The Exorcist is a supernatural horror film, directed by William Friedkin, that tells the story of a young girl who is possessed by a demon. The screenplay was written by William Peter Blatty, adapted from his 1971 novel of the same name.
Classification Issues
- Threat and horror
- There are frequent scenes of strong threat and horror in which a young girl's physical appearance and behaviour alters as she falls deeper under the control of a demonic spirit. Her face appears to decay, and she is seen levitating, thrashing wildly on a bed and vomiting. In one sequence she also thrusts a bloodied crucifix between her legs. In other scenes characters glimpse the face of the demonic spirit and experience supernatural occurrences. There is also a protracted sequence in which the young girl undergoes a series of medical tests which appear to cause her discomfort.
- Language
- Occasional use of strong language ('f**k', 'c**ksucker', 'motherf**ker') occurs, as well as infrequent use of very strong language ('c**t') spoken by the possessed girl.
- Sex
- There are occasional strong sex references, including to oral and anal sex.
Cinema classification
The Exorcist was submitted to the BBFC at the beginning of 1974, when the film had already caused controversy in the US for supposedly provoking fainting, vomiting and heart attacks in cinemas.
Nonetheless, the BBFC considered that The Exorcist was suitable for an X certificate to be issued without cuts. As the BBFC's Secretary, Stephen Murphy, said at the time, “It is a powerful horror movie. Some people may dislike it, but that is not a sufficient reason for refusing certification.”
Public reaction
In the context of recent controversy over films such as A Clockwork Orange, Trash, Straw Dogs and Last Tango in Paris, the UK release of the film prompted criticism from some pressure groups, including the Festival of Light. Despite this, the film performed strongly at the box office, and the broader public reaction was generally positive. A small number of local authorities chose to ban the film in their areas, contributing to its public profile.
Protection of Children Act 1978
In 1979 the BBFC asked to look at the film again to see whether some of the scenes involving the young actress, Linda Blair, might be vulnerable under the new Protection of Children Act 1978, which made the distribution of 'indecent' images of children illegal. After careful consideration it was decided that the scenes in question were constructed specifically to avoid any such images, and the film was allowed to continue its ongoing – and still popular – late-night screenings.
Pre-classification video release
Prior to 1984, when the Video Recordings Act (VRA) was introduced, it was possible for unclassified films to be released on video tape without approval by the BBFC. As such, in 1981, The Exorcist was released on video on the strength of its existing X certificate. Contrary to popular opinion, the video version was never included on the Director of Public Prosecutions’ list of 'video nasties' and was never prosecuted for obscenity .
After the VRA was introduced it became necessary for The Exorcist to obtain a certificate for video release from the BBFC. Because of the huge number of titles already on the shelves, the BBFC was given four years in which to work through those titles that had already been released, determining whether they should be allowed to remain on the shelves (and, if so, with what classification) or whether they must be withdrawn from sale.
As the 1988 deadline for making a decision on The Exorcist approached, the BBFC continued to debate whether the film was suitable, within the meaning of the VRA, for 'viewing in the home'. Of particular concern was the fact that the protagonist of the film was aged 12 and the film might therefore have appeal to underaged viewers. At the cinema it had been relatively easy to ensure that young children would be excluded but video was a different matter. Adding to the BBFC's difficulties were the reports of incidents of hysteria involving young women, which had led to concerns that the film might cause severe emotional problems, particularly among those who believed in the reality of demonic possession.
It was with this concern in mind that the BBFC in the 1980s and early 1990s concluded that a video classification – even with an 18 rating (which could not entirely exclude the possibility of the work being seen by younger and susceptible viewers) – was inappropriate.
Therefore, at the beginning of 1988, the video was removed from the shelves (after nearly seven years of free availability) and remained unavailable for 11 years. Despite the prohibition on the video version, the film continued to play occasionally in cinemas, its existing X certificate being replaced by a new 18 certificate – for cinema release only – in 1991.
