Perhaps best explained by escapism--there's an air of unreality (may have made that word up) that makes it possible to be transported. It's why I love some horror movies (generally, I can have fun with anything campy or Sci-do) and despise others (near-snuff films). The Exorcist works because I believe it passes that threshold of disbelief--it's far enough out of the realm of possibility that you can be transported.
Same rules apply for me with reading--either I read nonfiction (mostly) or escapism.
***goes off to order Weyland Yutani shirt***
Karras was a great role. Jason Miller did his best work there.
Some things you want to be there to see, not necessarily to do, I suppose. I love the Rocky movies, but ain't no way I want to get in the ring and get my brain squashed.
It could be said that the Exorcist is the same way - it's a ringside seat to a titanic battle, though with belief and personal courage vs. lies and manipulation instead of Rocky's classic boxer vs. a clumsy but powerful and tough brawler, etc.
I just watched again the Fugitive for the first time in maybe two decades. In my memory it was a pretty good film. It isn't. It's a fucking piece of art. You can tell the plot has been refined again and again until it was perfect. Directing, photo, editing, all perfect. Acting was beautiful like an instagram of Jordan shirtless. I can't believe I'm going to say that (it wasn't that long ago I considered myself a young person) but: they don't make movies like that anymore.
PS: Rip with your refusal to see Shawshank you have redefined contrarianism. Congratulations. I'm doing the same with the Big Short.
And with the death of Don Rickles, it's time to watch Kelly's Heroes again. This should be an annual event anyway.
In that vein, I heard on the news that the tree so prominently featured in the Shawshank Redemption fell over. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/26/m...avy-winds.html
You Shawshank fanboys can now place your hands over your heavy hearts.