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The Exorcist #1
胤丕乇丿 丕賱兀乇賵丕丨
賳購卮乇鬲 乇賵丕賷丞 芦胤丕乇丿 丕賱兀乇賵丕丨禄 兀賵賱 賲乇丞 毓丕賲 1971貙 賵賯丿 兀氐亘丨鬲 賲賳匕 匕賱賰 丕賱賵賯鬲 賵丕丨丿丞 賲賳 兀賰孬乇 丕賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 廿孬丕乇丞 賱賱噩丿賱貙 賰賲丕 兀氐亘丨鬲 馗丕賴乇丞 兀丿亘賷丞貙 賮賯丿 馗賱賻賾鬲 毓賱賶 乇兀爻 賯丕卅賲丞 丕賱賳賷賵賷賵乇賰 鬲丕賷賲夭 賱賱賰鬲亘 丕賱兀賰孬乇 賲亘賷毓賸丕 賱賲丿丞 爻亘毓丞 毓卮乇 兀爻亘賵毓賸丕.
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲兀禺賵匕丞 毓賳 兀丨丿丕孬 丨賯賷賯賷丞 賱胤賮賱 鬲鬲賱亘賾爻賴 丕賱兀乇賵丕丨貙 賵賯丿 兀亘丿毓 賵賷賱賷丕賲 亘賷鬲乇 亘賱丕鬲賷 乇賵丕賷丞 兀賷賯賵賳賷丞 鬲丨賰賷 丨賰丕賷丞 乇賷噩丕賳貙 賮鬲丕丞 鬲亘賱睾 賲賳 丕賱毓賲乇 11 毓丕賲賸丕貙 丕亘賳丞 賲賲孬賱丞 爻賷賳賲丕 鬲毓賷卮 賮賷 賵丕卮賳胤賳 丿賷 爻賷貙 賵賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱兀卮禺丕氐 賷毓賷卮賵賳 鬲丨鬲 賵胤兀丞 丕賱賲兀爻丕丞 丕賱鬲賷 兀賱賲賻賾鬲 亘賴丕.
鬲賲 鬲丨賵賷賱 芦胤丕乇丿 丕賱兀乇賵丕丨禄 廿賱賶 丕賱爻賷賳賲丕貙 賵丨氐賱 毓賱賶 毓卮乇 鬲乇卮賷丨丕鬲 賱噩賵丕卅夭 丕賱兀賵爻賰丕乇貙 賵賮賷 賷賵賲 丕賮鬲鬲丕丨 丕賱賮賷賱賲 丕賳鬲馗乇 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 毓卮賻賾丕賯 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賮賷 胤賵丕亘賷乇 胤賵賷賱丞 兀賲丕賲 丿賵乇 丕賱毓乇囟貙 賵丕賯鬲丨賲 賲卮丕賴丿賵賳 廿丨丿賶 丿賵乇 丕賱毓乇囟貙 賵丕爻鬲禺丿賲 乇噩丕賱 丕賱卮乇胤丞 丕賱睾丕夭 丕賱賲爻賷賾賱 賱賱丿賲賵毓 賱鬲賮乇賷賯 噩賲丕賴賷乇 丨丕賵賱鬲 卮賯 胤乇賷賯賴丕 亘丕賱賯賵丞 廿賱賶 丿丕禺賱 賯丕毓丞 丕賱毓乇囟.
賱賯丿 賰丕賳鬲 芦胤丕乇丿 丕賱兀乇賵丨禄 賵賱丕 夭丕賱鬲 毓賱丕賲丞 賮丕乇賯丞. 廿賳賴丕 乇賵丕賷丞 賯丕爻賷丞 賱賱睾丕賷丞貙 廿賱賶 丿乇噩丞 兀賳賴丕 賯丕丿乇丞 毓賱賶 廿孬丕乇丞 賮夭毓 丕賱賯丕乇卅貙 賵噩毓賱賴 賷賳爻賶 兀賳賴丕 芦賲噩乇賻賾丿 賯氐丞禄.. 廿賳 丕賱丿乇丕賲丕 丕賱賳丕鬲噩丞 毓賳 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 鬲噩鬲丕丨 丕賱賯丕乇卅 鬲賲丕賲賸丕貙 賵鬲氐賷亘賴 亘丕賱乇毓亘 丨鬲賲賸丕.
賴匕賴 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 丕賱賰丕賲賱丞 賱賱乇賵丕賷丞貙 丕賱氐丕丿乇丞 亘賲賳丕爻亘丞 賲乇賵乇 兀乇亘毓賷賳 毓丕賲賸丕 毓賱賶 丕賱胤亘毓丞 丕賱兀賵賱賶貙 賵丕賱鬲賷 賳賯賾丨賴丕 丕賱賲丐賱賮貙 鬲孬亘鬲購 兀賳 賯乇丕亍鬲賴丕 鬲噩乇亘丞 毓氐賷丞 毓賱賶 丕賱賳爻賷丕賳貙 賵兀賳賴丕 毓賲賱 賱丕 賷夭丕賱 賯丕丿乇賸丕 毓賱賶 氐丿賲 噩賷賱 噩丿賷丿 賲賳 丕賱賯乇丕亍.
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲兀禺賵匕丞 毓賳 兀丨丿丕孬 丨賯賷賯賷丞 賱胤賮賱 鬲鬲賱亘賾爻賴 丕賱兀乇賵丕丨貙 賵賯丿 兀亘丿毓 賵賷賱賷丕賲 亘賷鬲乇 亘賱丕鬲賷 乇賵丕賷丞 兀賷賯賵賳賷丞 鬲丨賰賷 丨賰丕賷丞 乇賷噩丕賳貙 賮鬲丕丞 鬲亘賱睾 賲賳 丕賱毓賲乇 11 毓丕賲賸丕貙 丕亘賳丞 賲賲孬賱丞 爻賷賳賲丕 鬲毓賷卮 賮賷 賵丕卮賳胤賳 丿賷 爻賷貙 賵賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱兀卮禺丕氐 賷毓賷卮賵賳 鬲丨鬲 賵胤兀丞 丕賱賲兀爻丕丞 丕賱鬲賷 兀賱賲賻賾鬲 亘賴丕.
鬲賲 鬲丨賵賷賱 芦胤丕乇丿 丕賱兀乇賵丕丨禄 廿賱賶 丕賱爻賷賳賲丕貙 賵丨氐賱 毓賱賶 毓卮乇 鬲乇卮賷丨丕鬲 賱噩賵丕卅夭 丕賱兀賵爻賰丕乇貙 賵賮賷 賷賵賲 丕賮鬲鬲丕丨 丕賱賮賷賱賲 丕賳鬲馗乇 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 毓卮賻賾丕賯 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賮賷 胤賵丕亘賷乇 胤賵賷賱丞 兀賲丕賲 丿賵乇 丕賱毓乇囟貙 賵丕賯鬲丨賲 賲卮丕賴丿賵賳 廿丨丿賶 丿賵乇 丕賱毓乇囟貙 賵丕爻鬲禺丿賲 乇噩丕賱 丕賱卮乇胤丞 丕賱睾丕夭 丕賱賲爻賷賾賱 賱賱丿賲賵毓 賱鬲賮乇賷賯 噩賲丕賴賷乇 丨丕賵賱鬲 卮賯 胤乇賷賯賴丕 亘丕賱賯賵丞 廿賱賶 丿丕禺賱 賯丕毓丞 丕賱毓乇囟.
賱賯丿 賰丕賳鬲 芦胤丕乇丿 丕賱兀乇賵丨禄 賵賱丕 夭丕賱鬲 毓賱丕賲丞 賮丕乇賯丞. 廿賳賴丕 乇賵丕賷丞 賯丕爻賷丞 賱賱睾丕賷丞貙 廿賱賶 丿乇噩丞 兀賳賴丕 賯丕丿乇丞 毓賱賶 廿孬丕乇丞 賮夭毓 丕賱賯丕乇卅貙 賵噩毓賱賴 賷賳爻賶 兀賳賴丕 芦賲噩乇賻賾丿 賯氐丞禄.. 廿賳 丕賱丿乇丕賲丕 丕賱賳丕鬲噩丞 毓賳 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 鬲噩鬲丕丨 丕賱賯丕乇卅 鬲賲丕賲賸丕貙 賵鬲氐賷亘賴 亘丕賱乇毓亘 丨鬲賲賸丕.
賴匕賴 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 丕賱賰丕賲賱丞 賱賱乇賵丕賷丞貙 丕賱氐丕丿乇丞 亘賲賳丕爻亘丞 賲乇賵乇 兀乇亘毓賷賳 毓丕賲賸丕 毓賱賶 丕賱胤亘毓丞 丕賱兀賵賱賶貙 賵丕賱鬲賷 賳賯賾丨賴丕 丕賱賲丐賱賮貙 鬲孬亘鬲購 兀賳 賯乇丕亍鬲賴丕 鬲噩乇亘丞 毓氐賷丞 毓賱賶 丕賱賳爻賷丕賳貙 賵兀賳賴丕 毓賲賱 賱丕 賷夭丕賱 賯丕丿乇賸丕 毓賱賶 氐丿賲 噩賷賱 噩丿賷丿 賲賳 丕賱賯乇丕亍.
430 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1971
6,943 people are currently reading
275k people want to read
About the author
William Peter Blatty
47听books1,276听followersWilliam Peter Blatty was an American writer and filmmaker. He wrote the novel The Exorcist (1971) and the subsequent screenplay version for which he won an Academy Award. Born and raised in New York City, Blatty received his bachelor's degree in English from the Georgetown University in 1950, and his master's degree in English literature from the George Washington University in 1954. He also wrote and directed the sequel "The Exorcist III". Some of his other notable works are the novels Elsewhere (2009), Dimiter (2010) and Crazy (2010).
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November 7, 2019
鈥滻n our sleep, pain, which cannot forget, falls
drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own
despair, against our will, come wisdom
through the awful grace of God.
--Aeschylus
I get a wild hair every so often and recently I decided that I needed to go on a 1970s blockbuster horror novel extravaganza tour. It all started with shifted some books around and finding thisratty well loved copy of The Exorcist that inexplicably found its way into my book collection. I鈥檇 swear it was stolen from one of 鈥檚 now famous Rubbermaid container boxes of nostalgic paperbacks, but I gave my midget ninjas specific instructions NOT to take anything from Kemper鈥檚 abode, but simply take a look around, so the presence of this book on my shelves is still a mystery.
The Mysterious copy of The Exorcist.
When I was in middle school I rode the bus to school and every day this teenager with rumpled hair and scuffed motorcycle boots would catch a ride with us. He had been clocked for speeding by the cops and had led them on a merry chase around the countryside until he turned a corner too quickly, hit gravel, and rolled his car. He was a LEGEND. Needless to say he lost his driving privileges for a long, long time. He would always sit in the front and there was always this sweet scent coming off his clothes that later when I went to college and attended my first party I had that ah ha moment. He鈥檇 lean back against the window and hoist those boots out in the aisle where we could all admire them. He always had a paperback novel with him, usually of the horror genre, and he would studiously ignore us and read his book. We of course were boring holes through him with fevered eyes because he was the most fascinating thing we鈥檇 ever seen.
One day he looked back down the bus at us and said, 鈥淵ou want me to read you some of this?鈥� as he flopped the latest paperback in the air. It was called The Exorcist. I don鈥檛 know if he understood or even understands today how cool a gesture that was, but it was pretty damn cool. So he started reading to us. We never got the whole story just bits here and there. Sometimes he would disappear for a while usually because he was jammed up in a little more trouble than normal. He鈥檇 show up with different paperbacks, The Omen, Psycho, Rosemary鈥檚 Baby, The Other, and The Amityville Horror to name a few.
We were enraptured.
He scared the crap out of us.
The ghastly images those books inspired in my mind kept my eyes wide open late into the late which might have something to do with why my mom wouldn鈥檛 let me read such books.
Those moments on the bus with him reading to us and scaring us are some of my most fond childhood memories. Boy, did we feel like we were getting away with something.
So I started reading my ratty, not Kemper鈥檚 copy, of The Exorcist and could not believe how much I was struggling with the writing. The dialogue was horrible. How could this guy sell millions of copies of this book? I did some research. It seems that William Peter Blatty finished writing the rough draft of this book and was offered a lucrative screenwriting job and never polished the book. An editor, obviously not someone in the same category as Maxwell Perkins, allowed the book to go to print as basically a rough draft. Decades later Blatty is asked to read the book for the audio version. He kept having to stop to ask 鈥渨ho wrote this crap?鈥� This story does have a happy ending. Blatty went back through and polished and rewrote and even added a critical scene to the book. It was released in time for the fortieth anniversary edition.
William Peter Blatty looking like he is ready for his casting call for a spaghetti western.
The Dodge City Public library, they never has anything I absolutely need immediately, had a copy of the fortieth anniversary edition. Hallelujah! Praise the book gods!
The difference between the books is a two star rating which I was already worried about how I was going to explain that rating to the legions of fans out there, and a four star rating which is much easier and much more fun to write a review for. So if you have thoughts of reading this book make sure you read the fortieth anniversary edition because as Blatty stated. 鈥漈his is the version I would like to be remembered for.鈥�
This is a novel about a demon possession of a twelve year old girl, but Blatty also spends a good amount of time explaining the other psychological aspects that could be causing the symptoms other than a demonic possession. The priest Damien Karras, who also happens to be a psychologist, finds himself confronting not only an evil entity beyond his wildest imaginations, but also his personal struggles with his own faith. He is damaged, dark, and brooding...a magnet for women if he were interested.
Jason Miller is Damien Karras in the movie.
鈥滱s he lifted the Host in consecration, it trembled in his fingers with a hope that he dared not hope, that he fought with every particle and fiber of his will. 鈥溾€楩or this--is--My body.鈥欌€� he intoned with a whispered intensity.
No, it鈥檚 bread! It鈥檚 nothing but bread!
He dared not love again and lose. That loss was too great, that pain too keen. The cause of his skepticism and his doubts, his attempts to eliminate natural causes in the case of Regan鈥檚 seeming possession, was the fiery intensity of his yearning to be able to believe. He bowed his head and placed the consecrated Host in his mouth, where in a moment it would stick in the dryness of his throat. And of his faith.鈥�
The thought that kept going through my head as I read this book is if you find proof of the devil or a demon or even true evil doesn't that mean you鈥檝e found proof of God?
Regan or Rags as her mother likes to call her starts exhibiting strange behavior, talking in tongues, and levitating. It is never really explained how or why she becomes possessed. Unless I somehow missed that part. Changing editions midstream has me a little worried about that as I did not go back and read the hundred or so pages that I鈥檇 read before the switch. She goes from being a creative, likable, normal twelve year old girl into something that is not only horrifying, but barely recognizable as human.
Linda Blair played Regan in the famous movie version.
鈥漅eining in his revulsion, he closed the door and then his eyes locked, stunned, on the thing that was Regan, on the creature that was lying on its back on the bed, head propped against a pillow while eyes bulged wide in their hollow sockets shone with mad cunning and burning intelligence, with interest and with spite, as they fixed upon his; as they watched him intently, seething in a face shaped into a skeletal mask of unthinkable malevolence. Karras shifted his gaze to the tangled and thickly matted hair; to the wasted arms and legs and distended stomach jutting up so grotesquely; then back to the eyes: they were watching him...pinning him...鈥�
Transformed!!!
Terrifying stuff!
鈥漅equested and performed exorcisms had begun to decline in the Western world by the 18th century due to advancements in medical understanding, and occurred rarely until the latter half of the 20th century when the public saw a sharp rise due to the media attention exorcisms were getting. There was 鈥渁 50% increase in the number of exorcisms performed between the early 1960s and the mid-1970s鈥�.
Media suggested hysteria.
Iconic shot from the movie.
The church has a priest who had performed the last exorcism in 1949. He is an elderly Jesuit priest named Lankester Merrin. The two priests know they are over their heads, but in a true act of courage and faith take on the demon. No need for more details as I鈥檓 sure most of you have seen the movie and if you have not I would encourage you to read the book before watching the movie. The movie was nominated for ten academy awards and grossed over $441 million worldwide. No wonder the demand for priests and their knowledge of exorcisms went up exponentially. The tour of 1970s horror will continue with Jaws. Stay tuned.
ADDENDUM
My friend, , supplied me with a picture of the house where the famous exorcism case happened in 1949. This was the case that inspired William Peter Blatty to write this book. Instead of a girl this case involved a thirteen year old boy named Roland Doe. Walter Halloran a Catholic priest of the Society of Jesus performed the exorcism. The setting: St. Louis, Missouri.
Exorcism House in St. Louis
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drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own
despair, against our will, come wisdom
through the awful grace of God.
--Aeschylus
I get a wild hair every so often and recently I decided that I needed to go on a 1970s blockbuster horror novel extravaganza tour. It all started with shifted some books around and finding this
The Mysterious copy of The Exorcist.
When I was in middle school I rode the bus to school and every day this teenager with rumpled hair and scuffed motorcycle boots would catch a ride with us. He had been clocked for speeding by the cops and had led them on a merry chase around the countryside until he turned a corner too quickly, hit gravel, and rolled his car. He was a LEGEND. Needless to say he lost his driving privileges for a long, long time. He would always sit in the front and there was always this sweet scent coming off his clothes that later when I went to college and attended my first party I had that ah ha moment. He鈥檇 lean back against the window and hoist those boots out in the aisle where we could all admire them. He always had a paperback novel with him, usually of the horror genre, and he would studiously ignore us and read his book. We of course were boring holes through him with fevered eyes because he was the most fascinating thing we鈥檇 ever seen.
One day he looked back down the bus at us and said, 鈥淵ou want me to read you some of this?鈥� as he flopped the latest paperback in the air. It was called The Exorcist. I don鈥檛 know if he understood or even understands today how cool a gesture that was, but it was pretty damn cool. So he started reading to us. We never got the whole story just bits here and there. Sometimes he would disappear for a while usually because he was jammed up in a little more trouble than normal. He鈥檇 show up with different paperbacks, The Omen, Psycho, Rosemary鈥檚 Baby, The Other, and The Amityville Horror to name a few.
We were enraptured.
He scared the crap out of us.
The ghastly images those books inspired in my mind kept my eyes wide open late into the late which might have something to do with why my mom wouldn鈥檛 let me read such books.
Those moments on the bus with him reading to us and scaring us are some of my most fond childhood memories. Boy, did we feel like we were getting away with something.
So I started reading my ratty, not Kemper鈥檚 copy, of The Exorcist and could not believe how much I was struggling with the writing. The dialogue was horrible. How could this guy sell millions of copies of this book? I did some research. It seems that William Peter Blatty finished writing the rough draft of this book and was offered a lucrative screenwriting job and never polished the book. An editor, obviously not someone in the same category as Maxwell Perkins, allowed the book to go to print as basically a rough draft. Decades later Blatty is asked to read the book for the audio version. He kept having to stop to ask 鈥渨ho wrote this crap?鈥� This story does have a happy ending. Blatty went back through and polished and rewrote and even added a critical scene to the book. It was released in time for the fortieth anniversary edition.
William Peter Blatty looking like he is ready for his casting call for a spaghetti western.
The Dodge City Public library, they never has anything I absolutely need immediately, had a copy of the fortieth anniversary edition. Hallelujah! Praise the book gods!
The difference between the books is a two star rating which I was already worried about how I was going to explain that rating to the legions of fans out there, and a four star rating which is much easier and much more fun to write a review for. So if you have thoughts of reading this book make sure you read the fortieth anniversary edition because as Blatty stated. 鈥漈his is the version I would like to be remembered for.鈥�
This is a novel about a demon possession of a twelve year old girl, but Blatty also spends a good amount of time explaining the other psychological aspects that could be causing the symptoms other than a demonic possession. The priest Damien Karras, who also happens to be a psychologist, finds himself confronting not only an evil entity beyond his wildest imaginations, but also his personal struggles with his own faith. He is damaged, dark, and brooding...a magnet for women if he were interested.
Jason Miller is Damien Karras in the movie.
鈥滱s he lifted the Host in consecration, it trembled in his fingers with a hope that he dared not hope, that he fought with every particle and fiber of his will. 鈥溾€楩or this--is--My body.鈥欌€� he intoned with a whispered intensity.
No, it鈥檚 bread! It鈥檚 nothing but bread!
He dared not love again and lose. That loss was too great, that pain too keen. The cause of his skepticism and his doubts, his attempts to eliminate natural causes in the case of Regan鈥檚 seeming possession, was the fiery intensity of his yearning to be able to believe. He bowed his head and placed the consecrated Host in his mouth, where in a moment it would stick in the dryness of his throat. And of his faith.鈥�
The thought that kept going through my head as I read this book is if you find proof of the devil or a demon or even true evil doesn't that mean you鈥檝e found proof of God?
Glory be to God for dappled things,
For skies of couple-color as a brindled cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-fire-coal chestnut falls; finches鈥� wings...
He fathers forth whose beauty is past change.
Praise him.
Regan or Rags as her mother likes to call her starts exhibiting strange behavior, talking in tongues, and levitating. It is never really explained how or why she becomes possessed. Unless I somehow missed that part. Changing editions midstream has me a little worried about that as I did not go back and read the hundred or so pages that I鈥檇 read before the switch. She goes from being a creative, likable, normal twelve year old girl into something that is not only horrifying, but barely recognizable as human.
Linda Blair played Regan in the famous movie version.
鈥漅eining in his revulsion, he closed the door and then his eyes locked, stunned, on the thing that was Regan, on the creature that was lying on its back on the bed, head propped against a pillow while eyes bulged wide in their hollow sockets shone with mad cunning and burning intelligence, with interest and with spite, as they fixed upon his; as they watched him intently, seething in a face shaped into a skeletal mask of unthinkable malevolence. Karras shifted his gaze to the tangled and thickly matted hair; to the wasted arms and legs and distended stomach jutting up so grotesquely; then back to the eyes: they were watching him...pinning him...鈥�
Transformed!!!
Terrifying stuff!
鈥漅equested and performed exorcisms had begun to decline in the Western world by the 18th century due to advancements in medical understanding, and occurred rarely until the latter half of the 20th century when the public saw a sharp rise due to the media attention exorcisms were getting. There was 鈥渁 50% increase in the number of exorcisms performed between the early 1960s and the mid-1970s鈥�.
