The Extraordinary Voices of Mercedes McCambridge
I'm a big horror aficionado and one of my favourites in the genre has to be that timeless classic The Exorcist. So much so that I decided upon it to be the movie of choice on my first date night with my wife! Insane, I realise, but hey, she still considered me worthy enough to marry, right? But of all the famous actors and actresses taking part in this masterpiece of film-making, perhaps the most understated name would be that of Mercedes McCambridge.
To be more precise, she provided the voice of the demon "Pazuzu". Now, in a world filled with technological wizardry and on-screen manipulation, it's easy to dismiss the works of yesteryear, when the crew on-set had almost nothing to work with but prosthetic effects and creative thinking. Bearing that in mind, it is now common knowledge as to how far director William Friedkin took proceedings to make the movie as impactful as possible. To make Mercedes's voice even more husky and gravelly than normal, he insisted upon making her swallow raw eggs, chain smoke and down whiskey shots. And if that wasn't enough, he'd tie her to a chair, gagged and bound, to inject extra aggression and hate into her dialogue. Suffice to say, it all worked out a treat in the end.
Looking back, it is all too easy to underestimate her contribution to the movie. The fear and terror inherent in us whilst watching little Regan spew such blood-curling vile, was magnified tenfold by the vocals. There are numerous clips on YouTube of uncut footage in which she practices her lines as the demon. I have to say, I've never to this day heard anything like it. I'm still not sure if it's because I know the lines of the movie so well or the disturbing manner in which she can manipulate her voice, but one thing is for sure. No other person could have done it like the incredible Mercedes McCambridge.
One final easter egg if you like, was that she initially did not want to be accredited by name, given that it might take some of the spotlight off Linda Blair. However, later down the line, she had a change of heart and much to the annoyance of Warner Bros, and Friedkin. However, the Screen Actors Guild stepped in to the dispute as a mediator of sorts and finally gave her the recognition, I feel, she deserved.
And just in case you've forgotten just how disturbing this film was, here's a little parting memento to jog your memory... :)
