Karras dreaming about his mom is definitely the most haunting scene in this movie for me. Thank you for pointing out the effectiveness of that scene; a lot of reactors seem to overlook it.
This movie was scary af. I used to have nightmares every time I watched it. Great reaction and loved you talking about it after. Believe it or not the book is A LOT more terrifying. It'll keep you awake for days. Great reaction buddy definitely subscribing
Dude, this film has been impacting more and more as the days and nights go by! It's got that unique quality of being just as frightening if not more after you're done watching it. I may have to check and see if the audiobook for this available. Thank you so much for the kind words, and thank you for subscribing! :) ❤
@@jessebatres6895contact information on conjuring movie same thing as conjuring sent from 2013 1973 1971 and make it happen again this year contact info for Linda Blair she was
You can find old videos of television reporters going to theaters to record these reactions, you see people unable to talk to the reporter because they're top upset over the movie, people crying and they even managed to capture someone fainting in the lobby.
I looked them up and I can really say how unsettled many of them were. At times they get stuck in what they're saying as if they're seeing those visuals in their head again. It's haunting for sure!
Yes, the head turn was a dummy where the arm could move as well as the eyes with remote control and when they used it in the exorcism scene they even rigged it to exhale so her breath would be seen in the cold. The sound of the neck turning was simply the bending of an old crusty leather wallet. An adult actress named Eileen Deitz was used for brief cuts when it would not be appropriate to use 12 year old Linda, like when the Crucifix was going between the legs. Renowned actress Mercedes McCambridge was the demon voice. One of the reasons is because she could sometimes sound more masculine and other times feminine. This movie is simply one of the best movies ever made, it was firing on all cylinders with the acting, direction, special effects, cinematography as well as the revolutionary sound design.
Great reactions to the film. i highly recommend The Exorcist 3 .it's more of a sequel to the original ,and has a returning actor and characters from the original. I won't say who it would spoil it. But do seriously consider watching it. AVOID The Exorcist 2 , it is Awful . and was a huge flop ,not worth your time. Great channel i really enjoy your reactions and perspective on the movies i grew up watching.
Thank you so much! There are so many things this film did incredibly well, and I love the pacing and build up. I'll definitely be watch The Exorcist III. So far a lot of people are recommending it so I'm excited for it. I've also heard that Part 2 was a complete let down, so it's one I think I'll skip. I really appreciate the support! It means more than you know, and I've got many more reactions coming your way :)
I was there, people were passing out... Women were screaming 😱.... Me I laughed the whole time. I was very interested to see the special effects! I guess you get a whole different perspective as an atheist. New subscriber here.
Another epic reaction, Jesse. Thanks for brightening up my week. If you enjoyed this experience and want some closure, I cannot recommend The Exorcist III highly enough.
Thank you so much! Glad to have your support my friend! I'll definitely be checking out The Exorcist III. I'm still finalizing my October list of films so I might include it in that batch. :)
@@jessebatres6895 Excellent. I will be looking forward to that one. Just remember... skip the Exorcist 2... and move right on to number 3. The third film is written by Blatty, the author of the first book and screenplay of the film you just watched. He wrote and directed 3 as a direct sequel to this film.
Hey Jesse - hands down, one of the best reactions to this movie I've seen. I saw this movie when I was 12 and spent the next couple of years with shampoo burning my eyes every time, I took a shower. I was too afraid to close them because Reagan might be standing outside my shower. This, in my opinion is the greatest horror/ suspense movie ever. Great job reacting- look forward to your next movie. By the way, Exorcist 3 is a really good sequel, would love to see your reaction to it.
Thank you so much Shane! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction. I read your comment earlier while I was at the gym and the shampoo part made me burst out laughing lol! Dude, I can't believe how many people have said they watched it at such a young age. I could NEVER lol! I'll be honest with you, there's a few times even at this age that I'll throw on the shampoo and wash that shit off so fast because I think something is going to attack me in that moment haha! I'll definitely be checking out part III. I think it would be a great one to watch in October. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
@@jessebatres6895 Jesse, I also endorse Exorcist 3 (skip 2 though). Exorcist 3 is by the same author Blatty, he wrote the novel Legion the screenplay is based on and he also directed it. Watch the theatrical version of 3 though, NOT the director's cut. Theatrical is better.
I was surprised by how many emotional moments there were in the film. It's pretty heartbreaking in quite a few sequences. I watched part 3 in October and it's so sad that Father Karras' soul has been tortured for so long.
"The Exorcist" was the first installment of author William Peter Blatty's Faith Trilogy which he wrote to convince people of the existence of God and to discuss the presence of good versus evil in the world. The second installment "The Ninth Configuration" from 1980 is psychological not horror but has a story arc of the astronaut from the party that Regan had told "You're going to die up there." In the book Fr. Dyer had done a number on him as well asking "What is space", "I don't know", "You should". The third installment from 1990, "Legion" / "Exorcist III", is a direct sequel to the first film. React to the theatrical release on this one as it was a major reshoot then view the director's original version of the film on your own. All three films plus the unabridged audiobook of "The Exorcist" are available for free on RUclips. Very good reaction. I enjoyed your analysis. Keep up the good work!
Jesse, thank you for your thorough observation and comments in your reaction to The Exorcist. I saw this film when it premiered in theatres in 1973. And, I did stand in lines that were blocks long. This film was covered by both local & national news because it was a blockbuster film, at the time. Some in the audiences walked out, passed out, and ambulances were called during the movie. It was an experience, as a young teenager, I had never seen in theatres before. Your reaction was spot on and one of the BEST reactions to The Exorcist thay I have viewed on RUclips. Thank you for letting me watch it with you! 👍
Thank you Nicholas! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction :) Also, thank you so much for sharing your first hand experience with the film and what it was like during its initial release. This scared the hell out of me and I've been leaving a few lights on in the house at night lol! What's crazy is that today we've seen a lot of horrific things with film makers having more at their disposal, so I think we're a little more desensitized today. HOWEVER, even with all of that available to me and my generation today, this film still rocked me to my core unlike any other film ever has! I 100% understand how this was causing people to pass out, get sick, or need medical attention. You don't even have to say it, but I'm sure this film had some of those effects on you like (peering over you shoulder at night, washing the shampoo out of your hair in lightning speed so you're eyes aren't closed for too long, or running to your bed after turning out the lights) at least that's what I've been going through the last few days lol! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
@@jessebatres6895 Thanks for your reply, Jesse. If you want to know more about the reactions of audiences at the theatres and the media coverage of The Exorcist, it's available on RUclips. I agree with you. Horror fans have been desensitized by the flood of "horror" movies since The Exorcist first premiered in theatres. Now, I can give today's horror movies THE SAME TITLE, "100 New Ways To Kill A Person." They're so predictable today. Modern day horror movies main objective is to put in as many "jump scares" as possible, much to the sacrifice of good acting and good writing. That's why The Exorcist is still popular today. Great writing, actors, and psychologically scaring the shit out of you. Also, consider that in the 70s, there were more religious people watching movies. Today's modern day horror movie goers are LESS RELIGIOUS and they can't appreciate The Exorcist as much as we ALL did in the 70s. Thanks again for your reply, Jesse!
Fr Dyer was played by an actual Jesuit priest named O’Malley. And the priest “Tom” that Karras tells at the bar that he lost his faith and needs a new assignment and later advises the bishop on uaing Merrin for the Exorcism was also a Jesuit priest and professor named Father Thomas Bermingham. He taught William Peter Blatty (the novelist and screenwriter) and had suggested that Blatty use the news story of the exorcism of Roland Doe of Maryland for an oratorical project at Georgetown. Blatty’s interest turned into the novel and film. Fathers Bermingham and O’Malley and a third Jesuit were advisors on the film. Merrin was played by Max Vin Sydow, who was only 43 during filming. The old age makeup is incredibly well done and he actually looked a little like that in his later years. Both Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn suffered bad back injuries while filming. Burstyn broke her tailbone in the scene just after the crucifix scene when she is slapped onto the floor - the take in the movie with her scream is quite real as that was the take she was injured on. You may recognize Burstyn as the actress who played old / dying Murph in Interstellar. She is a decorated actress having won all 3 main awards: Oscar, Emmy, Tony.
With your thoughtful style, I think another movie that would grab you and take you on a whole trip in a similar way is *Apocalypse Now* (1979), if you haven't already seen it. I actually don't recommend it for most reactors, because it's meant to be seen immersively, especially the first time. I wouldn't deprive anyone of that first viewing experience, because it has depth that will stay with you forever. But for you, I don't think it would be impacted by your naturally thoughtful, sharing style. It is also eminently rewatchable, though, the art in it is virtually boundless. Most critics have it in their top ten lists if not on top. I have advised other reactors to video their first rewatch, as soon after the first watch as possible (though none have taken me up on it). Because that allows them to be shook or gobsmacked or whatever by the richness of time and place, and the intricate subtitles and nuance, for their first time around. But I think you'll trip anyway. And it pretty well counts as a horror thriller like this one, as much as a Vietnam War movie, or a mystery adventure, or a psychological suspense, or an indie art film. It hits deep, makes you think on it forever.
Thank you so much! I appreciate you taking the time to watch it and commenting! This film was amazing! Of course it was terrifying, but overall just a really great film that went all out and didn't hold back.
Hi Jesse. The actor that played Merlin the Exorcist, was only in his forties when he played the role but the age make up was so good thst he had trouble getting work because Hollywood thought he was in his 70s or 80s.
