The Exorcist
| release date | December 26 1973 |
| studio | Warner Bros. |
| director | William Friedkin |
| writer | William Peter Blatty |
| starring | Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, Lee Cobb, Ellen Burstyn |
| rating | R |
| tagline | The Devil Inside |
| site | theexorcist.net |
| trailer 1 | Trailer #1 |
16 Comments
BEST OF THE BEST! There will never be anything quite as scary as this!!! A MUST for horror fans!
This movie is totally boring except for the possessed scenes. Everything else blows. They should make a remake of this except it should have more interesting story plot points.
They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. ‘The Exorcist’ is absolutely relentless in its pursuit to disturb and scare the shit out of you. Director William Friedkin went to great lengths to make this tale of demonic possession as authentic as a film about this otherworldy subject matter could be. When you’re watching ‘The Exorcist’, it’s played so straight and real that you believe this really happened.
This is without a doubt one of the most frightening films ever made. It holds up so well being more than 30 years old. The movie is proof that practical effects mixed with wonderful acting and psychological storytelling is for more effective and memorable than any CGI-laden remake shit we’re subjected to every Friday nowadays.
‘The Exorcist’ is a brilliant film, and one of the best horror films ever created. You’ll find yourself wishing that Hollywood directors still put this much passion and detail into the horror genre. I prefer the original theatrical cut to ‘The Version You’ve Never Seen Before!’ Though both are definitely worth your time.
OK, what the HELL is so good about this movie? it isnt even scary. I understand its a classic but honestly, can you really call this a horror movie? Horror has changed and it definitly isnt like this type anymore. The 3 or 4 “scary” scenes could maybe scare a 7 year old. Dumb movie, I WAS hoping for something scary when I got it because all of the hype, but nope, nothing…
A disturbing film which left me feeling uneasy afterwards-powerful much of the time &Linda Blair’s portrayal was chilling.
If you haven’t seen this or read the book…WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN???
Classic film about good vs evil. brilliant!
such a great gripping story, well directed and Linda Blair is fantastic in it!
I saw this movie last year on monsterfest and my mom said they cut out scenes from it. The peuking made me jump a little bit but I liked it.
Ok so as a lil girl my mom would not let me watch it. So the 1st time tryed to watch it i was 15 and i got scared shitless lol. the flashing of the demons face was freakin me out and i couldnt finish the movie. lol So like 2 years latter i finished it and i think its a great movie.
The Exorcist is like two seperate movies. There is the first hour, then there is the horror movie. Due to the fact that it is 35 years old it’s hard for me to give it a fair review. I try to watch it and think of it in the context in which it was released. For the time the effects were great and the subject matter was taboo. But I wasn’t born till the 80′s and by the time I was old enough to watch The Exorcist I had already seen the cynobites and Freddy, so Linda Blair’s head spinning didn’t have much of an impact on me. I must admit the first time I watched it I was a little disapointed. But after I watched it a few more times, keeping in mind when it came out, I began to appreciate it more. Although I wouldn’t go as far as to call it the greatest horror movie ever, it is a must see for any horror fan.
“There’s a lot of anxiety that goes into viewing The Exorcist, “the scariest movie ever made”, for the very first time. And with that anxiety comes a lot of expectations and preconceived ideas about what The Exorcist *should* be. Especially for someone born after the film. Then on top of that waited years before finally seeing it.
I love the Exorcist, and after exposure to God knows how many horror films, the Exorcist remains my favorite within the genre. And even from a die-hard fan I have to admit, I hate hearing “scariest movie of all time” associated with this movie.
First of all, there’s no reason to compare fright factor of films, so forget that anyone ever called The Exorcist “the scariest movie ever made.” Take any movie – I don’t care what movie – and stick a “greatest/scariest/best” whatever tag next to it, and you’ll have audiences investing in what they *think* it should be instead of letting the film present itself for what it is. And all they see is that it is not what they expected (expectations, I might add, that are shaped by the current gimmicks and trends in Hollywood).