Media suggested hysteria.
Iconic shot from the movie.
The church has a priest who had performed the last exorcism in 1949. He is an elderly Jesuit priest named Lankester Merrin. The two priests know they are over their heads, but in a true act of courage and faith take on the demon. No need for more details as I鈥檓 sure most of you have seen the movie and if you have not I would encourage you to read the book before watching the movie. The movie was nominated for ten academy awards and grossed over $441 million worldwide. No wonder the demand for priests and their knowledge of exorcisms went up exponentially. The tour of 1970s horror will continue with Jaws. Stay tuned.
ADDENDUM
My friend, , supplied me with a picture of the house where the famous exorcism case happened in 1949. This was the case that inspired William Peter Blatty to write this book. Instead of a girl this case involved a thirteen year old boy named Roland Doe. Walter Halloran a Catholic priest of the Society of Jesus performed the exorcism. The setting: St. Louis, Missouri.
Exorcism House in St. Louis
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February 27, 2022
Who doesn麓t know those nasty, itchy childhood diseases that can cause potential long-term complications when one gets them as an adult such as chickenpox, scarlet fever, demonic obsessive compulsive disorder, ...
It麓s a well-written novel, but what interests me more is the development of the horror genre, how it changed over time, and especially what has meanwhile become possible.
The book was revolutionary for its time, cause it deals with religion, vulgarly talking young women, and some horror elements. May have been shocking and controversial for its time when the Philistines were still a strong force, but nowadays it seems benign, nearly cute, compared to computer games dealing with war crimes and genres like extreme horror that go to the, haha extreme.
I just heard about that, it麓s not as if I would be reading such sick genres or even have an own shelf dedicated to it or something. But if, let麓s say, in a parallel universe, I would be reading such nasty things, I would argue with the fact that I don麓t watch (horror) movies anymore and simply need a surrogate. Yea, that sounds logical and credible and absolutely not hypocritical...
That there are less and less taboo topics is great for the openness of society, but bad for authors who need more and fresh ideas to still shock the audience that is already pretty apathetic and badass.
In general, authors who follow a new path in the form of previously unprecedented ideas, instead of copying and modifying the mantra of better good copying than horribly self-made, should be praised for their creativity. However, if a subgenre is launched with such an impact that, in a certain way, up to the xth paranormal activity cucumber today, there is an almost imperceptible echo, the artist has ennobled himself by creating something fully justified called "cult".
The story of the actress' daughter, who is gradually becoming more and more special in her behavior, shines with facts from occultism, psychology, neurology, and religion that have been meticulously researched, which helps to create an entertaining reading experience and increases the horror significantly through this apparent reference to reality.
One of the most remarkable features of the book is the disassembly of stereotypes in the form of a science and reason-oriented priest and the contrast of an actress who is uninterested in any rational approach and tends to literally 鈥減aint the devil on the wall鈥�. The difference between and the path to the respective perspectives of the two make up an essential part of the narrative structure and, in parallel to the ever-worsening obsession-related symptoms of the not just mental disease, the explanatory or repression patterns also increase to unimagined heights and complexities.
How to play on the keyboard of the nerve-wracking arc without striking violence and with a virtuoso, slow increase of suspense, while contradicting explanatory approaches collide and effectively resolve everything in a finally redeeming culmination, deserves a paranoid look over your shoulder when you stay alone in the dark at home after finishing this outstanding novel.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
It麓s a well-written novel, but what interests me more is the development of the horror genre, how it changed over time, and especially what has meanwhile become possible.
The book was revolutionary for its time, cause it deals with religion, vulgarly talking young women, and some horror elements. May have been shocking and controversial for its time when the Philistines were still a strong force, but nowadays it seems benign, nearly cute, compared to computer games dealing with war crimes and genres like extreme horror that go to the, haha extreme.
I just heard about that, it麓s not as if I would be reading such sick genres or even have an own shelf dedicated to it or something. But if, let麓s say, in a parallel universe, I would be reading such nasty things, I would argue with the fact that I don麓t watch (horror) movies anymore and simply need a surrogate. Yea, that sounds logical and credible and absolutely not hypocritical...
That there are less and less taboo topics is great for the openness of society, but bad for authors who need more and fresh ideas to still shock the audience that is already pretty apathetic and badass.
In general, authors who follow a new path in the form of previously unprecedented ideas, instead of copying and modifying the mantra of better good copying than horribly self-made, should be praised for their creativity. However, if a subgenre is launched with such an impact that, in a certain way, up to the xth paranormal activity cucumber today, there is an almost imperceptible echo, the artist has ennobled himself by creating something fully justified called "cult".
The story of the actress' daughter, who is gradually becoming more and more special in her behavior, shines with facts from occultism, psychology, neurology, and religion that have been meticulously researched, which helps to create an entertaining reading experience and increases the horror significantly through this apparent reference to reality.
One of the most remarkable features of the book is the disassembly of stereotypes in the form of a science and reason-oriented priest and the contrast of an actress who is uninterested in any rational approach and tends to literally 鈥減aint the devil on the wall鈥�. The difference between and the path to the respective perspectives of the two make up an essential part of the narrative structure and, in parallel to the ever-worsening obsession-related symptoms of the not just mental disease, the explanatory or repression patterns also increase to unimagined heights and complexities.
How to play on the keyboard of the nerve-wracking arc without striking violence and with a virtuoso, slow increase of suspense, while contradicting explanatory approaches collide and effectively resolve everything in a finally redeeming culmination, deserves a paranoid look over your shoulder when you stay alone in the dark at home after finishing this outstanding novel.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
November 1, 2023
鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� by William Peter Blatty is a novel that I know being a horror enthusiast is one that should be read. You know, one of those 鈥渕ust-read鈥� novels that have to be experienced at least once in your life to truly appreciate such an iconic and impactful part of horror history. Now, before I begin my review of this novel, I鈥檇 like to share a quick little story about me that happened back in 1992 when I was just 11 years old over Halloween weekend.
It was late that Halloween night that I, a silly little boy trying to get scared, decided to watch 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� movie. I鈥檓 talking about the original movie, uncensored, and in its entirety. Needless to say, that movie traumatized the hell out of me. I specifically remember not being able to sleep that night and literally had a rosary on me at all times around my neck for months.
This movie traumatized me so much that I could NEVER hear that famous song 鈥淭ubular Bells鈥� from this horror movie in any way, shape, or form. I couldn鈥檛 even see Linda Blair鈥檚 face without turning away because that movie was burned into my soul for decades.
It wasn鈥檛 until I was an adult that I was able to get through all this trauma thanks to the death metal band Possessed. They have a legendary metal song called 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� which helped me overcome my fear of this movie, Regan, and everything associated with this franchise. It was on their epic album 鈥淪even Churches鈥� that features the actual theme song from the movie that did it. At first, it terrified me but since it鈥檚 death metal, it eventually healed me. I love metal and needless to say, it helped me get through many difficult parts of my life including the trauma of 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� and well, now it was time to put this novel down once and for all.
Before I jump into my review, 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� does have a few trigger warnings that I found while reading鈥�
- Violence against babies (Satanic Black Masses)
- Satanism
- Major religious defamation against Catholicism
If any of these trigger warnings bother you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, this is the first time I鈥檝e ever read anything by Blatty and I have to say, he has excellent writing skills. I was blown away at how exceptionally talented he is as an author and I was instantly hooked right from the start.
The added graphics at the start of each part of this novel was also a nice touch. I love it when novels have that as it brings me back to my teenage years seeing them in the various horror paperbacks I used to love reading. It just added another creepy layer of horror to this novel and not for nothing, this was a genuine pageturner. Not a single boring part or anything that dragged on, it was fantastic.
There are so many creepy parts here that brought me back to my 11-year-old self, it鈥檚 crazy. I knew I buried all this away deep inside me decades ago but to read it now as an adult who loves reading horror felt pretty damn good. I knew this day would come since it was inevitable due to my love of all things horror.
Make no mistake about it, 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� is a horror masterpiece. This novel is so creepy, disturbing, disgusting, and horrific that I would say this should be a required read for anyone who loves horror and can actually handle it. Seriously, this novel will freak you out. I guarantee it.
All the characters here were great and of course, Regan led the way as every single encounter with her was beyond frightening. Again, flashbacks hit me, that voice hit me, just the atmospheric writing here by Blatty has left an imprint on me that, just like the movie, will never leave me. Ever.
This novel is so damn scary, it literally sent chills down my spine several times while reading. All the tension, suspense, and horror are top-notch and some of the best I鈥檝e ever read in my life. I haven鈥檛 felt this way since I first read 鈥淚T鈥� by Stephen King as a teenager. You know that kind of horror that you read, blows you away, and genuinely freaks you the hell out? Yeah, this did it just as effectively if not even more since it deals with demonic possession to make it extra horrific.
I made so many weird faces reading this that my head was spinning. My eyes got so large at certain parts because they were that intense. The backstory of all sorts of demonic history, possession interviews, Black Masses, and Satanism were all great to fill in just how crazy these exorcisms truly are. All of this led to one climactic ending that was incredible and bone-chillingly good. As they say, the novel is better than the movie but in my case, they both are impactful no matter which way you slice it.
Now, to share one last quick story before I reveal my final Star Rating, you will not believe what happened to me the first night I started reading this novel. I give you my word that this is completely true and something that legit freaked me out. I promise you that this isn鈥檛 made up or anything.
It was a little after 3 AM on Saturday, October 28, 2023. I was about 8% into 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� and as I read on my Kindle Paperwhite, I like to take notes so when I write my book reviews, I don鈥檛 forget anything. I stopped reading and went to type in 鈥済enuine page-turner鈥� and my Kindle automatically started flipping pages like crazy. I鈥檓 talking nonstop page-turning and it ended up at 24% before I had to close my Kindle to stop it because pressing the main button didn鈥檛 work. I have been reading on a Kindle for at least 10+ years now and that has never, ever happened to me. Not a single time. I have goosebumps just typing this out as I鈥檓 not sure what to think at this point in my life. Saw this movie as a kid and decided to read the novel 31 years later to make it full circle and then this happens.
I give 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� by William Peter Blatty a 5/5 and will highly recommend this horror novel until the end of time. I would even say it should be required reading if you love horror as much as I do because this is indeed the scariest novel ever written. It鈥檚 the scariest novel I鈥檝e ever read in my life and it鈥檚 one of those reading experiences that will stay with you forever. It鈥檚 incredible, atmospheric, horrific, disturbing, perverse, and just checks every single box towards being a horror novel masterpiece. This is perfection and it鈥檚 only fitting I saw this movie on Halloween night back in 1992 and finished the novel on Halloween night in 2023. The freakiest part? That鈥檚 31 years later and my birthday is December 31st. As I said, it鈥檚 all full circle for me and I will never forget the impact 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� has had on my life. Now, if you鈥檒l excuse me, I鈥檓 going to go buy a new Kindle.
It was late that Halloween night that I, a silly little boy trying to get scared, decided to watch 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� movie. I鈥檓 talking about the original movie, uncensored, and in its entirety. Needless to say, that movie traumatized the hell out of me. I specifically remember not being able to sleep that night and literally had a rosary on me at all times around my neck for months.
This movie traumatized me so much that I could NEVER hear that famous song 鈥淭ubular Bells鈥� from this horror movie in any way, shape, or form. I couldn鈥檛 even see Linda Blair鈥檚 face without turning away because that movie was burned into my soul for decades.
It wasn鈥檛 until I was an adult that I was able to get through all this trauma thanks to the death metal band Possessed. They have a legendary metal song called 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� which helped me overcome my fear of this movie, Regan, and everything associated with this franchise. It was on their epic album 鈥淪even Churches鈥� that features the actual theme song from the movie that did it. At first, it terrified me but since it鈥檚 death metal, it eventually healed me. I love metal and needless to say, it helped me get through many difficult parts of my life including the trauma of 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� and well, now it was time to put this novel down once and for all.
Before I jump into my review, 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� does have a few trigger warnings that I found while reading鈥�
- Violence against babies (Satanic Black Masses)
- Satanism
- Major religious defamation against Catholicism
If any of these trigger warnings bother you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, this is the first time I鈥檝e ever read anything by Blatty and I have to say, he has excellent writing skills. I was blown away at how exceptionally talented he is as an author and I was instantly hooked right from the start.
The added graphics at the start of each part of this novel was also a nice touch. I love it when novels have that as it brings me back to my teenage years seeing them in the various horror paperbacks I used to love reading. It just added another creepy layer of horror to this novel and not for nothing, this was a genuine pageturner. Not a single boring part or anything that dragged on, it was fantastic.
There are so many creepy parts here that brought me back to my 11-year-old self, it鈥檚 crazy. I knew I buried all this away deep inside me decades ago but to read it now as an adult who loves reading horror felt pretty damn good. I knew this day would come since it was inevitable due to my love of all things horror.
Make no mistake about it, 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� is a horror masterpiece. This novel is so creepy, disturbing, disgusting, and horrific that I would say this should be a required read for anyone who loves horror and can actually handle it. Seriously, this novel will freak you out. I guarantee it.
All the characters here were great and of course, Regan led the way as every single encounter with her was beyond frightening. Again, flashbacks hit me, that voice hit me, just the atmospheric writing here by Blatty has left an imprint on me that, just like the movie, will never leave me. Ever.
This novel is so damn scary, it literally sent chills down my spine several times while reading. All the tension, suspense, and horror are top-notch and some of the best I鈥檝e ever read in my life. I haven鈥檛 felt this way since I first read 鈥淚T鈥� by Stephen King as a teenager. You know that kind of horror that you read, blows you away, and genuinely freaks you the hell out? Yeah, this did it just as effectively if not even more since it deals with demonic possession to make it extra horrific.
I made so many weird faces reading this that my head was spinning. My eyes got so large at certain parts because they were that intense. The backstory of all sorts of demonic history, possession interviews, Black Masses, and Satanism were all great to fill in just how crazy these exorcisms truly are. All of this led to one climactic ending that was incredible and bone-chillingly good. As they say, the novel is better than the movie but in my case, they both are impactful no matter which way you slice it.
Now, to share one last quick story before I reveal my final Star Rating, you will not believe what happened to me the first night I started reading this novel. I give you my word that this is completely true and something that legit freaked me out. I promise you that this isn鈥檛 made up or anything.
It was a little after 3 AM on Saturday, October 28, 2023. I was about 8% into 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� and as I read on my Kindle Paperwhite, I like to take notes so when I write my book reviews, I don鈥檛 forget anything. I stopped reading and went to type in 鈥済enuine page-turner鈥� and my Kindle automatically started flipping pages like crazy. I鈥檓 talking nonstop page-turning and it ended up at 24% before I had to close my Kindle to stop it because pressing the main button didn鈥檛 work. I have been reading on a Kindle for at least 10+ years now and that has never, ever happened to me. Not a single time. I have goosebumps just typing this out as I鈥檓 not sure what to think at this point in my life. Saw this movie as a kid and decided to read the novel 31 years later to make it full circle and then this happens.
I give 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� by William Peter Blatty a 5/5 and will highly recommend this horror novel until the end of time. I would even say it should be required reading if you love horror as much as I do because this is indeed the scariest novel ever written. It鈥檚 the scariest novel I鈥檝e ever read in my life and it鈥檚 one of those reading experiences that will stay with you forever. It鈥檚 incredible, atmospheric, horrific, disturbing, perverse, and just checks every single box towards being a horror novel masterpiece. This is perfection and it鈥檚 only fitting I saw this movie on Halloween night back in 1992 and finished the novel on Halloween night in 2023. The freakiest part? That鈥檚 31 years later and my birthday is December 31st. As I said, it鈥檚 all full circle for me and I will never forget the impact 鈥淭he Exorcist鈥� has had on my life. Now, if you鈥檒l excuse me, I鈥檓 going to go buy a new Kindle.
April 14, 2023
鈥淧erhaps evil is the crucible of goodness. And perhaps even Satan - Satan, in spite of himself, somehow serves to work out the will of God.鈥�
The Exorcist tells the story of Chris MacNeil, a successful actress at the height of her career. Chris is beautiful, rich, famous, and about to transition from leading lady to film director. She lives with her twelve year old daughter Regan in a rented accommodation. Regan begins to display strange and unusual behavior. Gradually, the peculiar turns to the bizarre, and within a brief span of time, Regan is displaying all the signs of demonic possession.
The Exorcist is without a doubt, one of the best horror novels ever written. The story is incredibly complex, and the representation of it鈥檚 characters as flawed human beings, each with their own doubts, guilt and struggles makes the character work in this novel superb. The novel is also as graphic as it is complex. An early scene in the book describes the desecration of a church that is certainly not for the squeamish. The Exorcist has a plethora of scenes that range from creepy to bone chilling to outright shocking! Spin a wheel and pick your favourite!
鈥淕liding spiderlike, rapidly, close behind Sharon, her body arched backward in a bow with her head almost touching her feet, was Regan, her tongue flicking quickly in and out of her mouth while she sibilantly hissed and moved her head very slightly back and forth like a serpent. Sharon stopped then screamed as she felt Regan's tongue sneaking out at her ankle. That day, everywhere Sharon went, Regan followed...鈥�
鈥淒o you know what she did? Your c*nting daughter?鈥�
The connection that the author creates between the reader and Father Karas while he is questioning his God and the involvement it has with Regan and her situation was so beautifully done. He created one of the most believable and tragic characters and this was my favourite part of the novel. The relationship between Chris and Regan is also very key. Chris loves Regan and cares for her deeply but it almost starts to feel like the character of Regan doesn鈥檛 exist anymore. One of my favourite quotes is when Merrin says to Karras that the demons deeds are not aimed purely at Regan, but in fact at the others in the house.
鈥淭he demon's target is not the possessed; it is us the observers.. everyone in this house. I think the point is to make us despair..to reject our humanity: to see ourselves as ultimately bestial, vile and putrescent; without dignity; ugly; unworthy.鈥�
This is a breathtaking novel, certainly not for the easily scared or faint of heart and no novel or movie/tv work has come close to the sheer terror, creepiness and gripping nature of this tremendous story. While I love the film adaptation and have watched it more times than I care to mention, the book has an intense depth and details that the film only hinted at.
William Peter Blatty deserves, just for this book alone to be recognised as an important and prolific author.
My Highest Recommendation.
鈥淵ou don't blame us for being here, do you? After all, we have no place to go. No home... Incidentally, what an excellent day for an exorcism...鈥�
The Exorcist tells the story of Chris MacNeil, a successful actress at the height of her career. Chris is beautiful, rich, famous, and about to transition from leading lady to film director. She lives with her twelve year old daughter Regan in a rented accommodation. Regan begins to display strange and unusual behavior. Gradually, the peculiar turns to the bizarre, and within a brief span of time, Regan is displaying all the signs of demonic possession.
The Exorcist is without a doubt, one of the best horror novels ever written. The story is incredibly complex, and the representation of it鈥檚 characters as flawed human beings, each with their own doubts, guilt and struggles makes the character work in this novel superb. The novel is also as graphic as it is complex. An early scene in the book describes the desecration of a church that is certainly not for the squeamish. The Exorcist has a plethora of scenes that range from creepy to bone chilling to outright shocking! Spin a wheel and pick your favourite!
鈥淕liding spiderlike, rapidly, close behind Sharon, her body arched backward in a bow with her head almost touching her feet, was Regan, her tongue flicking quickly in and out of her mouth while she sibilantly hissed and moved her head very slightly back and forth like a serpent. Sharon stopped then screamed as she felt Regan's tongue sneaking out at her ankle. That day, everywhere Sharon went, Regan followed...鈥�
鈥淒o you know what she did? Your c*nting daughter?鈥�
The connection that the author creates between the reader and Father Karas while he is questioning his God and the involvement it has with Regan and her situation was so beautifully done. He created one of the most believable and tragic characters and this was my favourite part of the novel. The relationship between Chris and Regan is also very key. Chris loves Regan and cares for her deeply but it almost starts to feel like the character of Regan doesn鈥檛 exist anymore. One of my favourite quotes is when Merrin says to Karras that the demons deeds are not aimed purely at Regan, but in fact at the others in the house.
鈥淭he demon's target is not the possessed; it is us the observers.. everyone in this house. I think the point is to make us despair..to reject our humanity: to see ourselves as ultimately bestial, vile and putrescent; without dignity; ugly; unworthy.鈥�
This is a breathtaking novel, certainly not for the easily scared or faint of heart and no novel or movie/tv work has come close to the sheer terror, creepiness and gripping nature of this tremendous story. While I love the film adaptation and have watched it more times than I care to mention, the book has an intense depth and details that the film only hinted at.
William Peter Blatty deserves, just for this book alone to be recognised as an important and prolific author.
My Highest Recommendation.
鈥淵ou don't blame us for being here, do you? After all, we have no place to go. No home... Incidentally, what an excellent day for an exorcism...鈥�
October 26, 2020
UPDATE: $1.99 Kindle US today 10/26/20
I think I'm ready. . . Help!
Well, maybe I'm weird but I found the movie scarier than the book. Don't get me wrong, there are a few parts that gave me the heebie jeebies, but overall it didn't get me like the movie. Just getting the gifs for this freaking review had me all creeped out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This book is very disturbing though. Reading the stuff about people in the Black Mass and what they were doing. Uggg, no.
I thought about getting a copy of the movie to watch again since I have read the book but hell no. Just NO! The only reason I wanted to watch it again is because I wanted to see if they had some of the really disturbing things in the movie that were in the book. I wanted to see if they talked about all of the Black Mass stuff and different things that were in-depth in the book because I can't remember any of that stuff it was so long ago.
I remember when I was younger I had a nightmare that she was coming after me on a bicycle! Lol, and it was scary as hell and seemed real. A bicycle though, heh!
There is a part in the prologue that I didn't even realize was in another part of the movie until I read the book. It was about the demon when Father Merrin was overseas.
This all started when Regan started playing with the ouiji board. People, just don't do it.
Regan's mom Chris who is a movie star let her do it because she didn't think there was any harm in it. Although, she did have some trepidation when Regan started talking about a "Captain Howdy."
