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Father Damien and Queer Subtext in the Exorcist

I saw The Exorcist for the first time [I know I know. Visceral horror has not always been my thing.] last night, and afterwards I was chatting about it with three other friends who had seen it before and with me (one dude, two girls, all film nerds, two horror buffs, all varying degrees of queer) and I mentioned that obviously Father Damien Karras was queer and … All of them said ‘wait what?’

So I googled it, expecting a wide selection of reviews and thinkpieces talking about this, and came up nearly emptyhanded. A few people asking, a couple people noting he was possibly/supposedly gay in the book (mostly based on one scene, it seems), not much else for or against.

It seemed quite obvious to me when watching; at least, as obvious as 60s subtext could be.

A talented boxer who quit at his peak to pursue the Priesthood, with no reason given. There was no concussion or blowing out a knee, no failure to clinch a big fight, not even a statement about feeling a strong calling from God. Just running away from something, towards religion and/or celibacy. This, of course, was often the solution the church gave to those ‘struggling with those desires.’ I know bring the youngest or only son of a devout mother also put pressure on men to join the priesthood, but that doesn’t seem to be any or at least the main motivation here.

Damien has a very strong relationship with his fellow priest Father Dyer. They drank together, they are obviously close, Damien mentions to Dyer his doubts and crises of faith, and when the get drunk Dyer takes off Damien’s shoes - an intimate act, and an act in the bible which intimates sex, as when Ruth 'uncovered Boaz’s feet’. Dyer seems incredibly heartbroken when giving Damien last rites, and the acting absolutely reads to me as someone mourning a man he loved and not just a fellow priest. Chris offered Dyer Damien’s pendant - a Hollywood actress knows many things when she sees them, including gay men. In the original version, Dyer keeps the pendant.

Damien is having a crisis of faith. This is of course partially caused by feelings of having abandoned his mother and possibly also his sport, but also could include him having feelings (for men in general) which have only intensified (for Father Dyer specifically) as he progressed in the order.

Speaking of Damien feeling he failed his mother, let’s not forget part of the subtext for queer men fifty years ago was 'mommy issues.’

The imagery of Damien being horrified at other women in the sanitarium is striking as well, though of course part of it was shrugging off their instability, he as a priest of all people is supposed to be compassionate and not so visibly repulsed. He did also shrink from the homeless man in the subway, and one of the women took his priest collar from around his neck, so it’s likely this is just a function and visual representation of him shrinking from certain matters of priesthood, thus I’m not actually using as a point of support. But it is interesting.

The demon uses gay slurs towards Damien, at one point saying “Shove it up your ass you faggot”. In some versions this was changed to “Shut your face you faggot,” keeping seemingly the more offensive of the two things, but the one which would have been geared specifically to unnerve Damien.

In the age this film was made, both members of gay couples - even if there has only been longing and not consumation - are not allowed to survive the film, *especially* when that film is horror. Dyer is left bereft and celibate, while Damien is killed (let’s ignore the sequels at this point, or preferably every point).

What’s really interesting is Damien manages to fulfil the trope of 'killing the queer character,’ but he also sacrifices himself and dies a somewhat heroic, Christ-figure death, literally taking on the Devil and dying in the process to allow the Innocent to live.

Damien is struggling with many demons in the film, literal and figurative, but it’s clear one of them is the stigma society places on his sexuality.

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Who gives A FUCK about Valentine’s Day??? ITS ANDY’S BIRTHDAY

These are from a series of Star Trek drawings I’m doing to fill up this little sketchbook but I’m sure it’s pretty obvious what I’m posting these two in honor of

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the palasaki is palasaki-ing

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it's so wild to me that you absolutely cannot force a hyperfixation to happen. like you'll watch the most perfectly tailor-made-for-you content that everyone says you'll love and feel absolutely nothing, and then the thing you watch on a whim to fill time will reach through the screen and put its damn fingers in your brain and start rearranging the neurons right in front of you and every single time you're like THIS??? THIS??????? and this happens like every 6-12 months forever

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if you marry me

would you bury me?

