Entitlement

One trend that always annoys me is movies that are like:

THE [INSERT WHATEVER] OF [INSERT NAME]

Examples...

THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE
THE TAKING OF DEBORAH LOGAN
THE POSSESSION OF HANNAH GRACE
THE SUPPRESSION OF HANNAH STEVENSON
THE EXORCISM OF MOLLY HARTLEY
THE EXORCISM OF ANNA ECKLUND
EXORCISM: THE POSSESSION OF GAIL BOWERS

I always know I won't like movies like this, and it bemuses me that they follow that pattern.

Overwhelmingly, they involve exorcism storylines, so there's clearly some pop cultural and/or sociological impulse to follow this presentation pattern.

One could probably do a dissertation about fears of women losing their shit or something like that, galvanized by the success of THE EXORCIST (1973) -- which I always felt was a mainstream Christian (esp. Catholic) allegory of the fears of losing control of women -- hell (hah, pun intended) it's entirely possible to watch that movie with that perspective, as the male priests do all their mumbo-jumbo to bring hapless Regan into line. Some academic somewhere probably already has. At least I hope they have. I could probably write a whole series of posts about THE EXORCIST, but I'll spare you for now.

Anyway, the subgenre (?) of possession/exorcism movies always seem to follow that titling path noted above. The marketers want to be sure viewers know exactly what they're getting.

Anybody who's into that kind of movie is assuredly captivated by that titling. "Oooh, I'm sure Hannah Stevenson's really in for it in that one!"

I have plenty of other titling beefs, but I'll save those for another post.

Now, excuse me while I watch THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 (1974)...