William Friedkin’s 10 Most Jaw-Dropping Movie Moments
8. The Exorcist (1973)
Given the huge influence of The Exorcist, it only seems right to have two clips from the movie on the list. But rather than opt for another single scene, perhaps something unseen (or rather unheard) might be more surprising. Famously, the actress who portrayed Regan, Linda Blair, was only 14 at the time of the production. In order to make her sound more demonic, her voice was dubbed in post-production with the altered tones of veteran actress Mercedes McCambridge, whose gravely, very adult dialogue, gave the childish, diminutive presence of Blair a chilling juxtaposition. Regans possessed voice has become so familiar and parodied in the years since the films release, there is remarkable jolt in hearing the original pre-dubbed version, featuring Linda Blairs own, more innocent voice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYs8nQfKJVQ The effect might be very different, but it does have its own peculiar disquiet.
Since studying Film and Art History at University, I’ve been an actor, movie stand-in and journalist. I have contributed to a number of media websites, worked on national daily newspapers, written fiction of all kinds and worked as a gravedigger.
