John Carpenter explains the magic of ‘The Exorcist’
John Carpenter is rightfully regarded as one of the pioneering horror filmmakers of the last century, even though many of his films were initially subjected to poor reception. Recognised for his unforgettable masterpieces, such as The Thing and They Live, Carpenter pushed the boundaries of the genre by creating unique gems.
Over the years, Carpenter has often spoken about his favourite horror films of all time. While he called Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo a “perfect nightmare”, Carpenter was mostly influenced by low-budget horror flicks such as The Thing from Another World as well as popular westerns by directors like John Ford and Howard Hawks.
During a conversation with The Fader, Carpenter was asked to name eight cinematic masterpieces that scared him the most. He cited the influence of pioneering filmmakers such as George A. Romero, Tobe Hooper and David Cronenberg, among others. Among them, he singled out William Friedkin’s 1973 classic – The Exorcist – as a standout horror masterpiece.
While talking about The Exorcist, Carpenter said: “You know what’s scary about The Exorcist? Everyone knows what’s scary about that movie. It’s the devil. The first time I saw it, I thought, in order to be really effective, this movie requires a belief in a higher power. But since then I’ve come to appreciate it just for what it is.”
An indispensable horror staple, The Exorcist revolves around a young girl who is subjected to an unimaginably terrifying demonic possession while her mother tries her best to save her. Armed with religious and philosophical subtext, Friedkin’s magnum opus changed the world of horror cinema forever.
Highly transgressive, The Exorcist has everything that horror fans love – ranging from visceral scares to memorable critiques of the sociopolitical sphere. Carpenter was deeply influenced by The Exorcist when he was making his 1980 supernatural horror The Fog, especially when it came to the film’s soundtrack.
“I watched it again recently and was surprised by how intense it is,” Carpenter reflected, noting how his perception of The Exorcist had changed over time. While talking about the social messaging in the film, he added: “The things that they did back then, with this little girl, they broke a bunch of taboos, my god. It’s pretty damn good.”
