Young people are vulnerable and susceptible to being persuaded to subvert traditional values and beliefs. Arguably, this idea is presented in William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973), which demonstrates a threatening force that is crippling American society. Chicago Sun-Times film critic, Roger Ebert describes this film as “a frontal assault” on spectators that exploit their feelings and leaves viewers shaken after watching (1973). Indeed, the sexual perversion and foul play to religious iconography provide an unsettling reaction. It is no surprise that the reaction to this film was met with shock; some warranting its rating to be changed from rated R to rated X as expressed by the reviews of Ebert and Vincent Canby of the New York Times. The
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Bruce J. Schulman describes the 1970s as the decade that “defined the terms of contemporary America” (4). This decade serves as a moment that American society shifts socially and culturally. The seventies yielded the remnants of the 1960s social justice activism, as marginalized groups continued to aim for equality. Still bridled with social injustices, the rise of rebellious youths continues. Richard Nixon would assume the role of President in 1968 up until his resignation in 1974 due to the Watergate scandal. The war in Vietnam would continue until mid-way through the decade. The student radicals of the 1970s would develop “disgust with the nation and its basic values” resulting in a retreat from common society (Schulman 16). In the long run, there was a “moral decay” within society that associated with decreasing faith and acts of perversion that suggested the effects of the rise of rejecting mainstream ideologies. Barbara Creed describes this sense of moral decay as a result of improper family values (34). It is not until mid-decade that there is a rising tension with the Middle East, ensuing an economic recession and inflation (Berkowitz 1). This recession disrupted the economic prosperity experienced in the post-war years of the 1950s and 60s, and would not end until well into the …show more content…
The film involves a possession and exorcism of a twelve year old girl, named Regan MacNeil. The film received mixed reviews on claims of its explicit scenes of Regan masturbating with a crucifix and using obscene language. Although discomforting, The Exorcist thrived at the box office, becoming one of the top grossing films in that decade. It would go on to receive the first Academy Award nomination for Best Picture for a film in the horror genre. As a result of the film’s critical and commercial success, it influenced a new sub-genre of horror, consequently, spurning a few imitators (Olney 561). Overall, The Exorcist demonstrates how people come to grips with their values and beliefs. The opening sequence of the film sets up the use of opposition, especially in the instance where a priest comes face to face with an image of a
Bruce J. Schulman describes the 1970s as the decade that “defined the terms of contemporary America” (4). This decade serves as a moment that American society shifts socially and culturally. The seventies yielded the remnants of the 1960s social justice activism, as marginalized groups continued to aim for equality. Still bridled with social injustices, the rise of rebellious youths continues. Richard Nixon would assume the role of President in 1968 up until his resignation in 1974 due to the Watergate scandal. The war in Vietnam would continue until mid-way through the decade. The student radicals of the 1970s would develop “disgust with the nation and its basic values” resulting in a retreat from common society (Schulman 16). In the long run, there was a “moral decay” within society that associated with decreasing faith and acts of perversion that suggested the effects of the rise of rejecting mainstream ideologies. Barbara Creed describes this sense of moral decay as a result of improper family values (34). It is not until mid-decade that there is a rising tension with the Middle East, ensuing an economic recession and inflation (Berkowitz 1). This recession disrupted the economic prosperity experienced in the post-war years of the 1950s and 60s, and would not end until well into the …show more content…
The film involves a possession and exorcism of a twelve year old girl, named Regan MacNeil. The film received mixed reviews on claims of its explicit scenes of Regan masturbating with a crucifix and using obscene language. Although discomforting, The Exorcist thrived at the box office, becoming one of the top grossing films in that decade. It would go on to receive the first Academy Award nomination for Best Picture for a film in the horror genre. As a result of the film’s critical and commercial success, it influenced a new sub-genre of horror, consequently, spurning a few imitators (Olney 561). Overall, The Exorcist demonstrates how people come to grips with their values and beliefs. The opening sequence of the film sets up the use of opposition, especially in the instance where a priest comes face to face with an image of a