When young Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) falls prey to demonic possession, her actress mother (Ellen Burstyn) seeks out the help of a priest (Jason Miller) who is in the midst of a crisis of faith.
I absolutely cannot understand the "satanic panic" that some evangelicals had upon this film's initial release. The way Billy Graham railed against it you'd think this was some sort of satanic recruitment piece. Had he actually seen the film, he would have quickly realized that only a real "sick puppy" could find anything attractive about the horrors depicted in this film. If anything, it is a pro-faith film.
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I absolutely cannot understand the "satanic panic" that some evangelicals had upon this film's initial release. The way Billy Graham railed against it you'd think this was some sort of satanic recruitment piece. Had he actually seen the film, he would have quickly realized that only a real "sick puppy" could find anything attractive about the horrors depicted in this film. If anything, it is a pro-faith film.
Though the narrative jumps around and we follow many different characters over the course of its rather brisk two-hour running time, the central one is Father Damian Karras and his struggles with his faith. This is the key to the film. Without that element, this film would be nothing more than an excellent showcase for directing, make up, effects, cinematography, editing and sound design. With it, this film becomes a harrowing exploration of the war between good and evil that rages inside each and everyone one of us. With it, this film becomes a classic.
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