WHAT?!! Damn, props to the makeup team for making him look so old and fragile. On top of that, the actor did an amazing job to portray a sickly character close to his final moments. And that sucks about him having a hard time getting work. Hell, I think if they knew his real age the jobs would be piling up because he was super convincing in the role. Thanks for watching and commenting!
1. I was 13 when I saw this in the theater with friends. What rating system they had at the time wasn't really followed that closely. By word of mouth, I was aware of the head spinning, vomiting and language but what freaked me the most were the demon flashes.😱😱 2. When the doctor is looking at Regan's skull x-ray and says, "Nothing in there" I always🤣 3. The spider-walk down the stairs was NOT in the original release. 4. The loud banging with the medical equipment is for dramatic effect. 5. Father Merin and the demon/Pazuzu had a previous encounter where he almost killed the father. Merin doesn't acknowledge the receipt of the note and tells Karras there's no need for analysis. 6. Chris MacNeil/Ellen Burstyn actually broke her coccyx when the demon makes her hard fall. That wince of pain is the real deal. 7. The first priest Karras admits his lack of faith to/Tom, was a real priest. 8. The demon doesn't kill Merrin. From the beginning we know he has a heart problem most likely brought on by the previous encounter. 9. Karras doesn't kill the demon. He does manage to draw it out of her and sacrificed himself for her. 10. Karras is confessing and asking for forgiveness for his loss of faith. 11. RIP Willian Freidkin😇
Practical effects man...70's-80's movies rule..ppl were passing out, throwing up, running out of the theaters when this opened... the machine they put Linda in to flop back and forth in the bed actually broke that little girls back🫣..
Dude, that puppeteering moment where she spins her head around is one of the most terrifying things I've ever seen. The way her legs look, the smile on the face, the sound it made as it twisted. DAMN! lol! Oh man, I hope they realized quickly after that to take it easy on her a bit. Hopefully she had a supportive team there to make sure she was mentally okay throughout the production of the film.
I saw it in 1973 with a bunch of college friends, we were freaked out and had to walk back to the college late at night about 1 1/2 miles, it is still the best movie of that type ever produced, nothing else comes close to it
NICE!! Could you imagine if it was a foggy night with very few people walking in the street. I would've bolted back to my dorm room lol! Thanks for sharing your experience with it Randy :)
They originally shot this with Linda Blair doing the dialogue audibly modified but it wasn't as compelling, so they got veteran actress Mercedes Macambridge to do the demon voice ❤❤❤
this is by far my favorite horror movie! the script, imagery and sound design is simply astonishing. You should also watch the exorcist 3, that one has similar vibes!
It truly is a masterpiece! Groundbreaking for its time, and it set the bar incredibly high for future films. I'm definitely watching Part 3. I'll be reacting to it in October, so coming soon :)
Great reaction, as someone with faith in God and I believe this stuff has actually happened to people, just a very intense film its very well done I highly recommend skipping part 2 go directly to part 3 it's a phenomenal sequel extremely underrated! The theatrical cut not directors though!!!
I can’t believe Linda Blair didn’t win an Oscar. I know she’s only lip syncing for the 2nd half but she did it perfectly and her facial expressions were so on point. If she doesn’t pull it off so so well the whole movie fails.
That's a really great point! The voice itself is amazing, but Linda Blair's movements and haunting facial expressions is what catapults the performance to another level. It blows my mind that this young girl had the capability of thinking about the exact facial expressions that would be engraved in our minds.
This film is up there in my top 5 horror films. As much as I enjoy more "recent" films like The Descent, there is something unique about 70' horrors. The Exorcist and The Medusa Touch are to this day the most dense horrors/psychological thrillers I've ever seen. Unrelenting climbing pressure and great dialogues. Some things shown in those films just wouldn't fly today. It's like there are rules in nowadays films that cannot be broken, the shock value is now mostly in jump scares rather than building disturbing feeling of unease to a crazy finale.
I just found your channel and I'm glad to have discovered another reactor whose reactions make me feel like I'm watching the movie again for the first time! I enjoyed watching you discover this classic. I look forward to watching more of your stuff. I also admit that I initially clicked because I thought you were cute, but you have the content to back it up! 😉😂
Thank you so much! It means so much to me that you're enjoying the reactions, and that's exactly how I want the viewers to feel. I get really passionate and invested in so many of these films, and I love that you guys are on this journey with me. And lol! Thank you for the compliment! ☺❤ I definitely want to deliver great content and have some different ideas for upcoming videos. Thank you so much for watching and commenting! Always feel free to reach out
Oh man watching this at 10 is insane lol! I believe the nightmares part because I watched A Nightmare on Elm Street as a kid and that dude haunted my dreams. I'll have to revisit that film in October. Thank you for the kind words my friend!
To me, the scariest scene in the movie is when the Detective is standing on the street at night, looking up at the bedroom window only to spot the girl looking at him behind the curtain. *She was supposed to be tied to the bed* ... The demon could have killed them all if it wanted to, but it was on a mission; to eliminate the girl who had healing powers, as we later found out in the second movie. She was special, just like that boy in Africa who had been possessed by the same demon in the past. And that is the scariest aspect of all this; the dedication of Evil to its purpose.
That's another film I'll be reacting to soon. It will be interesting to think about Linda Blair in that role after I get to check out what the other actress brings to that character. Thanks for watching and commenting! :)
Hey jesse I did when I watched the film I always enjoy this movie definitely when you see William freidkin speak about the movie he was an incredable director
Thanks you for watching and providing some feedback David! This was such a fantastic film, that is so impactful in many different ways. I'll look up interviews of William Freidkin as it would be interesting to hear his commentary on this film. Thank you! :)
One of my favourite films of all time, but I wish they had included some of the details from the book. The scene with the homeless man is one such example, Father Karras didn't just ignore him like that in the book. Some might say that the dark spirit possessing Regan was Pazuzu, but I feel it's important to keep in mind that this is a fan theory. It's obvious when reading the book (which I recommend) that the author William Blatty had done his research, yet he never actually named Pazuzu as the antagonist. Not in the book nor when he later wrote "Legion". I believe that this was very intentional. As a side-note, "Legion" is the actual sequel to "The Exorcist". The second film, "Exorcist II: The Heretic", wasn't written by Blatty and is often referred to as one of the worst sequels of all time. Some of the scenes in the film would be controversial even today, yet Blatty didn't actually consider this to be horror, instead referring to "The Exorcist" as a religious thriller. As for Ouija, while the patented Ouija board has been marketed as a parlor game, "talking boards" used for divination and communication with paranormal entities were used before that, including during the spiritualist movement in the 19th century. As I am sure that many others have mentioned by now, "The Exorcist" strongly contributed to giving Ouija the reputation it has today. As for the theatrical vs the director's cut, I prefer the former. I feel that there were some unnecessary changes and additions in the director's cut, but the scene I've got the most problems with is when Regan spews blood out of her mouth. If they absolutely had to add such a scene, I feel that they should have done it later in the film. Also, wouldn't you immediately call for an ambulance out of fear of internal bleeding? Instead, the scene cuts to a hypnotherapist.
Loved your reaction. You’ll find it interesting that: 50:16 the dialogue foreshadows Father Karras’s sacrifice and reveals he is the devil’s target 52:39 the Japanese word above the door translates to “help me”
Thank you so much! And OHHH great catch, that's right about the dialogue foreshadowing it. We also got that moment in the train station, and I wonder if somehow that was the demon watching him. That train station scene was even before he met Regan and Chris. Man that gives me a lot to think about. Those little details like that Japanese sign just elevates the film. That's one I never would've known so thank you for sharing that! :)
Hey Jesse! This is one of the best reaction videos I have seen. You picked a fantastic film to do a reaction video on. The Exorcist was ahead of its time and will go down in history as one of if not the greatest horror films ever made. Not sure if you are into Disney films at all, but are you able to do a reaction video for The Hunchback of Notre Dame in the near future?! It’s such an underrated Disney movie. ❤️
Hey Joseph, thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction, and I really appreciation the kind words! There's so many elements about this film that I enjoyed. Of course it hits the horror element incredibly well, but it also nails the dramatic elements. I love the performances here, and they feel like real people with flaws and trauma. I'll definitely be doing some animation/Disney films as well. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is on my list :) I have a few others as well. Thank you so much for watching and commenting! ❤
It's amazing to see the recognition this film got for actually being an incredibly well made film! I feel like I can easily say this isn't just a great horror film, it's a GREAT FILM!
As a matter of fact people were hospitalized , people fainted in the theatre , people threw up , people could not sleep for months after watching the movie because never in their 1970's minds had they ever seen anything in movie theaters like this ever.
I wonder how many people decided to go to church the next day. It's such a magnificent film and hits so well in many different elements. I'll tell you this, even for me this was COMPLETELY HORRIFYING! It's been difficult to get to walk around the house at night, and I've opted to just leave the lights on a few times. Thank you for watching and commenting!
As a kid, watching this movie as often as I did, I was always grossed the f out by the projectile vomit scene & learning years later that it was split pea soup didn't exactly help; as a matter of fact, I never tried it because of that scene. Now, I can honestly say, that I have tried it & it's really not that bad....I'm no longer scarred. I understand her not telling the father; for one, he didn't even tell his own daughter Happy Birthday, & then chances are he wouldn't have believed her & would've had her institutionalized & made out to be a bad mother. Also, I've heard that when it was shown in theaters, medical staff had to be in the cinemas & people were throwing up & even fainting.