Then things started to happen. Chris had Regan taken to all kinds of doctors and psych's until they finally said they need a priest. Ya think?
Chris was able to get in touch with Father Karras through some peeps but he had to spend time with Regan to prove to the Bishop an exorcism was needed. The kind of proof he had to look for in the book was ridiculous. With all of the stuff going on with Regan they must have been out of their damn mind! That should have happened with no problems.
And then we finally get Father Merrin =) I loved him and Karras.
At any rate, the movie and the book were disturbing. Both in their own ways. The movie was scarier but the book had more detailed, disturbing stuff. Now I can only read normal horror for awhile!!
Enjoy!!!!
MY BLOG:
I think I'm ready. . . Help!
Well, maybe I'm weird but I found the movie scarier than the book. Don't get me wrong, there are a few parts that gave me the heebie jeebies, but overall it didn't get me like the movie. Just getting the gifs for this freaking review had me all creeped out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This book is very disturbing though. Reading the stuff about people in the Black Mass and what they were doing. Uggg, no.
I thought about getting a copy of the movie to watch again since I have read the book but hell no. Just NO! The only reason I wanted to watch it again is because I wanted to see if they had some of the really disturbing things in the movie that were in the book. I wanted to see if they talked about all of the Black Mass stuff and different things that were in-depth in the book because I can't remember any of that stuff it was so long ago.
I remember when I was younger I had a nightmare that she was coming after me on a bicycle! Lol, and it was scary as hell and seemed real. A bicycle though, heh!
There is a part in the prologue that I didn't even realize was in another part of the movie until I read the book. It was about the demon when Father Merrin was overseas.
The man in khaki prowled the ruins. The Temple of Nabu. The Temple of Ishtar. He sifted vibrations. At the palace of Ashurbanipal he stopped and looked up at the limestone statue hulking in situ. Ragged wings and taloned feet. A bulbous, jutting, stubby penis and a mouth stretched taunt in feral grin. The demon Pazuzu.
Abruptly the man in khaki sagged.
He bowed his head.
It was coming.
He stared at the dust and the quickening shadows. The orb of the sun was beginning to slip beneath the rim of the world and he could hear the dim yappings of savage dog packs prowling the fringes of the city. He rolled his shirtsleeves down and buttoned them as a shivering breeze sprang up. Its source was southwest.
He hastened toward Mosul and his train, his heart encased in the icy conviction that soon he would be hunted by an ancient enemy whose face he had never seen.
But he knew his name.
This all started when Regan started playing with the ouiji board. People, just don't do it.
Regan's mom Chris who is a movie star let her do it because she didn't think there was any harm in it. Although, she did have some trepidation when Regan started talking about a "Captain Howdy."
Then things started to happen. Chris had Regan taken to all kinds of doctors and psych's until they finally said they need a priest. Ya think?
Chris was able to get in touch with Father Karras through some peeps but he had to spend time with Regan to prove to the Bishop an exorcism was needed. The kind of proof he had to look for in the book was ridiculous. With all of the stuff going on with Regan they must have been out of their damn mind! That should have happened with no problems.
And then we finally get Father Merrin =) I loved him and Karras.
As the stranger reached up to remove his hat, Chris was nodding her head, and then suddenly she was looking into eyes that overwhelmed her: tht shone with intelligence and kindly understanding, with serenity that poured from them into her being like the waters of a warm and healing river whose source was both in him and yet somehow beyond him; whose flow was contained and yet headlong and endless.
"I'm Father Lankester Merrin," he said.
At any rate, the movie and the book were disturbing. Both in their own ways. The movie was scarier but the book had more detailed, disturbing stuff. Now I can only read normal horror for awhile!!
Enjoy!!!!
MY BLOG:
April 1, 2017
Scared the heck out of me !!
January 13, 2015
Absolute classic, good atmosphere, compelling story... if you want to met William F. Kindermann again, read Legion, the follow up; clear recommendation, both books!
February 17, 2025
Oh. My. God.
What even was this? There was a level of crazy that I just WAS NOT expecting. I thought this priest was going to try and cast out a demon and a little girl was going to cough chunks of puke on him. I had no idea what sort of layers of insanity I was dealing with here.
Ok, ok, ok.
Did anyone else think it was fucknuts that all these psychiatrists just assume all tween & teen kids are like the X-men and might possibly develop psychic and telekinetic powers?
What the hell?!
Was this an ACTUAL thing in the 70s?
Like, oh it's all normal that she can read my mind and toss shit across the room, which is apparently COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from demon possession.
She is literally levitating the bed across the room like a magic carpet while spewing vomit and speaking in an entirely different voice, and Father Karrass is over there with his finger on her pulse talking about how her heartbeat is steady so it must just be NORMAL PSYCHIC PHENOMENA.
omgthatisnotathing!
No, sir. What you have there is 100% some freaky demon shit.
I also thought Father Karrass was boring. I was so tired of hearing about his inner struggle with his faith. I'm not religious and I understand why someone may struggle with it, so I sympathized to an extent. But either you jump on that train or you don't. And by the end of it, I was practically screaming at him to shit or get off the pot because I couldn't get behind his glee every time he thought for a second that the Regan was really demon-possessed.
I guess in his mind if there was a devil, there had to be a God.
Dude! There has to be a better time to work out your crisis of faith!
And oh god. This was gross.
Some of the shit the demon made the little girl do was horribly disturbing. I was quite literally cringing while listening to it.
There were quite a few icky masturbation scenes and incredibly nasty adult things that it said that got the point across that the demon was horrendous without that level of nastiness.
Fuck! Just awful.
I don't know. I was bored with the religious stuff, sickened by all the gross descriptions, and yet still rooted to the spot like a gawker watching a train wreck.
I'm glad I read this one and I doubt I'll ever forget it.
It. Is. Something. Good? Bad? Like I said, I don't know!
BUT IT IS SOMETHING.
The audio version I listened to was published by HarperAudio and was read by the author, William Peter Blatty. Dude had one of those menacing voices that you wouldn't want to hear in a dark alley.
What even was this? There was a level of crazy that I just WAS NOT expecting. I thought this priest was going to try and cast out a demon and a little girl was going to cough chunks of puke on him. I had no idea what sort of layers of insanity I was dealing with here.
Ok, ok, ok.
Did anyone else think it was fucknuts that all these psychiatrists just assume all tween & teen kids are like the X-men and might possibly develop psychic and telekinetic powers?
What the hell?!
Was this an ACTUAL thing in the 70s?
Like, oh it's all normal that she can read my mind and toss shit across the room, which is apparently COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from demon possession.
She is literally levitating the bed across the room like a magic carpet while spewing vomit and speaking in an entirely different voice, and Father Karrass is over there with his finger on her pulse talking about how her heartbeat is steady so it must just be NORMAL PSYCHIC PHENOMENA.
omgthatisnotathing!
No, sir. What you have there is 100% some freaky demon shit.
I also thought Father Karrass was boring. I was so tired of hearing about his inner struggle with his faith. I'm not religious and I understand why someone may struggle with it, so I sympathized to an extent. But either you jump on that train or you don't. And by the end of it, I was practically screaming at him to shit or get off the pot because I couldn't get behind his glee every time he thought for a second that the Regan was really demon-possessed.
I guess in his mind if there was a devil, there had to be a God.
Dude! There has to be a better time to work out your crisis of faith!
And oh god. This was gross.
Some of the shit the demon made the little girl do was horribly disturbing. I was quite literally cringing while listening to it.
There were quite a few icky masturbation scenes and incredibly nasty adult things that it said that got the point across that the demon was horrendous without that level of nastiness.
Fuck! Just awful.
I don't know. I was bored with the religious stuff, sickened by all the gross descriptions, and yet still rooted to the spot like a gawker watching a train wreck.
I'm glad I read this one and I doubt I'll ever forget it.
It. Is. Something. Good? Bad? Like I said, I don't know!
BUT IT IS SOMETHING.
The audio version I listened to was published by HarperAudio and was read by the author, William Peter Blatty. Dude had one of those menacing voices that you wouldn't want to hear in a dark alley.
February 10, 2017
Curiosity compels you to read this!
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS
It was kinda hard to decide the rating on this novel.
If I'd think only on the raw reading experience, I would say that it was a 3-star material.
However, I had to ponder about the whole additional info and further development of characters compared with my experience with the film adaptation (which certainly is one of my favorite horror films). So, I think that the fairest rating is giving a solid 4-star rating.
Certainly due all those deeper details in the original book, I think that novel & movie make an irresistible combo to do.
You watched the film, and then you'll appreciate even more the extended information that you'll find in the original novel, but in matters of frightening, well the movie has a clear advantage, but don't dismiss the novel so quickly.
Since, may be not the best horror novel that I've ever read,...
...but certainly the book has...
...something to compel you to read it, and have it a huge respect to it.
MOVIE V. BOOK: DAWN OF POSSESSION
I am not surprised if almost any reader has watched the film before reading the novel..
...And my case wasn't any different.
I have watched the three film versions: Original theatrical, "The Never-Before-Seen" version and the "Extended Director's Cut". Any comment that I'd make in this review about the film adaptation it will be based on the latest mentioned version, the "Extended Director's Cut", due it's the most complete and also it's the one that I have on Blu-ray so it's the one that I have more fresh on my mind.
It's interesting how the film is generally accepted as the most terrifying movie of all time, while the novel doesn't keep that distinction. Actually the debate about which novel is the most terrifying of all, it's an endless dispute that I'm sure the general reading community never would be able to agree in a specific novel.
While the imagination is the best special effects generator, I have to admit that it wasn't so shocking to read scenes than in the visual presentation where they are truly scary.
Even, I don't know if there was the choice of words used in the narrative of the book, since I think that I'd some "technical" difficulties to visualize some of those scenes, if I wouldn't have previous notion of how they supposed to look like, thanks to the film.
PLAYING DEVIL'S ADVOCATE
So, I am still glad of having read the original novel, since not matter the film adaptation covered the most important elements of the general storyline;...
...the novel indeed gives you enlighting info about the background of the characters, even "new" characters that didn't appear on the movie version, and deeper development of many of the scenes.
On the film, you never have doubt that there is a demon inside of Regan,...
...but in the novel, there are plausible scenarios causing suspicions on other characters, with the chance of a more rational explanation.
So, not so ironically, in the same way that you have faith to believe in God, well, the story requires of you to have "faith" to believe in the existence of The Devil.
That, it's something so curious about many priests in Catholic Church, that I understand that there must be an investigation to discard a simpler explanation to some situations, but it seems that if you say that you're possessed by The Devil or to the contrary, you were witness of the word of God, in any case, the priests will see you as a perfect nut job to send to some psychiatric asylum.
So, while the priests are supposed to believe in God, it's like they don't want to believe in the existence of The Devil, that's it's quite odd, since they are both sides of the same religious coin.
Also, some elements in the novel, that you may perceive as "random" in the film version, even not clarify enough for really understanding why they are in the story, those elements are well developed on the novel and even making ties to the demon inside Regan that you may didn't think about before.
Moreover, some reactions and conducts of the characters, knowing key info about their pasts, you can rationalize better why they are reacting in such ways.
Even some conversations, they are the same in terms of dialogue, but the mood of them are perceived in a different way in the book, giving some new angles to the dynamics between characters.
SPEAKING OF THE DEVIL
That's exactly what I expect when I decide to read a book (original novel or novelization) when I already watched the film adaptation.
Since while I invest only two hours to watch the movie, I can invest like a week (or more) to read a novel. So, if I read just the exact story on the book, I think that it would kinda pointless, but if I got enough additional info,...
...certainly then, it was well invested time.
I think that the most effective element on the construction of the story is that you get a lot of arguments and plausible explanations of what it's going on, so in some reverse psychology gimmick, you get to believe more and more that Regan is indeed possessed by a demon.
While in some other novels where they approach the paranormal angle directly, the reader tends to accept it without a doubt.
Maybe you don't believe in The Devil or in God even, but don't worry,...
...since you also can say that you don't believe in Jupiter (the planet, not the Roman god) and that doesn't make that that planet isn't out there.
Many people are atheists until they have to face a demon by themselves.
And it's not like that I am saying that you have to believe in the Christian God, since while I am Catholic, my wish is only that all people believe in some higher power, that you may name whatever you prefer, but believe, in something higher than us.
Since some others may call as unrealistic, to believe in gods or higher powers,...
...for me, not believing in some higher power, I'd call it as sad.
Believe in God. Beware of The Devil. Both are real, not matter if you believe in them or not.
Getting back to the book, I recommend the novel for any fan of the film and wishing to get a deeper developement on the story.
P.S. (Updated Jan, 13th, 2017)
I just knew that William Peter Blatty passed away. I'm glad that I was able to read his most iconic work way before he would die.
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS
It was kinda hard to decide the rating on this novel.
If I'd think only on the raw reading experience, I would say that it was a 3-star material.
However, I had to ponder about the whole additional info and further development of characters compared with my experience with the film adaptation (which certainly is one of my favorite horror films). So, I think that the fairest rating is giving a solid 4-star rating.
Certainly due all those deeper details in the original book, I think that novel & movie make an irresistible combo to do.
You watched the film, and then you'll appreciate even more the extended information that you'll find in the original novel, but in matters of frightening, well the movie has a clear advantage, but don't dismiss the novel so quickly.
Since, may be not the best horror novel that I've ever read,...
...but certainly the book has...
...something to compel you to read it, and have it a huge respect to it.
MOVIE V. BOOK: DAWN OF POSSESSION
I am not surprised if almost any reader has watched the film before reading the novel..
...And my case wasn't any different.
I have watched the three film versions: Original theatrical, "The Never-Before-Seen" version and the "Extended Director's Cut". Any comment that I'd make in this review about the film adaptation it will be based on the latest mentioned version, the "Extended Director's Cut", due it's the most complete and also it's the one that I have on Blu-ray so it's the one that I have more fresh on my mind.
It's interesting how the film is generally accepted as the most terrifying movie of all time, while the novel doesn't keep that distinction. Actually the debate about which novel is the most terrifying of all, it's an endless dispute that I'm sure the general reading community never would be able to agree in a specific novel.
While the imagination is the best special effects generator, I have to admit that it wasn't so shocking to read scenes than in the visual presentation where they are truly scary.
Even, I don't know if there was the choice of words used in the narrative of the book, since I think that I'd some "technical" difficulties to visualize some of those scenes, if I wouldn't have previous notion of how they supposed to look like, thanks to the film.
PLAYING DEVIL'S ADVOCATE
So, I am still glad of having read the original novel, since not matter the film adaptation covered the most important elements of the general storyline;...
...the novel indeed gives you enlighting info about the background of the characters, even "new" characters that didn't appear on the movie version, and deeper development of many of the scenes.
On the film, you never have doubt that there is a demon inside of Regan,...
...but in the novel, there are plausible scenarios causing suspicions on other characters, with the chance of a more rational explanation.
So, not so ironically, in the same way that you have faith to believe in God, well, the story requires of you to have "faith" to believe in the existence of The Devil.
That, it's something so curious about many priests in Catholic Church, that I understand that there must be an investigation to discard a simpler explanation to some situations, but it seems that if you say that you're possessed by The Devil or to the contrary, you were witness of the word of God, in any case, the priests will see you as a perfect nut job to send to some psychiatric asylum.
So, while the priests are supposed to believe in God, it's like they don't want to believe in the existence of The Devil, that's it's quite odd, since they are both sides of the same religious coin.
Also, some elements in the novel, that you may perceive as "random" in the film version, even not clarify enough for really understanding why they are in the story, those elements are well developed on the novel and even making ties to the demon inside Regan that you may didn't think about before.
Moreover, some reactions and conducts of the characters, knowing key info about their pasts, you can rationalize better why they are reacting in such ways.
Even some conversations, they are the same in terms of dialogue, but the mood of them are perceived in a different way in the book, giving some new angles to the dynamics between characters.
SPEAKING OF THE DEVIL
That's exactly what I expect when I decide to read a book (original novel or novelization) when I already watched the film adaptation.
Since while I invest only two hours to watch the movie, I can invest like a week (or more) to read a novel. So, if I read just the exact story on the book, I think that it would kinda pointless, but if I got enough additional info,...
...certainly then, it was well invested time.
I think that the most effective element on the construction of the story is that you get a lot of arguments and plausible explanations of what it's going on, so in some reverse psychology gimmick, you get to believe more and more that Regan is indeed possessed by a demon.
While in some other novels where they approach the paranormal angle directly, the reader tends to accept it without a doubt.
Maybe you don't believe in The Devil or in God even, but don't worry,...
...since you also can say that you don't believe in Jupiter (the planet, not the Roman god) and that doesn't make that that planet isn't out there.
Many people are atheists until they have to face a demon by themselves.
And it's not like that I am saying that you have to believe in the Christian God, since while I am Catholic, my wish is only that all people believe in some higher power, that you may name whatever you prefer, but believe, in something higher than us.
Since some others may call as unrealistic, to believe in gods or higher powers,...
...for me, not believing in some higher power, I'd call it as sad.
Believe in God. Beware of The Devil. Both are real, not matter if you believe in them or not.
Getting back to the book, I recommend the novel for any fan of the film and wishing to get a deeper developement on the story.
P.S. (Updated Jan, 13th, 2017)
I just knew that William Peter Blatty passed away. I'm glad that I was able to read his most iconic work way before he would die.
May 2, 2021
I really enjoyed this one. It has all the elements of eerie paranormal horror with some mystery. The plot involves a little girl who's life goes from normal to complete terror. The little girl, Regan, starts playing with a ouija board and an unknown presence begins communicating with her. The unwanted entity, who goes by the name of Mr. Howdy, slowly becomes problematic. As with all paranormal activity, the plot tracks the demonic activity commonly seen in the four stages: infestation, oppression, obsession, and eventual possession of the little girl. The plot is riddled with psychiatric, religious, and occult-witchcraft fervor that adds to the atmospheric heaviness leading to the exorcism.
'Could you help an old altar boy, Father?'
- The Demon
'And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"
And he answered, "Legion, for we are many."'
- Mark 5:9
The book is well-written and flows very nicely. All the characters are well-developed and life-like. All the characters have their personal demons and struggle with them in the story. The overall tone throughout the book is eerie and solemn. For me this is tied with Stephen King's Salem's Lot for creepiness. I would highly recommend this to anyone. Thanks!
'Could you help an old altar boy, Father?'
- The Demon
'And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"
And he answered, "Legion, for we are many."'
- Mark 5:9
The book is well-written and flows very nicely. All the characters are well-developed and life-like. All the characters have their personal demons and struggle with them in the story. The overall tone throughout the book is eerie and solemn. For me this is tied with Stephen King's Salem's Lot for creepiness. I would highly recommend this to anyone. Thanks!
March 30, 2025
I can't remember another story from the seventies - with the possible exception of Rosemary's Baby - that scared me as much as this back then.
Though no cradle Catholic, I was then turning into a believer, reading my books! And consequently I feared my daemons.
How many of us remember that this great film started out as a blockbuster book?
Starting out, I find that Blatty invests weight, substance and a more subtle, but just as suspenseful, kind of aura to this epochal story. A richer and stranger psychology!
The Spanish Inquisition punished all dissent to dogma, but the psychology I inherited from my mom's genes (the voracious readers in my ancestry) always veered toward freedom of thought.
But freedom to explore uncovers the innocent rocks of our garden and reveals ugly Night Crawlers! So it is here.
An innocent child is possessed of the Devil. And all the denizens of Hell burst into sudden horrendous bloom at a quiet residence in upscale Boston.
The innocent child mocks God when a Priest is summoned to rescue her. She spits on him.
The Night Crawlers now get their vengeance, and Lucifer laughs. The tale reaches its climax when the priest offers himself as sacrifice for poor Meghan's soul, if God so will it.
And the ending is superbly touching, for a believer.
***
If you, too, are in the mood for some scary reading that is off the beaten track, read it!
And what better time than an eerie grey, dark evening at batflight?
For just such a setting is the one I myself remember.
Though no cradle Catholic, I was then turning into a believer, reading my books! And consequently I feared my daemons.
How many of us remember that this great film started out as a blockbuster book?
Starting out, I find that Blatty invests weight, substance and a more subtle, but just as suspenseful, kind of aura to this epochal story. A richer and stranger psychology!
The Spanish Inquisition punished all dissent to dogma, but the psychology I inherited from my mom's genes (the voracious readers in my ancestry) always veered toward freedom of thought.
But freedom to explore uncovers the innocent rocks of our garden and reveals ugly Night Crawlers! So it is here.
An innocent child is possessed of the Devil. And all the denizens of Hell burst into sudden horrendous bloom at a quiet residence in upscale Boston.
The innocent child mocks God when a Priest is summoned to rescue her. She spits on him.
The Night Crawlers now get their vengeance, and Lucifer laughs. The tale reaches its climax when the priest offers himself as sacrifice for poor Meghan's soul, if God so will it.
And the ending is superbly touching, for a believer.
***
If you, too, are in the mood for some scary reading that is off the beaten track, read it!
And what better time than an eerie grey, dark evening at batflight?
For just such a setting is the one I myself remember.
November 21, 2011
A masterpiece...unqualified, unadulterated and unequaled.
How better to describe the definitive, 40th Anniversary edition of one of THE classic horror novels of the 20th century...rendered in audio format and narrated with passion, verve and pitch-perfect delivery by William P. Blatty himself.
I鈥檝e seen both the original and extended, remastered versions of The Exorcist several times and believe it ranks among the finest horror films ever made. Until this week, I had never read the source novel. Now that I have, let me add to the film鈥檚 list of accolades that it's also one of the best film adaptations of a classic novel that I have experienced (along with and ).
I鈥檓 going to test the limb and walk out onto it by assuming that most people, even if for some inexplicable or metaphysical reason have not either read the book or seen the movie, are familiar enough with the basic plot that I can dispense with any fear of spoilers. A sweet, pre-teen girl gets soul-jacked by a demon and proceeds to expel various manner of noxious excreta from her various orifices while hurling more barbs and insults than a Don Rickles standup routine. Throw in a grizzled exorcist, a dogged detective and a Jesuit priest with serious mommy issues whose suffering a crisis of faith and you鈥檝e got the playbill for this diabolical dance of dread.
