Gina McIntire, a reporter for LIFE, interviewed me for a special 50th anniversary issue devoted to The Exorcist, available in print and online: The Exorcist: The Scariest Movie Ever. Watching a censored TV version of the iconic horror film at age twelve changed my life. Yes, it scared the shit out of me and made me fear possession, but I also marveled at the spectacle of a demon-powered girl talking smack to two exhausted, vomit-spattered priests. Demonstrating superhuman strength, Regan made her bed bounce like a carnival ride. Smirking with panache, she rotated her head 360 degrees. As the priestly fathers flung fake holy water and the power of Christ, Regan levitated serenely, her arms spread wide, performing a feat commonly attributed to saints, rising toward the claustrophobic barrier of her bedroom ceiling. As a twelve-year old adolescent girl, she was a force to be reckoned with, providing a glimpse into vistas beyond the domestic and societal spheres that trapped her, and this inspired me. Though I talked the LIFE reporter’s ear off, the article features a short paragraph of my most accessible musings. Stay tuned for a forthcoming short story inspired by the film (due out in The Georgia Review next summer). But for now, here’s the LIFE article, which contains a little paragraph that barely scratches the surface of this astonishing film.