His Ma passed away at home. Remember Father Dyer saying at the party that she'd been dead a couple of days before they found her? If she had been dead in a common ward with all those other patients, her death would have been noticed much sooner. Not to mention that Damien (Father Karras) told her, "Mama, I'm going to take you out of here, I'm going to take you home." I imagine the only reason she wasn't discovered even later than a few days was probably because of the smell because she didn't often get company. I'm guessing that because she told Damien that his Uncle John came to see her and when Damien asked when she replied, "Last Month".
You better than me, I can't watch movies like this at night. My grandmother would be turning over in her grave if she found out I seen this! Lol Nice reaction though!
Haha! It really is a different experience to watch this when it's dead quiet in the house, and little to no activity going on outside with no passing cars and stuff like that. Your grandmother might have some "choice words" for you lol! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction! And thank you for commenting ❤
Im sure your list is long, & schedule set, friend, but as a '70's kid I'll tell ya what me & my friends considered the best must-sees of "supernatural" horror from the era. The first was actually 1968's, "Rosemary's Baby". It was directed by controversial director Roman Polanski, who's wife while filming was Sharon Tate, actress soon killed in famous "Manson Family" murders. It was also filmed inside the exclusive Dakota in NYC where John Lennon lived & was later murdered. The there was this, "The Exorcist", then "The Omen", & "The Amityville Horror". Great fun here as usual, brother! Hope all's well, stays well.🙏 See ya. 🤘🌎❤️
Thanks for the continued support my friend! I have Rosemary's Baby on my list. It's one I think I'll be able to react to before the end of the year. I have a set list for horror films for October, and I've included the Exorcist III :) Also, "The Omen" is one I'll add to the list. I've heard really good things about it. And I've watched "The Amityville Horror" years ago, but perhaps I revisit it at some point. Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
@@jessebatres6895conjuring movie part 2 I just realized remember it being called back in this movie part in doing more research on it Ed and Lorraine on chrah on existencm on doing something different types of the day away magic ✨🌠
Great review. One of the theatrical trailers was never shown because of the fast flashing of images that can cause seizures. It’s on RUclips. It’s quite terrifying.
DUDE! I read your comment and immediately went to check it out. My heart started beating fast while watching it! Thanks so much for letting me know about it :)
@@jessebatres6895I forgot to mention father voice of the demon was done by an actress Mercedes McCambridge. She was in her 70s. She prepared that smoking cigarettes and drinking hard liquor for weeks.
It's the greatest horror movie ever. I saw it when I was 10, and it messed me up for years. The Exorcist isn't just a horror movie it's a master class in filmmaking. Check out any of the many documentaries about the film and how they made it. Its amazing what they did. Great reaction. Documentary suggestions The Fear of God 25 years of the Exorcist Leap of faith William Friedkin on The Exorcist
a bit of background..... This movie was based on a novel by William Peter Blatty which was itself based on an actual exorcism of a 14 year old boy from Maryland which took place in St. Louis, Missouri in 1948. It took several weeks, the last few of which took place in the old Alexian Brothers hospital in south St. Louis, which as since been torn down. According to the priests journals, the events were similar to those in the movie but a bit toned down, no spinning heads or floating beds. Also, the part of Father Dyer, the younger priest who gave last rites at the end, was played by Fr. William J. O'Malley, an actual Jesuit priest who was brought onto the film originally as a consultant, but then given a small part. Father O'Malley, until his recent passing, taught at Fordham Prep School in the Bronx, NY.
I love that comparison! It did flow very well and nothing fell out of place. Going forward, that's something I'll pay more attention to and I'm sure I'm gonna be thinking of your comment. Thanks Jason!
Good on you for noticing the little clay things in the window and that was what he found at the bottom of the steps, and it wasnt the idol found in Iraq at the beginning. He knows it was Regan who pushed Burke out the window but he doesnt want to come out and say it because, "There was no one in the room except your daughter so how can this be?", so hes cleverly stating the evidence and the facts to Chris instead. She knows it too but shes gonna play naive about it.
Hey everyone, thank you so much for watching! Please consider subscribing to the channel. I've been running to the bedroom every night after I turn off the lights lol! Where does this film rank in your "Scariest Movies of All Time"? How did you feel after the first time you watched it?
watch the original version of "texas chainsaw massacre". put it this way. it was originally rated X. and not for sex. i just looked it up. it was R. i guess it was some story we kids believed.
Hi, At 35:15 did you notice, or did anyone else in the world notice reagan was holding her hand and arm upward during the hypnosis. wasn't the statue of pazuzu in the beginning of the movie in Iraq holding up its arm as well?
@@BobBenson-qz8lp i do see what you are saying but that is a common thing a psyche will do to the hypnotized. he will put their hand in air someplace and it will remain where he put it.
It's interesting how Zoomers keep waiting for jump scares when they watch this classic, I guess that's what they've become used to. I suppose that's why so many of them don't find this film scary, no enough cats jumping out of closets and such. 😏
@@ChucksCherubs3 I once saw a video of a careful slow motion analysis of the crucifix scene showing in the corner Karl laying on the floor when reagan spun her head backward imitating what she did to Burke dennings. Question remains: Did Karl go upstairs and give the crucifix to reagan to do that mutilation and he was knocked out by the demon?
The priest, Damien Karras and his mom are GREEK. shes speaking Greek to him
Oh man! Thank you so much for correcting me on this. I feel so dumb now! 😣
@@jessebatres6895 no reason to feel dumb, how are u supposed to know. I speak Greek thats why I know
And now you know, and knowings half the battle! YO JOE!
Dami why you hurt me?
@@jessebatres6895 I'm 1/2 Italian....many Italians and Greeks can look very similar, especially Southern Italians. They're all Mediterranean - my dad was Italian, our family was from Calabria, which is like the heel in the Italian "boot". He was on the shorter side, had very curly hair and a darker complexion. People sometimes thought he was Arabic or Greek. No reason to feel bad for making that mistake!
"He's a terribly broken person right now" - this is what this whole movie is about. It's about Karras' struggle with his faith and with his relationship to his mother.
On the money! His stress, guilt, and hopelessness was emanating from the screen and I was feeling it big time. There's so much to this film, beyond the horror. The horror is top of the line, but I love how we also get this powerhouse portrayal of a broken man that keeps us locked in and engaged.
What a great, honest reaction and in-depth analysis. I appreciate that. I love this film so much - way ahead of its time. I was 10 years old when the film came out and while too young to see it I remember the buzz around people fainting in the theater and getting sick. My brother is 8 years older than me and I remember him and a friend talking to my Mom about seeing the film and how people were screaming and one lady ran up the aisle out of the theater shouting everybody better get right with Jesus (lol). Looking forward to more reactions!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction and analysis! Growing up, I always had this strong need to just talk about a film afterwards and dissect it some more. DUDE, I just burst out laughing reading about that lady running up the aisle lol! And, you know damn well she wasn't trying to be funny and was 100% series haha!
I'll be checking out part III in October. Thank you so much for watching and commenting! And for the laugh! 😆😂
Some behind the scenes info:
Father Dyer (Karras's friend, Priest playing the piano at the party) was played by an actual Jesuit Priest, Father William O'Malley. The older Priest Damien Karras goes to see at the bar, where he talks about losing his faith, was also played by a real life Jesuit Priest, Father Tom Bermingham. Both priest's were onset advisors as well. One of the things I've always found goes a long way towards making this film so immersive, and realistic feeling, is that they took the time to get the Catholic aspects right. Father Bermingham also ended up performing a blessing on the set, after a few crew members started getting freaked out with what they thought were odd occurrences (like a fire in part of the set). Father Tom was adamant there was no supernatural stuff happening, and that everything had a mundane explanation, but did the blessing anyway for the crew's peace of mind.
When Father Dyer is giving Father Karras the last rights at the end, the director, William Friedkin couldn't quite get the performance he wanted out of Father O'Malley (playing Father Dyer). So he pulled the priest aside, asked if he trusted him, and then hauled off and smacked him in the face. Father O'Malley was so shook up that his hand's started shaking, and that is the performance that made it into the film.
The opening scenes were filmed in Iraq on an actual archaelogical dig at the ancient city of Hatra. Director William Friedkin got permission from a German Archaelogist leading the dig team to film on site. Iraq and the US had some major tensions at the time though, so Iraq pretty much only agreed to allow them to film in the country so long as no US cast or crew were present. They sent a second unit team over instead. There's also mention of the Iraq government apparently wanting Dick Smith's blood recipe as part of the rights to film.
Linda Blair (Regan) was injured during the first possession scene, where she appears to be flying off the bed. That effect was done by having her wear a protective back brace, whilst a piston under the bed literally pushed her in the air, and flung her up and down. During one take the harness slipped and she ended up badly bruised. Ellen Burstyn was also quite seriously injured during the head rotating scene. When Regan knocks Chris across the room, Ellen Burstyn was on a wire designed to yank her backwards. Allegedly at Friedkin's urging one of the stunt co-ordinators pulled the wire too hard and Ellen Burstyn injured her back when she hit the floor (that is a genuine cry of pain in that scene) and ended up needing to be taken to hospital as soon as the scene was done.
The hospital scan scene was filmed in a real radiology department, with real radiologists and medical assistants. One of the radiology assistants (guy with the blonde hair and beard) ended up being jailed for murder, and was the prime suspect in a series of serial murders in New York.
The director is William Friedkin. The writer was William Peter Blatty.
