242 - The Exorcist

No exploration of William Friedkin would be complete without The Exorcist, 1973's iconic horror about a little girl possessed by a demon, and so watch it we do. We watch the theatrical cut, which Mike's excited to see, since the only one he's seen before is "The Version You've Never Seen", the extended cut released in 2000, and he finds this version superior, with better pacing and fewer distractions. José has always had a significant problem with the crucifix scene, and we go into why, and he argues that the film exhibits a desire to shock above all else that is typical of Friedkin. Mike argues for the sympathy we feel for Father Karras and his centrality - Max von Sydow's Father Merrin is in theory the eponymous exorcist, but is that actually the case? And we think over much more besides, including the thrill of the special effects, the disparity between how Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells is used and its subsequent iconic synonimity with the film, whether the film should be clearer about the boundaries of its demon's abilities, and ultimately, the fact that it's so famous - or is that infamous? - that even Mike's mum still references the projectile vomit bit. Recorded on 23rd July 2020.