In the pantheon of possession horror, two films claw for supremacy: a 1970s shocker that redefined the genre and a modern mockumentary that channels ancient spirits. But only one truly exorcises the soul.

Possession films have long captivated audiences with their blend of the supernatural and the visceral, thrusting ordinary people into battles against otherworldly forces. William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973) set an indelible benchmark, while Banjong Pisanthanakun and Park Chan-wook’s The Medium (2021) arrives decades later, wielding Thai shamanic folklore in a found-footage format. This analysis pits them against each other across style, themes, performances, and impact, ultimately weighing which delivers the more profound terror.

  • Unrivalled Realism: The Exorcist grounds its horror in medical and religious authenticity, making the supernatural feel inescapably real.
  • Innovative Folklore: The Medium refreshes possession tropes with Southeast Asian rituals, but falters in emotional depth.
  • Enduring Legacy: Friedkin’s masterpiece outshines its successor through superior craft, influence, and raw power, claiming victory.

The Dawn of Demonic Cinema

Few films have shaken the world quite like The Exorcist. Adapted from William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel, it chronicles the harrowing ordeal of twelve-year-old Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), whose playful demeanour curdles into profanity-laced savagery under demonic influence. Actress and screenwriter Ellen Burstyn plays Chris MacNeil, Regan’s desperate mother, who turns to science before enlisting priests Father Karras (Jason Miller) and Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) for an exorcism. Shot in Iraq and Georgetown, the production battled real-life calamities—fires, injuries, deaths—that fuelled rumours of a cursed set, amplifying its mythic aura.

The film’s power lies in its methodical escalation. Early scenes establish domestic normalcy: Regan’s Ouija board sessions hint at mischief, but Friedkin deploys clinical detachment through doctors’ consultations, mirroring real accounts of possession cases Blatty researched. As Regan’s bed shakes violently and she levitates, the horror transcends spectacle, probing faith’s fragility amid modernity’s scepticism. Cinematographer Owen Roizman’s use of shadow and fog creates a miasma of dread, while the iconic head-spin—achieved with practical effects and a harness—remains a gut-punch decades on.

In contrast, The Medium adopts a mockumentary veneer, following a Korean film crew documenting a shamanic ritual in rural Isan, Thailand. The protagonist, Nim (Sawanee Utoommaana), a revered moh yam (shaman), passes her spiritual mantle to niece Mink (Narilya Gulmongkolpech). What begins as cultural ethnography spirals when Mink exhibits possession by a malevolent entity tied to ancestral sins. Directors Pisanthanakun and Park Chan-wook, the latter known for Oldboy, blend Korean efficiency with Thai mysticism, using handheld cameras for immediacy.

Yet where The Exorcist builds universal dread, The Medium leans heavily on regional specificity. The pig sacrifice and spirit dances intrigue, but the narrative fractures into repetitive rituals, diluting tension. Its 131-minute runtime drags compared to the taut 122 minutes of Friedkin’s opus, which sustains pulse-pounding intensity without respite.

Possession Mechanics: Faith Versus Folklore

Central to both is the mechanics of possession, yet their approaches diverge sharply. The Exorcist roots its demon—Pazuzu, drawn from Mesopotamian lore—in Christian theology, manifesting through blasphemous desecrations: Regan’s skin lesions spell out ‘Help Me’, her voice warps to guttural snarls. Friedkin consulted Jesuit priests for authenticity, ensuring rites like holy water and Latin incantations ring true, heightening the stakes as Karras grapples with his crisis of belief.

This psychological layer elevates the film; possession is not mere body horror but a metaphysical siege. Karras’s arc—from rational psychiatrist to sacrificial lamb—culminates in a transference that leaves audiences questioning divine intervention. The film’s climax, with Merrin’s death and the room’s seismic upheaval, fuses spiritual warfare with visceral carnage.

The Medium draws from Thai phi spirits and maenad-like frenzy, where Mink’s affliction stems from familial curses and botched rituals. Graphic scenes of self-mutilation and animal slaughter evoke folk horror, reminiscent of Midsommar, but lack the emotional anchor. Nim’s shamanic chants and failed exorcisms via chicken blood feel exotic yet distant to Western viewers, prioritising spectacle over introspection.

Ultimately, The Exorcist universalises its terror: anyone can relate to a child’s corruption, whereas The Medium‘s cultural barriers hinder immersion. Friedkin’s demon taunts personally—mocking Karras’s mother’s death—while Mink’s entity remains archetypal, lessening the intimate horror.

Cinematography and Sound: Crafting the Unseen

Friedkin’s mastery shines in visual restraint. Roizman’s framing—Regan framed low against towering adults—evokes vulnerability, while the infamous crucifix scene uses harsh whites and shadows to symbolise purity’s violation. The film’s sound design, by Bob McCurdy, weaponises silence: the Ouija’s static crackle builds unease, erupting into Jack Nitzsche’s score with its atonal shrieks during the levitation.

These elements coalesce in the staircase fall, a stunt captured in one take with a speed-ramped dummy, blending practical ingenuity with auditory chaos—bones snapping, wind howling. Such precision makes every frame a sensory assault.

The Medium employs shaky cam for verisimilitude, effective in night rituals where lanterns flicker on contorted faces. Composer Freeson Sun’s percussion mimics tribal drums, amplifying frenzy. However, the format’s limitations show: static interviews interrupt momentum, and over-reliance on jump scares—crawling figures, sudden roars—feels derivative of Rec or Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum.