@@soraya377 OMG, I just noticed that. Thanks, I completely got the names around the wrong way. Not like I don't own the book and movie, LOL. I'll fix it.
@claireeyles7560
No worries. It happens to all of us. I'm happy to help. 😊
@@claireeyles7560 Excellent and informative comment!😊
As a 55-year-old man, I could easily be your father. It’s absolutely amazing that young men like you can love movies that are over 50 years of age. It is very rare to watch the same channel twice when it comes to this masterpiece. I watched a considerable number of channels responding to my favorite movie of all time and some are really good. But yours is really excellent. The way you analyzed all the details and how you got involved in the film which is really a masterpiece in itself touched me deeply. You were emotionaly, physically and spiritualy involved in every aspect of it from start to finish. It’s really great to see that the younger generation can appreciate these pioneering films of the 70s with a real critical sense and objectivity. Keep up the good job gentleman, the growth of your channel is on your way.
Thank you so much for the kind and supportive words! It means a great deal that you took the time to share your feedback and thoughts :) Something I truly love about this film is that it transcends horror. Obviously, horror is the main element around it, but there is so much to take away from this masterpiece such as the significant and powerful dramatic moments, the psychological journeys, heartbreaking conversations and visuals, etc. I love that I can call this "A GREAT FILM" not just a "GREAT HORROR FILM".
Thank you again! And I look forward to bringing you more reactions, and soon some film reviews and other content around film :)
@@jessebatres6895 I just had to reply to your comment. You got this film. I've watched a few others commenting and not one of them had the depth of thought that you possess. You mentioned that no one ever called you the sharpest tool.....well, you seem pretty sharp to me! I was 20 when this movie debuted. I went to see it about a month later with a male friend because by then people were fainting and some were leaving the theaters so of course we had to go. That's why watching your response was close to home for me all these 51 yrs. later. Thanks for the memory and keep up your great work!
Hey Jesse. Finally someone who gets it! Who understands! The best Exorcist reaction ever!
You were able to sit back and get into the movie. The actor who played the old priest Merrin was Max Von Sydow who was in old age makeup. Von Sydow was only 42 yrs old at the time. The medicine he was taking were Nitroglycerin tablets for heart patients. Also, Karras, his mother and uncle were Greek.
Thank you!
P.S. Don't be afraid of the dark! LOL
Great comment.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! As you can see I really get into films, and even though a film may fall under the umbrella of a specific genre, I like when it executes other elements incredibly well. The horror is out of this world, but there's also those dramatic and emotional moments that elevate the film even higher. I loved the performances and there's this constant feeling of being on edge and you kind of start feeling that dread and things unravelling psychologically. It's just an awesome film all the way around! :)
And yeah I feel like an idiot for mistaking them for Italian.
It blows my mind that the "old" priest was portrayed by such a young actor, but he was so convincing and definitely had me thinking he was on his last leg.
LOL! Yeah I'm a night owl and it's been interesting these past few nights haha!
One of the best reactions to this film. You really invested yourself in the craftsmanship of this classic. Loved your recap. You get this movie for the masterpiece it is.
A mother who has no religious beliefs desperately seeking the help of a guilt redden priest who had lost his faith. Only to redeem himself by sacrificing his life for a child who he never knew. Oscar for best screenplay well deserved.
Thank you so much! I love when a film hits so many different elements well. I think most people would only focus on the horror, but the emotional and dramatic moments are masterful here as well. I don't think there's a single bad performance in this film. Everyone was hitting on all cylinders and I love the pacing of it. It definitely deserved and earned that Oscar for best screenplay. :)
Many viewers don't realize that the Catholic Church actually acted as consultants on this film and completely endorsed it despite the many sacrileges portrayed. They supported it because it portrays Good and Evil as really existing.
Ah that's super interesting! I figured they'd stay away from it and not want any involvement. It would be interesting to hear how someone deeply connected to their faith may have reacted to the film and their thoughts on it.
@@jessebatres6895it def has a reputation for scaring Catholics
@@jessebatres6895 I know the Reverend Billy Graham claimed to avoid streets where it was showing in theaters. I would guess that most religious people were put off by it despite the Catholic Church's view.
Fun facts:
1 - The movie ushers were all required to carry smelling salts for the audiences that fainted. Mostly fainting with the spinal tap/scan scene.
2 - They recommended to watch cartoons after viewing and before going to bed,
3 - Merrin exorcised this demon from an african boy 20 yrs earlier, the demons name was Pazuzu.
4 - 2 people died during the filming of the movie.
5 - They had it originally going to be set at X rated until they made the decision to make it a hard R rating for movie sales and profit.
6 - The audiences were terrified in 73/74 and didn't even have to experience the spider walk!
My family are all Catholics…I’m the only one who would watch it. Despite the fact it shows the battle between good and evil my parents want nothing to do with it.
Saw this in 73 with friends from school..we took blodder acid before. What a trip!.. movie totally affected me for life..lmao ..I'm 64 now . Great reaction.
Lol! It must've felt like you were in the movie 😂 I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction :)
The Actor playing the old priest was 43 years old in the movie. Max von Sydow is a very good actor. The only time I've seen a younger man playing a much older man and you can't tell he is a much younger man.
Hey man, I just stumbled on this reaction a bit late, but I like your honest reactions. You got it. You were right on a lot of details and yes, this was shocking when it was released. Nobody had seen anything like this or heard stuff like it. But this movie is scary not in the traditional sense of the genre as we know it today, it's more psychological where your own mind bends back on itself. When you're vulnerable, you are ripe for being influenced and invaded by unclean spirits----Regan's loneliness, her parents divorce; Damien's loss of faith, his own academic rationale mind versus faith based belief and guilt over his mom.
But the story's heroes don't have that happy ending, instead it's a melancholy ending, where the demon managed to kill the Merrin and Karass, and it's heartbreaking. The audience wasn't expecting that they would die, sacrificing themselves to save Regan. And in the end, Karrass redeems himself and gains his faith back but it cost him his life. I get teary eyed at the end. This is a great movie and a lot deeper with character development!
When you said that you were sweating just watching Chris in the dark attic, I got concerned for you. 😄. Glad to see that you survived.
LOL! Man little did I know that was just a small appetizer haha! Yeah I ended up hoping in the shower later on haha!
I somewhat survived, as it's been interesting these last few nights and my imagination running away with me. 😅😂
@@jessebatres6895I just feel my stomach still bothering 🥶❄️
I thought the same thing when he was freaking out over the Pazzuzu statue at the beginning.
Great reaction. I love watching you young people discover this incredible movie. The best thing for me is watching you get freaked out halfway thru because I know how much worse it’s going to get.
Thanks so much Todd! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction! And yeah, it's crazy because even the start of the film when Father Merrin is staring at the large statue and the music starts to build was freaking me out. Little did I know I was in for so much worse 😂 I still get goosebumps randomly at night and start thinking about this movie
As a tuff high school senior football captain in the mid 70's i went to the theater to watch this alone and drove home alone with the doors locked scared shitless! Same year jaws came out, so now i don't swim in ocean lol. Loved your honesty in your reaction! Peace from Northern Michigan.
Haha! I believe it! I bet you were looking at your rearview mirror hoping something wouldn't popup from the backseat lol!
I think this is that one film that can make anyone scared shitless. It has that impact of keeping you scared, especially whenever you're just chilling on your own and suddenly it enters your mind and you feel uneasy and look around. At least that's what has been happening to me lol!
@@jessebatres6895it's looks like time travel
This movie still kicks my ass. Watching your reaction made me feel lots of empathy for you.
If you look on RUclips there's videos showing early news footage of people passing out at theaters where The Exorcist had showings.
I feel like this is one of those films that someone could never get used to. If anything it might scare people more after each time of watching it.
I looked up some of the trailers from back then and man they're haunting! I'll check out some of the news reports and I'm sure there's some kind of documentary available, so I'd like to check that out as well.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
@@jessebatres6895 👍 No problem. Love watching your reactions.
Jesse, I was a freshman in high school when this was released and (after having read the book) me and my friends went to one of the first showings of this. I cannot begin to tell you what seeing this on a big screen in a packed theater was like!! We were sitting way up front in the 4th row!!!! OMG!!! Yes, we were scared SHITLESS!! No one had ever seen anything like this before. And remember, this was before CGI. This was all done the old fashioned way. You should go online to look up audience reaction to this upon its initial release. People were passing out, people were getting sick, people were crying….on top of that, we’re Roman Catholic so we had some background knowledge of this BUT seeing this depicted was beyond anything we could have ever imagined. I could not sleep FOR MONTHS!!! Also, when I read the book, (everyone was reading the book at the time) - I could not keep it on my night table where I could see the cover. I had to put it away in the drawer. The BOOK is terrifying. In addition, if you read up on the making of the film, there were a lot of weird things that happened during the filming - really really creepy stuff. Glad it scared you too!! That’s the mark of the great horror film - that all these years later, (especially certain parts of it) really disturb and unsettle people. Oscar-winning makeup artist Dick Smith did a phenomenal job giving us a nightmare-inducing “face” to remember forever! LOL!!!
While reading your comment - I said "Oh god no!" when I read the part about you being in the 4th row lol!
I've been watching some of the videos the audience reaction, and saw one where some lady just fell backwards and the theater staff rushed towards her. MAN! If I had a time machine, I'd love to go and see so many of these iconic films during their release.
