What It Was Really Like To See The Exorcist In 1973

Very few horror films hold the levels of critical acclaim and box office success that William Friedkin's "The Exorcist" does. Released in 1973, the adaptation of William Peter Blatty's shocking novel would go on to terrify huge audiences around the United States. The film focuses on young Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), a 12-year-old girl who is possessed by a cruel demonic entity. Following a plethora of scientific treatments, Regan's mother turns to the church and the aid of two priests, who attempt to perform a risky exorcism and save young Regan's soul from the clutches of nefarious forces.

The shock waves created by this film cannot be overstated, making its original release all the more fascinating. Compiled here are just some of the cultural circumstances "The Exorcist" was thrust into, as well as the public reaction at the time. Dim your lights, lock your doors, and take a peek with us into what it was really like to see "The Exorcist" in 1973.

The 1970s are the decade in which the notion of a blockbuster movie would come into being. This can be attributed mostly to big-budget releases like "Jaws" and "Star Wars," both met with big lines at the cineplex and even bigger box office numbers. But one surprising film that can be partially credited for beginning this cinematic shift was "The Exorcist." After the film's initial minuscule release was expanded to more theaters, people began arriving in droves.

If you watch any old news footage detailing the film's widespread success, you'll quickly notice an infectious energy amongst the patrons. This can be attributed to successful word of mouth and the film's release having been heavily publicized in various newspaper ads. Moviegoers had come from all over to wait in line for the film, some paying inflated amounts of money to ensure access to a ticket. Simply put, "The Exorcist" had achieved its desired effect of terrifying its viewers, and audiences were thirsty for more.

The transition from the written page to the silver screen can prove quite the hurdle for any cinematic production. Especially if it's a particularly shocking book, one may wonder whether a cinematic adaptation can do it justice. This was most certainly the case with "The Exorcist," whose massive audience was composed of many different sub-groups. Some were enticed by the film's publicity, others were curious how the film would compare to the book.

For the most part, the cinematic adaptation is actually quite faithful to the book, thanks in part to its screenplay being written by the original author of "The Exorcist," William Peter Blatty. But as with most page-to-screen translations, the book has a bit more time to dedicate to smaller character interactions. The niche fandom for the novel would serve as just one of the many demographics in line for the 1973 adaptation.

With the advent of streaming in recent years, some argue that the notion of film ratings has become increasingly obsolete. This is certainly a far cry from the '70s, where a film's rating was crucial in its quest to achieve mainstream success. "The Exorcist" was able to finagle an R rating from the MPAA, which allowed it to be shown in the majority of theaters, rather than being relegated to the handful that would show X-rated films. But this accessibility did have one moderately controversial side effect: The rating meant that minors could technically see the movie.

As long as someone over 18 was present, younger audience members were allowed to attend the soon-to-be horror classic. This factoid was not lost on journalists and critics at the time, resulting in a fair amount of caution and criticism. Following the film's release, reports began circulating about some theaters not properly enforcing the rating, which allowed minors to attend unaccompanied. While the film's R rating led to some controversy, it also paved the way for its success.

"The Exorcist" pushed boundaries in terms of violence and provocative imagery, a trend that was already on the rise. In the early '70s, the horror genre went through a significant change: The era of tacky-looking monsters and aliens from outer space were quickly becoming an antiquated form of terror. Taking their place would be a new age of horror, one that would stand in sharp contrast to the previous. The Grindhouse subgenre would quickly take center stage, defined by high levels of promiscuity and graphic on-screen violence. From this trend came such unrelenting films as "The Wizard of Gore" and "I Spit on Your Grave," amongst others.

The increasingly shocking and visceral cinematic content would eventually escape the drive-ins and affect mainstream horror as well. Before too long, productions from major studios were embracing this newfound style, with horror films becoming increasingly more graphic. "The Exorcist" would lean heavily into this trend, resulting in what is still referred to by many as one of the scariest films of all time. This development would carry into the '80s with the slasher boom, continuing and evolving further throughout the '90s and '00s.

While some critics at the time were throwing heaps of negative commentary towards "The Exorcist," one critic who thought differently was Roger Ebert. One of cinema's most prolific critics and authors, Ebert always had a level of directness and sincerity to his reviews, never once talking down to his readers. This sincere appreciation of film would serve him well alongside fellow critic Gene Siskel during their run on "At The Movies." Ebert would often defend films that some of his fellow critics were slamming, including "The Exorcist."

Ebert would focus on the film's impressive ability to shock its audience, crediting influence from the culture of the '70s. He would provide special praise to the film's cast and its visceral special effects, exclaiming his bafflement at the film's R rating. He ultimately pondered why people were attending the film in droves, positing that the emotionally numb audiences needed more extreme content to feel something. It's a nuanced take on the film, noting his own reservations but commending "The Exorcist" for its commitment to the story.

The '70s were a time of great transition for the United States in both pop culture and politics. Technology and social movements were evolving, both of which would be compounded by the impact of the Vietnam War on American society. During this time, one of the biggest controversies making headlines across the country was that of the Watergate scandal. In 1972, burglars involved with the Nixon administration broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office building. The fallout of these events would reveal the involvement of then-President Richard Nixon, resulting in his subsequent resignation from office.

The news coverage following Watergate was almost constant, with seemingly never-ending headlines and updates. But in 1973, a film's release and subsequent box office success would end up dominating the news cycle alongside Watergate. As is stated in "Shock Value" by Jason Zinoman, that film — much to the chagrin of many journalists — was "The Exorcist." When your film is being mentioned in the same news cycle as a once-in-a-generation political controversy, chances are you have a hit on your hands.