I love the Exorcist because it dared to defy my expectations. This is not a wall-to-wall, credits-to-credits montage of scary imagery inspired by a mere scenario that’s supposed to pass as a plot. This isn’t a movie about that long dark corridor and something waiting to jump out of the darkness and attack (which is always preceded by a false scare featuring a cat). It’s not about that cheap gimmicky scenario of X amount of people isolated from the rest of the world, with a killer/monster/ghost/whatever on the loose.
The Exorcist is a very slow movie that actually features a full blown plot, its characters, and their associated arcs. The original ambition of The Exorcist was to scare the world with imagery and concepts never before seen in cinema. Shocking moments that the audience of 1973 could not believe they would ever see on the silver screen (from a major studio, no less.) After 30 years, the movie isn’t so shocking because times have changed, and the success of the Exorcist has guaranteed countless imitation in all forms across all boards. However, the Exorcist is still one of the most ambition horror films ever made, because (are you ready for this?) – the Exorcist dares to tell a story.
Everyone remembers the pea soup, the head spinning, the vulgarities spewed from the demon’s mouth, the stairs, the infamous cut (now restored) spider walk. But I adore this movie for the things no one seems to bring up – I love the setup in Iraq where Father Lancaster Merrin detects the signs of his final showdown, and how these abstract scenes on subsequent viewings give the movie a more epic feel. I love the transition from Chris MacNeil to Father Karras walking across campus that’s reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock. I became absorbed watching Father Karras caring for his aging mother and the close relationship they have, seeing him depressed and sharing a drink with a fellow priest as he discusses his own issues with faith.
And what impresses me most about a movie named the Exorcist is how it seems to reject the possibility of possession and exorcism as its ultimate and final solution. The characters in the movie don’t want it to be true, and in fact don’t really even know about the possibility of Exorcism, thus they explore and exhaust all other possibilities (both medical and psychological). I smiled with delight (after all the hospital scenes) in that priceless moment when Chris MacNeil asks Karras, “And how does one go about getting an exorcism?” which stops father Karras in his tracks as he, a man of the church, looks at her as though she’s lost her mind.
The fact that the movie resists the temptation to jump right into the acknowledgment that Regan is possessed continues to build up the epic Good versus Evil, God versus Satan, the exorcist versus the demon, feel. Like the characters, the movie doesn’t want it to be true, it doesn’t want to go there and embrace that possibility, but we the audience know what must inevitably happen.
I can address more – the acting, the beautiful cinematography, brilliant makeup – but I’ll stop to keep from sounding like a raving fan who over hypes every inch of everything. I’ll close with these thoughts: I’m not the type of person who will watch the same movie over and over and over. Most movies I see, the specific imagery and specific ideas don’t make a deep enough impression to stick with me for more than a few months. I remember the Exorcist, not because I thought it was the “scariest movie ever made”, rather because of the wonderful craftsmanship, the fact that it dared to tell a story, and it defied my expectations.” –jaywriterXIII, imdb.com
Classic Movie! I met Linda Blair at the Darkness Haunted House ST.Louis about 10 years ago she signed my Exorcist poster what a Class act they dont make them like Linda anymore!
i love this movie. linda blair is phenominal in her role of reagan mcneil. when this movie was first released, people would see linda blair and run away from her. they couldn’t comprehend that it was just a role in a movie that she played in. they seriously thought that she was possessed.
the exorcist will always remain in the top numbers of the most scariest movies of all time. it’s a classic. there have never been any movies as terrifying as this… and i love every minute of it when i watch it. no movie will ever come close to being anything like this.
“your mother sucks cocks in hell, karis.”
by far the most timeless terrifying film ever made. there is nothing wrong with this film at all, the tense builds and delivers a film well a head of its time. if you do not like this movie than you do not like horror. This movie is a piece of art not for sheep that seek instant gratification or mass consumption. 10/10 This and the shinning are the best horror movies ever made.
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This movie is by far the one that gave me the most sleepless nights. Although I’ll never admit that in public.
The Exorcist was a terrifying movie that had me horrified from the moment I started watching it until the end.
