The Exorcist(1973) is often cited as one of the scariest horror movies of all time, which of course means that some modern viewers who haven’t seen it think it’s overrated or poorly aged. Well, I’m here to tell them how wrong they are. It’s not an exaggeration to say thatWilliam Friedkin andThe Exorcistchanged horror movies foreverin 1973 when the supernatural horror film, based on William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel, dropped on unsuspecting audiences. It’s a masterclass of horror and filmmaking, and it’s never a bad idea to remind people why.
When I was young, my Dad often recounted to me the horror movies he had seen. I wasn’t allowed to see anything beyond PG, because who wants a bunch of frightened kids crawling into their parents' bed every night? So to titillate me, he would tell me everything he had seen, and I’ll never forget the fear he described he felt whenThe Exorcistcame on cable late one night. I wasn’t sure what to expect so many years later when I finally watched, bracing myself for something cheesy and old. Well, loyalScreen Rantreader, it was anything but.
The Exorcist Is Still As Unsettling Now As It Was In 1973
William Friedkin’s Movie Feels As Modern As Any Horror Film
The Exorcistis as frightening now as it was for my dad back when it came out, and I defy anyone to watch it with the lights off, late at night, and not feel a creeping dread snake up their spine, or start to see figures out of the corner of their eyes. Withso many sequels inThe Exorcistfranchise, it can be a little confusing going into the film and not knowing what to expect. Is it a slasher? Tense and filled with jump scares? Stuffed with gross practical mayhem? Deeply uncomfortable psychological fare?
The Exorcist (1973): Deleted Scenes Reveal Regan’s Extended Possession Symptoms & More Never-Before-Seen Outtakes
Never-before-seen footage from the original Exorcist movie from 1973, including 34 minutes of deleted scenes and outtakes, has surfaced online.
Well, it’s a little bit of everything, as most excellent horror movies are. Is the scariest scene inHereditarywhen Charlie (Milly Shapiro) gives a kiss to a telephone pole or is it when Annie (Toni Collette) slowly comes into focus on Peter’s (Alex Wolff) ceiling? Those are very different scares, but they meld and merge to create something frighteningly powerful. In the same way,The Exorcistis never just one type of “thing”. There’s creeping dread, disgusting bile, and some of the most unexpectedjump scares in any horror movie.
There is a deeply unsettling tone inThe Exorcistthat has been matched by few other horror movies. The slowly growing horror is suffocating enough, butwhat takes the movie over the top are the isolated moments of “hide-behind-your-pillow” terror that happen at the perfect moments in the film. Friedkin knows exactly when you start feeling safe, the moment when you begin to let your guard down, and it’s then he throws one of the movie’s signature scares your way. Scares that have not aged a day.
The Scariest Scenes In The Exorcist Stand Up To Modern Horror
Pop Culture Has Led People To Forget How Scary The Movie Is
Themost disturbing and distressing scenes inThe Exorcisthave been parodied, copied, and discussed at length since the movie first came out. All of this has had the unfortunate side effect of “spoiling” the scares, at least for those who haven’t seen the movies. They turn into jokes and lose a lot of the context, and skill, of what makes them so frightening. Maggie Simpson’s head spins around in aTreehouse of Horrorepisode, Jay Baruchel yells, “The power of Christ compels you!” inThis Is the End, who hasn’t projectile vomited at one time or another?
While fun, these references could convince some people that the scares inThe Exorcistare equally silly. Take Regan’s (Linda Blair) head spinning. How can that be scary when a head being twisted is thewarm-up trap in aSawfilm? If you’re like me before I watchedThe Exorcist, you may have imagined the scene of Regan’s head-turning being a very slow moment, with a lot of build-up. I imagined she would be shaking on her bed, with her mother or a priest watching, at which point she would stop shaking, and her neck would slowly corkscrew.
That, to me, sounded like a traditionally scary horror shot that was probably frightening back in the ’70s but would have since lost its power.
That, to me, sounded like a traditionally scary horror shot that was probably frightening back in the ’70s but would have since lost its power. That’s not what happens. Instead,a rapid succession of horrifying imagery caught me off guard again and againuntil I was completely unprepared for the final scare. First, Chris (Ellen Burstyn) walks in to find Regan violently masturbating with a crucifix. Disturbing and disgusting enough, though perhaps with some shock factor lost to time.
What comes next is worse. Chris is thrown to the ground and the camera quickly cuts to a low shot of Regan’s large dresser getting pulled toward Chris. It happens so quickly and is so destabilizing, that it threw me completely. It’s just a dresser, but the speed with which it comes toward the camera is claustrophobic. This is followed by another quick cut to Regan on her bed and as soon as the camera goes to her,the creaking of her neck starts and her head spins, much, much faster than you would expect.
It’s deliriously frightening and works on a weird, primal level. That’s how the scares inThe Exorcistare. They feel unnatural, but still real. You think you have a grip on a scene, then Friedkin shakes you like a bronco, and you’re holding on, terrified, and delighted, the whole time.
The Exorcist Proves That Horror Needs To Be Taken More Seriously As A Genre
When Done Correctly, Horror Movies Are As Award-Worthy As Anything
Even separated from its legacy and its scares,The Exorcistis an engaging and thrilling drama that will have even young, modern viewers on the edge of their seats. BecauseThe Exorcistis also a mystery. Decades later, everyone and their devil-possessed mother knows that the demons inThe Exorcistare real, but the movie only slowly reveals that fact. For much of the runtime, it’s unclear to the characters if Regan is lying, her mother is lying, if Regan is sick, or if Father Karras (Jason Miller) is suffering delusions.
The Exorcistwas the first horror movie to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
This makes for an exceptionally intriguing watch as you try to figure out what each person believes. That’s the power of havinga director like William Friedkinhelming your project.The Exorcistwas nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won Best Sound (Regan neck creak, for the win) and Best Screenplay (insert sound -Regan neck creak, for the win). It’s movies likeThe Exorcistthat prove horror is not some niche genre. When they’re made correctly, with new ideas and techniques, and with a story to tell, they can become something that lasts from 1973 to the present.
The Exorcist
Cast
The Exorcist is a supernatural horror film based on the novel released in 1971 and was directed by William Friedkin. When a young girl is passed by a powerful demon, two Catholic priests are brought to her home to attempt an exorcism to expunge the demon.
