Mise-en-Scène: The Exorcist (1973)

 Jennifer Carlos

Com126.01

Professor Saphire

What makes certain moments in a film stand out and remain in one’s memory? For many, the lasting impression of a movie can often be shaped by mise-en-scène, or the setting; how a scene is staged. William Friedkin’s 1973 horror film The Exorcist perfectly exemplifies this phrase in many areas of its filmmaking by creating an atmosphere of realism with the unfathomable, the paranormal. However, one of the most iconic scenes doesn’t involve possession or demons, but rather the gory details of brain imaging from the 70’s. 

The classic film is centered around a 12-year-old girl named Regan who becomes possessed by a demon. Early on in the film, when she begins to act strange and otherworldly, her mother takes her to a number of physicians to undergo diagnostic tests. This scene, to many, is far more frightening than the possession itself. The carotid angiography Regan undergoes is a stark contrast to modern medicine’s reliability and safety. Instead, the audience’s disgust and horror and amplified by this MRI procedure, which can be attributed to Friedkin;s background in documentary filmmaking. 

The scene itself was filmed at New York University Medical Center, with actual medical students and staff that would conduct these procedures outside of the silver screen. This cold setting, and Regan’s mother’s panic palpable through a window, shows viewers what they should be feeling. Despair for this innocent little girl having to undergo such an invasive procedure in this cold environment. All of the surgical props being used in real time not only adds to the unsettling nature of the scene, but the alienating feeling it provides.  

Another contributing factor in the scene’s effectiveness is the lighting. It’s a harsh, bright, light being shone on this child. It’s incredibly flat, like many medical dramas of that same era. And even with everything being on display, there’s still so much to uncover. Even after all of these tests are done, the doctors cannot come to a conclusion regarding what’s wrong with her. There is horror in the light, not in the dark, when everything is brought to it and there are still more questions remaining than answered. 

Much of the scene appears to be shot with a handheld camera. This, at times, shaky camera work gives the perspective of one of the physicians attempting to figure out what’s wrong. But if one reads the title of the film before watching, then one knows the ugly truth. The movement of physicians working away endlessly while Regan stays strapped to a table could also be seen as a metaphor of her being trapped in her body. This could be foreshadowing the demon overtaking her, where she is trapped beneath the surface while it does unspeakable things with her person like a doll. 

While this scene may go down as a series of unpleasant images in an already disturbing film, what makes it work is its realism. Having a director with years of documentary experience sets this picture in the real world. Demon possession and the devil become far too close to home than any movie-goer should be comfortable with. And sometimes, the worst form of fear doesn’t come from fiction, but from our own reality.