If you truly want to be scared….watch this film.
it scared me when i was lil
As a hardcore horror fan, who has seen the majority of what the genre has to offer, it’s a little weird of me to wait so long to see a “classic” like The Exorcist. I think the reason was because I’ve seen so many faux masterpieces–that include everything from A Nightmare on Elm Street to Suspiria–that I’ve given up hope in anything and everything that people claim to be a “classic horror piece”. The Exorcist is no different.
I assume that the hardcore fans of this movie either (1) grew up on it, or (2) were scared the first time they saw it, then build it up to be something it isn’t in their mind, and if they were to see it a second time, I’m sure they would realize how boring and cheesy it is. I also assume there are some people out there who truly see this as a perfect movie, but I simply cannot come close to understanding their reasoning, and here is why:
- Cheese. The voiceovers are downright HALRIOUS. At one point it sounds like the girl was trying to talk like a hobo or something, which had me laughing more than any comedy I’ve seen in the past year. Also, some of the dialogue may have been vulgar in its time, but now just sounds a lot like the script for a bad teen comedy.
- Boredom. I’d say that close to 80% of the runtime of this film has nothing to do with exorcism, but has everything to do with boring daily life that doesn’t make me sympathize for the cliché, stereotypical characters, but certainly make me sleepy. There is literally no plot, and without a plot there is no suspense. I’m someone who finds the original Alien to be a fine movie, but the difference between The Exorcist and Alien is that Alien understands suspense whereas The Exorcist does not. There is a MAJOR difference between suspense and just downright pointless scenes, and The Exorcist fits into the latter.
- Unoriginality. Yes, I can understand that The Exorcist was the first movie to bring exorcism to the big screen, but come on now. It is not an unknown subject by any means, and though this is my first exorcism movie, the subject just bores me because I know everything about it long, long before I watched it. It was like watching someone drink coffee to me–I can care less because I’ve seen it so many times. I have read many books about exorcism that actually bring something original to the table, such as Ted Dekker’s novel “Adam”, which is so far superior to The Exorcist it feels weird even mentioning it in this review. Exorcism with nothing else original attached was a bland, unoriginal subject in the 60s, and it’s even more so in the 21st century.
- “The scariest movie of all time” lie. I’ll be blunt: this movie had me so board I was on the verge of fast forwarding if something didn’t start happening. Calling this scary, much less “the scariest movie of all time” is an utter joke. The cheesiness had me laughing, and the lack of originality and plot had me bored to tears. There was not a single scene in this film that scared me, or even came close. The stairway scene was a little–very little–jolt of shock, but other than that, I’ve gotten more scared choking on food. I wouldn’t even say this is even 1/10th as scary as a realistically portrayed exorcism. The majority was just intentionally hilarious. “Oh no, it’s a little girl possessed by a perverted hobo!”
- Lack of realism. I’ve studied real exorcisms, heard firsthand accounts of them, and seriously, folks, this is a trip to Never Never Land compared to a real exorcism. The majority of the things the girl does are completely retarded, and no more based in realism than a tree is based in Jell-O. The “Help me” scene just downright had to be THE absolute unintentionally funny scene of all time.
Overall, I just want to say this: just because something is old doesn’t mean it’s good, and just because something is new doesn’t mean it’s bad. Just because some people got scared as little kids from a movie then grow up and label it a classic doesn’t mean they aren’t just as wrong as the kids who label Hostel a classic in our generation. If this movie were released today it would be laughed out of the theater. Age doesn’t make up for the lack of entertainment or scares or thrills and cheese–it just makes something old. And usually boring.
Watch the hobo-possession scene on YouTube and laugh your head off. The rest isn’t worth watching.
Fuck off, Jacques, you’re an idiot!
Fuck off, Jacques, you’re an idiot!
>Jacques’s Interests
>Movies: Saw I – IV,
figures…dude you are not a “hardcore horror fan” judging by this and your score you have no idea what you’re talking about.
the best set up, story line of any horror movie ever! this movie is the alpha and omega of all horror films. there will never be another horror film that makes people react the way this film did and after 20 odd years it still holds the test of time.