Thus, wifhout worrying about spoilage, I am going to mention briefly what struck me most about the book and then finish with a quick 鈥渃ompare and contrast鈥� describing where I thought the film and the novel, respectively, were the superior product.
First and foremost, the single most impressive aspect of the book for me was the dense, lushtastically, beautiful prose employed by Blatty while converting this story from mind to paper. Given that Blatty did not become a prolific author (to my knowledge at least), I always assumed that the novel was standard fair that had just received a fabulous hollywood makeover into a successful film. Not only was I all the way wrong, but the film actually loses the rich psychologically melodramatic flavor of Blatty鈥檚 verse. In the novel, everything is hyper real and a casual look or a fleeting feeling might be imbued with vast significance. A little like an updated version of Lovecraft meets Tolstoy meets Kafka. I thought it was wonderful and attained the rank of esteemed literature in my opinion. A heart-felt BOO-YAH to Mr. Blatty for his slick, stylish sentencing.
Okay, let鈥檚 compare a contrast shall we....
Movie was Better than the Book:
(***Warning: shots from the film below may be shocking to some***)
The visual effects employed in the movie were so megascream scary at a gut level that they had my twig and berries crawling up my tummy to nuzzle against my liver. Thus, most of the following are moments in which the written word of Blatty just couldn鈥檛 compete on the terror scale with the film. Beginning with:
1. The Face of Evil: The transformation of nice, innocent Linda Blair into one of the foulest, fugliest freak shows in film history is something that the book could not adequately convey.
The mismatched, demonic eyes...the pasty, cracked and scrobiculated skin, the raspy 鈥淏arry White with a head cold鈥� voice...it鈥檚 enough to cause temporary motor ataxia. The book, as good as it was, could not match this kind of visual perfection for visceral terror.
2. The 鈥淐rucifix鈥� Scene: We all know the scene I鈥檓 talking about so let鈥檚 not belabor the point and allow this to slide into something we might all regret.
Let鈥檚 all just back away and proceed without further comment, except maybe a cringing "ouch baby, very ouch."
3. The 鈥淥wl Head鈥� scene : Up next after 鈥渢he #1 thing never to do with a Crucifix鈥� is the immediately following scene in which little Regan does the full 360 degree, spine-defying glance around. I almost dropped my digesting dinner when I first saw it:
If you are ever feeling irregular, this scene works better than a bran muffin and cup of coffee.
4. The 鈥淐rab Walk鈥� scene: Only in the 鈥渆xtended鈥� version, this bit of demonic gymnastics really shivered my timbers:
5. Three words: Max Van Sydow:
Nuff said.
The Book was Better than the Movie:
In general, in almost every particular beyond the items mentioned above, the book was superior to the film and in some cases vastly so. Here are just the top reasons that come to mind.
1. Again, the Writing: I know, I know...I mentioned this above but dammit it really is that good. Blatty鈥檚 prose sucks you in with his vivid, impassioned prose that employs 鈥渙ver the top鈥� nuance to make every step in the story feel like a necessary, critical piece of the puzzle. I can understand some feeling smothered by the narrative, but I found it enthralling.
2 The Demon: This was one of several key pieces of information that did not translate well on the screen. The film leads the audience to believe that the demon possessing Regan is Satan himself. This is based in the quote: 鈥淚鈥檓 Father Karras鈥� and the response 鈥渁nd I鈥檓 the Devil.鈥� However, the book goes on to make clear that the demon is actually just that...a demon named Pazuzu. This ties into the beginning of the film.
3. Is it Real?: The movie leaves no doubt that Regan was possessed and that she is saved when the demon jumps ship into Father Karras before the "now possessed" priest does a Greg Louganis out of the window. While mostly free from doubt, the novel does a superb job of leaving just enough of a crack open so that the question is never completely answered. I thought this added a substrate of eeriness to the story.
4. Father Dyer and Detective Kinderman: I may be one of the few people that loved Exorcist III (not to be confused with the visual turd known as Exorcist II). One of my favorite aspects of E3 was the witty banter and close friendship between Father Dyer and Bill Kinderman (played by George C. Scott). Turns out a chunk of their dialogue came from this book and their relationship is developed to a significant extent in these pages. Major bonus for me.
5. The Smell and Sound of Evil: Just as the book could not compete with the visual perfection of the film, the film could not (for obvious reasons) come close to imbuing its telling with the stench described in the novel. The number of times Regan befouls her bed and deposits her insides as an act of belligerence towards Regan鈥檚 mom or the priests is an aspect of the novel that adds to the vileness of the demon inhabiting this sweet little girl. Also, the dialogue is far more severe in the book than the movie could likely have gotten away with at the time.
6. Satanic Worship: One fascinating aspect of the novel that was completely cut from the film is the in depth and detailed depiction of Satanic worship and some of the disgusting, sacrilegious practices performed at black masses. This was almost wholly absent in the film but made for compelling reading.
Overall, I loved the movie but think the novel far surpasses it in its artistic merit. It is a true classic and one that I can not give a stronger recommendation for fans of horror.
This was a special and very memorable experience. Thank you, Mr. Blatty.
5.0 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!I
April 17, 2024
鈾狅笍馃拃 I know there are all kinds of well-written horror post-Blatty but this is classic, like Frankenstein, Dracula and Jekyll-Hyde.
I don鈥檛 care for the detective much, but for the rest? Every time I run upstairs to that room I wonder what the hell I鈥檓 going to see next. In the textbooks this is placed in the category called dissociative psychology. The paranormal is more freaky to me than most other horror concepts.
It鈥檚 interesting, thinking shrink a moment, that M. Scott Peck the psychiatrist (The Road Less Traveled) believed in this phenomenon and was in on a few exorcisms himself. It鈥檚 also interesting that like many other aspects of the horror genre (vampires, ghosts, ripper-style-killers, haunted houses) this one never goes away despite all the bad press it gets real life.
At Easter, Russel Crowe鈥檚 new movie, The Pope鈥檚 Exorcist, came out, and it鈥檚 based on the case files of the (late) chief exorcist of Roma, Gabriel Amorth. I鈥檝e read the case files (there are two books published). The film has actually received very good reviews and it鈥檚 been commended for its quality acting. I鈥檝e not seen it yet.
In any case The Exorcist is very much a creepy read. It鈥檚 not just about the horror of the darkness. It鈥檚 also about the horror of the human.
There were two spins, made for TV movies, called simply The Exorcist. I thought the first season was particularly striking.
鈾狅笍An immortal line from one of the priests (Fr Marcus): 鈥淲e stand in the doorway and we push back the darkness. Remember?鈥�
鈾狅笍Ten dark stars 鈾狅笍
I don鈥檛 care for the detective much, but for the rest? Every time I run upstairs to that room I wonder what the hell I鈥檓 going to see next. In the textbooks this is placed in the category called dissociative psychology. The paranormal is more freaky to me than most other horror concepts.
It鈥檚 interesting, thinking shrink a moment, that M. Scott Peck the psychiatrist (The Road Less Traveled) believed in this phenomenon and was in on a few exorcisms himself. It鈥檚 also interesting that like many other aspects of the horror genre (vampires, ghosts, ripper-style-killers, haunted houses) this one never goes away despite all the bad press it gets real life.
At Easter, Russel Crowe鈥檚 new movie, The Pope鈥檚 Exorcist, came out, and it鈥檚 based on the case files of the (late) chief exorcist of Roma, Gabriel Amorth. I鈥檝e read the case files (there are two books published). The film has actually received very good reviews and it鈥檚 been commended for its quality acting. I鈥檝e not seen it yet.
In any case The Exorcist is very much a creepy read. It鈥檚 not just about the horror of the darkness. It鈥檚 also about the horror of the human.
There were two spins, made for TV movies, called simply The Exorcist. I thought the first season was particularly striking.
鈾狅笍An immortal line from one of the priests (Fr Marcus): 鈥淲e stand in the doorway and we push back the darkness. Remember?鈥�
鈾狅笍Ten dark stars 鈾狅笍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2024
Ej no ale to zako艅czenie nie by艂o satysfakcjonuj膮ce鈥�
Ale wiecie co by艂o? Ten cytat:
鈥�-Ja jestem diab艂em.
-A, to 艣wietnie.鈥� XDD
Ale wiecie co by艂o? Ten cytat:
鈥�-Ja jestem diab艂em.
-A, to 艣wietnie.鈥� XDD
November 2, 2019
My mother took me to see The Exorcist at a drive-in theater as part of a double feature with Texas Chainsaw Massacre when I was nine years old.
NINE YEARS OLD I say.
AT THE DRIVE-IN!
And we LIVED IN TEXAS!
Scared the living shit out of me. The Exorcist permanently scarred my little girl psyche and undoubtedly contributed to my love of dark and morbid stories.
To this day it is still the scariest movie I have ever seen.
The book? Not so much.
NINE YEARS OLD I say.
AT THE DRIVE-IN!
And we LIVED IN TEXAS!
Scared the living shit out of me. The Exorcist permanently scarred my little girl psyche and undoubtedly contributed to my love of dark and morbid stories.
To this day it is still the scariest movie I have ever seen.
The book? Not so much.
October 23, 2024
A great re-read for this time of year. Here is my original review for your perusal.
WIlliam Peter Blatty鈥檚 groundbreaking novel caused many waves at the time of its publication, though it is thought that the accompanying movie might have been even more controversial. I chose to embark on this journey, more out of curiosity than anything else. Knowing the premise, I thought I would indulge before the season of ghouls and other spine-tingling things is fully upon us.
Chris MacNeil is a screen actress and lives in Georgetown with her daughter, Regan. Quite the typical twelve, Regan enjoys some independence, but is happy to engage with her mother on a regular basis. When Regan begins to exhibit strange behaviours, Chris cannot help but seek out some medical advice, none of which yields firm answers. When the oddities begin to manifest themselves into verbal and physical attacks on others, Chris is left to grasp at straws and is pushed in the direction of a psychiatrist. The name she is given, interestingly enough, is Father Damien Karras.
A Jesuit, Karras works in the parish just on the other side of the MacNeil home. When Karras agrees to come visit Regan, he is fearful, yet baffled as well, though will not jump to the idea of possession, even as Chris pushes for an exorcism. With no religious ties, the MacNeils seem highly unlikely to have a demon in their lives, but nothing else seems plausible. Karras takes an academic approach to the situation and, after numerous encounters with Regan and her alternate personality, he wonders if there might be something to this talk of demonic possession. Regan appears to have all the signs and exhibits numerous tendencies that Karras has found in scholarly articles over the centuries. With a desecration in the local parish church and the gruesome death of Chris鈥� friend, a local homicide detective is poking around, engaging with Karras at every turn, though no one freely shares the goings-on in the MacNeil home, which might explain at least part of these occurrences.
After making his argument to the Church about the needs for some form of Catholic intervention, Karras proceeds to arm himself to enter Regan鈥檚 domain, ready to do battle with whatever is inside her. It is then that things take a turn for the worse and Karras鈥� entire being is tested. Blatty penned this sensational piece that, even close to a half-century later, will still send chills chills up the reader鈥檚 spine. Highly recommended for those who love a great thrill ride and can stomach some graphic descriptions and language.
In one of my previous reading challenges, I pushed members to compare a book to its screen adaptation, hoping to see the parallels and great differences. Having recently indulged in the cinematic production of this book, it is difficult for me to divorce the two, as they complement one another so well. I thoroughly enjoy watching this movie and have done so on multiple occasions. While it was produced in 1973 and some of the technology is understandably outdated, it packs a punch and was surely quite thrilling at the time.
Damien Karras is a central character in the book and his presence is felt throughout, both through his personal struggles with his faith and the dedication he had when thrust into the middle of the demonic possession of a young girl. Karras begins as a distant figure, who struggles to come to terms with his mother鈥檚 illness and, upon her death, seeks to leave the umbrella of the Catholic Church. However, his character grows as he becomes a well-grounded scholar and seeks to understand what is going on with Regan MacNeil and her obvious struggles with mental stability.
Chris MacNeil is also a key member of the story and her struggle to understand her daughter proves to be an ongoing theme the reader will discover. The angst and utter helplessness is something that any parent would struggle to accept, forcing Chris to turn to the experts, none of whom have the answers she wants.
One cannot review this book effectively without mentioning Regan and the demon that appears to be embedded within her, as it is this that proves to offer the ultimate spine tingling. The struggles the young girl has and the demon displays push the book out of the realm of simple defiance and into an area not seen by many books of the time. The raw and unedited language proves useful鈥攏eeded, even鈥攖o fulfil that complete sentiment of possession.
Many readers may not like it, as I am sure scores found it problematic when the book was published, but it serves to take the book to a level that makes it all the more believed. A handful of other characters and a few interesting sub-plots keep the reader engaged and ready to see where Blatty is taking things. The story itself is quite well done and has been able to stand the test of time. While exorcisms are no longer commonplace, their allure has not diminished, be it in the published work or cinematic presentation. Blatty slowly develops the demonic aspect in such a way that the reader can see it creeping up and spiking at just the right moment. Layering the narrative with some key research, revealed by Father Karras, proves to substantiate the larger theme and keeps things from getting too fanciful. Those with a strong constitution and who can handle some strong language will surely find something in this book to keep them up late at night. I know I鈥檒l likely put this on a list of books to read when I want a real chill, though will have to make sure the audio is not streaming when Neo鈥檚 around!
Kudos, Mr. Blatty, for keeping me enthralled throughout. I may have to check out some more of your work in the coming months, as you sure know how to tell a story!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: /group/show/...
WIlliam Peter Blatty鈥檚 groundbreaking novel caused many waves at the time of its publication, though it is thought that the accompanying movie might have been even more controversial. I chose to embark on this journey, more out of curiosity than anything else. Knowing the premise, I thought I would indulge before the season of ghouls and other spine-tingling things is fully upon us.
Chris MacNeil is a screen actress and lives in Georgetown with her daughter, Regan. Quite the typical twelve, Regan enjoys some independence, but is happy to engage with her mother on a regular basis. When Regan begins to exhibit strange behaviours, Chris cannot help but seek out some medical advice, none of which yields firm answers. When the oddities begin to manifest themselves into verbal and physical attacks on others, Chris is left to grasp at straws and is pushed in the direction of a psychiatrist. The name she is given, interestingly enough, is Father Damien Karras.
A Jesuit, Karras works in the parish just on the other side of the MacNeil home. When Karras agrees to come visit Regan, he is fearful, yet baffled as well, though will not jump to the idea of possession, even as Chris pushes for an exorcism. With no religious ties, the MacNeils seem highly unlikely to have a demon in their lives, but nothing else seems plausible. Karras takes an academic approach to the situation and, after numerous encounters with Regan and her alternate personality, he wonders if there might be something to this talk of demonic possession. Regan appears to have all the signs and exhibits numerous tendencies that Karras has found in scholarly articles over the centuries. With a desecration in the local parish church and the gruesome death of Chris鈥� friend, a local homicide detective is poking around, engaging with Karras at every turn, though no one freely shares the goings-on in the MacNeil home, which might explain at least part of these occurrences.
After making his argument to the Church about the needs for some form of Catholic intervention, Karras proceeds to arm himself to enter Regan鈥檚 domain, ready to do battle with whatever is inside her. It is then that things take a turn for the worse and Karras鈥� entire being is tested. Blatty penned this sensational piece that, even close to a half-century later, will still send chills chills up the reader鈥檚 spine. Highly recommended for those who love a great thrill ride and can stomach some graphic descriptions and language.
In one of my previous reading challenges, I pushed members to compare a book to its screen adaptation, hoping to see the parallels and great differences. Having recently indulged in the cinematic production of this book, it is difficult for me to divorce the two, as they complement one another so well. I thoroughly enjoy watching this movie and have done so on multiple occasions. While it was produced in 1973 and some of the technology is understandably outdated, it packs a punch and was surely quite thrilling at the time.
Damien Karras is a central character in the book and his presence is felt throughout, both through his personal struggles with his faith and the dedication he had when thrust into the middle of the demonic possession of a young girl. Karras begins as a distant figure, who struggles to come to terms with his mother鈥檚 illness and, upon her death, seeks to leave the umbrella of the Catholic Church. However, his character grows as he becomes a well-grounded scholar and seeks to understand what is going on with Regan MacNeil and her obvious struggles with mental stability.
Chris MacNeil is also a key member of the story and her struggle to understand her daughter proves to be an ongoing theme the reader will discover. The angst and utter helplessness is something that any parent would struggle to accept, forcing Chris to turn to the experts, none of whom have the answers she wants.
One cannot review this book effectively without mentioning Regan and the demon that appears to be embedded within her, as it is this that proves to offer the ultimate spine tingling. The struggles the young girl has and the demon displays push the book out of the realm of simple defiance and into an area not seen by many books of the time. The raw and unedited language proves useful鈥攏eeded, even鈥攖o fulfil that complete sentiment of possession.
Many readers may not like it, as I am sure scores found it problematic when the book was published, but it serves to take the book to a level that makes it all the more believed. A handful of other characters and a few interesting sub-plots keep the reader engaged and ready to see where Blatty is taking things. The story itself is quite well done and has been able to stand the test of time. While exorcisms are no longer commonplace, their allure has not diminished, be it in the published work or cinematic presentation. Blatty slowly develops the demonic aspect in such a way that the reader can see it creeping up and spiking at just the right moment. Layering the narrative with some key research, revealed by Father Karras, proves to substantiate the larger theme and keeps things from getting too fanciful. Those with a strong constitution and who can handle some strong language will surely find something in this book to keep them up late at night. I know I鈥檒l likely put this on a list of books to read when I want a real chill, though will have to make sure the audio is not streaming when Neo鈥檚 around!
Kudos, Mr. Blatty, for keeping me enthralled throughout. I may have to check out some more of your work in the coming months, as you sure know how to tell a story!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: /group/show/...
October 4, 2021
I鈥檓 not going to go too much into a review of this book. I鈥檓 sure most of you have seen the movie.
If you found the movie scary, the book is more horrifying in lots of different ways that I was unprepared for. I think it's because your imagination is in overdrive.
There's scenes in the book that had me cringing, gasping, and I was creeped the f!垄k out.
Also, the description of Black Mass was disturbing and I was on Wiki to look up more information. Holy Catholic hell?!
High points of the book for me:
All conversations with the demon and the slow, devastating change of Regan.
Low points of the book for me:
Lieutenant Kinderman (just couldn't get into the character) and too much information on Father Karras鈥檚 background.
I'm not sure why I didn't want his background. I guess I just wanted him to finally get to the action of saving Regan. I'm sure I'm in the minority on this one because the backstory was crucial to his faith.
The movie at the end scared the bejesus out of me and the book's ending is also scary but I was still able to sleep last night. Ha!
I think the Hollywood special effects at the end of the movie must have really scared the shit out of me when I was a kid.
Overall, is a creepy and chilling classic.
I really enjoyed this book and this is a must read for horror lovers!
If you found the movie scary, the book is more horrifying in lots of different ways that I was unprepared for. I think it's because your imagination is in overdrive.
There's scenes in the book that had me cringing, gasping, and I was creeped the f!垄k out.
Also, the description of Black Mass was disturbing and I was on Wiki to look up more information. Holy Catholic hell?!
High points of the book for me:
All conversations with the demon and the slow, devastating change of Regan.
Low points of the book for me:
Lieutenant Kinderman (just couldn't get into the character) and too much information on Father Karras鈥檚 background.
I'm not sure why I didn't want his background. I guess I just wanted him to finally get to the action of saving Regan. I'm sure I'm in the minority on this one because the backstory was crucial to his faith.
The movie at the end scared the bejesus out of me and the book's ending is also scary but I was still able to sleep last night. Ha!
I think the Hollywood special effects at the end of the movie must have really scared the shit out of me when I was a kid.
Overall, is a creepy and chilling classic.
I really enjoyed this book and this is a must read for horror lovers!
October 16, 2017
El exorcista es, sin lugar a dudas, el libro m谩s terror铆fico que he le铆do. Recordemos que el miedo es subjetivo, y mi debilidad siempre han sido las posesiones sat谩nicas.
No me esperaba el an谩lisis psiqui谩trico ni las explicaciones psicol贸gicas para enfrentarnos a las posibles explicaciones de las "posesiones", pens茅, que habr铆a mucha religi贸n involucrada y actos de fe, pero me encontr茅 con razonamientos l贸gicos que la verdad nos dejan a todos una sensaci贸n de: 驴ok entonces, todo est谩 en la cabeza o de verdad existe el diablo?
Es un libro completamente engatusador y repugnante que me dej贸 realmente perturbada pero 驴en el buen sentido? Una obra maestra
No me esperaba el an谩lisis psiqui谩trico ni las explicaciones psicol贸gicas para enfrentarnos a las posibles explicaciones de las "posesiones", pens茅, que habr铆a mucha religi贸n involucrada y actos de fe, pero me encontr茅 con razonamientos l贸gicos que la verdad nos dejan a todos una sensaci贸n de: 驴ok entonces, todo est谩 en la cabeza o de verdad existe el diablo?
Es un libro completamente engatusador y repugnante que me dej贸 realmente perturbada pero 驴en el buen sentido? Una obra maestra
October 12, 2017
THE EXORCIST is on quite a few of my favorite lists.
I have read this book once before, and I own- and have watched the movie numerous times. This time I listened to the audio book.
It is my favorite movie poster.
It has one of my favorite "the making of" documentaries. It's in my top ten favorite movie list, and top five favorite horror movie list...and now that I have listened to the audio book. Favorite audio book...by far.
William Blatty's voice is like butter...slathered on the perfect horror filled bagel with cream cheese.
Georgetown, Washington:
Chris MacNeil- an actress, and her young daughter- Regan- are living in Georgetown, while Chris is filming a movie. And everything is going along hunky dory until Regan starts playing around with the Ouija board from the attic.
Regan starts receiving messages from Captain Howdy- who at first, Chris sees as a harmless invisible playmate..until frightening things start happening in Regan's room.
After a party at the Georgetown home- Chris cannot ignore the fact that something horrible is going on in her house, and with her once so innocent daughter.
..and when a person close to her is killed- she knows she must do something drastic- and seek help from people she never would have dreamed of asking before.
THE EXORCIST- I can't recommend it enough. The movie...the book, and now the audio book. Go!! Now!! Watch! Read! Listen! I beg of you.
