In episode 18, Alan and Nisha ring in spooky season with one of the classics... The Exorcist. 

The 1973 film, based on a 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty, has become the stuff of legends. Directed by the great William Friedkin with a screenplay adapted by Blatty himself, the film helped bring horror to the mainstream and revolutionized the genre for years to come. 

When it released, it quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Theaters experienced long lines that often turned to half-empty auditoriums by the end of showtimes. Audiences had arguably never before experienced the daring levels of grotesque special effects and heavy subject matter in a mainstream film. Coupled with strange occurrences on and around set leading many to believe the film was cursed, it looms large as a major cultural touchstone. 

How does such a shocking piece of media hold up over 5 decades later? How did the film approach adaptation with the book's author at the helm? Could the film really be cursed?

Join us as we discuss this and much more on In Contrast!