MovieChat Forums > The Exorcist (1973) Discussion > Regan's Straps

Regan's Straps

posted 8 years ago by whyyoulittle35
20 replies | jump to latest

Regarding the second half of the movie where Regan is literally strapped to her bed while fully possessed -- could the demon actually break free of these straps if it had wanted to? There's a shot of someone's shadow (presumably Miss Regan's) gliding across her bedroom window, seen by Kinderman from the street as he stakes outside the house. This implies that Regan can move about as it wants, even after being strapped.

The demon also asks Karras to undo the straps for it.

If it could undo the straps, why wouldn't it have done that to mess with Chris and the others caring for her? I feel like it could have lashed out at any moment if it had wanted to.

[–] bastasch8647 8 years ago

My guess is, invoking the issue of the demon's limited powers, that it can only free itself from the straps telekinetically - and then (an even greater feat) - place itself back into the straps again, without anyone knowing. Also, its strap-free time seems to be very limited and constrained to Regan's room. It wouldn't do for "Regan" to be found walking around the house post-straps-installation, for obvious reasons. And even when strap-free, the demon would need to walk very softly in Regan's room so as not to alert those downstairs to its new-found freedom of motion. Morevover, the demon would somehow need to plan its "free time" to periods when no one would be entering the room - a very dicey bet, since Regan's room was very well-trafficked, with medication times, regular check-ins, and random comings and goings of Chris, Sharon, and Karl. So I would think that the demon was very restrained and constrained as to when and how often it could roam free.

[–] AFriendOfMrWhite 7 years ago

There are a number of explanations as to why the spiderwalk scene was left out of the theatrical cut, and one of them was that it gave the impression that Regan could leave the room whenever she wanted, thus removing the claustrophobic feel of the movie.

It certainly plays into the whole strap problem. While Kinderman watching Regan's shadow is a good scene in itself, it'd have been better for internal logic's sake not to have her roaming around.

[–] DrAndreiSmyslov 7 years ago

It certainly plays into the whole strap problem. While Kinderman watching Regan's shadow is a good scene in itself, it'd have been better for internal logic's sake not to have her roaming around.

That is not necessarily a problem or conflict. We don't know for a fact it is Regan. Is there any reason it would be impossible the silhouette was Willie or Sharon? The silhouette is non-distinct, little or no detailed shape.

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One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces.

[–] whyyoulittle35 7 years ago

Regarding the spider walk scene, this was before she was strapped in anyway. It is definitely scary to think possessed Regan can roam around the house as she wants - and at this point in the movie she can because she isn't strapped to the bed yet. If this spider walk had occurred post-straps, then I would agree that it is out of place. And if you want to make the argument that she should have been sedated and unable to spider walk freely, then you'd have to agree that she should not have been able to kill Dennings because she should have been sedated.

She also left the house to vandalize the church, again showing that she isn't confined to her room.

[–] AFriendOfMrWhite 7 years ago

You're absolutely right regarding the desecrations in the Church, but that happened in the early stages of the possession. Once things really go berserk, most of the action is confined to Regan's bedroom.

Again, you're right as for the spiderwalk, as it does happens before Regan is tied to her bed, but the thing is one of the explanations given by Friedkin over the years on why it was cut - among several other explanations; Friedkin does tend to modify his answers from time to time - was that the claustrophobic feel of the movie as a whole would suffer if the audience thought Regan could leave her room whenever she wanted.

That's where I associate the straps and this particular explanation regarding the spiderwalk: if we assume that it was Regan that Kinderman saw, then it would hurt the purpose of keeping the action in her room, as it would be crystal clear that she could get rid of the straps if she wanted to and wander around, thus limiting the intended claustrophobic feel that Friedkin sought. Of course, we do see Regan getting rid of the straps during the exorcism, while levitating, but I'm arguing more about the intended atmosphere of the movie, as opposed to whether or not the demon would be capable of physically doing away with this nuisance.

