Connect with us
Leap of Faith

Film

Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist Shows Us How Making Films is an Act of Faith

William Friedkin is a pleasure to listen to in Leap of Faith — a deep dive on The Exorcist and cinematic technique.

Film is a form of faith. We have to believe that what is happening on the screen could be real. Building on this connection, great filmmakers such as Carl Theodor Dreyer and Ingmar Bergman have used it as a tool to communicate with the divine. But why only show acts of beauty and resurrection, like at the end of Ordet? Why not use it to plunge into the darkest of demonic impulses? 

Inspired by these filmmakers, as well as a seminal moment watching Citizen Kane as a teenager, William Friedkin has always been attached to the idea of using the cinema as a kind of Church. And what better example can you find of serious religious inquisition within American cinema than The Exorcist? 

Like Martin Scorsese or Peter Greenaway, William Friedkin is as great at pontificating as he is at directing, a master of articulating ideas of cinematic form and style. He is a pleasure to listen to throughout documentary Leap of Faith, which matches his ideas of filmmaking philosophy with clips from classic films. 

Leap of Faith

It joins Friedkin’s last film, the documentary The Devil and Father Amorth, which basically shot an entire exorcism by an Italian priest, as another victory lap of his classic horror, re-affirming it as possibly Friedkin’s greatest achievement. For fans of The Exorcist, this is essential watching; yet for those who might not be as sold on the demonic horror, there’s plenty of tips useful for any budding filmmaker. 

What’s fascinating is the way the octogenarian director is able to articulate exactly why his own film weaves such an unsettling spell. Subliminal motifs, such as characters walking upstairs, are references to Christ’s own ascension, something he bets you wouldn’t have known unless he pointed it out. Also fascinating is his relationship with camera operator Ricky Bravo — who had previously shot Fidel Castro in the middle of a revolution —  who he implored to use the same type of documentarian approach. This explains just how The Exorcist could feel so realistic yet solemn at the same time, a truly terrifying exploration of what demonic possession could really be like. 

Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist

As for his beliefs on whether or not these happenings could really be true? He still claims that he simply doesn’t know. At the same time, the director forensically goes through classic moments of his film that he claims he cannot really explain or understand, underscoring how directing is as much an act of faith as an act of action. After all, the power of cinema lies in the way it can move us without needing to spell everything out.

The director is the only talking head throughout the entirety of Leap of Faith, giving the film the feel of a YouTube Masterclass or a University lecture. There are few remarks on the film’s legacy in the horror canon or the infamous reports of people vomiting during screenings. Instead, Friedkin quietly re-asserts his place as one of the greatest American directors, someone who brought the arthouse stylings of directors such as Dreyer and Bergman to the mainstream without sacrificing his own powerful and unique vision. 

-Redmon Bacon

Written By

As far back as he can remember, Redmond Bacon always wanted to be a film critic. To him, being a film critic was better than being President of the United States

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Facebook

Trending

Is Andy Allo Pregnancy Rumors Real Or Fake? Is Andy Allo Pregnancy Rumors Real Or Fake?

Is Andy Allo Pregnancy Rumors Real Or Fake?

Celebrity

Christian Stracke Net Worth 2024 Christian Stracke Net Worth 2024

Christian Stracke Net Worth 2024

Celebrity

Jackson Taylor's Death Jackson Taylor's Death

Cause Of Jackson Taylor’s Death: The Shocking Details of His Fatal Accident!

Celebrity

Is Country Legend Alan Jackson Dead At 64? Is Country Legend Alan Jackson Dead At 64?

Is Country Legend Alan Jackson Dead At 64?

Celebrity

Is Taraji P Henson Pregnant In 2023? Is Taraji P Henson Pregnant In 2023?

Is Taraji P Henson Pregnant In 2023?

Celebrity

Who Is David Rives? Who Is Jenna Ellis's First Husband? Who Is David Rives? Who Is Jenna Ellis's First Husband?

Who Is David Rives? Who Is Jenna Ellis’s First Husband?

Celebrity

Who Is Terri Ficca and Why Is She Going Viral on the Internet? Who Is Terri Ficca and Why Is She Going Viral on the Internet?

Who Is Terri Ficca and Why Is She Going Viral on the Internet?

Celebrity

Who Is Lola Consuelos's Boyfriend Who Is Lola Consuelos's Boyfriend

Who Is Lola Consuelos’s Boyfriend: About Her Dating History

Celebrity

Who Is Samantha Woll Husband? Who Is Samantha Woll Husband?

Who Is Samantha Woll Husband? Secrets Revealed

Celebrity

Travis Kelce’s Wife and The Surprising Rise to Fame of Travis Kelce

Celebrity

What Happened to Rev. Bryan Dunagan? Cause of Death Revealed What Happened to Rev. Bryan Dunagan? Cause of Death Revealed

What Happened to Rev. Bryan Dunagan? Cause of Death Revealed

Celebrity

Is Suki Waterhouse Pregnant? Fact Check Is Suki Waterhouse Pregnant? Fact Check

Is Suki Waterhouse Pregnant? Fact Check

Celebrity

Are Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin Married? Discover The Love Journey Between The Couple Are Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin Married? Discover The Love Journey Between The Couple

Are Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin Married? Discover The Love Journey Between The Couple

Celebrity

Candace Parker Net Worth: Unraveling the Basketball Star’s Path to Wealth, Legacy

Celebrity

Caliphate Season 2 Release Date Caliphate Season 2 Release Date

Breaking: Caliphate Season 2 Release Date, Cast, Spoilers, Trailer, Plot, and Every Newest Update!

TV

Gwyneth Paltrow Pays Tribute to Her ex Matthew Perry

Celebrity

Connect