I have read this book once before, and I own- and have watched the movie numerous times. This time I listened to the audio book.
It is my favorite movie poster.
It has one of my favorite "the making of" documentaries. It's in my top ten favorite movie list, and top five favorite horror movie list...and now that I have listened to the audio book. Favorite audio book...by far.
William Blatty's voice is like butter...slathered on the perfect horror filled bagel with cream cheese.
Georgetown, Washington:
Chris MacNeil- an actress, and her young daughter- Regan- are living in Georgetown, while Chris is filming a movie. And everything is going along hunky dory until Regan starts playing around with the Ouija board from the attic.
Regan starts receiving messages from Captain Howdy- who at first, Chris sees as a harmless invisible playmate..until frightening things start happening in Regan's room.
After a party at the Georgetown home- Chris cannot ignore the fact that something horrible is going on in her house, and with her once so innocent daughter.
..and when a person close to her is killed- she knows she must do something drastic- and seek help from people she never would have dreamed of asking before.
THE EXORCIST- I can't recommend it enough. The movie...the book, and now the audio book. Go!! Now!! Watch! Read! Listen! I beg of you.
September 26, 2021
The Exorcist, a Summary
Merrin: Whelp the signs in the shifting sands say I'm gonna hafta fight Pazuzu again
Chris: I'm an ATHEIST and an ACTRESS and I'm FAMOUS and I play LOOSE LIBERAL WOMEN but I don't like them because that makes me still SYMPATHETIC and I'm RICH and got invited to lunch at the WHITE HOUSE and I have HOUSEKEEPERS and my best friend is a TOTAL ASSHOLE
Burke: I'M AN ASSHOLE
Chris: ISN'T HE ADORABLE
Regan: I'm a sweet little girl and that's my whole character
Karras: I remember meeting my mother after being away. She is an old immigrant who worked so hard to provide for me. How could I have abandoned her? What sort of God would have made her suffer so?
Chris: I want to buy an EXPENSIVE CAR and be a DIRECTOR and I can't believe my SECRETARY told Regan about GOD
Burke: I keep saying "cunting" like it's not actually hilarious
Regan: I am exhibiting troubling unchildlike behavior
Pazuzu: I'm gonna leave my Virgin Mary/Mary Magdalene slashfic written in perfect Latin on the church altar lol also I put a clay penis on the Jesus statue
Karras: I wasn't here when my mother died. I abandoned her. How could I have abandoned her. Being a priest is so lonely. We're scared to be friends with other priests because they might think we're gay.
Regan: Seriously, I am being creepy as fuck but also acting like I'm five
Chris: OH NO, BRING THE DOCTORS
Doctors: We have no answers and we are also assholes
Regan: I masturbated and it was needlessly graphic and shocking for the sake of shocking also I'm 12 and that's kind of the age where this behavior isn't really unexpected
Chris: Oh no I must choose between DIRECTING and my CHILD
Burke: CUNTING CUNTING CUNTING
Pazuzu: Okay I'm going to do y'all a favor and kill this guy
Chris: OH NO HE'S DEAD WHAT A LOSS TO HUMANITY
Kinderman: Hello I am a detective and anti-semetic stereotype I am investigating Burke's death and did I mention I'm an anti-semetic stereotype
Pazuzu: Hey Chris I totally killed Burke you can thank me now seriously he was awful
Chris: OH NOOOOO
Karras: Regan is obviously mentally ill. I must see her myself so that I can prove that it is not actually possession. (But what if it is possession? Actual proof of my faith? What a strange blessing that would be!)
Pazuzu: HI KARRAS ALSO TROLOLOLOLOL
Karras: I must collect evidence and prove that this is actually possession and not mental illness.
Kinderman: Hi Karras I'm still an anti-semetic stereotype also do you know if Regan killed that asshole Burke
Karras: No. As an aside to you readers, did you know that Black Masses are 100% real and still practiced to this day? They do things like have sex with Jesus and Mary statues and have gross mockeries of the Eucharist and practice sodomy and beastiality and I promise you that since this book was based on true events, that this is completely real and you should totally believe that it happens. I am sure that this book played no role whatsoever in the coming Satanic Panic. I shall continue trying to prove that this possession is fake because my journey of tormented unbeliever to true believer is only part of what makes this book Secularism is Bad: the Novel.
Chris: IT'S TOTALLY POSSESSION WHY WILL NO ONE HELP ME THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN HEART-WRENCHING IF I WEREN'T SO OBVIOUSLY PUSHING A CATHOLIC AGENDA
Karras: In trying to disprove that this child is possessed, I recorded her voice and found that she was speaking *backwards*. This isn't going to have any influence on the Satanic Panic at all. I suppose it is time to ask the church for an exorcism, if only as a placebo.
Merrin: MY TIME HAS COME, BEGIN THE EXORCISM
Pazuzu: Look at me I can do the levitating bed trick I'm ready for Vegas
Karras: Look! Proof that she is possessed, which means God is real! I have my proof!
Pazuzu: PEA SOUP FOR EVERYONE
Kinderman: So I think a possessed little girl killed Burke oy vey what the fuck do I do with this
Merrin: Just gonna die offscreen don't mind me
Karras: No! He knew he was going to die! Take me, you bastard Pazuzu, take me instead!
Pazuzu: ...'kay
Karras: And now I shall throw myself out the window and defeat Pazuzu and also die but it's a happy ending because I had true faith in the end!
Kinderman: I guess my entire investigation just gets swept under the rug then
Regan: Hi I'm a sweet baby angel again and I might remember something and I might not oooOOOOooooOOOOoooo
THE END
tl;dr Secularism Bad, Religion Good, Liberal Society These Days, rabble rabble rabble
Merrin: Whelp the signs in the shifting sands say I'm gonna hafta fight Pazuzu again
Chris: I'm an ATHEIST and an ACTRESS and I'm FAMOUS and I play LOOSE LIBERAL WOMEN but I don't like them because that makes me still SYMPATHETIC and I'm RICH and got invited to lunch at the WHITE HOUSE and I have HOUSEKEEPERS and my best friend is a TOTAL ASSHOLE
Burke: I'M AN ASSHOLE
Chris: ISN'T HE ADORABLE
Regan: I'm a sweet little girl and that's my whole character
Karras: I remember meeting my mother after being away. She is an old immigrant who worked so hard to provide for me. How could I have abandoned her? What sort of God would have made her suffer so?
Chris: I want to buy an EXPENSIVE CAR and be a DIRECTOR and I can't believe my SECRETARY told Regan about GOD
Burke: I keep saying "cunting" like it's not actually hilarious
Regan: I am exhibiting troubling unchildlike behavior
Pazuzu: I'm gonna leave my Virgin Mary/Mary Magdalene slashfic written in perfect Latin on the church altar lol also I put a clay penis on the Jesus statue
Karras: I wasn't here when my mother died. I abandoned her. How could I have abandoned her. Being a priest is so lonely. We're scared to be friends with other priests because they might think we're gay.
Regan: Seriously, I am being creepy as fuck but also acting like I'm five
Chris: OH NO, BRING THE DOCTORS
Doctors: We have no answers and we are also assholes
Regan: I masturbated and it was needlessly graphic and shocking for the sake of shocking also I'm 12 and that's kind of the age where this behavior isn't really unexpected
Chris: Oh no I must choose between DIRECTING and my CHILD
Burke: CUNTING CUNTING CUNTING
Pazuzu: Okay I'm going to do y'all a favor and kill this guy
Chris: OH NO HE'S DEAD WHAT A LOSS TO HUMANITY
Kinderman: Hello I am a detective and anti-semetic stereotype I am investigating Burke's death and did I mention I'm an anti-semetic stereotype
Pazuzu: Hey Chris I totally killed Burke you can thank me now seriously he was awful
Chris: OH NOOOOO
Karras: Regan is obviously mentally ill. I must see her myself so that I can prove that it is not actually possession. (But what if it is possession? Actual proof of my faith? What a strange blessing that would be!)
Pazuzu: HI KARRAS ALSO TROLOLOLOLOL
Karras: I must collect evidence and prove that this is actually possession and not mental illness.
Kinderman: Hi Karras I'm still an anti-semetic stereotype also do you know if Regan killed that asshole Burke
Karras: No. As an aside to you readers, did you know that Black Masses are 100% real and still practiced to this day? They do things like have sex with Jesus and Mary statues and have gross mockeries of the Eucharist and practice sodomy and beastiality and I promise you that since this book was based on true events, that this is completely real and you should totally believe that it happens. I am sure that this book played no role whatsoever in the coming Satanic Panic. I shall continue trying to prove that this possession is fake because my journey of tormented unbeliever to true believer is only part of what makes this book Secularism is Bad: the Novel.
Chris: IT'S TOTALLY POSSESSION WHY WILL NO ONE HELP ME THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN HEART-WRENCHING IF I WEREN'T SO OBVIOUSLY PUSHING A CATHOLIC AGENDA
Karras: In trying to disprove that this child is possessed, I recorded her voice and found that she was speaking *backwards*. This isn't going to have any influence on the Satanic Panic at all. I suppose it is time to ask the church for an exorcism, if only as a placebo.
Merrin: MY TIME HAS COME, BEGIN THE EXORCISM
Pazuzu: Look at me I can do the levitating bed trick I'm ready for Vegas
Karras: Look! Proof that she is possessed, which means God is real! I have my proof!
Pazuzu: PEA SOUP FOR EVERYONE
Kinderman: So I think a possessed little girl killed Burke oy vey what the fuck do I do with this
Merrin: Just gonna die offscreen don't mind me
Karras: No! He knew he was going to die! Take me, you bastard Pazuzu, take me instead!
Pazuzu: ...'kay
Karras: And now I shall throw myself out the window and defeat Pazuzu and also die but it's a happy ending because I had true faith in the end!
Kinderman: I guess my entire investigation just gets swept under the rug then
Regan: Hi I'm a sweet baby angel again and I might remember something and I might not oooOOOOooooOOOOoooo
THE END
tl;dr Secularism Bad, Religion Good, Liberal Society These Days, rabble rabble rabble
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2018
You gotta be impressed with a book that inspires a movie that managed to turn entire generations off of pea soup.
Chris MacNeil is an actress who is filming a movie in Georgetown when her young daughter Regan starts to exhibit bizarre behavior, and since medical science fails to provide any answers she turns to Father Damien Karras for blah, blah, blah, blah. There鈥檚 no point in a plot summary because we all know the set up on this one. It鈥檚 also one of those books where the film version has become so well known that it鈥檚 nigh on impossible to separate the two versions. In fact, I don鈥檛 see how anybody could read this without hearing Tubular Bells in their head.
So just to get this out of the way: The movie is better. That鈥檚 not to say that the book is bad. Blatty does a very good job of putting us in a normal early 鈥�70s setting, and then he slowly turns the dials up from what seem to be mild annoyances to the point where Regan has been turned into a head-spinning puppet of the devil. I particularly liked how there鈥檚 a systematic investigation of all the non-supernatural explanations for Regan鈥檚 behavior, and that when the subject of an exorcism is first brought up it鈥檚 presented as a kind of psychological shock treatment rather than a needed religious ritual.
The book has more of an underlying theme of questioning whether Regan is possessed that the movie lacks in part because once you see that kid鈥檚 demonic features and her head spin all the way around on screen, you know it鈥檚 supernatural in origin. Whereas the book can spend more time on the whole question of whether she is or isn鈥檛 while making the answer more a bit more ambiguous.
Father Karras, a Jesuit psychiatrist suffering from his own crisis of faith, is also a great character to eventually put in the middle of this, and the way he swings from doubt to belief is well done. It鈥檚 also a nice twist that he鈥檚 kind of secretly hoping that Regan does have a demon in her because it would validate his beliefs. That doesn鈥檛 prevent him from questioning everything and seeking hard evidence to prove it. However, I did get a laugh that at this point in the 鈥�70s Blatty thought there was enough evidence for the existence of ESP to have Karras consider things like telepathy and telekinesis possible without being demonic in nature.
So it鈥檚 a solid horror story that plays more with the suspense of making you question what鈥檚 happening to Regan rather than just making you ascared of the Devil like the movie does.
One personal note: I had been meaning for a while to reread the old paperback I鈥檝e had for years as part of my Rubbermaid Treasure reviews, but I just never seemed to get around to it. Then Audible had this on sale shortly before Halloween so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally get it done. It was only after downloading it that I learned that this version is actually the 40th anniversary edition in which the author rewrote parts of it, and since I last read The Exorcist something like 25 years ago I have no idea how much it differs from the original. So already this thing has turned from a simple gimmick review to what felt like a pain in the ass.
Since I don鈥檛 have the time and/or patience to figure out all the differences I won鈥檛 dig into that, but I鈥檓 not calling it a Rubbermaid Treasure either since it鈥檚 technically a different book. I know that nobody but me cares about the stupid internal logic I use, but it nags at me if I don鈥檛 explain what I鈥檓 doing and why.
I鈥檒l also note that Blatty himself is the narrator for most of it, and it confirms my belief that most authors just shouldn鈥檛 read their own works aloud. Blatty isn鈥檛 the worst I鈥檝e heard, and he seems to delight in evil laughter and doing the demon voice, but this really could have used a professional actor/narrator. It鈥檚 even weirder that he reads the Regan parts early on, but then a woman is brought in to do a child鈥檚 voice later to speak and sing as Regan鈥檚 鈥榓ctual鈥� voice once she is possessed. It鈥檚 just jarring.
Chris MacNeil is an actress who is filming a movie in Georgetown when her young daughter Regan starts to exhibit bizarre behavior, and since medical science fails to provide any answers she turns to Father Damien Karras for blah, blah, blah, blah. There鈥檚 no point in a plot summary because we all know the set up on this one. It鈥檚 also one of those books where the film version has become so well known that it鈥檚 nigh on impossible to separate the two versions. In fact, I don鈥檛 see how anybody could read this without hearing Tubular Bells in their head.
So just to get this out of the way: The movie is better. That鈥檚 not to say that the book is bad. Blatty does a very good job of putting us in a normal early 鈥�70s setting, and then he slowly turns the dials up from what seem to be mild annoyances to the point where Regan has been turned into a head-spinning puppet of the devil. I particularly liked how there鈥檚 a systematic investigation of all the non-supernatural explanations for Regan鈥檚 behavior, and that when the subject of an exorcism is first brought up it鈥檚 presented as a kind of psychological shock treatment rather than a needed religious ritual.
The book has more of an underlying theme of questioning whether Regan is possessed that the movie lacks in part because once you see that kid鈥檚 demonic features and her head spin all the way around on screen, you know it鈥檚 supernatural in origin. Whereas the book can spend more time on the whole question of whether she is or isn鈥檛 while making the answer more a bit more ambiguous.
Father Karras, a Jesuit psychiatrist suffering from his own crisis of faith, is also a great character to eventually put in the middle of this, and the way he swings from doubt to belief is well done. It鈥檚 also a nice twist that he鈥檚 kind of secretly hoping that Regan does have a demon in her because it would validate his beliefs. That doesn鈥檛 prevent him from questioning everything and seeking hard evidence to prove it. However, I did get a laugh that at this point in the 鈥�70s Blatty thought there was enough evidence for the existence of ESP to have Karras consider things like telepathy and telekinesis possible without being demonic in nature.
So it鈥檚 a solid horror story that plays more with the suspense of making you question what鈥檚 happening to Regan rather than just making you ascared of the Devil like the movie does.
One personal note: I had been meaning for a while to reread the old paperback I鈥檝e had for years as part of my Rubbermaid Treasure reviews, but I just never seemed to get around to it. Then Audible had this on sale shortly before Halloween so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally get it done. It was only after downloading it that I learned that this version is actually the 40th anniversary edition in which the author rewrote parts of it, and since I last read The Exorcist something like 25 years ago I have no idea how much it differs from the original. So already this thing has turned from a simple gimmick review to what felt like a pain in the ass.
Since I don鈥檛 have the time and/or patience to figure out all the differences I won鈥檛 dig into that, but I鈥檓 not calling it a Rubbermaid Treasure either since it鈥檚 technically a different book. I know that nobody but me cares about the stupid internal logic I use, but it nags at me if I don鈥檛 explain what I鈥檓 doing and why.
I鈥檒l also note that Blatty himself is the narrator for most of it, and it confirms my belief that most authors just shouldn鈥檛 read their own works aloud. Blatty isn鈥檛 the worst I鈥檝e heard, and he seems to delight in evil laughter and doing the demon voice, but this really could have used a professional actor/narrator. It鈥檚 even weirder that he reads the Regan parts early on, but then a woman is brought in to do a child鈥檚 voice later to speak and sing as Regan鈥檚 鈥榓ctual鈥� voice once she is possessed. It鈥檚 just jarring.
September 8, 2022
An absolutely riveting tale of horror and faith. Compelling, shocking, and unflinching, this story will inspire thought provoking discussions (as well as nightmares)! Fantastically executed drama and mystery, with an air of creeping dread, and later hope.
March 13, 2018
It鈥檚 no surprise to me that this book was a very spiritual read for me. I knew, considering the topic, that this was going to come down to a showdown between light and dark, good and evil, God and Satan.
In which case, there could only really be one clear outcome. But more on that later. I鈥檓 going to try to be as spoiler free as I can considering some people may not have read this *or* haven't seen the movie, in fact, it would help you to know that I only saw the movie when I was very young and I kept my eyes closed most of the time, so even though this book is old, there are those who have intentions of reading it and don鈥檛 want the story spoiled.
That being said, if you want to go into this book totally blind, maybe skip the rest of this review and just know this: I recommend this book for fans of horror. It was well written, it scared me pretty damn good and it had great, memorable characters. It鈥檚 classic, legendary horror that must be read if you consider yourself a big fan of the genre.
鈥渇or the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.鈥� Rev. 12:10
At the beginning of this story, I was a little bored. I grew restless with the mother, Chris and all the scenes around her acting career. I felt like her parenting left much to be desired and found myself already blaming her for what I knew was coming, who lets their 11 year old child play with Ouija boards?? Especially considering that child already has a made up friend that talks to them through the Ouija Board and the child is becoming increasingly afraid of it??
Um, anyways. Now that I finished the book, I think it is the intention of the author to cast doubt and blame at all the adults in the story, for us to stand as accusers of one another when really, our battle isn鈥檛 with each other, but with something much, much worse. Something that wants us to be wrapped up in our hate and anger and displaced blame so that we are found weak and distracted.
鈥淏ut the evil spirit answered them, 鈥淛esus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?鈥�
And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.鈥� Acts 15:15-16
I think this is one of the scariest verses from scripture. The demon possessed man says to some people trying to perform an exorcism and cast out demons, hey look: I know the name of Jesus and I know the name of Paul, but I have no clue who you guys are and I鈥檓 going to kick your ass.
There were so many times this scripture came to mind while I read this book. People just don鈥檛 know what the hell to do when they are dealing with demonic activity and truth be told: If you don鈥檛 know what you鈥檙e doing, DON鈥橳 EFFING CALL UPON IT! You know what I mean?? That鈥檚 my ultimate warning and what I learned from this story, maybe you don鈥檛 believe in demons, that鈥檚 fine鈥攚hatever, then you don鈥檛 care either way about them, you鈥檙e indifferent, so BE indifferent, I wouldn鈥檛 run around and tempt it or dare it, like people who say they aren鈥檛 allergic to poison oak so they rub it all over themselves?? NOT SMART.
And maybe you do believe in demons, like me so you just make wide circles around that stuff okay? Don鈥檛 touch it! Don鈥檛 think you鈥檙e so faithful and pious you鈥檇 know what to do in a situation like this.
That鈥檚 why this book was so terrifying.
It scared the hell out of me.
But I loved the different way the characters approached it鈥擳he detective with his logic and sleuthing
The Father with his background in psychology
The Exorcist with his unflinching faith
Even the mother scored points with me in the end with her unwavering plea for help.
I cried as she begged for help. I could empathize with her as she sought medical, mental and spiritual help for her daughter in horrific crisis.
I really loved the ending too but I don鈥檛 want to spoil anything. I鈥檒l just leave a fitting scripture:
鈥淕reater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.鈥� John 15:13
Lastly, while parts of this story were very difficult for me to read because they were so crude and blasphemous, I thought it was, in contrast, a beautiful story of sacrificial love against impossible danger. So I gladly mucked up my heart and my mind with grotesque language and offensive, vivid details in order to finish. I wanted to see that outcome I was waiting for...and it was delivered as expected. My review would have been very different if it didn't go the way I thought it would.
In which case, there could only really be one clear outcome. But more on that later. I鈥檓 going to try to be as spoiler free as I can considering some people may not have read this *or* haven't seen the movie, in fact, it would help you to know that I only saw the movie when I was very young and I kept my eyes closed most of the time, so even though this book is old, there are those who have intentions of reading it and don鈥檛 want the story spoiled.
That being said, if you want to go into this book totally blind, maybe skip the rest of this review and just know this: I recommend this book for fans of horror. It was well written, it scared me pretty damn good and it had great, memorable characters. It鈥檚 classic, legendary horror that must be read if you consider yourself a big fan of the genre.
鈥渇or the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.鈥� Rev. 12:10
At the beginning of this story, I was a little bored. I grew restless with the mother, Chris and all the scenes around her acting career. I felt like her parenting left much to be desired and found myself already blaming her for what I knew was coming, who lets their 11 year old child play with Ouija boards?? Especially considering that child already has a made up friend that talks to them through the Ouija Board and the child is becoming increasingly afraid of it??
Um, anyways. Now that I finished the book, I think it is the intention of the author to cast doubt and blame at all the adults in the story, for us to stand as accusers of one another when really, our battle isn鈥檛 with each other, but with something much, much worse. Something that wants us to be wrapped up in our hate and anger and displaced blame so that we are found weak and distracted.
鈥淏ut the evil spirit answered them, 鈥淛esus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?鈥�
And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.鈥� Acts 15:15-16
I think this is one of the scariest verses from scripture. The demon possessed man says to some people trying to perform an exorcism and cast out demons, hey look: I know the name of Jesus and I know the name of Paul, but I have no clue who you guys are and I鈥檓 going to kick your ass.
