The Exorcist Trailer That Made People Nauseous!

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Approximately half a century following its debut, few horror movies continue to evoke as much unease as the 1973 film adaptation of William Peter Blatty’s novel, “The Exorcist.” Directed by William Friedkin, this groundbreaking movie sent shockwaves through society upon its release. “The Exorcist” wasn’t merely a successful film based on a bestselling book; it significantly impacted the cultural zeitgeist, achieving the rare feat of being both a commercial blockbuster and earning 10 Academy Award nominations. In terms of box office success, when adjusted for inflation, “The Exorcist” would rank among the top 9 highest-grossing films of all time, with earnings exceeding $1 billion in the U.S. alone. At that time, engaging in cultural discourse required experiencing “The Exorcist” firsthand. However, one may wonder how a major studio managed to market such a provocative movie. Before delving into that aspect, I invite you to view the original trailer for “The Exorcist,” which was actually banned, as it can be found below:

The Exorcist Was a True Pop Culture Phenomenon

To start, let’s delve into the basics of “The Exorcist” 101. William Peter Blatty’s novel was inspired by real-life accounts of an exorcism performed on a 13-year-old boy in Georgetown, 1949. This story stayed with him due to its local notoriety and his Jesuit upbringing, causing him great fear. Years later, he transformed this true tale into a novel, changing the young boy to a girl and setting it in contemporary times. The book became a phenomenon, and Warner Bros swiftly acquired the rights. In the ’70s, adapting best-selling novels was the secret recipe for box office hits, as seen with “Love Story,” “The Godfather,” and “Jaws.” So, it’s worth noting that Hollywood has long relied on established intellectual properties; this isn’t a recent trend.

An essential factor that allowed “The Exorcist” to exist was the abolishment of the Hays Code in 1968. The Hays Code, enacted in 1934, had imposed severe censorship on films. Over time, it became less restrictive until its complete removal in 1968, replaced by the MPAA rating system. For horror movies, this meant a more lenient approach. Films like “Psycho,” which were initially considered quite scary, gave way to truly shocking productions such as “A Clockwork Orange” just a decade later. However, even without the Code, Hollywood adhered to certain guidelines regarding vulgarity, nudity, and so on. William Friedkin, however, disregarded these norms, choosing instead to emphasize blasphemous and gruesome scenes. Furthermore, he cast established but not superstar actors like Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, and Jason Miller for the film. This added an authenticity that made the horror all the more chilling.

Controversy Was The Exorcist’s Earliest Marketing Tool

A significant portion of the initial promotion for “The Exorcist” was blunt and successful, despite causing offense to many Christian religious groups. The movie premiered on December 26, 1973, a date carefully chosen by the studio executives, knowing it would provoke controversy. As expected, there were numerous protests, claiming that the film was imbued with Satanic influences. However, these actions only served to heighten public interest.

Additionally, during the production of “The Exorcist”, several peculiar events and misfortunes took place. Instead of suppressing these stories, Warner Bros. chose to publicize them, fueling the perception that the film embodied evil. Ironically, the original trailer was only shown in a limited number of test markets, but it made audiences queasy, prompting the studio to prohibit its screening in theaters.

“A Man Has Been Sent For, as a Last Resort, to Try and Save Her…”

Back in the day, when I first encountered the trailer for “The Exorcist,” it was clear that something extraordinary was unfolding on that street, within those four walls of a house. The narrative then swiftly dives into quick, monochrome glimpses of young Regan MacNeil (portrayed by Linda Blair) under the grip of an unholy force – Pazuzu. As the haunting strings of Krzysztof Penderecki’s score played and Regan’s labored, demon-possessed breaths echoed, it was impossible not to feel a shiver down your spine.

However, what makes it truly unsettling is that despite its chilling atmosphere, there are no explicit depictions of gore or foul language. So, one might wonder, why was this film ever deemed unfit for public viewing?

It transpired that the initial trailer of The Exorcist was prohibited due to the flashing strobe effect causing seizures in viewers, specifically one individual. This single incident led Warner Bros. to revise the trailer and produce a new version. For years, this original trailer was whispered about on playgrounds as if it had real health risks. However, when DVDs became popular, people discovered that the trailer wasn’t as harmful as legend suggested. Today, you can easily find it on YouTube. The notion that a simple trailer for The Exorcist could potentially make people unwell served as an effective marketing tool.

Did the original trailer of The Exorcist actually make people sick? It finally received a proper release during the DVD era, and people realized it wasn’t as dangerous as rumors had suggested. Nowadays, you can easily find it on YouTube. Isn’t it astounding that a movie trailer for The Exorcist could have such an impact, leading people to believe it could cause sickness? This proved to be an impressive marketing strategy.

“Somewhere Between Science and Superstition, There Is Another World. A World of Darkness.”

In a fresh take:

The latest teaser for “The Exorcist” offered a more comprehensive narrative and chilling scenes that were equally as impactful. This time, it demonstrated that the strobe light effect wasn’t necessary to scare us. Unlike earlier previews, we didn’t witness the possessed Regan extensively; instead, there was just a brief fade-out. However, the trailer skillfully conveyed the consequences of her possession through various means – cracked walls, distressed family members, and frantic cries for help. This clever presentation set the stage for an unnerving second trailer that fortunately didn’t face any bans. Remarkably, it contributed to long lines on opening day.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that the second trailer shared a distinctive flavor with ’70s and ’80s horror and sci-fi previews, thanks to Percy Rodriguez’s narration. His rich, deep voice lent an additional level of seriousness to the trailer. Interestingly, you might recognize his voice from some of the most iconic trailers, such as those for Alien, Jaws, The Omen, The Amityville Horror, Children of the Corn, Pet Sematary, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and even the Star Wars Special Editions.

50 years later, “The Exorcist” still leaves viewers terrified. Evidence can be found in countless “First-time viewing” videos on YouTube, typically watched by younger generations who initially doubt the film’s ability to be as unsettling as they’ve been told. However, after watching it, many are left shaken and questioning “How could this movie have been made back then?” Undeniably, this is a testament to the greatness of the horror genre, proving that “The Exorcist” truly deserves the overused label of “iconic.

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2025-02-12 03:33