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Gi-hun’s number being 456, out of the 456 players total, representing ALL of the players - him being the voice of the people, fighting for EVERYONE like he did on his strike -

Versus In-ho and Il-nam being 001. Representing only themselves. Ultimately choosing only themselves. Alone.

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happy threshold day eve guys <3

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One more step 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

Did I forget I had tumblr? Maybe, maybe I did, who’s to say- anyway, here’s my little hobbit-moomins, or moobits as I like to call them ^^

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I love them sm 🥲

I’m obsessed with how the full body drawing of Bilbo turned out… his face is just AHHHH

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STOP

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My delusions are returning

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Yeah I'm sorry

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Can't afford art school?

After seeing post like this 👇

And this gem 👇

As well as countless of others from the AI generator community. Just talking about how "inaccessible art" is, I decided why not show how wrong these guys are while also helping anyone who actually wants to learn.

Here is the first one ART TEACHERS! There are plenty online and in places like youtube.

📺Here is my list:

Proko (Free)

Marc Brunet (Free but he does have other classes for a cheap price. Use to work for Blizzard)

Aaron Rutten (free)

BoroCG (free)

Jesse J. Jones (free, talks about animating)

Jesus Conde (free)

Mohammed Agbadi (free, he gives some advice in some videos and talks about art)

Ross Draws (free, he does have other classes for a good price)

SamDoesArts (free, gives good advice and critiques)

Drawfee Show (free, they do give some good advice and great inspiration)

The Art of Aaron Blaise ( useful tips for digital art and animation. Was an animator for Disney)

Bobby Chiu ( useful tips and interviews with artist who are in the industry or making a living as artist)

Second part BOOKS, I have collected some books that have helped me and might help others.

📚Here is my list:

The "how to draw manga" series produced by Graphic-sha. These are for manga artist but they give great advice and information.

"Creating characters with personality" by Tom Bancroft. A great book that can help not just people who draw cartoons but also realistic ones. As it helps you with facial ques and how to make a character interesting.

"Albinus on anatomy" by Robert Beverly Hale and Terence Coyle. Great book to help someone learn basic anatomy.

"Artistic Anatomy" by Dr. Paul Richer and Robert Beverly Hale. A good book if you want to go further in-depth with anatomy.

"Directing the story" by Francis Glebas. A good book if you want to Story board or make comics.

"Animal Anatomy for Artists" by Eliot Goldfinger. A good book for if you want to draw animals or creatures.

"Constructive Anatomy: with almost 500 illustrations" by George B. Bridgman. A great book to help you block out shadows in your figures and see them in a more 3 diamantine way.

"Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and expand" by Burne Hogarth. A book that shows how to block out shapes and easily understand what you are looking out. When it comes to human subjects.

"An Atlas of animal anatomy for artist" by W. Ellenberger and H. Dittrich and H. Baum. This is another good one for people who want to draw animals or creatures.

Etherington Brothers, they make books and have a free blog with art tips.

As for Supplies, I recommend starting out cheap, buying Pencils and art paper at dollar tree or 5 below. For digital art, I recommend not starting with a screen art drawing tablet as they are more expensive.

For the Best art Tablet I recommend either Xp-pen, Bamboo or Huion. Some can range from about 40$ to the thousands.

💻As for art programs here is a list of Free to pay.

Clip Studio paint ( you can choose to pay once or sub and get updates)

Procreate ( pay once for $9.99)

Blender (for 3D modules/sculpting, ect Free)

PaintTool SAI (pay but has a 31 day free trail)

Krita (Free)

mypaint (free)

FireAlpaca (free)

Libresprite (free, for pixel art)

Those are the ones I can recall.

So do with this information as you will but as you can tell there are ways to learn how to become an artist, without breaking the bank. The only thing that might be stopping YOU from using any of these things, is YOU.

I have made time to learn to draw and many artist have too. Either in-between working two jobs or taking care of your family and a job or regular school and chores. YOU just have to take the time or use some time management, it really doesn't take long to practice for like an hour or less. YOU also don't have to do it every day, just once or three times a week is fine.

Hope this was helpful and have a great day.