I completely understand your fear about having that book so nearby. It's so strange because to me just the combination of letters in the word "Exorcist" is off-putting. Don't know how to describe it, but there's just something about it.
And yes, it completely horrified and still does each day and night lol! My god, that face is one I can't stare at for too long. Each time I come to answer comments, the damn thumbnail is right there on my screen so it's not too fun haha!
Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
Saw this when it was released back in 73. Was 12.. Nightmares since. One of the greatest movies ever made. 1st of its kind. The Goat. Was nominated for 10 academy awards winning only 2. They were robbed for Actress, supporting actress, supporting actor, effects, director and movie. Was based on the true story of Ronald Hunkeler, who this kinda happened to him back in 1949. He recently passed away keeping his identity a secret so no one knew it was him. He worked for NASSA and with Apollo missions. William Friedken the director won the previous year for best director for The French Connection. So they didn't give him back to back academy's. He took an unknown actor Jason Miller, child actress Linda Blair and not yet well known actress Ellen Burstyn to deliver academy award performances. Unheard of in 1973. Lines were around the block waiting for hours to see it. One of the greats.. Good review..
So awesome! Thanks for sharing this great feedback! I read up on the film after watching it, and was actually not surprised by how many accolades and nominations it had because DAMN was it an extremely well made film. That horror is great and unrivaled, but it hits so well in many other areas also. The performances are top tier, and I really ended up caring about all the characters. It felt like watching real people going through this. It almost felt too real at times if that makes sense.
Yeah, the Academy will do that right. Give someone an award and the following year they may be even more deserving but they refrain from giving back to back awards to the same person.
I'm going to find some footage of back in the day and how the crowds were reacting. I'm sure there's a documentary available, which I'd like to check out as well.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@jessebatres6895 The Oscars gave most of the awards that year to a lesser movie called "The Sting". It' was a comedy/western type of movie but a "safe" choice. Nobody remembers "The Sting" but everyone knows of the "The Exorcist". I saw both of them and "The Sting" was a well-made generic movie over a brilliant but controversial movie. Also, the actor who played the old priest "Father Merrin" was only 46 years old when he made this movie. Still, "The Exorcist" managed to get 10 Oscar nominations
@jessebatres6895 there's videos from 1973 on RUclips from people who actually fainted and were so disturbed they left the theater and vomited. It was a different time. It was also the first movie to charge $4.00 to see. We used to pay 2.50 to watch double and triple features. LOL.. There's also a Blaxploitation movie they say copied it called Abby. It was OK. Low budget but Warner Brothers had it shelved because of the similarities. It's available now. Check it out if you get a chance. The Conjuring and Hereditary are pretty good movies based on this nature to.
@@jessebatres6895I just hoping for this year contact info conjuring story suffers from hollywood mail to be honest with you I just love it so much
Should have been there in 1973,this was terrifying! Great reaction.
Ellen Burstyn who played the mother is still alive she is 91. She and Linda Blair who played Regan were both injured during filming. Burstyn was nominated for best actress, Blair was nominated for best supporting actress, and Jason Miller ( Karras ) was nominated for best supporting actor, none of them won.
This film had so many amazing performances! Even the smaller roles like the older priest and Father Karras' mother. Man it's criminal that not one of them walked away with the award.
@@jessebatres6895do you know what I just love it so much it's looks good and great deal Linda Blair she was going 👍👍 so much very good since she Hollywood studios WB studio's haunted house movie James wan knows all about it before and after Tim burton his own business with oasr awesome picture awards TCM hollywood movies on the best friend
Stumbled across ur reaction.
Seen the film as a child in theaters’73. (Yeah I’m old)
It’s a BRILLIANT film. Nothing hit the world prior, the possession, vulgarity, it set the standard..
Just wanted to say the best reaction we’ve seen to this classic. Thx for letting my family relive this classic with you.
52yrs and over 100 times seeing it. It’s more a brilliant film about individual characters dealing with their own “Demons” coming together at the end. Brilliant character development film (a slow burn).
Ok… thx again, glad u enjoyed THE one that started it all. Hope you got some sleep? 👍
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with it! I agree with you that it definitely set the standard, and actually I'm not sure if other films have quite gotten to that level. I have a lot more horror films to watch, but as far as disturbing and shocking, I feel like it's going to be in a league of its own.
I'm glad you've called it a "Brilliant Film" and not "Brilliant Horror film" because it truly is an incredible achievement of cinema. I really enjoyed the dramatic and emotional elements, and for me the pacing worked incredibly well.
Fortunately, I've gotten sleep but it's been bad when I have to turn out the lights at night. RUNNING TO THE ROOM! lol!
😂👍
Excellent reaction /observation Jesse. I`ll never forget when this film was released in the UK in 1974. The
effect it created is impossible to describe. The word "phenomenon" doesn`t even come close.
Thank you so much Jim! It had my heart pounding and stopping so many times lol! I've had a chance to watch some of the audience interviews from when it was released, and man those people like completely terrified and many even seemed traumatized. What a film it is!!
This is based on a novel. In the book we find out the mom had a son who she loved very much before she had Reagan. Suddenly, he gets very sick and the doctors can't figure out what's wrong. Out of desperation they give him an experimental medication, he has an allergic reaction and dies.
Chris developed a distrust of doctors after that.
I think this film is a true masterpiece and I wouldn't change a thing. However, if you watch the movie knowing that it adds a extra layer to the mother's reaction and frustration with the doctors. It also makes the moment when she asks the priest: "...is she gonna die?" even more guy wretching.
WOW! That makes me look at her character very differently, from the medial angle and how she was responding to the doctors. I'm so glad you shared that with me!
And yes! Now with this context that line hits so differently! Thank you for watching and commenting!
One of the best reactions, Awesome!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it, I've got many more horror films coming your way :)
This is the best rxn I've seen to this movie, very genuine start to finish
Great reaction.....bro I was 11 yrs old when saw......accidentally watched (screwed me up) for a few weeks, and was afraid to tell my parents, cause they would be pissed😂😂😂😂😂
Father Merrin was played by Max von Sydow who only was in his early 40s at the time of filming. As years went by and he got older he started to look more and more like Merrin in real life. Amazing make-up job!
This is one of the best reactions to The Exorcist I've ever seen. Your attention to detail is spot on! Kudos!
Not only scary as hell but also a great family drama. Definitely scared hell outta me when i first saw it around 20 years ago
I agree! It's not just a great horror film with amazing scares, but just a fantastic film that makes you care about the characters so when we see them going through all that pain it makes us feel terrible for them. Loved it!
Bro, I love your reactions! I'll be looking at your playlists & see if you've reacted to various of my favorite movies. I'm just commenting as I'm going along I'm about 1/3 of the way through - just wanted to point out that Karras' mother didn't die in the psych ward, he brought her back home right away after the scene & then hadn't seen her for a short time when she passed away. He felt guilty because he was too busy to visit her & she died before he had a chance to see her again.
Isn't it amazing how a film that's 51 years old can still shock and scare in this day and age? Ellen Burystn and Lynda Blair both gave Oscar-worthy performances. And hiring Mercedes McCambridge as the voice of the Puzuzu (the demon) was the golden touch. In the novel, when Lt. Kinderman arrives back at the McNeill house, he had an arrest warrant for Regan but after witnessing what occurred, he quickly deduced what took place and actually helped cover up the incident to protect Regan. Sadly, the other films in the franchise are nowhere near as good as this one, with the exception of the 3rd film, which serves as a better direct sequel to this one (and one which I hope you do a reaction video to).
That's something that is shocking to me - The level of horror this film reached is insane for any era. It's almost hard to comprehend how the creative minds and film makers thought about all of this 5 decades ago. I just saw that it was the first horror film that was nominated for Best Picture, and that's not surprising with how fantastic it was. I agree, there are quite a few Oscar level performance in this film.
A lot of horror today falls short more often than not.
I'll definitely be watching part III, and I'm thinking about watching it in October. :)
@@jessebatres6895
Just imagine how it must have freaked audiences out in 1973 ...
I do recommend that you watch all of the films in the series, however, I'm really looking forward to your reaction to the 3rd one. There are some tidbits about it I won't go into now (to avoid spoilers) but I'll be sure to post a comment. :)
I saw this movie on the big screen when it came out in 73. I didn't notice anyone leaving the theater but I've read that many people reacted that way. As for me, I watched until the end of the movie but it lingered in my thoughts for a week or so especially as I tried to sleep. I've enjoyed seeing how a new generation reacts to it. Your reaction is the most honest and genuine that I have seen.
Happy I got a chance to see this in theaters when it was re-released in the early 2000's. The atmosphere of the film from the visuals to the sound design are very unsettling
I 100% agree. This film maintains this atmosphere of horror, even in the scenes that are more low key and quiet. It just hits so well throughout and you can't help but feel this evil presence around every corner or somewhere in that room, or on that street, or in that train stations. So amazing!
@@ChrisMillerCrazyHouse I watched this (the director’s cut) with my mom when it was re-released in theaters. I loved the experience.