There were so many times this scripture came to mind while I read this book. People just don鈥檛 know what the hell to do when they are dealing with demonic activity and truth be told: If you don鈥檛 know what you鈥檙e doing, DON鈥橳 EFFING CALL UPON IT! You know what I mean?? That鈥檚 my ultimate warning and what I learned from this story, maybe you don鈥檛 believe in demons, that鈥檚 fine鈥攚hatever, then you don鈥檛 care either way about them, you鈥檙e indifferent, so BE indifferent, I wouldn鈥檛 run around and tempt it or dare it, like people who say they aren鈥檛 allergic to poison oak so they rub it all over themselves?? NOT SMART.
And maybe you do believe in demons, like me so you just make wide circles around that stuff okay? Don鈥檛 touch it! Don鈥檛 think you鈥檙e so faithful and pious you鈥檇 know what to do in a situation like this.
That鈥檚 why this book was so terrifying.
It scared the hell out of me.
But I loved the different way the characters approached it鈥擳he detective with his logic and sleuthing
The Father with his background in psychology
The Exorcist with his unflinching faith
Even the mother scored points with me in the end with her unwavering plea for help.
I cried as she begged for help. I could empathize with her as she sought medical, mental and spiritual help for her daughter in horrific crisis.
I really loved the ending too but I don鈥檛 want to spoil anything. I鈥檒l just leave a fitting scripture:
鈥淕reater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.鈥� John 15:13
Lastly, while parts of this story were very difficult for me to read because they were so crude and blasphemous, I thought it was, in contrast, a beautiful story of sacrificial love against impossible danger. So I gladly mucked up my heart and my mind with grotesque language and offensive, vivid details in order to finish. I wanted to see that outcome I was waiting for...and it was delivered as expected. My review would have been very different if it didn't go the way I thought it would.
January 11, 2025
My first finish of 2025! And it was a great one. I have no complaints about the writing of The Exorcist. The characters were superb. The plot was steady. It kept me thinking.
I had to continually remind myself that it was written in the early 70s. Psychic phenomena was very popular back then. I remember hearing stories about people spontaneously catching on fire, worried that it could possibly happen to me! I was just 4 or 5 at the time. So it would make sense, I suppose for a priest at the time to
I'm sorry I can't take my primary problem with the book out of the spoiler tag. I don't want to ruin the story for anyone who might not have seen the film or read the book yet. But even with that distressing bit, I still give The Exorcist 5 stars. It's a strong story about good vs evil, faith, love, strength in the face of hardships. And most of all, it's about fighting for what's right. No matter what anyone says. If it goes against what your truly believe needs to be done, keep fighting. Keep believing. Keep loving.
That's all. It was a powerful book, about much more than demons and exorcists. I'm glad I finally took the time to read it!
I had to continually remind myself that it was written in the early 70s. Psychic phenomena was very popular back then. I remember hearing stories about people spontaneously catching on fire, worried that it could possibly happen to me! I was just 4 or 5 at the time. So it would make sense, I suppose for a priest at the time to
I'm sorry I can't take my primary problem with the book out of the spoiler tag. I don't want to ruin the story for anyone who might not have seen the film or read the book yet. But even with that distressing bit, I still give The Exorcist 5 stars. It's a strong story about good vs evil, faith, love, strength in the face of hardships. And most of all, it's about fighting for what's right. No matter what anyone says. If it goes against what your truly believe needs to be done, keep fighting. Keep believing. Keep loving.
That's all. It was a powerful book, about much more than demons and exorcists. I'm glad I finally took the time to read it!
March 31, 2017
Boil it all down and The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty is about faith.
There is the demonic possession of Regan McNeil and the horrors that are described as a part of that invasion, the night and day distinction between a young girl and the maniacal, infernal force that changed her.
Also fascinating to read is the reactions of the family and friends of the girl and the forced dynamic of this group experiencing such an outrage. Then there is the psychological questions, the detective work piecing all the fragments of evidence together and even a couple of interesting sub-plots. There is the great struggle between the elder exorcist and his devilish foe.
But what drives this work; the central focus is not the blasphemy going on in Regan鈥檚 bedroom, but the spiritual conflict taking place within Father Karras. Blatty has crafted an intricately complete allegory about the modern divergence between strictly rational scientific thought and the traditional ideas about faith and religion. Karras, a Jesuit priest who is also a Harvard trained psychiatrist, is the living embodiment of this diametric clash, not between good and evil but between uncompromising faith and logically defined scientific knowledge. Karras wants the possession, wants to know that a demon has taken up residence in the child, because this will be his definitive sign from God that his faith is real.
Finally, in the peaceful words of Father Merrin, the exorcist, Karras finds absolution from his doubts. The obscene heresies graphically described by the author will keep most people of faith away, but for those who can get through this well-written work of speculative fiction, the result may be a strengthening of faith.
There is the demonic possession of Regan McNeil and the horrors that are described as a part of that invasion, the night and day distinction between a young girl and the maniacal, infernal force that changed her.
Also fascinating to read is the reactions of the family and friends of the girl and the forced dynamic of this group experiencing such an outrage. Then there is the psychological questions, the detective work piecing all the fragments of evidence together and even a couple of interesting sub-plots. There is the great struggle between the elder exorcist and his devilish foe.
But what drives this work; the central focus is not the blasphemy going on in Regan鈥檚 bedroom, but the spiritual conflict taking place within Father Karras. Blatty has crafted an intricately complete allegory about the modern divergence between strictly rational scientific thought and the traditional ideas about faith and religion. Karras, a Jesuit priest who is also a Harvard trained psychiatrist, is the living embodiment of this diametric clash, not between good and evil but between uncompromising faith and logically defined scientific knowledge. Karras wants the possession, wants to know that a demon has taken up residence in the child, because this will be his definitive sign from God that his faith is real.
Finally, in the peaceful words of Father Merrin, the exorcist, Karras finds absolution from his doubts. The obscene heresies graphically described by the author will keep most people of faith away, but for those who can get through this well-written work of speculative fiction, the result may be a strengthening of faith.
February 16, 2018
賱賲丕 賳夭賱 賷爻賵毓 廿賱賷 丕賱卮丕胤卅 賯丕亘賱賴 乇噩賱 賲賳 丕賱賲丿賷賳丞 丕爻鬲丨賵匕鬲 卮賷丕胤賷賳 毓賱賷賴.. 賱胤丕賱賲丕 兀匕鬲賴 賵鬲禺胤賮鬲賴貙 賵賰孬賷乇賸丕 賲丕 賰丕賳 賷賰亘賱 亘丕賱賯賷賵丿 賵丕賱爻賱丕爻賱.. 賱賰賳賴 賰丕賳 賷賰爻乇 丕賱賯賷賵丿貙 賵賱賲 賷賰賳 賷賯賵賷 兀丨丿 毓賱賷 賰亘丨賽賴貙 爻兀賱 賷爻賵毓 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳 賯丕卅賱賸丕: "賲丕 丕爻賲賰責"貙 賮賯丕賱: "丕賽爻賲賳賻丕 賱賷趩賵賳貙 賱兀賳賳丕 賰賻孬賷乇 .
***
"賵賱賷氐賱 廿賱賷賰 氐乇丕禺賷"..
*
乇賵丕賷丞 賰賴匕賴貙 鬲賱夭賲賰 賮鬲乇丞 賳賯丕賴丞 亘毓丿 廿鬲賲丕賲賴丕 賱鬲毓賵丿 賲噩丿丿丕 賵鬲賯乇兀貙 賵丨鬲賷 鬲乇賷 丕賱兀賲賵乇 亘丕賱卮賰賱 丕賱噩丿賷丿
賴賱 鬲馗賳 兀賳賰 爻鬲賯乇兀 乇賵丕賷丞 乇毓亘 賰賱丕爻賷賰賷丞責
睾賷乇 氐丨賷丨
賴匕賴 乇賵丕賷丞 賳賮爻賷丞 賲賳 丕賱胤乇丕夭 丕賱兀賵賱貙 毓賳丿賲丕 卮丕賴丿鬲 丕賱賮賷賱賲 丕賱賲賯鬲亘爻 毓賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賱賲 兀賳亘賴乇 亘賴 毓賱賷 丕賱廿胤賱丕賯
賵賱賲 丕禺胤卅 賰孬賷乇賸丕 賵賯鬲賴丕 睾賷乇 兀賳賷 兀睾賮賱鬲 兀賳 亘賱丕鬲賷 賰丕賳 賱賴 丕賱爻亘賯 賵 賲賳 毓亘丕亍鬲賴 禺乇噩鬲 賰賱 丕賱兀賮賱丕賲 毓賳 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕貙 賱賰賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞!
賷丕 丕賱賱賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞!
馗賱賲鬲 馗賱賲丕 亘賷賳丕 毓賳丿賲丕 兀賯鬲氐 賲賳賴丕 兀噩夭丕亍 賵兀噩夭丕亍 賱鬲氐亘丨 爻賷賳丕乇賷賵 賮賷賱賲 賲丨鬲賲賱
卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱賯爻 丕賱匕賷 賮賯丿 廿賷賲丕賳賴/丕賱胤亘賷亘 丕賱賳賮爻賷 賲賳 兀賰孬乇 卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賯乇兀鬲賴丕 毓賲賯賸丕貙 賵丕賱鬲賷 馗賱賲賴丕 丕賱賮賷賱賲 賰孬賷乇賸丕 賰孬賷乇賸丕.
乇賵丕賷丞 賰鬲亘鬲 毓賱賷 賷丿 胤亘賷亘 賳賮爻賷 賲丨鬲乇賮貙 賵賯爻 賷爻賵毓賷 賲丨鬲乇賮貙 賵胤丕乇丿 兀乇賵丕丨 賲丨鬲乇賮貙 賵亘丕丨孬 鬲丕乇賷禺賷 賲丨鬲乇賮
賴賱 鬲馗賳 兀賳賰 爻鬲賯乇兀 乇賵丕賷丞 賲乇毓亘丞 毓賳 卮賷丕胤賷賳 鬲鬲禺胤賮 亘卮乇賸丕 賵鬲丨賷賱 丨賷丕鬲賴賲 丨噩賷賲丕 亘毓囟 丕賱賵賯鬲 孬賲 賷兀鬲賷 賯爻 亘氐賱賷亘 囟禺賲 賵 賯賳賷賳丞 賲丕亍 賲賯丿爻 賵廿賳噩賷賱 賷賯乇兀 賲賳賴 亘氐賵鬲 夭丕毓賯 賮鬲賳鬲賴賷 丕賱賲兀爻丕丞 賵鬲夭賴乇 丕賱夭賴賵乇 賵锟斤拷毓賷卮 丕賱噩賲賷毓 賮賷 爻賱丕賲責
賱賷爻 氐丨賷丨賸丕..
爻鬲毓賷卮 兀賷丕賲丕 賲毓 賰乇賷爻 賲丕賰賳賷賱 丕賱兀賲 丕賱賲賰賱賵賲丞 丕賱鬲賷 賱丕 鬲毓賱賲 賲丕匕丕 丨賱 亘丕亘賳鬲賴丕 丕賱賵丨賷丿丞貙 爻鬲卮賮賯 毓賱賷 丕賱兀亘 賰丕乇賷爻貙 丕賱胤亘賷亘 丕賱賳賮爻賷 賵丕賱賯爻 丕賱賷爻賵毓賷 匕賵 丕賱毓賷賳賷賳 丕賱丨夭賷賳鬲賷賳 賵 丕賱賯賱亘 丕賱賲賰爻賵乇貙 爻鬲鬲亘毓 禺胤賷 賰丕乇賱 丕賱賲爻賰賷賳 禺丕丿賲 丕賱兀爻乇丞 丕賱賰鬲賵賲 丕賱匕賷 賰丕賳 毓賱賷 丕爻鬲毓丿丕丿 兀賳 賷囟丨賷 亘賳賮爻賴 丨鬲賷 賷賳賯匕 賮鬲丕丞 氐睾賷乇丞貙 賵爻鬲囟賷毓 賮賷 丕賱賲丨賷胤 丕賱亘丕丿賷 賮賷 毓賷賳賷賾 丕賱兀亘 賲賷乇賷賳貙 賵爻賷禺胤乇 亘亘丕賱賰 兀賱賮 爻丐丕賱 賱賰賳賰 賱賳 鬲賳胤賯 亘兀丨丿賴賲丕 賵 爻鬲鬲賲賳賷 賱賵 賰丕賳 亘廿賲賰丕賳賰 兀賳 鬲乇賷丨 乇兀爻賰 毓賱賷 賰鬲賮賴 賲胤賲卅賳丕 賱兀賳 丕賱賱賴 賯丿 爻賲毓 氐乇丕禺賰 賵兀乇爻賱 賱賰 亘丕賱毓賵賳.
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(賷丕乇亘..兀賳丕 賱爻鬲 兀賴賱賸丕 兀賳 鬲丿禺賱 鬲丨鬲 爻賯賮賷貙 賮賯胤 賯賱 賰賱賲丞貙 賵爻鬲亘乇兀 乇賵丨賷.)
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-賲丕 丕賱睾乇囟 賲賳 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕責 賲丕 丕賱睾丕賷丞責
賲賳 賷毓乇賮責 亘賱 賲賳 丨鬲賷 賷兀賲賱 兀賳 賷毓乇賮責 賵乇睾賲 匕賱賰 兀馗賳 兀賳 賴丿賮 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳 賱賷爻 丕賱囟丨賷丞 丕賱賲賲爻賵爻丞 匕丕鬲賴丕貙 廿賳賲丕 賳丨賳..賲賳 賷乇賷..賰賱 賮乇丿 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賲賳夭賱. 兀馗賳 兀賳 睾丕賷鬲賴 兀賳 賷噩毓賱賳丕 賳賷兀爻貙 兀賳 賳賳亘匕 廿賳爻丕賳賷鬲賳丕 賷丕 丿丕賲賷丕賳貙 兀賳 賳乇賷 兀賳賮爻賳丕 賵丨賵卮丕貙 兀禺爻丕亍 賵毓賮賳賷賳 亘賱丕 賰乇丕賲丞貙 賯亘丨丕亍. 鬲丕賮賴賷賳. 賴賳丕 賷賰賲賳 噩賵賴乇 丕賱兀賲丞 賰賱賴 乇亘賲丕: 賮賷 丕賱卮毓賵乇 亘兀賳賳丕 睾賷乇 噩丿賷乇賷賳. 賱兀賳 丕賱廿賷賲丕賳 亘丕賱賱賴 賰賲丕 兀馗賳 賱賷爻 賲爻兀賱丞 毓賯賱 賵賲賳胤賯 毓賱賷 丕賱廿胤賱丕賯貙 亘賱 賴賵 賲爻兀賱丞 丨亘 賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞貙 賯亘賵賱 丕丨鬲賲丕賱 兀賳 丕賱乇亘 賯丿 賷馗賱 賷丨亘賳丕 兀亘丿賸丕.
丨賵丕乇 亘賷賳 丕賱兀亘 賲賷乇賷賳 賵丕賱兀亘 賰丕乇賷爻.
賲丕 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕責
兀賳 賷鬲賱亘爻 丕賱卮禺氐 丕賱匕賷 毓乇賮鬲賴 乇賵丨賸丕 鬲丨賷賱賴 卮禺氐賸丕 丌禺乇貙 賴賳丕 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲賱亘爻鬲 乇賷睾丕賳 乇賵丨 睾丕囟亘丞 賰丕賳鬲 鬲噩毓賱賴丕 鬲鬲丨丿孬 亘賱睾丕鬲 賱丕 鬲毓乇賮賴丕 鬲賮賷囟 亘丕賱亘匕丕亍丕鬲 賵鬲爻賷乇 賲賯賱賵亘丞 賰丕賱毓賳賰亘賵鬲 賵鬲賱鬲賮 乇兀爻賴丕 丨賵賱 賲丨賵乇賴丕 賵氐丕乇 亘噩爻丿賴丕 賯賵丞 毓丕鬲賷丞 鬲胤乇丨 亘賴丕 兀乇囟丕 兀乇亘毓丞 亘丕賱睾賷賳..
乇亘賲丕 賳丨賳 賲賳 賱賲 賳賮賴賲 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕貙 賷鬲亘丕丿乇 廿賱賷 兀匕賴丕賳賳丕 卮賷丕胤賷賳 毓丕鬲賷丞 鬲鬲禺胤賮 亘卮乇賸丕 賵 鬲丨賷賱賴賲 賱卮卅 爻賵丕賴賲 賵賱丕 爻亘賷賱 賱乇丿毓賴賲 睾丕賱亘丕 廿賳 賱賲 賳丐賲賳..賵賱賰賳責 兀賱賷爻 賮毓賱 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳貙 兀賱賷爻 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕 賴賵 丕賱胤賷卮責 丕賱囟睾丕卅賳 丕賱鬲丕賮賴丞責 爻賵亍 丕賱賮賴賲責 丕賱賰賱丕賲 丕賱噩丕乇丨 丕賱匕賷 賷賯賮夭 睾賷乇 賲丿毓賵賾 毓賱賷 賱爻丕賳 丕賱兀氐丿賯丕亍 賵丕賱毓卮丕賯 賵丕賱兀夭賵丕噩 丨鬲賷 鬲賳馗乇 賮賷 丨賷乇丞 賵賯賱亘賰 賷賳賮胤乇 兀賱賲賸丕 賵 鬲鬲爻丕亍賱 廿賳 賰丕賳 賴匕丕 賴賵 丕賱卮禺氐 丕賱匕賷 毓乇賮鬲賴 丿賵賲賸丕責 賴賱 賰丕賳 胤賵丕賱 丕賱賵賯鬲 賷丨賲賱 亘丿丕禺賱賴 鬲賱賰 丕賱賯丿乇丞 毓賱賷 丕賷匕丕亍賰責
廿匕丕 賵噩丿 賴匕丕 亘賲賯丿丕乇 賰丕賮 賱賳 賳氐亘丨 賮賷 丨丕噩賴 賱賱卮賷胤丕賳 賱賰賷 賳丐噩噩 賲毓丕乇賰賳丕貙 爻賳賰賵賳 賳丨賳 兀賰孬乇 賲賳 丕賱賱丕夭賲.
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賵 丕賱卮賰乇 賲賵氐賵賱 賵賵丕噩亘 賱賱賲鬲乇噩賲 賳丕丿乇 兀爻丕賲丞 毓賱賷 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱乇丕卅毓丞貙 賵毓賱賷 鬲乇噩賲鬲賴 賱賱賳爻禺丞 丕賱賲賳賯丨丞 丕賱鬲賷 兀禺亘乇 亘賱丕鬲賷 亘毓丿 兀賳 兀毓丕丿 賰鬲丕亘鬲賴丕 鬲賯乇賷亘賸丕 兀賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賳爻禺丞 丕賱鬲賷 賷丨亘 兀賳 賷鬲匕賰乇賴 亘賴丕 丕賱毓丕賱賲.
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱賲賯鬲亘爻丞 毓賳 賯氐丞 丨賯賷賯丞 丨丿孬鬲 賲亘賰乇丕 賮賷 匕賱賰 丕賱毓氐乇 賵鬲賱丕賴丕 兀毓賲丕賱 鬲丿賳賷爻 賲鬲賰乇乇丞 賱賱賰賳賷爻丞 賮賷賲丕 毓乇賮 賵賯鬲賴丕 亘丕賱賯丿丕爻 丕賱兀爻賵丿貙 丕賱匕賷 賰丕賳 賷賴丕賳 賮賷賴 賰賱 乇賲夭 丿賷賳賷 賵丕賱匕賷 匕賰乇 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲賮氐賷賱賷丕 賲賲丕 兀孬丕乇 睾囟亘 丕賱賰孬賷乇賵賳 賵賯鬲 氐丿賵乇賴丕 賵兀鬲賴賲鬲 亘丕賱鬲噩丿賷賮 賵丕賱丕夭丿乇丕亍
賰丕賳 亘胤賱 丕賱丨丕丿孬丞 丕賱兀氐賱賷丞 氐亘賷賾貙 鬲賲 賱賷賾 兀丨丿丕孬 丕賱賯氐丞 賱鬲氐亘丨 丕賱亘胤賱丞 賮鬲丕丞 賷丕賮毓丞貙 賮賷 廿卮丕乇丞 賱兀賳 丕賱兀賳孬賷 賴賷 睾丕賱亘賸丕 賲胤賲毓 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳貙 賵賰兀賳 丕賱毓丕賱賲 亘廿賳丕爻賴 賵卮賷丕胤賷賳賴 丕鬲賮賯 兀賳 賷毓丕賯亘 丕賱廿賳丕孬 賱兀賳賴賳 廿賳丕孬 :))
賵亘毓丿賴丕 兀氐亘丨鬲 鬲賱賰 賯丕毓丿丞 睾賷乇 賲賳氐賵氐 毓賱賷賴丕貙 賵兀氐亘丨鬲 卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱亘胤賵賱丞 賮賷 兀毓賲丕賱 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕 亘賳爻亘丞 鬲鬲毓丿賷 丕賱鬲爻毓賷賳 賮賷 丕賱賲丕卅丞 賮鬲賷丕鬲 賲乇丕賴賯丕鬲 兀賵 爻賷丿丕鬲貙 賵廿賳 丨丿孬鬲 丕賱氐丿賮丞 賵賰丕賳 丕賱亘胤賱 乇噩賱賸丕 賷毓夭賷 丕賱兀賲乇 睾丕賱亘賸丕 賱賱賲乇囟 丕賱賳賮爻賷 兀賵 丕賱賴賷爻鬲賷乇賷丕 兀賵 丕賱爻乇賳賲丞 兀賵 丕賷丕 賰丕賳 貙 賰賲丕 賮賷 乇毓亘 兀賲賷鬲賷 賮丕賷賱 賵兀賮賱丕賲賴 丕賱卮賴賷乇丞.