Anybody that saw this movie & did not think it was a classic…..WHAT KIND OF HORROR MOVIE FAN ARE YOU?????????????????
Classic movie. Very boring in the first 45 minutes (except for the opening scene), but some very disturbing things go down. This movie was surely ahead of its time.
The Exorcist is the first of a series of movies that I consider to be my all time favourites, and that for several reasons haven’t properly reviewed yet.
As I’ve seen it again recently, this seems like a great place to start.
It’s hard to review a movie like this in today’s time. Specially considering the subject. Back in 1973, there was no Internet. There was no religious choice per se (most western civilizations made their toddlers catholics / christians / religious zombies before they even knew how to think). There wasn’t that much tolerance regarding certain things or subjects. There was a natural tendency of shock and outrage when facing some more extreme visual and audio displays.
For that reason, when The Exorcist was released, a big part of the world shook. Sadly, I only know this due to some feedback from the past and a fair amount of intensive research.
Although I was still fortunate enough to watch it at a time when things weren’t all that different.
And, obviously , it shook my world as well.
The Exorcist is, by far, William Friedkin’s masterpiece. Such an achievement comes once in a lifetime (if that much) in a director’s career. He got his at a very early stage.
In a way (brainless idiots aside), I can’t help but to feel sorry for today’s movie productions. Because no matter how hard they try, there will never be a way for anyone to top this in the same genre. Simply because it’s 2008. The shock isn’t there anymore. Nowadays, you can pretty much do whatever you want in a movie, that no matter how dark, eerie or horrifying you want it to be, you will never be able to capture the necessary sensitivities. 1973′s sensitivities, for one.
Unless you’re actually one of the very few people that crave and search that feeling in some movies, you will either come out of the theatre saying something like “It was a nice movie” or “Did you see that scene where she sticks the crucifix in her p…” and probably even laugh about it.
And those were simply not proper reactions for The Exorcist in 1973.
A proper reaction would be a gaze of shock and horror in your eyes. A physical and mental exhaustion. A nervous and hard-to-unfold speech.
This movie was able to accomplish this. Just take a look at the reactions of the ones fortunate enough to go see this in the theatres 35 years ago.
You can’t fake that.
Usually, you don’t even see it coming.
I could go on and start talking about the aspects of the movie itself.
But there’s no point in me doing that.
Simply because I wouldn’t change a thing.
If you’re capable of picking up little details, you realize that everything is exactly how it should be.
So what I guess I’m trying to say is something like this.
If you still haven’t seen it yet, or have seen it in the last 15 years for the first time, or have seen it before but were too young to remember, I’m not even sure if this is worth being recommended to you, for several reasons.
But if you were of the ones that actually went to see it when it was released, or if you watched it more than 15 years ago and still remember the emotional impact (if there was an impact) it had in you, or even if you’ve seen it more recently but somehow were able to truly relate to what I’ve written here…
The following is for you.
I know.
ABSOLUTE CLASSIC!! TCMASSACRE SAYS IT ALL IN THE POST, I COULDNT DESCRIBE IT ANY BETTER.
I have to agree, this is some of the best horror film cinema to date. I believe many folks who grew up watching horror from the nineties and 2000′s wouldn’t understand the quality of this kind of film (Jaques) That’s okay though, bad taste is all around in this world, and at least you gave it a shot little buddy. We, that did end up growing up on the best horror films, such as, The Shining, The Exorcist, Suspiria, Inferno, The Thing, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, see all these films have something that is quite a rareity in modern horror cinema, that is character development, suspense, gore, all of the things you think this film lacked this and others you have put down, in fact, master. This will go down in history whether or not the folks that weren’t paying attention during these beautiful films understand them or not…
i havn’t seen this movie yet but i have it for christmas and im absoulutly raring to see it now that you have all said its amazing and scary. The only thing that you have put me off is by saying that its boring:( im not looking forward to that! But the rest is good you say? Well I can’t wait!!!!!!
