THE EXORCIST (Part One)

The Pod and the Pendulum

What a wonderful day to talk about The Exorcist. This week Mike, Brian, and Stephen start our discussion on one of the foundational films in modern horror, 1973’s The Exorcist. For the first half of our two parts on this title, your hosts share their initial reactions to this masterwork, as well as how our thoughts on the film have evolved as we’ve grown older. From there we take a deep dive into the history of the film, including a look at its architects, director William Friedken and writer William Peter Blatty. We explore the exorcism case that inspired Blatty to write his novel, and the challenges in adapting the film without “creating a commercial for the Catholic Church” in Friedken’s view. We discuss the brilliant cast, Dick Smith’s astonishing makeup and the standout locations. From there we talk about the “curse” of The Exorcist as well as the unconventional and unsafe methods Friedken often employed that put his performers in harm’s way. Finally, we explore the cultural impact of The Exorcist on its release as well as its place in horror’s pantheon more than fifty years later. It’s one of our largest, most in-depth episodes to date, and its only the beginning.