When one talks about horror as a genre and its evolution in Hollywood cinema, The Exorcist is widely considered as the benchmark for excellence. The 1973 film directed by William Friedkin follows a young girl who shows signs of demonic possession that unleashes a chain of chilling and frightening events.
The Exorcist went on to achieve cult status over the years and is regarded as one of the most important works that set the tone for future films in the genre to develop. While the film’s stupendous success and Oscar recognitions cemented Friedkin’s place among the industry’s top filmmakers of the time, the director admitted that the process of creating movies was a tedious challenge for him.
The Exorcist Was One Of William Friedkin’s Most Challenging Experiences
The Exorcist directed by William Friedkin, is considered one of the most important horror films of its time. The chilling saga of a young girl seemingly possessed by demons, terrified audiences across the world with its soundtrack, visual effects, and its chilling script. While Friedkin began his career as a documentary filmmaker and directed full length films before The Exorcist, the art of creating cinema was anything but a cakewalk according to Friedkin’s own admission. In a rare interview now on YouTube, the filmmaker said,
“The most challenging was The Exorcist of course. I don’t think about filmmaking in terms of enjoyment. There’s so many problems with associating, with putting something on film – creative and technical problems – that one doesn’t have time to enjoy it, really. I can’t ever say the experience was enjoyable.”
Friedkin went on to add that editing the film was more of a thrill than the actual filming. The process of piecing together the various footage and creating the final ominous end product gave the filmmaker the motivation to make more cinema.
Also Read: Why The Exorcist (1973) Is Still One of The Scariest Films Ever Made
The Controversy Surrounding The Exorcist’s R Rating In Theaters
50 years after its release, The Exorcist is still a film that continues to scare and spook people to their wits end. With a potent melange of ominous visuals, music, and writing, the film succeeded in becoming the yardstick by which future horror films were judged. The movie though, ran into a minor controversy upon its release with relation to its audience rating. While the film was initially given an R rating by the censor board, this decision came under heavy scrutiny as it did not indicate clearly that children were not allowed to watch it.
With instances being reported of many young children watching the film and having to be taken in ambulances owing to being traumatized by the narrative, fans and audiences criticized the censor board and other people associated with the release the film for not giving it an X rating.
Source: YouTube