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賰鬲亘 賵賷賱賷丕賲 亘賷鬲乇 亘賱丕鬲賷 乇賵丕賷丞 兀禺乇賷 鬲丿毓賷 "賱賷噩賵賳" 丕賲鬲丿丕丿 賱胤丕乇丿 丕賱兀乇賵丕丨 丕賱卮乇賷乇丞 鬲丨賵賱鬲 賱賮賷賱賲 亘丿賵乇賴丕 毓丕賲 2009
賵賴賳丕賰 賮賷賱賲 丌禺乇 亘賳賮爻 丕賱丕爻賲 賱賲 賷賱丕賯 乇賵丕噩丕 賰亘賷乇丕 毓賱賷 丕賱乇睾賲 賲賳 噩賵丿鬲賴 賷丿毓賷:
The exorcist,the beginning
賷丨賰賷 丕賱兀禺賷乇 毓賳 賯氐丞 丕賱兀亘 賲賷乇賷賳 賵賱賯丕丐賴 丕賱兀賵賱 賲毓 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳 亘丕夭賵夭賵 賮賷 兀乇囟 丕賱毓乇丕賯 亘毓丿賲丕 丕爻鬲賯丕賱 賲賳 賵馗賷賮鬲賴 賰賯爻 賵毓賲賱 賮賷 丕賱鬲賳賯賷亘 毓賳 丕賱丌孬丕乇 毓賱賷 廿孬乇 鬲毓乇囟賴 賱兀夭賲丞 夭毓夭毓鬲 丕賷賲丕賳賴
賱賷賳賰 賲卮丕賴丿丞 賱賴匕丕 丕賱賮賷賱賲 丕賱賲馗賱賵賲:
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亘賷鬲乇 亘賱丕鬲賷貙 賷丕 賱賴丕 賲賳 胤乇賷賯丞 賷鬲匕賰乇賰 亘賴丕 丕賱毓丕賱賲
賷丕 賱賴丕 賲賳 胤乇賷賯丞 賱賳賷賱 丕賱禺賱賵丿.
5-5-2017
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"賵賱賷氐賱 廿賱賷賰 氐乇丕禺賷"..
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乇賵丕賷丞 賰賴匕賴貙 鬲賱夭賲賰 賮鬲乇丞 賳賯丕賴丞 亘毓丿 廿鬲賲丕賲賴丕 賱鬲毓賵丿 賲噩丿丿丕 賵鬲賯乇兀貙 賵丨鬲賷 鬲乇賷 丕賱兀賲賵乇 亘丕賱卮賰賱 丕賱噩丿賷丿
賴賱 鬲馗賳 兀賳賰 爻鬲賯乇兀 乇賵丕賷丞 乇毓亘 賰賱丕爻賷賰賷丞責
睾賷乇 氐丨賷丨
賴匕賴 乇賵丕賷丞 賳賮爻賷丞 賲賳 丕賱胤乇丕夭 丕賱兀賵賱貙 毓賳丿賲丕 卮丕賴丿鬲 丕賱賮賷賱賲 丕賱賲賯鬲亘爻 毓賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賱賲 兀賳亘賴乇 亘賴 毓賱賷 丕賱廿胤賱丕賯
賵賱賲 丕禺胤卅 賰孬賷乇賸丕 賵賯鬲賴丕 睾賷乇 兀賳賷 兀睾賮賱鬲 兀賳 亘賱丕鬲賷 賰丕賳 賱賴 丕賱爻亘賯 賵 賲賳 毓亘丕亍鬲賴 禺乇噩鬲 賰賱 丕賱兀賮賱丕賲 毓賳 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕貙 賱賰賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞!
賷丕 丕賱賱賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞!
馗賱賲鬲 馗賱賲丕 亘賷賳丕 毓賳丿賲丕 兀賯鬲氐 賲賳賴丕 兀噩夭丕亍 賵兀噩夭丕亍 賱鬲氐亘丨 爻賷賳丕乇賷賵 賮賷賱賲 賲丨鬲賲賱
卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱賯爻 丕賱匕賷 賮賯丿 廿賷賲丕賳賴/丕賱胤亘賷亘 丕賱賳賮爻賷 賲賳 兀賰孬乇 卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賯乇兀鬲賴丕 毓賲賯賸丕貙 賵丕賱鬲賷 馗賱賲賴丕 丕賱賮賷賱賲 賰孬賷乇賸丕 賰孬賷乇賸丕.
乇賵丕賷丞 賰鬲亘鬲 毓賱賷 賷丿 胤亘賷亘 賳賮爻賷 賲丨鬲乇賮貙 賵賯爻 賷爻賵毓賷 賲丨鬲乇賮貙 賵胤丕乇丿 兀乇賵丕丨 賲丨鬲乇賮貙 賵亘丕丨孬 鬲丕乇賷禺賷 賲丨鬲乇賮
賴賱 鬲馗賳 兀賳賰 爻鬲賯乇兀 乇賵丕賷丞 賲乇毓亘丞 毓賳 卮賷丕胤賷賳 鬲鬲禺胤賮 亘卮乇賸丕 賵鬲丨賷賱 丨賷丕鬲賴賲 丨噩賷賲丕 亘毓囟 丕賱賵賯鬲 孬賲 賷兀鬲賷 賯爻 亘氐賱賷亘 囟禺賲 賵 賯賳賷賳丞 賲丕亍 賲賯丿爻 賵廿賳噩賷賱 賷賯乇兀 賲賳賴 亘氐賵鬲 夭丕毓賯 賮鬲賳鬲賴賷 丕賱賲兀爻丕丞 賵鬲夭賴乇 丕賱夭賴賵乇 賵锟斤拷毓賷卮 丕賱噩賲賷毓 賮賷 爻賱丕賲責
賱賷爻 氐丨賷丨賸丕..
爻鬲毓賷卮 兀賷丕賲丕 賲毓 賰乇賷爻 賲丕賰賳賷賱 丕賱兀賲 丕賱賲賰賱賵賲丞 丕賱鬲賷 賱丕 鬲毓賱賲 賲丕匕丕 丨賱 亘丕亘賳鬲賴丕 丕賱賵丨賷丿丞貙 爻鬲卮賮賯 毓賱賷 丕賱兀亘 賰丕乇賷爻貙 丕賱胤亘賷亘 丕賱賳賮爻賷 賵丕賱賯爻 丕賱賷爻賵毓賷 匕賵 丕賱毓賷賳賷賳 丕賱丨夭賷賳鬲賷賳 賵 丕賱賯賱亘 丕賱賲賰爻賵乇貙 爻鬲鬲亘毓 禺胤賷 賰丕乇賱 丕賱賲爻賰賷賳 禺丕丿賲 丕賱兀爻乇丞 丕賱賰鬲賵賲 丕賱匕賷 賰丕賳 毓賱賷 丕爻鬲毓丿丕丿 兀賳 賷囟丨賷 亘賳賮爻賴 丨鬲賷 賷賳賯匕 賮鬲丕丞 氐睾賷乇丞貙 賵爻鬲囟賷毓 賮賷 丕賱賲丨賷胤 丕賱亘丕丿賷 賮賷 毓賷賳賷賾 丕賱兀亘 賲賷乇賷賳貙 賵爻賷禺胤乇 亘亘丕賱賰 兀賱賮 爻丐丕賱 賱賰賳賰 賱賳 鬲賳胤賯 亘兀丨丿賴賲丕 賵 爻鬲鬲賲賳賷 賱賵 賰丕賳 亘廿賲賰丕賳賰 兀賳 鬲乇賷丨 乇兀爻賰 毓賱賷 賰鬲賮賴 賲胤賲卅賳丕 賱兀賳 丕賱賱賴 賯丿 爻賲毓 氐乇丕禺賰 賵兀乇爻賱 賱賰 亘丕賱毓賵賳.
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(賷丕乇亘..兀賳丕 賱爻鬲 兀賴賱賸丕 兀賳 鬲丿禺賱 鬲丨鬲 爻賯賮賷貙 賮賯胤 賯賱 賰賱賲丞貙 賵爻鬲亘乇兀 乇賵丨賷.)
****
-賲丕 丕賱睾乇囟 賲賳 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕責 賲丕 丕賱睾丕賷丞責
賲賳 賷毓乇賮責 亘賱 賲賳 丨鬲賷 賷兀賲賱 兀賳 賷毓乇賮責 賵乇睾賲 匕賱賰 兀馗賳 兀賳 賴丿賮 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳 賱賷爻 丕賱囟丨賷丞 丕賱賲賲爻賵爻丞 匕丕鬲賴丕貙 廿賳賲丕 賳丨賳..賲賳 賷乇賷..賰賱 賮乇丿 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賲賳夭賱. 兀馗賳 兀賳 睾丕賷鬲賴 兀賳 賷噩毓賱賳丕 賳賷兀爻貙 兀賳 賳賳亘匕 廿賳爻丕賳賷鬲賳丕 賷丕 丿丕賲賷丕賳貙 兀賳 賳乇賷 兀賳賮爻賳丕 賵丨賵卮丕貙 兀禺爻丕亍 賵毓賮賳賷賳 亘賱丕 賰乇丕賲丞貙 賯亘丨丕亍. 鬲丕賮賴賷賳. 賴賳丕 賷賰賲賳 噩賵賴乇 丕賱兀賲丞 賰賱賴 乇亘賲丕: 賮賷 丕賱卮毓賵乇 亘兀賳賳丕 睾賷乇 噩丿賷乇賷賳. 賱兀賳 丕賱廿賷賲丕賳 亘丕賱賱賴 賰賲丕 兀馗賳 賱賷爻 賲爻兀賱丞 毓賯賱 賵賲賳胤賯 毓賱賷 丕賱廿胤賱丕賯貙 亘賱 賴賵 賲爻兀賱丞 丨亘 賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞貙 賯亘賵賱 丕丨鬲賲丕賱 兀賳 丕賱乇亘 賯丿 賷馗賱 賷丨亘賳丕 兀亘丿賸丕.
丨賵丕乇 亘賷賳 丕賱兀亘 賲賷乇賷賳 賵丕賱兀亘 賰丕乇賷爻.
賲丕 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕責
兀賳 賷鬲賱亘爻 丕賱卮禺氐 丕賱匕賷 毓乇賮鬲賴 乇賵丨賸丕 鬲丨賷賱賴 卮禺氐賸丕 丌禺乇貙 賴賳丕 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲賱亘爻鬲 乇賷睾丕賳 乇賵丨 睾丕囟亘丞 賰丕賳鬲 鬲噩毓賱賴丕 鬲鬲丨丿孬 亘賱睾丕鬲 賱丕 鬲毓乇賮賴丕 鬲賮賷囟 亘丕賱亘匕丕亍丕鬲 賵鬲爻賷乇 賲賯賱賵亘丞 賰丕賱毓賳賰亘賵鬲 賵鬲賱鬲賮 乇兀爻賴丕 丨賵賱 賲丨賵乇賴丕 賵氐丕乇 亘噩爻丿賴丕 賯賵丞 毓丕鬲賷丞 鬲胤乇丨 亘賴丕 兀乇囟丕 兀乇亘毓丞 亘丕賱睾賷賳..
乇亘賲丕 賳丨賳 賲賳 賱賲 賳賮賴賲 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕貙 賷鬲亘丕丿乇 廿賱賷 兀匕賴丕賳賳丕 卮賷丕胤賷賳 毓丕鬲賷丞 鬲鬲禺胤賮 亘卮乇賸丕 賵 鬲丨賷賱賴賲 賱卮卅 爻賵丕賴賲 賵賱丕 爻亘賷賱 賱乇丿毓賴賲 睾丕賱亘丕 廿賳 賱賲 賳丐賲賳..賵賱賰賳責 兀賱賷爻 賮毓賱 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳貙 兀賱賷爻 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕 賴賵 丕賱胤賷卮責 丕賱囟睾丕卅賳 丕賱鬲丕賮賴丞責 爻賵亍 丕賱賮賴賲責 丕賱賰賱丕賲 丕賱噩丕乇丨 丕賱匕賷 賷賯賮夭 睾賷乇 賲丿毓賵賾 毓賱賷 賱爻丕賳 丕賱兀氐丿賯丕亍 賵丕賱毓卮丕賯 賵丕賱兀夭賵丕噩 丨鬲賷 鬲賳馗乇 賮賷 丨賷乇丞 賵賯賱亘賰 賷賳賮胤乇 兀賱賲賸丕 賵 鬲鬲爻丕亍賱 廿賳 賰丕賳 賴匕丕 賴賵 丕賱卮禺氐 丕賱匕賷 毓乇賮鬲賴 丿賵賲賸丕責 賴賱 賰丕賳 胤賵丕賱 丕賱賵賯鬲 賷丨賲賱 亘丿丕禺賱賴 鬲賱賰 丕賱賯丿乇丞 毓賱賷 丕賷匕丕亍賰責
廿匕丕 賵噩丿 賴匕丕 亘賲賯丿丕乇 賰丕賮 賱賳 賳氐亘丨 賮賷 丨丕噩賴 賱賱卮賷胤丕賳 賱賰賷 賳丐噩噩 賲毓丕乇賰賳丕貙 爻賳賰賵賳 賳丨賳 兀賰孬乇 賲賳 丕賱賱丕夭賲.
***
賵 丕賱卮賰乇 賲賵氐賵賱 賵賵丕噩亘 賱賱賲鬲乇噩賲 賳丕丿乇 兀爻丕賲丞 毓賱賷 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱乇丕卅毓丞貙 賵毓賱賷 鬲乇噩賲鬲賴 賱賱賳爻禺丞 丕賱賲賳賯丨丞 丕賱鬲賷 兀禺亘乇 亘賱丕鬲賷 亘毓丿 兀賳 兀毓丕丿 賰鬲丕亘鬲賴丕 鬲賯乇賷亘賸丕 兀賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賳爻禺丞 丕賱鬲賷 賷丨亘 兀賳 賷鬲匕賰乇賴 亘賴丕 丕賱毓丕賱賲.
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱賲賯鬲亘爻丞 毓賳 賯氐丞 丨賯賷賯丞 丨丿孬鬲 賲亘賰乇丕 賮賷 匕賱賰 丕賱毓氐乇 賵鬲賱丕賴丕 兀毓賲丕賱 鬲丿賳賷爻 賲鬲賰乇乇丞 賱賱賰賳賷爻丞 賮賷賲丕 毓乇賮 賵賯鬲賴丕 亘丕賱賯丿丕爻 丕賱兀爻賵丿貙 丕賱匕賷 賰丕賳 賷賴丕賳 賮賷賴 賰賱 乇賲夭 丿賷賳賷 賵丕賱匕賷 匕賰乇 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲賮氐賷賱賷丕 賲賲丕 兀孬丕乇 睾囟亘 丕賱賰孬賷乇賵賳 賵賯鬲 氐丿賵乇賴丕 賵兀鬲賴賲鬲 亘丕賱鬲噩丿賷賮 賵丕賱丕夭丿乇丕亍
賰丕賳 亘胤賱 丕賱丨丕丿孬丞 丕賱兀氐賱賷丞 氐亘賷賾貙 鬲賲 賱賷賾 兀丨丿丕孬 丕賱賯氐丞 賱鬲氐亘丨 丕賱亘胤賱丞 賮鬲丕丞 賷丕賮毓丞貙 賮賷 廿卮丕乇丞 賱兀賳 丕賱兀賳孬賷 賴賷 睾丕賱亘賸丕 賲胤賲毓 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳貙 賵賰兀賳 丕賱毓丕賱賲 亘廿賳丕爻賴 賵卮賷丕胤賷賳賴 丕鬲賮賯 兀賳 賷毓丕賯亘 丕賱廿賳丕孬 賱兀賳賴賳 廿賳丕孬 :))
賵亘毓丿賴丕 兀氐亘丨鬲 鬲賱賰 賯丕毓丿丞 睾賷乇 賲賳氐賵氐 毓賱賷賴丕貙 賵兀氐亘丨鬲 卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱亘胤賵賱丞 賮賷 兀毓賲丕賱 丕賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕 亘賳爻亘丞 鬲鬲毓丿賷 丕賱鬲爻毓賷賳 賮賷 丕賱賲丕卅丞 賮鬲賷丕鬲 賲乇丕賴賯丕鬲 兀賵 爻賷丿丕鬲貙 賵廿賳 丨丿孬鬲 丕賱氐丿賮丞 賵賰丕賳 丕賱亘胤賱 乇噩賱賸丕 賷毓夭賷 丕賱兀賲乇 睾丕賱亘賸丕 賱賱賲乇囟 丕賱賳賮爻賷 兀賵 丕賱賴賷爻鬲賷乇賷丕 兀賵 丕賱爻乇賳賲丞 兀賵 丕賷丕 賰丕賳 貙 賰賲丕 賮賷 乇毓亘 兀賲賷鬲賷 賮丕賷賱 賵兀賮賱丕賲賴 丕賱卮賴賷乇丞.
***
賰鬲亘 賵賷賱賷丕賲 亘賷鬲乇 亘賱丕鬲賷 乇賵丕賷丞 兀禺乇賷 鬲丿毓賷 "賱賷噩賵賳" 丕賲鬲丿丕丿 賱胤丕乇丿 丕賱兀乇賵丕丨 丕賱卮乇賷乇丞 鬲丨賵賱鬲 賱賮賷賱賲 亘丿賵乇賴丕 毓丕賲 2009
賵賴賳丕賰 賮賷賱賲 丌禺乇 亘賳賮爻 丕賱丕爻賲 賱賲 賷賱丕賯 乇賵丕噩丕 賰亘賷乇丕 毓賱賷 丕賱乇睾賲 賲賳 噩賵丿鬲賴 賷丿毓賷:
The exorcist,the beginning
賷丨賰賷 丕賱兀禺賷乇 毓賳 賯氐丞 丕賱兀亘 賲賷乇賷賳 賵賱賯丕丐賴 丕賱兀賵賱 賲毓 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳 亘丕夭賵夭賵 賮賷 兀乇囟 丕賱毓乇丕賯 亘毓丿賲丕 丕爻鬲賯丕賱 賲賳 賵馗賷賮鬲賴 賰賯爻 賵毓賲賱 賮賷 丕賱鬲賳賯賷亘 毓賳 丕賱丌孬丕乇 毓賱賷 廿孬乇 鬲毓乇囟賴 賱兀夭賲丞 夭毓夭毓鬲 丕賷賲丕賳賴
賱賷賳賰 賲卮丕賴丿丞 賱賴匕丕 丕賱賮賷賱賲 丕賱賲馗賱賵賲:
***
亘賷鬲乇 亘賱丕鬲賷貙 賷丕 賱賴丕 賲賳 胤乇賷賯丞 賷鬲匕賰乇賰 亘賴丕 丕賱毓丕賱賲
賷丕 賱賴丕 賲賳 胤乇賷賯丞 賱賳賷賱 丕賱禺賱賵丿.
5-5-2017
May 4, 2018
"We mourn the blossoms of May because they are to whither; but we know that May is one day to have its revenge upon November, by the revolution of that solemn circle which never stops - which teaches us in our height of hope, ever to be sober, and in our depth of desolation, never to despair."
The unusual occurrences in the MacNeil house could easily be explained away - rats in the attic, misplaced furniture - but the disturbing changes in Regan MacNeil's behaviour could not. Doctors are unable to diagnose what could have caused this shift in personality, so Regan's mother turns to Father Damien Karras, who is suffering from his own lack of faith.
I'm finally writing a proper book review for one of my favourite books of all time after reading it for the third time. But let's go way back to the start鈥� The Exorcist was pretty much my gateway into reading horror. Growing up I hated horror, you couldn't have paid me to watch a horror movie - I blame my brothers forcing me to watch Freddy Krueger at a very young age and mentally scarring me - but in my late teens, I was intrigued. I started off by watching the Scream movies to ease me into the genre, but pretty quickly my movie choices escalated into what is considered one of the most terrifying movies of all time - The Exorcist. It quickly became one of my favourite movies and I decided I needed to read the book. And so my journey into horror literature began.
I remember thinking the book wouldn't be as scary the movie, but boy was I wrong. I think the book is somehow more terrifying. Granted, we don't have the incredible cinematography or that haunting score, but what we have instead is a slow and tense build as Regan falls under the possession of Pazuzu. During my readalong of this book a number of people seemed to be surprised by William Peter Blatty's prose. A lot of people were like "Shit, this guy can write". And he can! After reading this, Legion and The Ninth Configuration, he would rank as one of my favourite authors, and so I take a lot of pleasure in people "discovering" Blatty as a writer.
Another surprising aspect for a number of people was how emotional the book is. I shed a few tears at the end myself. Damien Karras is one of the most well-written and believable characters I've ever come across. He struggles with his faith as he tries to decipher exactly what is happening with Regan and you can really feel the turmoil he is going through. He is a psychologist as well as a priest, so I found it really interesting to get inside his mind and follow his thought process and research - is Regan possessed or can this be explained by some psychological disorder? As someone who believes in demonic possession, I find these sections of the book incredibly informative. And they help me build my argument for people who try to tell me that these things don't exist because all the symptoms can be explained away by science. In my opinion, they can't. *insert sassy emoji*
This book is one of the very very few that I struggle to read in bed at night. I've become very desensitised to horror, but I think a lot of us still have certain triggers that overwhelm us and send our brain into overdrive. Demonic possession is one of my triggers, as are murderous home invaders (I'm looking at you Golden State Killer). As well as being unnerving and scary, it gets pretty uncomfortable to read at times, particularly when it comes to trying to imagine a young girl screaming expletives in a growling voice coupled with her constant projectile vomiting. And the crucifix scene. I honestly felt like I needed to go to mass after reading that scene. It will always remain one of the most horrific sections I've ever read.
One of my favourite aspects of The Exorcist, and Blatty's works in general (what I've read so far anyway), is his examination of good vs evil. This seems to be a recurrent theme and one that he is very accomplished at exploring. This merely isn't a story about the possession of a young girl, but its really a commentary on a vast range of topics such as faith and the lack of it, to what exists after death, if anything exists at all. It might be presented as "horror" on the surface, but really it goes so much deeper than that.
All the stars!! It somehow gets better on each read.
The unusual occurrences in the MacNeil house could easily be explained away - rats in the attic, misplaced furniture - but the disturbing changes in Regan MacNeil's behaviour could not. Doctors are unable to diagnose what could have caused this shift in personality, so Regan's mother turns to Father Damien Karras, who is suffering from his own lack of faith.