😂😂😂 your face watching this was priceless 😂😂😂
Yeah it's always funny when I edit this and just watch my dumbass frame by frame lol! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Brilliant reaction Jesse. You understood the situations & picked up the great lighting,atmosphere & acting. Good Job👍🏻
Thank you so much James! I love seeing an entire shot and evaluating things and even pocketing a few things that I feel might come back to see how they connect to future moments. This was a brilliant film that deserves all of the recognition it got from a film making stand point. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Great reaction! You're very good at absorbing the details as you watch. This a very powerful film because it concentrates so much on character and realism, rather than shocks and jump scares. There is a "looseness" to the dialogue, and a lack of music cues which gives the film almost a documentary-style quality, which adds to the oddness of it. I saw it at the cinema in the '70s (although I was too young to legally be there) and a lot of people were freaking out before twenty minutes had even elapsed. This isn't because anything really scary happens in the early part of the movie, but because the producers had hyped up the movie so intensely that people were nervous wrecks before they even entered the cinema.
Time Tavares time travel go back in time in fact feel like in line since side effects from movie made be
Thank you so much! I'm fascinated with the different factors that go into the making of a film, so I love looking at an entire shot to try and capture everything.
I love your comparison of it being like a documentary. It does have that kind of feel, especially during the hospital scenes.
Damn, so people we're already on edge and freaking out. You know, I feel like I could show the film to someone who has never heard of it, and I have a feeling they'd be scared out of their mind as well lol! It's just such an impactful film with haunting visuals and dramatic elements that make you care and feel terrible for the characters.
@@jessebatres6895 There are several "making of" documentaries of the Exorcist which came from DVD extras but some of them can still be seen on RUclips.
The most well-regarded one is probably Mark Kermode's "Fear of God" documentary but there are other really good ones too.
ruclips.net/video/mZQw4k-3Uno/видео.html
Your empathy is really refreshing to see
Thank you Sarah! There's so many heartbreaking moments throughout the film, and I think it works perfectly because it breaks down the characters mentally which makes them incredibly vulnerable to the demon.
Great reaction! I saw this film at its premiere in Buenos Aires in the winter of 1974, when I was barely 17 years old. It was terrible. It's one of my favorite movies. After watching it, I was never scared by another horror movie again. Masterful performances, spectacular sound, incredible effects and a unique, disturbing and terrifying atmosphere. Greetings from Argentina! 🇦🇷🤗
Max Von Sydow (Old Father Merrick) was only 43 yrs old. He did a great job playing a frail old man. He was Emperor Ming in Flash Gordon, and plays the Head Doctor in Shutter Island where he was actually an old man by then lol. RIP
Father Karras dreaming about his mom is definitely the most haunting scene in this movie for me. Thank you for pointing out the effectiveness of that scene; a lot of reactors seem to overlook it.
This movie was scary af. I used to have nightmares every time I watched it. Great reaction and loved you talking about it after. Believe it or not the book is A LOT more terrifying. It'll keep you awake for days. Great reaction buddy definitely subscribing
Dude, this film has been impacting more and more as the days and nights go by! It's got that unique quality of being just as frightening if not more after you're done watching it. I may have to check and see if the audiobook for this available.
Thank you so much for the kind words, and thank you for subscribing! :) ❤
Is one of the best reaction of this terror-horror-film
Thank you so much! This films was terrifying, and I can't remember the last time a film was making me sweat like this lol!
@@jessebatres6895contact information on conjuring movie same thing as conjuring sent from 2013 1973 1971 and make it happen again this year contact info for Linda Blair she was
Great video, buddy!
You can find old videos of television reporters going to theaters to record these reactions, you see people unable to talk to the reporter because they're top upset over the movie, people crying and they even managed to capture someone fainting in the lobby.
I looked them up and I can really say how unsettled many of them were. At times they get stuck in what they're saying as if they're seeing those visuals in their head again. It's haunting for sure!
One of the greatest movies ever. The ending was crazy
Yes, the head turn was a dummy where the arm could move as well as the eyes with remote control and when they used it in the exorcism scene they even rigged it to exhale so her breath would be seen in the cold. The sound of the neck turning was simply the bending of an old crusty leather wallet. An adult actress named Eileen Deitz was used for brief cuts when it would not be appropriate to use 12 year old Linda, like when the Crucifix was going between the legs. Renowned actress Mercedes McCambridge was the demon voice. One of the reasons is because she could sometimes sound more masculine and other times feminine. This movie is simply one of the best movies ever made, it was firing on all cylinders with the acting, direction, special effects, cinematography as well as the revolutionary sound design.
Great reactions to the film. i highly recommend The Exorcist 3 .it's more of a sequel to the original ,and has a returning actor and characters from the original.
I won't say who it would spoil it.
But do seriously consider watching it.
AVOID The Exorcist 2 , it is Awful . and was a huge flop ,not worth your time.
Great channel i really enjoy your reactions and perspective on the movies i grew up watching.
Gonna agree with The Exorcist 3, underrated movie. One of the 90's best horrors, in my opinion
Thank you so much! There are so many things this film did incredibly well, and I love the pacing and build up.
I'll definitely be watch The Exorcist III. So far a lot of people are recommending it so I'm excited for it. I've also heard that Part 2 was a complete let down, so it's one I think I'll skip.
I really appreciate the support! It means more than you know, and I've got many more reactions coming your way :)
Yer the exorcist 3 is brilliantly underrated it’s so scary
@@jessebatres6895i couldn't watch the crucifix stabbing bit
You're a good guy man. I can tell. I enjoyed your reaction. :-)
Thank you so much Barry! I appreciate the kind words :) I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction!
Thanx for watching my film
I was there, people were passing out... Women were screaming 😱.... Me I laughed the whole time. I was very interested to see the special effects! I guess you get a whole different perspective as an atheist. New subscriber here.
The fact that this is all practical effects/pre CGI, still blows my mind.
I'm a huge fan of practical, and this was top tier practical work. It just hits so differently in a way CGI just never will.
@@jessebatres6895 💯💯
Another epic reaction, Jesse. Thanks for brightening up my week. If you enjoyed this experience and want some closure, I cannot recommend The Exorcist III highly enough.
Thank you so much! Glad to have your support my friend! I'll definitely be checking out The Exorcist III. I'm still finalizing my October list of films so I might include it in that batch. :)
@@jessebatres6895 Excellent. I will be looking forward to that one. Just remember... skip the Exorcist 2... and move right on to number 3. The third film is written by Blatty, the author of the first book and screenplay of the film you just watched. He wrote and directed 3 as a direct sequel to this film.
Hey Jesse - hands down, one of the best reactions to this movie I've seen. I saw this movie when I was 12 and spent the next couple of years with shampoo burning my eyes every time, I took a shower. I was too afraid to close them because Reagan might be standing outside my shower. This, in my opinion is the greatest horror/ suspense movie ever. Great job reacting- look forward to your next movie. By the way, Exorcist 3 is a really good sequel, would love to see your reaction to it.
Thank you so much Shane! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction. I read your comment earlier while I was at the gym and the shampoo part made me burst out laughing lol! Dude, I can't believe how many people have said they watched it at such a young age. I could NEVER lol!
I'll be honest with you, there's a few times even at this age that I'll throw on the shampoo and wash that shit off so fast because I think something is going to attack me in that moment haha!
I'll definitely be checking out part III. I think it would be a great one to watch in October. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
@@jessebatres6895 Jesse, I also endorse Exorcist 3 (skip 2 though). Exorcist 3 is by the same author Blatty, he wrote the novel Legion the screenplay is based on and he also directed it. Watch the theatrical version of 3 though, NOT the director's cut. Theatrical is better.
I really like your empathy towards the characters
I was surprised by how many emotional moments there were in the film. It's pretty heartbreaking in quite a few sequences. I watched part 3 in October and it's so sad that Father Karras' soul has been tortured for so long.
The directors cut, yes!!
"The Exorcist" was the first installment of author William Peter Blatty's Faith Trilogy which he wrote to convince people of the existence of God and to discuss the presence of good versus evil in the world.
The second installment "The Ninth Configuration" from 1980 is psychological not horror but has a story arc of the astronaut from the party that Regan had told "You're going to die up there." In the book Fr. Dyer had done a number on him as well asking "What is space", "I don't know", "You should".
The third installment from 1990, "Legion" / "Exorcist III", is a direct sequel to the first film. React to the theatrical release on this one as it was a major reshoot then view the director's original version of the film on your own. All three films plus the unabridged audiobook of "The Exorcist" are available for free on RUclips.
Very good reaction. I enjoyed your analysis. Keep up the good work!
Jesse, thank you for your thorough observation and comments in your reaction to The Exorcist. I saw this film when it premiered in theatres in 1973. And, I did stand in lines that were blocks long. This film was covered by both local & national news because it was a blockbuster film, at the time. Some in the audiences walked out, passed out, and ambulances were called during the movie. It was an experience, as a young teenager, I had never seen in theatres before. Your reaction was spot on and one of the BEST reactions to The Exorcist thay I have viewed on RUclips. Thank you for letting me watch it with you! 👍
Thank you Nicholas! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction :) Also, thank you so much for sharing your first hand experience with the film and what it was like during its initial release. This scared the hell out of me and I've been leaving a few lights on in the house at night lol! What's crazy is that today we've seen a lot of horrific things with film makers having more at their disposal, so I think we're a little more desensitized today. HOWEVER, even with all of that available to me and my generation today, this film still rocked me to my core unlike any other film ever has! I 100% understand how this was causing people to pass out, get sick, or need medical attention. You don't even have to say it, but I'm sure this film had some of those effects on you like (peering over you shoulder at night, washing the shampoo out of your hair in lightning speed so you're eyes aren't closed for too long, or running to your bed after turning out the lights) at least that's what I've been going through the last few days lol! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
@@jessebatres6895 Thanks for your reply, Jesse. If you want to know more about the reactions of audiences at the theatres and the media coverage of The Exorcist, it's available on RUclips. I agree with you. Horror fans have been desensitized by the flood of "horror" movies since The Exorcist first premiered in theatres. Now, I can give today's horror movies THE SAME TITLE, "100 New Ways To Kill A Person." They're so predictable today. Modern day horror movies main objective is to put in as many "jump scares" as possible, much to the sacrifice of good acting and good writing. That's why The Exorcist is still popular today. Great writing, actors, and psychologically scaring the shit out of you. Also, consider that in the 70s, there were more religious people watching movies. Today's modern day horror movie goers are LESS RELIGIOUS and they can't appreciate The Exorcist as much as we ALL did in the 70s. Thanks again for your reply, Jesse!