One of the best, if not THE best, horror movies ever made. Linda Blair’s performance is incredible. The film is beautifully shot and the sound is truly frightening. A must for any true horror fan.
I don’t know… Maybe because my upbringing completely and utterly lacked anything even approaching judeo-christian beliefs, but this movie just isn’t scary to me. At all. Although the idea of possession is theoretically very disturbing, for some reason the way it was portrayed in this film is just completely lost on me… I just don’t know… It’s a well constructed film, and I can see why it’s considered a classic, but it doesn’t do anything for me personally.
the best ever made in HORROR … its so SCARY specialy when i saw it first time in 1990 .. but now its ok just like any movies .. such a memoreis with this fucking scary gri8 movie..king of horror
The exorcist is the scariest movie I have ever seen. Even to this day I am still scared to re-watch it. Now I know why so many people in the 70′s got so scared and people were vomiting. Just the flashes of demon faces makes me poop in my pants. If there was one movie I couldn’t watch alone because I would scream so loud it would be this one. Just the things demons can do is just scary. The exorcist. See it at your own risk.
Although the possession scenes make the film completely worth watching, it’s true that half of the film is utterly boring. Also, much of the film isn’t dealing with the exorcism or possession of Regan, but with Father Karras’ crisis of faith, which also made me a little bored. But these are the only reasons I’m knocking 2 points off, ’cause the rest of the film is fucking great and the acting is class. Check out the novel, there’s quite alot of dialogue between Karras and the demon which they should’ve adapted for the screenplay.
Here’s the thing about The Exorcist. I was ten years old when this movie came out and I remember it’s release. This movie was, and is, a cultural phenominon. There reports on the news about people fainting in theatres and having to have to go to the hospital, etc. Granted, much of this is urban legend, but this movie had a profound affect on the public when it came out. Can you name a movie in the last ten, hell the last twenty years that has had the same affect? The music and dialogue have become a part of our language and culture. It’s referenced countless times in various media venues. How can anyone dismiss this as mediocre or boring? I saw it the first time when I was in my early twenty’s and have seen it several times since then. Hey, it’s a damn good movie! Scared the hell out of me the first time, creeped the hell out of me every time since then. The acting is great, the sound, cinematography and lighting are great, the score is brilliant. The special effects are great. It is a landmark horror film and, like it or hate it, someone, somewhere, on some message board or some other such thing, will be discussing this movie another 35 years from now. Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it!
I fisrt watched this movie when i was about … mmmm say 13. My reaction then was i burst into tears and felt absolutely teffified! I have watched it since and i dont know if its because i got older or realised the visual effects were quite amusing…but i wasnt frightend in any way what so ever …. i Enjoyed the story line and some of the acting but when it comes to horror…there is none!
a movie that will truthfully never be forgoton!
This is the one to stand the test of time. and one of only a handful of movies that really scares me (dead birds and martyrs being two others).
Best Horror Film Hands Down!
scariest film ever!
This movie is called the most horrifying movie ever made. I definately disagree. The story is great, their are some very good scenes, altogether brilliant storyline, but it really wasnt scary, i waited so long for scary shit to happen and it just didnt. I guess you had to see it in the 70′s, im rediculously jaded,
frontier(s) didnt even make me cringe.
A cinematic classic. This film will leave you feeling very numb. It really probes its way into your imagination. It really makes you think. Everyone of us is going to turn cold & die someday. Where will we end up? Heaven or Hell, return as a child, or enter another dimension. Another state of being. All kinds of different things will enter your mind after you see this film. It’s still a very haunting experience. My sister is 40, & still refuses to watch it. Once you see it, you won’t forget it. Watch it!!!!
I don’t want to sound like a jack ass here, but I could not get into this movie to save my life. I thought the second one was more interesting (not to say that it was particularly great or anything though).
Maybe I just needed to see it in 1974?
This movie definately deserves the ‘scariest movie ever’ title. I absolutely loved it. Linda Blair was an excellent actress, she really was able to add to the film. The backbend down the stairs scarred me for life, and I don’t think I’ll ever get over it.
This movie (And i think everyone agrees) Is the ‘SCARIEST MOVIE EVER!’
