Watching the film again, this is what I observed. Karras was faltering too much, he was obviously afraid and thrown off by the behavior of the demon during the exorcism and the other priest despite being experienced and religiously devout was too old. A very bad combo. I can't help but wonder if it would have been successful if they got someone else.
shareGood point. Father Karras was too easily tricked by the demon which made it easy for the exorcism to not work.
shareAnd too reactive (especially with all the stuff with his mother).The Demon probably fed off of his emotion and enjoyed it. The other priest was perfectly stoic to the entire thing but again.. too old and sick. I don't think the Demon took any of them too seriously.
Oddly enough Karras's emotional reaction and immaturity (for a priest conducting an exorcism) is what saved her in the end but ended his life. He just lost it with the Demon and beat it up and then invited it into himself. But perhaps it could have all ended differently (no deaths) with a different priest.
Plus, I remember in the beginning of the film, Chris saw Father Karras talking to another preist claiming that he felt like a fraud. The Devil definitely prayed on that weakness.
shareUltimately it didn't matter. While the exorcism may have failed by the text book definition it was still successful as Karras regained his faith in God and Reagan was Pazuzu-free.
In a more serious way; Pazuzu wanted Karras, not Reagan. This was because Karras was weak. Karras, finding his faith in his final moments, found his salvation. I don't think a lot of people see it that way but, IMHO, The Exorcist is more about faith, redemption and salvation than possession.
And even as I am a "non-theist" I find the message powerful and beautiful in principle.
I totally agree. I’m not exactly sure how it went down, but it seems like Karras fought the demon once it tried to possess HIM, and Karras threw himself out of the window in order to kill the demon as well.
Karras friend in priesthood asks a dying Karras if he wants to confess his sins, and we see Karras moving his fingers and gripping onto his friends hand, as if to confess his sins and prepare himself for his passage to heaven.
The exorcism worked, as it saved Reagan.
Desperate times cause for desperate measures. Both men rushed to save a little girl against a very formidable foe.
shareDo you believe in time travel?
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