@@NicholasRamossame thing as contact info conjuring stuff
@@NicholasRamosEd and Lorraine on chrah on existencm Street area before
Fr Dyer was played by an actual Jesuit priest named O’Malley. And the priest “Tom” that Karras tells at the bar that he lost his faith and needs a new assignment and later advises the bishop on uaing Merrin for the Exorcism was also a Jesuit priest and professor named Father Thomas Bermingham. He taught William Peter Blatty (the novelist and screenwriter) and had suggested that Blatty use the news story of the exorcism of Roland Doe of Maryland for an oratorical project at Georgetown. Blatty’s interest turned into the novel and film.
Fathers Bermingham and O’Malley and a third Jesuit were advisors on the film.
Merrin was played by Max Vin Sydow, who was only 43 during filming. The old age makeup is incredibly well done and he actually looked a little like that in his later years.
Both Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn suffered bad back injuries while filming. Burstyn broke her tailbone in the scene just after the crucifix scene when she is slapped onto the floor - the take in the movie with her scream is quite real as that was the take she was injured on. You may recognize Burstyn as the actress who played old / dying Murph in Interstellar. She is a decorated actress having won all 3 main awards: Oscar, Emmy, Tony.
With your thoughtful style, I think another movie that would grab you and take you on a whole trip in a similar way is *Apocalypse Now* (1979), if you haven't already seen it. I actually don't recommend it for most reactors, because it's meant to be seen immersively, especially the first time. I wouldn't deprive anyone of that first viewing experience, because it has depth that will stay with you forever. But for you, I don't think it would be impacted by your naturally thoughtful, sharing style. It is also eminently rewatchable, though, the art in it is virtually boundless. Most critics have it in their top ten lists if not on top.
I have advised other reactors to video their first rewatch, as soon after the first watch as possible (though none have taken me up on it). Because that allows them to be shook or gobsmacked or whatever by the richness of time and place, and the intricate subtitles and nuance, for their first time around. But I think you'll trip anyway. And it pretty well counts as a horror thriller like this one, as much as a Vietnam War movie, or a mystery adventure, or a psychological suspense, or an indie art film. It hits deep, makes you think on it forever.
Your reaction is cool!
Glad u discovered one of a best horror movie ever!
Thank you so much! I appreciate you taking the time to watch it and commenting! This film was amazing! Of course it was terrifying, but overall just a really great film that went all out and didn't hold back.
Hi Jesse. The actor that played Merlin the Exorcist, was only in his forties when he played the role but the age make up was so good thst he had trouble getting work because Hollywood thought he was in his 70s or 80s.
WHAT?!! Damn, props to the makeup team for making him look so old and fragile. On top of that, the actor did an amazing job to portray a sickly character close to his final moments. And that sucks about him having a hard time getting work. Hell, I think if they knew his real age the jobs would be piling up because he was super convincing in the role. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Father Karras' mother was speaking Greek. They're not Italian. Great reaction, btw.
Bro the fact that a doctor suggested an exorcism tells you how real it got😱
1. I was 13 when I saw this in the theater with friends. What rating system they had at the time wasn't really followed that closely. By word of mouth, I was aware of the head spinning, vomiting and language but what freaked me the most were the demon flashes.😱😱
2. When the doctor is looking at Regan's skull x-ray and says, "Nothing in there" I always🤣
3. The spider-walk down the stairs was NOT in the original release.
4. The loud banging with the medical equipment is for dramatic effect.
5. Father Merin and the demon/Pazuzu had a previous encounter where he almost killed the father. Merin doesn't acknowledge the receipt of the note and tells Karras there's no need for analysis.
6. Chris MacNeil/Ellen Burstyn actually broke her coccyx when the demon makes her hard fall. That wince of pain is the real deal.
7. The first priest Karras admits his lack of faith to/Tom, was a real priest.
8. The demon doesn't kill Merrin. From the beginning we know he has a heart problem most likely brought on by the previous encounter.
9. Karras doesn't kill the demon. He does manage to draw it out of her and sacrificed himself for her.
10. Karras is confessing and asking for forgiveness for his loss of faith.
11. RIP Willian Freidkin😇
Practical effects man...70's-80's movies rule..ppl were passing out, throwing up, running out of the theaters when this opened... the machine they put Linda in to flop back and forth in the bed actually broke that little girls back🫣..
Dude, that puppeteering moment where she spins her head around is one of the most terrifying things I've ever seen. The way her legs look, the smile on the face, the sound it made as it twisted. DAMN! lol!
Oh man, I hope they realized quickly after that to take it easy on her a bit. Hopefully she had a supportive team there to make sure she was mentally okay throughout the production of the film.
I saw it in 1973 with a bunch of college friends, we were freaked out and had to walk back to the college late at night about 1 1/2 miles, it is still the best movie of that type ever produced, nothing else comes close to it
NICE!! Could you imagine if it was a foggy night with very few people walking in the street. I would've bolted back to my dorm room lol! Thanks for sharing your experience with it Randy :)
@@jessebatres6895 from what i remember, it was fairly foggy and misty out!
You're right about the 70s. This movie scared the crap out of us.
I even read the book. Don't ask me why..
They originally shot this with Linda Blair doing the dialogue audibly modified but it wasn't as compelling, so they got veteran actress Mercedes Macambridge to do the demon voice ❤❤❤
this is by far my favorite horror movie! the script, imagery and sound design is simply astonishing. You should also watch the exorcist 3, that one has similar vibes!
It truly is a masterpiece! Groundbreaking for its time, and it set the bar incredibly high for future films. I'm definitely watching Part 3. I'll be reacting to it in October, so coming soon :)
Excelente video!!! Me encanta esta película. Saludos desde Uruguay 🇺🇾
Muchas gracias! Esta pelicula no se me quita de la mente. Me encanto pero me tiene bien asustado 😂
Great reaction, as someone with faith in God and I believe this stuff has actually happened to people, just a very intense film its very well done
I highly recommend skipping part 2 go directly to part 3 it's a phenomenal sequel extremely underrated! The theatrical cut not directors though!!!
good job dude... very well done
I can’t believe Linda Blair didn’t win an Oscar. I know she’s only lip syncing for the 2nd half but she did it perfectly and her facial expressions were so on point. If she doesn’t pull it off so so well the whole movie fails.
That's a really great point! The voice itself is amazing, but Linda Blair's movements and haunting facial expressions is what catapults the performance to another level. It blows my mind that this young girl had the capability of thinking about the exact facial expressions that would be engraved in our minds.
excellent reaction to this classic Jesse!
Ed and Lorraine on chrah on existencm Street area I think about it before concert with children child 🚸 5 kids are in contact info conjuring
Thank you so much! Loved the film! :)
This film is up there in my top 5 horror films. As much as I enjoy more "recent" films like The Descent, there is something unique about 70' horrors.
The Exorcist and The Medusa Touch are to this day the most dense horrors/psychological thrillers I've ever seen. Unrelenting climbing pressure and great dialogues. Some things shown in those films just wouldn't fly today. It's like there are rules in nowadays films that cannot be broken, the shock value is now mostly in jump scares rather than building disturbing feeling of unease to a crazy finale.
i was 14 when this movie came out and it's still one of my favorites.
I just found your channel and I'm glad to have discovered another reactor whose reactions make me feel like I'm watching the movie again for the first time! I enjoyed watching you discover this classic. I look forward to watching more of your stuff. I also admit that I initially clicked because I thought you were cute, but you have the content to back it up! 😉😂
Thank you so much! It means so much to me that you're enjoying the reactions, and that's exactly how I want the viewers to feel. I get really passionate and invested in so many of these films, and I love that you guys are on this journey with me.
And lol! Thank you for the compliment! ☺❤ I definitely want to deliver great content and have some different ideas for upcoming videos. Thank you so much for watching and commenting! Always feel free to reach out
Saw this when I was 10 and had nightmares up into my 30s. As usual, Great reaction sir.
Oh man watching this at 10 is insane lol! I believe the nightmares part because I watched A Nightmare on Elm Street as a kid and that dude haunted my dreams. I'll have to revisit that film in October.
Thank you for the kind words my friend!
To me, the scariest scene in the movie is when the Detective is standing on the street at night, looking up at the bedroom window only to spot the girl looking at him behind the curtain. *She was supposed to be tied to the bed* ...
The demon could have killed them all if it wanted to, but it was on a mission; to eliminate the girl who had healing powers, as we later found out in the second movie. She was special, just like that boy in Africa who had been possessed by the same demon in the past.
And that is the scariest aspect of all this; the dedication of Evil to its purpose.
Linda Blair who played Regan in "The Exorcist" auditioned for the role of Carrie White in the 1976 horror movie "Carrie".