I'm finally writing a proper book review for one of my favourite books of all time after reading it for the third time. But let's go way back to the start鈥� The Exorcist was pretty much my gateway into reading horror. Growing up I hated horror, you couldn't have paid me to watch a horror movie - I blame my brothers forcing me to watch Freddy Krueger at a very young age and mentally scarring me - but in my late teens, I was intrigued. I started off by watching the Scream movies to ease me into the genre, but pretty quickly my movie choices escalated into what is considered one of the most terrifying movies of all time - The Exorcist. It quickly became one of my favourite movies and I decided I needed to read the book. And so my journey into horror literature began.
I remember thinking the book wouldn't be as scary the movie, but boy was I wrong. I think the book is somehow more terrifying. Granted, we don't have the incredible cinematography or that haunting score, but what we have instead is a slow and tense build as Regan falls under the possession of Pazuzu. During my readalong of this book a number of people seemed to be surprised by William Peter Blatty's prose. A lot of people were like "Shit, this guy can write". And he can! After reading this, Legion and The Ninth Configuration, he would rank as one of my favourite authors, and so I take a lot of pleasure in people "discovering" Blatty as a writer.
Another surprising aspect for a number of people was how emotional the book is. I shed a few tears at the end myself. Damien Karras is one of the most well-written and believable characters I've ever come across. He struggles with his faith as he tries to decipher exactly what is happening with Regan and you can really feel the turmoil he is going through. He is a psychologist as well as a priest, so I found it really interesting to get inside his mind and follow his thought process and research - is Regan possessed or can this be explained by some psychological disorder? As someone who believes in demonic possession, I find these sections of the book incredibly informative. And they help me build my argument for people who try to tell me that these things don't exist because all the symptoms can be explained away by science. In my opinion, they can't. *insert sassy emoji*
This book is one of the very very few that I struggle to read in bed at night. I've become very desensitised to horror, but I think a lot of us still have certain triggers that overwhelm us and send our brain into overdrive. Demonic possession is one of my triggers, as are murderous home invaders (I'm looking at you Golden State Killer). As well as being unnerving and scary, it gets pretty uncomfortable to read at times, particularly when it comes to trying to imagine a young girl screaming expletives in a growling voice coupled with her constant projectile vomiting. And the crucifix scene. I honestly felt like I needed to go to mass after reading that scene. It will always remain one of the most horrific sections I've ever read.
One of my favourite aspects of The Exorcist, and Blatty's works in general (what I've read so far anyway), is his examination of good vs evil. This seems to be a recurrent theme and one that he is very accomplished at exploring. This merely isn't a story about the possession of a young girl, but its really a commentary on a vast range of topics such as faith and the lack of it, to what exists after death, if anything exists at all. It might be presented as "horror" on the surface, but really it goes so much deeper than that.
All the stars!! It somehow gets better on each read.
April 24, 2024
This is a book that, in my opinion, sets the standard for modern horror. Not only is the story disturbing and brilliantly written, but it stays with you for long after you've finished the book. Why? Because it all seems so normal to begin with. All the unnerving things seem to have simple explanations. So, for the longest time, the characters move unaware of the horror to come. For the reader, this soon becomes a experience where it takes little to start extrapolating this semblance of normalcy into everyday life.
Was that just the wind, howling outside all night? Was that broken branch after the storm just a normal thing? But why now, and why in the middle of my street? You have no answer, because to be honest there's no answer, but soon Blatty's words, come to give you one:
鈥淵ou see, the trouble with the signs in the sky, my dear morsel, is that once having seen them, one has no excuse.鈥�
And there you are, hooked searching for signs to prove to youserlf that something normal may not be so normal after all.
I'm a fan of this type of horror, the one that leaves a lingering feeling of unreality to our reality, and Blatty is a master in this matter.
So, let's talk about the book. The premise is simple: A strange, unexplained mental illness has struck a 12 years old girl. The girl's mother, who is an atheist, consults numerous medical professionals to no avail. All signs point to a demonic-possession, but that's a paranormal phenomenon ridiculed in the modern day as superstition, so how to take the signs seriously?
When things get worse, out of desperation, the girl's mother approaches a priest, pleading for an exorcism, but the priest instead of accepting to perform the ritual, sends mother and daughter back to the doctor. Why? Simply because the priest, despite the requirements of his profession, doesn't believe in the existence of the Devil!
For the priest, faith has become a matter of philosophical and academic pursuit only. For him, demonic possessions only happened in the holy book, not in today's world. But even then, the priest argues, the demonic possessions in the holy book should be interpreted with sophisticated hermeneutics, to explain the supernatural reality while emphasizing the philosophical, and theological meanings behind the miracles.
This is the premise on which Blatty stood to write a captivating tale about faith. Yes, this is horror, but truly disturbing stories only work so well because of their roots in real life, and what is more real than faith? Faith shapes our world, is the lens we used to interpret our life and existence. Indeed, The Exorcist is a allegory about the internal struggles of modern-day religious believers, who, wrestle to adapt their own perception about faith to a world where everything is being rationalized.
When first published, the story also raised an interesting question for the modern-day religious believers, when something unexplained happens, why do they often default to a naturalistic explanation --like non-believers do-- over a supernatural one?
If you鈥檙e looking for an outstanding horror novel to read, look no further than the exorcist. Beyond just being a classic, this is one of those near perfect novels that you won鈥檛 be able put down. It will keep you awake, reading well into the night.
Was that just the wind, howling outside all night? Was that broken branch after the storm just a normal thing? But why now, and why in the middle of my street? You have no answer, because to be honest there's no answer, but soon Blatty's words, come to give you one:
鈥淵ou see, the trouble with the signs in the sky, my dear morsel, is that once having seen them, one has no excuse.鈥�
And there you are, hooked searching for signs to prove to youserlf that something normal may not be so normal after all.
I'm a fan of this type of horror, the one that leaves a lingering feeling of unreality to our reality, and Blatty is a master in this matter.
So, let's talk about the book. The premise is simple: A strange, unexplained mental illness has struck a 12 years old girl. The girl's mother, who is an atheist, consults numerous medical professionals to no avail. All signs point to a demonic-possession, but that's a paranormal phenomenon ridiculed in the modern day as superstition, so how to take the signs seriously?
When things get worse, out of desperation, the girl's mother approaches a priest, pleading for an exorcism, but the priest instead of accepting to perform the ritual, sends mother and daughter back to the doctor. Why? Simply because the priest, despite the requirements of his profession, doesn't believe in the existence of the Devil!
For the priest, faith has become a matter of philosophical and academic pursuit only. For him, demonic possessions only happened in the holy book, not in today's world. But even then, the priest argues, the demonic possessions in the holy book should be interpreted with sophisticated hermeneutics, to explain the supernatural reality while emphasizing the philosophical, and theological meanings behind the miracles.
This is the premise on which Blatty stood to write a captivating tale about faith. Yes, this is horror, but truly disturbing stories only work so well because of their roots in real life, and what is more real than faith? Faith shapes our world, is the lens we used to interpret our life and existence. Indeed, The Exorcist is a allegory about the internal struggles of modern-day religious believers, who, wrestle to adapt their own perception about faith to a world where everything is being rationalized.
When first published, the story also raised an interesting question for the modern-day religious believers, when something unexplained happens, why do they often default to a naturalistic explanation --like non-believers do-- over a supernatural one?
If you鈥檙e looking for an outstanding horror novel to read, look no further than the exorcist. Beyond just being a classic, this is one of those near perfect novels that you won鈥檛 be able put down. It will keep you awake, reading well into the night.
February 7, 2024
鈥斅緿ices que eres el demonio? -pregunt贸 Karras.
鈥擳e lo aseguro.
鈥擡ntonces, 驴por qu茅 no haces que las correas desaparezcan?
鈥擡so ser铆a un despliegue de poder demasiado vulgar, Karras. Demasiado burdo. Despu茅s de todo, soy un pr铆ncipe.
Luego de haber le铆do 鈥淟os elementales鈥� de Michael McDowell, me qued茅 con ganas de subir la apuesta y decid铆 leer 鈥淓l exorcista鈥�.
No me equivoqu茅. La novela posee los m谩s altos ingredientes de terror con los que me haya topado, aunque no haya le铆do mucho del g茅nero y por supuesto posee un suspenso adictivo, propio del estilo de estos libros.
Su autor, William Peter Blatty, quien public贸 esta novela en 1971, bas谩ndose en una experiencia vivida por 茅l mismo en el a帽o 1949, caus贸 un revuelo instant谩neo, tanto por la historia narrada, como por los condimentos de alto contenido pol茅mico, repulsivo, escatol贸gico y demasiado violento para la 茅poca, llev贸 en dos a帽os m谩s tarde su novela a la pantalla grande, junto con el director William Friedkin para terminar ganando un premio Oscar por 鈥淢ejor guion adaptado鈥�.
Fue tal el impacto de la pel铆cula en los cines por aquellos a帽os, que mucha gente sal铆a vomitando de las salas. La pel铆cula se transform贸 en objeto de culto instant谩neo y sigue vigente hasta nuestros d铆as.
Es digno de destacar la manera en la que Blatty se inform贸 e investig贸 en distintas 谩reas para solventar el argumento de la novela. El autor profundiza sobre la medicina cl铆nica, la psicolog铆a, la psiquiatr铆a, la teolog铆a, las supersticiones, todo lo referente a posesiones, brujer铆a, hechizos, inquisiciones, civilizaciones antiguas y la religi贸n cat贸lica.
Los s铆ntomas de Regan se van manifestando de menor a mayor, comenzando con simples explicaciones que los profesionales atribuyen como propios de su edad, como los des贸rdenes normales previos a la adolescencia para ir increment谩ndose en complejidad.
Tanto m茅dicos, como psic贸logos y psiquiatras divagan entre conjeturas tratando de explicar el estado de salud de Regan que incluye hiperactividad, mal genio, insomnio, trastorno hiperkin茅tico, sonambulismo hist茅rico, contracciones cl贸nicas, convulsiones, epilepsia, desdoblamiento de la personalidad, enfermedad mental, desborde psiqui谩trico, histeria, esquizofrenia, paranoia hasta llegar a la conclusi贸n de una posible posesi贸n demon铆aca.
A partir de all铆, Chris MacNeall, la madre de Regan completamente desesperada y abrumada, contactar谩 al padre Damien Karras para pedirle que le realice un exorcismo a su hija.
El padre Karras, un sacerdote experto en psiquiatr铆a, quien atraviesa una crisis de fe ante la reciente muerte de su madre, batallar谩 en primer lugar contra su propio escepticismo para terminar luchando contra el demonio que consume el fr谩gil cuerpo de Regan.
Es aqu铆 donde Blatty nuevamente despliega un bagaje de conocimientos t茅cnicos relacionados a la posesi贸n diab贸lica y a los exorcismos.
Es indudable que, en primer lugar se asesor贸 con m茅dicos especialistas en la materia y sobre todo contact贸 a diversos sacerdotes y personalidades eclesi谩sticas que le brindaron la informaci贸n necesaria para desarrollar su novela.
La inclusi贸n de libros como "Psicolog铆a y patolog铆a de los fen贸menos ocultos", 鈥淧osesi贸n鈥� de Osterreich, 鈥淟os demonios de Loudun鈥�, de Huxley, y 鈥淧arapraxis en el caso de Haizman鈥� de Freud; 鈥淧osesi贸n por el demonio y exorcismo en la primera 茅poca del cristianismo, a la luz de las ideas modernas sobre las enfermedades mentales鈥�, de McCasland, as铆 como extractos de revistas psiqui谩tricas sobre 鈥淣eurosis de posesi贸n diab贸lica en el siglo XVII鈥�, y 鈥淟a demonolog铆a de la psiquiatr铆a moderna鈥�, de Freud no est谩n incluidos por casualidad. Todo esto le da solvencia y credibilidad a la novela.
Cuando un comienza a leer la tercera parte llamada 鈥淓l abismo鈥� es all铆 donde el horror de desata. Todo lo que sucede en la novela ser谩 replicado fielmente y sin censura en la pel铆cula.
Algunas escenas y situaciones realmente superan al lector caus谩ndole asco, repugnancia e incluso ganas de detener la lectura, desde el lenguaje altamente obsceno que sale de la boca de Regan ya pose铆da, junto con toda una serie de sustancias, v贸mitos, flujos, sangre, excrementos, escupitajos y hasta una controvertida escena de masturbaci贸n con un crucifijo, hace que uno sobrelleve una lectura verdaderamente tortuosa.
Ciertas escenas realmente son dif铆ciles de soportar si tenemos en cuenta que de quien hace y dice todo esto es una ni帽a de doce a帽os.
Esta novela no es para lectores susceptible ni para est贸magos flojos ni tampoco para aquellos poco acostumbrados a la violencia y la obscenidad.
Muchas situaciones chocan al lector, propin谩ndole golpes verdaderamente bajos, pero uno en cierto modo, ley茅ndola, logra compadecerse de lo que le sucede al personaje de Regan, pose铆do por un demonio que no le tiene piedad y que la est谩 matando de a poco, mientras su cuerpo maltrecho resiste sus embates, atada a una cama y en dormitorio cuya temperatura es de varios grados bajo cero.
Este detalle no es menor. Cuando Dante Alighieri describe el lugar donde se encuentra el Diablo en 鈥淟a divina comedia鈥�, est谩 castigando cruelmente a Judas Iscariote en el C贸cito, situado en 煤ltimo c铆rculo del infierno, que para variar, est谩 congelado, algo que contrasta con la idea de que el Infierno es un lugar ardiente.
Por otro lado, para la pel铆cula, los actores fueron sometidos a verdaderas temperaturas congeladas que hicieron verdaderamente tortuosas sus actuaciones.
Volviendo a la novela, nos encontramos tambi茅n con otros personajes muy importantes como por ejemplo los personajes que trabajan en la casa de Chris, o sea su mayordomo Karl, la esposa de este, Willie y una joven llamada Sharon quienes tiene implicancia directa en todo el asunto.
Y no debemos olvidar al detective Kinderman, que investiga la muerte del director de cine Burke Dennings y sobre todo al verdadero exorcista, el padre Lankenster Merrim, un afamado y experto sacerdote que en la pel铆cula es personificado por el maravilloso Max Von Sidow.
鈥淓l exorcista鈥� es una novela aterradora, dif铆cil, inc贸moda, cruda, violenta, visceral y hasta repugnante, pero realmente atrapante.
Considero que William Blatty alcanz贸 la fama a partir de una novela que se sali贸 de todo lo conocido hasta ese momento y que a煤n hoy, con el agregado de la pel铆cula de 1973, sigue causando la misma conmoci贸n y espanto que cuando fue publicada.
鈥擳e lo aseguro.
鈥擡ntonces, 驴por qu茅 no haces que las correas desaparezcan?
鈥擡so ser铆a un despliegue de poder demasiado vulgar, Karras. Demasiado burdo. Despu茅s de todo, soy un pr铆ncipe.
Luego de haber le铆do 鈥淟os elementales鈥� de Michael McDowell, me qued茅 con ganas de subir la apuesta y decid铆 leer 鈥淓l exorcista鈥�.
No me equivoqu茅. La novela posee los m谩s altos ingredientes de terror con los que me haya topado, aunque no haya le铆do mucho del g茅nero y por supuesto posee un suspenso adictivo, propio del estilo de estos libros.
Su autor, William Peter Blatty, quien public贸 esta novela en 1971, bas谩ndose en una experiencia vivida por 茅l mismo en el a帽o 1949, caus贸 un revuelo instant谩neo, tanto por la historia narrada, como por los condimentos de alto contenido pol茅mico, repulsivo, escatol贸gico y demasiado violento para la 茅poca, llev贸 en dos a帽os m谩s tarde su novela a la pantalla grande, junto con el director William Friedkin para terminar ganando un premio Oscar por 鈥淢ejor guion adaptado鈥�.
Fue tal el impacto de la pel铆cula en los cines por aquellos a帽os, que mucha gente sal铆a vomitando de las salas. La pel铆cula se transform贸 en objeto de culto instant谩neo y sigue vigente hasta nuestros d铆as.
Es digno de destacar la manera en la que Blatty se inform贸 e investig贸 en distintas 谩reas para solventar el argumento de la novela. El autor profundiza sobre la medicina cl铆nica, la psicolog铆a, la psiquiatr铆a, la teolog铆a, las supersticiones, todo lo referente a posesiones, brujer铆a, hechizos, inquisiciones, civilizaciones antiguas y la religi贸n cat贸lica.
Los s铆ntomas de Regan se van manifestando de menor a mayor, comenzando con simples explicaciones que los profesionales atribuyen como propios de su edad, como los des贸rdenes normales previos a la adolescencia para ir increment谩ndose en complejidad.
Tanto m茅dicos, como psic贸logos y psiquiatras divagan entre conjeturas tratando de explicar el estado de salud de Regan que incluye hiperactividad, mal genio, insomnio, trastorno hiperkin茅tico, sonambulismo hist茅rico, contracciones cl贸nicas, convulsiones, epilepsia, desdoblamiento de la personalidad, enfermedad mental, desborde psiqui谩trico, histeria, esquizofrenia, paranoia hasta llegar a la conclusi贸n de una posible posesi贸n demon铆aca.
A partir de all铆, Chris MacNeall, la madre de Regan completamente desesperada y abrumada, contactar谩 al padre Damien Karras para pedirle que le realice un exorcismo a su hija.
El padre Karras, un sacerdote experto en psiquiatr铆a, quien atraviesa una crisis de fe ante la reciente muerte de su madre, batallar谩 en primer lugar contra su propio escepticismo para terminar luchando contra el demonio que consume el fr谩gil cuerpo de Regan.
Es aqu铆 donde Blatty nuevamente despliega un bagaje de conocimientos t茅cnicos relacionados a la posesi贸n diab贸lica y a los exorcismos.
Es indudable que, en primer lugar se asesor贸 con m茅dicos especialistas en la materia y sobre todo contact贸 a diversos sacerdotes y personalidades eclesi谩sticas que le brindaron la informaci贸n necesaria para desarrollar su novela.
La inclusi贸n de libros como "Psicolog铆a y patolog铆a de los fen贸menos ocultos", 鈥淧osesi贸n鈥� de Osterreich, 鈥淟os demonios de Loudun鈥�, de Huxley, y 鈥淧arapraxis en el caso de Haizman鈥� de Freud; 鈥淧osesi贸n por el demonio y exorcismo en la primera 茅poca del cristianismo, a la luz de las ideas modernas sobre las enfermedades mentales鈥�, de McCasland, as铆 como extractos de revistas psiqui谩tricas sobre 鈥淣eurosis de posesi贸n diab贸lica en el siglo XVII鈥�, y 鈥淟a demonolog铆a de la psiquiatr铆a moderna鈥�, de Freud no est谩n incluidos por casualidad. Todo esto le da solvencia y credibilidad a la novela.
Cuando un comienza a leer la tercera parte llamada 鈥淓l abismo鈥� es all铆 donde el horror de desata. Todo lo que sucede en la novela ser谩 replicado fielmente y sin censura en la pel铆cula.
Algunas escenas y situaciones realmente superan al lector caus谩ndole asco, repugnancia e incluso ganas de detener la lectura, desde el lenguaje altamente obsceno que sale de la boca de Regan ya pose铆da, junto con toda una serie de sustancias, v贸mitos, flujos, sangre, excrementos, escupitajos y hasta una controvertida escena de masturbaci贸n con un crucifijo, hace que uno sobrelleve una lectura verdaderamente tortuosa.
Ciertas escenas realmente son dif铆ciles de soportar si tenemos en cuenta que de quien hace y dice todo esto es una ni帽a de doce a帽os.
Esta novela no es para lectores susceptible ni para est贸magos flojos ni tampoco para aquellos poco acostumbrados a la violencia y la obscenidad.
Muchas situaciones chocan al lector, propin谩ndole golpes verdaderamente bajos, pero uno en cierto modo, ley茅ndola, logra compadecerse de lo que le sucede al personaje de Regan, pose铆do por un demonio que no le tiene piedad y que la est谩 matando de a poco, mientras su cuerpo maltrecho resiste sus embates, atada a una cama y en dormitorio cuya temperatura es de varios grados bajo cero.
Este detalle no es menor. Cuando Dante Alighieri describe el lugar donde se encuentra el Diablo en 鈥淟a divina comedia鈥�, est谩 castigando cruelmente a Judas Iscariote en el C贸cito, situado en 煤ltimo c铆rculo del infierno, que para variar, est谩 congelado, algo que contrasta con la idea de que el Infierno es un lugar ardiente.
Por otro lado, para la pel铆cula, los actores fueron sometidos a verdaderas temperaturas congeladas que hicieron verdaderamente tortuosas sus actuaciones.
Volviendo a la novela, nos encontramos tambi茅n con otros personajes muy importantes como por ejemplo los personajes que trabajan en la casa de Chris, o sea su mayordomo Karl, la esposa de este, Willie y una joven llamada Sharon quienes tiene implicancia directa en todo el asunto.
Y no debemos olvidar al detective Kinderman, que investiga la muerte del director de cine Burke Dennings y sobre todo al verdadero exorcista, el padre Lankenster Merrim, un afamado y experto sacerdote que en la pel铆cula es personificado por el maravilloso Max Von Sidow.
鈥淓l exorcista鈥� es una novela aterradora, dif铆cil, inc贸moda, cruda, violenta, visceral y hasta repugnante, pero realmente atrapante.
Considero que William Blatty alcanz贸 la fama a partir de una novela que se sali贸 de todo lo conocido hasta ese momento y que a煤n hoy, con el agregado de la pel铆cula de 1973, sigue causando la misma conmoci贸n y espanto que cuando fue publicada.
December 31, 2017
What a fantastic and scary but fascinating book. The film with Linda Blair and Max Von Sydow was so far ahead of its time. I was just a young boy when the film was released and remember that there was heaps of controversy at the time. Ambulances and police were rushing to theatres because people were fainting and screaming with hysteria. In some extreme cases priests were called. I know that the film was back in theatres a while ago and my partner and I went to see it again with our nephew and niece. They were both in their twenties back then and I recall them laughing all the way through the film. I guess times and tastes have changed. The book is great and the original film too, whatever the younger generation may think. The new TV series is good though, I must admit. I think it stars Ben Daniels as the priest.馃惎馃憤
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