[–] 7 years ago

[deleted]

[–] DrAndreiSmyslov 7 years ago

The real reason she can't escape them is because the straps are blessed. Like tap water, by itself it can do no harm to the demon, but if the water is blessed, it becomes holy water and can harm the demon. When ordinary straps are blessed they become holy straps and the demon is powerless against them. To compare this to real world, it's like when I put on my underpants everyday, by default they are blessed.

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One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces.

[–] rc1990 7 years ago

It's Karl's shadow.

[–] bastasch8647 7 years ago

It's too slender and round-headed to be a man, imo. The head looks like its covered with long hair in Regan's style.

[–] rc1990 7 years ago

Well, it's him in the book.. Same with the crucifix. He put it there.

[–] bastasch8647 7 years ago

Well, it's not the book.. Same with the crucifix.

Am I missing something here...

1. The window silhouette is definitely in the book, and Kinderman asks Chris who it was that he might have seen.

2. What crucifix is in the film but not in the book? I can think of only two crucifix incidents in the book - Chris asking who put the crucifix under Regan's pillow; and of course the crucifix rape scene - and these are both in the film as well.

[–] bastasch8647 7 years ago

*bump*

If, as I said above, I am missing information or failing to see something about the window silhouette and the crucifix, I would really like to know. As I said, the silhouette incident is in the novel, as are the two crucifix incidents...

[–] DrAndreiSmyslov 7 years ago

As I said, the silhouette incident is in the novel

Also in the novel, it describes Kinderman noticing the window and later states he thought it was Regan. Now of course, that's not a confirmation it's Regan, but we have to look at this from the writer's viewpoint.

Blatty could have described it as Kinderman simply saw movement or the silhouette in the window and nothing more, keeping it ambiguous to the reader. But he adds Kinderman thinks it might be Regan (later in the novel). Did Blatty add that to inject in the reader's perception it might be Regan? It seems to me there is a reason from the writer to add the possibility Kinderman thought it might be Regan. I suppose one could speculate either way.

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One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces.

[–] bastasch8647 7 years ago

Yes, I get the impression, as you do, that Blatty kind of weights the suspicion toward it being Regan. You're right - it doesn't confirm that it's Regan, but it does plant the suspicion...

[–] DrAndreiSmyslov 7 years ago

Yes, I get the impression, as you do, that Blatty kind of weights the suspicion toward it being Regan. You're right - it doesn't confirm that it's Regan, but it does plant the suspicion...

That planted suspicion must have at least worked on Friedkin.

In the novel, Kinderman doesn't get the clear view of the silhouette as the film viewers did. The novel describes he just barely caught movement in her window from his peripheral vision. Then later suspected it was Regan, asking Chris about it.

Friedkin gave us viewers a frontal view with a silhouette that at the very least has a female outline, with the impression of long hair. Chris and Willie have short hair and Sharon always wore her hair in a bun. Never once in the film do we see Sharon with her hair worn down. Short hair and a bun would definitely change the shape of the silhouette.

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One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces.

[–] bastasch8647 7 years ago

SFM, good points...yeah, Sharon's 'do did not conform to Regan's, and neither did anyone else's hairstyle conform to Regan's. It almost has to be Regan by the process of elimination...

[–] rc1990 7 years ago

I'm sorry.. I mean it's in the book. Haha.

[–] bastasch8647 7 years ago

Oh, I get it - thanks!

[–] ramsplp 7 years ago

Kinderman asks Chris who it was that he might have seen.

In the novel if I recall, I think Kinderman was a little more forward than that. He said something like, "I believe I saw her at her window." To which Chris replies, "I'm sure you're mistaken."

There's a good chance Kinderman knew what Regan looked like. He was a fan of movies and Regan appeared on the cover of Hollywood magazines, along with Chris. So his guess, while still based on a silhouette briefly seen, might be a pretty good one.

[–] bastasch8647 7 years ago

Yes, I think you're recalling Kinderman's question correctly, iirc... and like most Americans who are "up" on movies, he probably did pretty much know what Regan looked like.