I remember her she was scared 😰😳😢😮 saved me in Spanish language arts center spot on her help me find out what happened to Derek Llewellyn feel like
That's another film I'll be reacting to soon. It will be interesting to think about Linda Blair in that role after I get to check out what the other actress brings to that character. Thanks for watching and commenting! :)
They should have cast Linda! Jesse what did you find scarier Exorcist or Pet Sematary? For me it was Pet Sematary. By far.
Hey jesse I did when I watched the film I always enjoy this movie definitely when you see William freidkin speak about the movie he was an incredable director
Thanks you for watching and providing some feedback David! This was such a fantastic film, that is so impactful in many different ways. I'll look up interviews of William Freidkin as it would be interesting to hear his commentary on this film. Thank you! :)
One of my favourite films of all time, but I wish they had included some of the details from the book. The scene with the homeless man is one such example, Father Karras didn't just ignore him like that in the book. Some might say that the dark spirit possessing Regan was Pazuzu, but I feel it's important to keep in mind that this is a fan theory. It's obvious when reading the book (which I recommend) that the author William Blatty had done his research, yet he never actually named Pazuzu as the antagonist. Not in the book nor when he later wrote "Legion". I believe that this was very intentional. As a side-note, "Legion" is the actual sequel to "The Exorcist". The second film, "Exorcist II: The Heretic", wasn't written by Blatty and is often referred to as one of the worst sequels of all time.
Some of the scenes in the film would be controversial even today, yet Blatty didn't actually consider this to be horror, instead referring to "The Exorcist" as a religious thriller. As for Ouija, while the patented Ouija board has been marketed as a parlor game, "talking boards" used for divination and communication with paranormal entities were used before that, including during the spiritualist movement in the 19th century. As I am sure that many others have mentioned by now, "The Exorcist" strongly contributed to giving Ouija the reputation it has today.
As for the theatrical vs the director's cut, I prefer the former. I feel that there were some unnecessary changes and additions in the director's cut, but the scene I've got the most problems with is when Regan spews blood out of her mouth. If they absolutely had to add such a scene, I feel that they should have done it later in the film. Also, wouldn't you immediately call for an ambulance out of fear of internal bleeding? Instead, the scene cuts to a hypnotherapist.
Loved your reaction. You’ll find it interesting that:
50:16 the dialogue foreshadows Father Karras’s sacrifice and reveals he is the devil’s target
52:39 the Japanese word above the door translates to “help me”
Thank you so much! And OHHH great catch, that's right about the dialogue foreshadowing it. We also got that moment in the train station, and I wonder if somehow that was the demon watching him. That train station scene was even before he met Regan and Chris. Man that gives me a lot to think about.
Those little details like that Japanese sign just elevates the film. That's one I never would've known so thank you for sharing that! :)
Hey Jesse! This is one of the best reaction videos I have seen. You picked a fantastic film to do a reaction video on. The Exorcist was ahead of its time and will go down in history as one of if not the greatest horror films ever made. Not sure if you are into Disney films at all, but are you able to do a reaction video for The Hunchback of Notre Dame in the near future?! It’s such an underrated Disney movie. ❤️
Hey Joseph, thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction, and I really appreciation the kind words! There's so many elements about this film that I enjoyed. Of course it hits the horror element incredibly well, but it also nails the dramatic elements. I love the performances here, and they feel like real people with flaws and trauma.
I'll definitely be doing some animation/Disney films as well. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is on my list :) I have a few others as well. Thank you so much for watching and commenting! ❤
@@jessebatres6895Ed and Lorraine on chrah on existencm Dr toney Dr appointment for help with her attention look at her
The cinematography and sound got to me too ... totally worthy of the Oscar wins.
It won Sound & Screenplay. It was nominated for Cinematography but Cries and Whispers won.
@@joshuah9109 I was generalizing, but know that I can't get anything past you people🙂
It's amazing to see the recognition this film got for actually being an incredibly well made film! I feel like I can easily say this isn't just a great horror film, it's a GREAT FILM!
@@jessebatres6895 ITA ... calling suich brilliant film making a "horror" film seems like a disservice to me, because it is so much more than that.
Watching this movie in a dim light or in the dark is sth else
There is a great SNL skit with Richard Prior of the exorcism. This was a big move when it came out. Clips of the skit are on RUclips.
Great reaction! Subscribed 🍿
Thank you so much Jose! I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction :)
As a matter of fact people were hospitalized , people fainted in the theatre , people threw up , people could not sleep for months after watching the movie because never in their 1970's minds had they ever seen anything in movie theaters like this ever.
I wonder how many people decided to go to church the next day. It's such a magnificent film and hits so well in many different elements. I'll tell you this, even for me this was COMPLETELY HORRIFYING! It's been difficult to get to walk around the house at night, and I've opted to just leave the lights on a few times. Thank you for watching and commenting!
As a kid, watching this movie as often as I did, I was always grossed the f out by the projectile vomit scene & learning years later that it was split pea soup didn't exactly help; as a matter of fact, I never tried it because of that scene. Now, I can honestly say, that I have tried it & it's really not that bad....I'm no longer scarred.
I understand her not telling the father; for one, he didn't even tell his own daughter Happy Birthday, & then chances are he wouldn't have believed her & would've had her institutionalized & made out to be a bad mother.
Also, I've heard that when it was shown in theaters, medical staff had to be in the cinemas & people were throwing up & even fainting.
His Ma passed away at home. Remember Father Dyer saying at the party that she'd been dead a couple of days before they found her? If she had been dead in a common ward with all those other patients, her death would have been noticed much sooner. Not to mention that Damien (Father Karras) told her, "Mama, I'm going to take you out of here, I'm going to take you home." I imagine the only reason she wasn't discovered even later than a few days was probably because of the smell because she didn't often get company. I'm guessing that because she told Damien that his Uncle John came to see her and when Damien asked when she replied, "Last Month".
You better than me, I can't watch movies like this at night. My grandmother would be turning over in her grave if she found out I seen this! Lol Nice reaction though!
Haha! It really is a different experience to watch this when it's dead quiet in the house, and little to no activity going on outside with no passing cars and stuff like that.
Your grandmother might have some "choice words" for you lol!
I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction! And thank you for commenting ❤
Im sure your list is long, & schedule set, friend, but as a '70's kid I'll tell ya what me & my friends considered the best must-sees of "supernatural" horror from the era. The first was actually 1968's, "Rosemary's Baby". It was directed by controversial director Roman Polanski, who's wife while filming was Sharon Tate, actress soon killed in famous "Manson Family" murders. It was also filmed inside the exclusive Dakota in NYC where John Lennon lived & was later murdered. The there was this, "The Exorcist", then "The Omen", & "The Amityville Horror".
Great fun here as usual, brother!
Hope all's well, stays well.🙏
See ya.
🤘🌎❤️
Thanks for the continued support my friend! I have Rosemary's Baby on my list. It's one I think I'll be able to react to before the end of the year. I have a set list for horror films for October, and I've included the Exorcist III :)
Also, "The Omen" is one I'll add to the list. I've heard really good things about it. And I've watched "The Amityville Horror" years ago, but perhaps I revisit it at some point.
Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
@@jessebatres6895conjuring movie part 2 I just realized remember it being called back in this movie part in doing more research on it Ed and Lorraine on chrah on existencm on doing something different types of the day away magic ✨🌠
Great review. One of the theatrical trailers was never shown because of the fast flashing of images that can cause seizures. It’s on RUclips. It’s quite terrifying.
DUDE! I read your comment and immediately went to check it out. My heart started beating fast while watching it! Thanks so much for letting me know about it :)
@@jessebatres6895I forgot to mention father voice of the demon was done by an actress Mercedes McCambridge. She was in her 70s. She prepared that smoking cigarettes and drinking hard liquor for weeks.
Not only is this the best horror movie ever made it is also one of the best films ever made.
It's the greatest horror movie ever. I saw it when I was 10, and it messed me up for years. The Exorcist isn't just a horror movie it's a master class in filmmaking. Check out any of the many documentaries about the film and how they made it. Its amazing what they did. Great reaction.
Documentary suggestions
The Fear of God 25 years of the Exorcist
Leap of faith William Friedkin on The Exorcist
a bit of background..... This movie was based on a novel by William Peter Blatty which was itself based on an actual exorcism of a 14 year old boy from Maryland which took place in St. Louis, Missouri in 1948. It took several weeks, the last few of which took place in the old Alexian Brothers hospital in south St. Louis, which as since been torn down. According to the priests journals, the events were similar to those in the movie but a bit toned down, no spinning heads or floating beds.
Also, the part of Father Dyer, the younger priest who gave last rites at the end, was played by Fr. William J. O'Malley, an actual Jesuit priest who was brought onto the film originally as a consultant, but then given a small part.
Father O'Malley, until his recent passing, taught at Fordham Prep School in the Bronx, NY.
This film is like a piece of music.
The transitions between scenes act much like classical music.
I love that comparison! It did flow very well and nothing fell out of place. Going forward, that's something I'll pay more attention to and I'm sure I'm gonna be thinking of your comment. Thanks Jason!
Sorry I typed Merrin and autocorrect put Merlin.
Good on you for noticing the little clay things in the window and that was what he found at the bottom of the steps, and it wasnt the idol found in Iraq at the beginning. He knows it was Regan who pushed Burke out the window but he doesnt want to come out and say it because, "There was no one in the room except your daughter so how can this be?", so hes cleverly stating the evidence and the facts to Chris instead. She knows it too but shes gonna play naive about it.