The Oedipus and ‘The Exorcist’
How the classic horror movie is a commentary on divorce
Although some regard The Exorcist as one of the scariest horror movies of all time, it can also be seen as a metaphor for the effects of divorce on young children — effects that can be far scarier to a child’s psyche than the special effects and horrific images seen in the film.
But is split pea projectile vomit sometimes just split pea projectile vomit?
Regan’s possession can be seen as the ultimate form of teenage rebellion….
Though the Freudian influence in the film may not be obvious, Allison M. Kelly, author of “A Girl’s Best Friend Is Her Mother: The Exorcist as a Post-Modern Oedipal Tale” in the Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, argues that the possessed girl in The Exorcist is dealing with an Oedipal complex of sorts — but with a twist. Instead of vying for the affections of her father and competing with her mother, since Regan is being raised by a single mother, she must compete for her mother’s attention — which can be easily stolen away by the single men in the film. And when possessed, who are the victims of Regan’s wrath? Burke Dennings (who Regan assumes is romantically involved with her mother), and the two Catholic priests enlisted to save her. Once the…
