[Valhalla]

Originally Posted by saya

I don't think the Shining totally counts because it was more about him going crazy, at least in the movie. In the book it was more clear he was possessed but I don't think the movie brought that out, and in any case its not an exorcism film. I forgot Amityville but I'm also holding that to it being based on a "true story", The Exorcist was also supposedly based on a true story but the possessed was a little boy who remained anonymous as Ronald Doe.

I'm asking because I was reading The Metapatriarchal Journey of Exorcism and Ecstasy from Gyn/Ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism by Mary Daly. Basically she mentions The Exorcist as an example of a man steeped in patriarchy (Literally a "Father") exorcising a girl and exerting his power over her to save her. She sees this as a reflection on how Christianity had become threatened by female spirituality. In many tribal religions, for example, a priestess allows herself to become possessed, and this is a good thing in her religion. Women in many cultures are considered to be more sensitive to the spiritual world, and this can be a good thing for her and her community in shamanism, animalism, Shinto, etc, but back in the day when women were burned at the stake as witches, part of the reason women were suspected so badly was because Christians also believed that they were more sensitive to the spiritual world, and therefore more likely to be possessed.

So, basically, I was just thinking about after a million exorcist films if it still holds true that its typically women who are possessed and exorcised by male priests.

PS the book as a whole isn't good, and insanely transphobic. But I thought her thoughts on exorcism was interesting.

While I find that topic interesting, and something I'd like to read about (too bad the book as a whole was a bust), I don't have the brains to discuss it. I always assumed women were usually the possessed characters because the writers were just going along with the classic idea that a big strong male character needs to save a damsel in distress.