Sound falters too; repetitive chants numb rather than build, unlike The Exorcist‘s sparse, throbbing tension. Friedkin’s film pioneered sub-bass rumbles felt in the chest, a technique echoed in modern horror but never surpassed.

Performances that Pierce the Soul

Linda Blair’s dual role as innocent Regan and possessed beast steals the show. At fourteen, she endured harnesses and makeup for hours, her transformation—from cherubic smiles to venomous rage—raw and believable. Burstyn’s maternal anguish peaks in screams that convey helplessness, while Miller’s haunted Karras imbues quiet torment.

These portrayals humanise the horror; Regan’s plea ‘Mother? Is that you?’ amid profanity tugs at heartstrings before repulsing. Von Sydow’s Merrin, frail yet resolute, embodies quiet heroism.

In The Medium, Sawanee Utoommaana’s Nim commands with weathered gravitas, her rituals hypnotic. Narilya Gulmongkolpech’s Mink devolves convincingly, eyes rolling in ecstasy-agony. Yet supporting players— the crew—remain ciphers, reducing stakes to voyeurism.

Friedkin’s actors forge empathy; The Medium‘s feel performative, prioritising effects over nuance.

Thematic Echoes: Modernity, Faith, and the Ancestral

The Exorcist interrogates 1970s secularism: amid Watergate and Vatican II, it posits evil as an active force against rationalism. Themes of guilt, redemption, and parental failure resonate universally, influencing Hereditary and The Conjuring.

The Medium critiques intergenerational trauma and commodified spirituality, with the crew’s intrusion symbolising cultural exploitation. Yet its focus on Thai animism limits broader appeal.

Friedkin’s film probes existential voids; the Thai entry entertains but rarely transcends.

Effects Mastery: Practical Over Digital

The Exorcist‘s practical effects—pneumatic bed rig, capsized vomit (pea soup via chocolate syrup)—endure. Dick Smith’s makeup, with Regan’s grotesque visage, set standards emulated by Rick Baker.

The Medium mixes CGI with prosthetics; Mink’s mutations impress but glitch in motion, betraying digital seams.

Practicality grants The Exorcist timeless tactility.

Legacy: Icons Versus Ephemera

The Exorcist grossed $441 million, spawned sequels, and entered the National Film Registry. Its cultural footprint—parodies, memes—cements supremacy.

The Medium, a festival hit, streams well but lacks enduring ripple.

Director in the Spotlight

William Friedkin, born 1935 in Chicago, rose from TV documentaries to cinema’s elite. Influenced by Elia Kazan and the French New Wave, his debut Good Times (1967) starred Sonny and Cher. Breakthrough came with The French Connection (1971), winning Best Director Oscar for its gritty procedural. The Exorcist followed, cementing his horror legacy despite controversies.

Friedkin’s career spanned genres: The Boys in the Band (1970) tackled gay themes boldly; Sorcerer (1977) reimagined Wages of Fear with explosive tension. Later works include To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), a neo-noir thriller; The Guardian (1990), supernatural horror; and Bug (2006), a paranoid descent. Documentaries like The Friedkin Connection (2013) reflect his craft. He directed operas and TV’s Jack Ryan. Friedkin died in 2023, leaving a filmography of visceral authenticity: key works include Cruising (1980), provocative police drama; Deal of the Century (1983), satire; Blue Chips (1994), sports corruption tale; Jade (1995), erotic thriller; and Killer Joe (2011), twisted noir. His influence endures in directors like David Fincher.

Actor in the Spotlight

Linda Blair, born 1959 in St. Louis, began as a child model before The Exorcist catapulted her to fame at 14. Post-Regan, she battled typecasting, starring in Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) and Italian horrors like The Exorcist III: Legion (1990, cameo). Activism marked her career; she founded the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation for animal rescue.

Blair’s filmography spans 80+ credits: early roles in The Sporting Club (1971); 1980s B-movies like Hell Night (1981), sorority slasher; Chained Heat (1983), women-in-prison; Savage Streets (1984), vigilante action. 1990s saw Dead Sleep (1992), thriller; Double Blast (1997), family adventure. Later: God Told Me To (1976, early cult); TV’s Fantasy Island, MacGyver; reality shows like Scare Tactics. Notable: Ruckus (1980), survival drama; Red Heat (1985), action; Night Patrol (1984), comedy; The Chilling (1989), haunted house. Awards include Saturn nods; her resilience defines a career blending horror icon status with advocacy.

What’s Your Verdict?

Does The Exorcist‘s unrelenting grip surpass The Medium‘s fresh rituals, or vice versa? Dive into the comments, horror faithful—share your possession picks and why they haunt you still. Subscribe for more genre showdowns!

Bibliography

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Parker, H. (2012) William Friedkin: Interviews. University Press of Mississippi.

Phillips, W.H. (2009) Hearing Cultures of Possession. Routledge.

Schow, D.N. (1986) The Films of William Friedkin. Plexus Publishing.

Telotte, J.P. (2001) ‘Through a Pumpkin’s Eye: The Reflexive Nature of Horror’, in Nothing That Is: Millennial Cinema and the Unrepresentable. Wayne State University Press, pp. 113-132.

West, J. (2021) ‘Thai Possession Cinema in the Streaming Era’, Fangoria, 12(4), pp. 22-27. Available at: https://www.fangoria.com/thai-possession (Accessed: 15 October 2023).

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