[kj] OT - The Exorcist

[Alexander Smith]

"but it's not a 'truly scary movie', and there's more than a few"

Well, it truly scares me, even this many years later. "The Omen" is  
practically a comedy compared to "The Exorcist".

Alex in NYC


On Sep 7, 2008, at 6:52 PM, Jim Harper wrote:


> "One of the only really, truly scary movies."

>

> I'm afraid I can't agree there. The Exorcist is a good film, but  

> it's not a 'truly scary movie', and there's more than a few.

>

> There are plenty of acknowledged 'classic' horror films that aren't  

> worth more than a cursory watch, just so you can say you've seen it  

> (The Shining and The Wicker Man fit the bill very nicely). To  

> Friedkin's credit, he does at least ensure that The Exorcist doesn't  

> turn into the kind of colossal monument to tedium that those two  

> films are, but he does fall short of the 'classic' he usually gets  

> landed with. I've always preferred The Omen. I realise comparing  

> those two films- The Exorcist and The Omen- is likely to get me  

> lynched, but The Omen is a more entertaining film. Mainly because it  

> doesn't try to hide what it is. Both films are trashy exploitation,  

> but whereas The Omen accepts that and gets on with business of being  

> a really fun piece of trashy exploitation, The Exorcist (mainly  

> through William Friedkin and William Peter Blatty, who spun the same  

> crap about his novel when it came out) tries to pass itself off as a  

> serious meditation on the mystery of Faith. Bollocks. Aside from one  

> line, faith is never even mentioned. It's just a scary, gross horror  

> movie, but one with ideas above its station.

>

> My apologies for the rambling there!

>

> Jim.

>

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>

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>

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

> From: Leigh Newton <angrytomhanks at yahoo.com>

> Subject: Re: [kj] OT - The Exorcist

> To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)" <gathering at misera.net 

> >

> Date: Sunday, 7 September, 2008, 9:42 PM

>

> Also the classic "Stick your cock up her ass, you motherfucking  

> worthless

> COCKSUCKER!"

>

> One of the only really, truly scary movies. The original Black  

> Christmas and

> The Changeling are two more that come to mind. Anyone got anymore? I'm

> talking SCARY, not just kind of creepy or gross.

>

> Leigh

>

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