When i first saw this i had to watch it so many times so i wouldn’t get freaked out too much by it… This movie is a CLASSIC!
Hands down, my ALL-TIME scariest movie. As I write this, the still of her possessed sneer displaying to my right just completely freaks me out. Maybe because it is based on a true story or I was pretty young the first time that I saw it. I don’t know, nor do I care. All that I do know is that I have seen a numerous horror movies with some pretty twisted shit in my time (and I have been around a while) and this is the ONLY movie that gives me nightmares. If you haven’t seen it, it is a horror fan staple. If you have tried to watch it and got bored or whatever the reason did not finish it, you must try again. It may be a little slow to start, but be patient and just go with it. The payoff is unbeatable. Her face, her voice, the makeup, the special effects (esp. for the 70′s), the suspense and the ultimate creepy audio/score will forever haunt my mind and dreams. That alone, in my humble opinion, is one of the things that makes a truly GREAT horror movie.
For those who trash this movie…..”LET JESUS FUCK YOU!!”
Best horror movie ever made. PERIOD!
Brilliant. This is hands down THE scariest movie of all time. I’ve never seen anything as creepy or unsettling as The final 30 minutes of this movie. Purely horrifying.
This is by far the most freakiest movie I’ve ever seen. Linda Blair was just plain fuckin scary! When I’m in a dark room I’m not thinking of Michael, Jason, Freddy, or Chucky, I’m thinking of that possessed girl that is crawling on the walls and screwing herself with a crucifix! This, in my opinion, is the scariest movie of ALL-TIME, classic HORROR at its best.
The scariest Horror film in my opinion..period! It scared the hell out of me back then and not a lot of horror films could do that to me.
scary bitch your fucking retard watch it alone at night you will scared
My first short review.
This is one of the greatest horror movies I ever seen in my live. I mean, how could I say no to this? If anyone who would disagree with me, that’s fine.
the original, the masterpiece, the depiction of how the a demon would act inside of a little girls body…
the most terryfying movie i have ever watched.
absolutely frightening down to the core.
i have trouble watching this movie sometimes and i cannot watch this movie at night to save my life. linda blair plays astonishing as Reagan.
Reagan is superbly scary and you cant find anyone as creepy as her.
just to sum it up in a few words “THE MOST TERRYFYING MOVIE EVER MADE”
A fantastic movie. Not really scary in most of the younger people’s views, but still a horror classic.
Absolutely amazing!
one of the best horror movies ever.
Period…
Pure excellence at it’s best, The Excorcist is a scary as hell, classic horror movie that shouldn’t be watched with the light off! From the freaky as hell possessed girl, to the evil special effects used in most places, this is what gory horror is really about!
10/10
for being the supposed “scaries movie ever made”, it kinda sucks. ever since i can remember i had been looking forward to watching the exorcist on my 17th birthday as a “right of passage” type of deal. my 17th birthday came and i bunkered down to see the “scariest movie ever made”… and wasn’t scared. i didn’t have to sleep with a light on that night, and i can think about it with out so much as a passing shiver. i do give linda blair credit for pulling off satan at her young age, but the rest of the cast didn’t seem to have their heart in it. i recognize it as a classic and respect it for opening the doors so many years ago when this was thought to be “scandalous.” but i was disappointed none the less.
Disappointing as far as being a ‘scary’ movie but a well-done movie none the less.
Disappointing as far as being a ‘scary’ movie but a well-done movie none the less.
A stupid film maby a bit funny but not something I’d like to see again
God this movie is awesome, it is not about all out horror more subtlety and the psychological scares where real horror comes from anyway.
There are so many themes running through this movie – losing faith, child abuse, science vs religion..
It’s not in your face like most horror is nowadays, it more like creeps up on you. You just get this disturbing feeling from the start and there is much more going on underneath the surface. The use of symbolism and the subliminal images is a dead giveaway.
If you are bored by this type of thing then go and jerk off to Pokemon or something.
Exorcism movies are some of the most boring in my eyes but this movie was good. I loved the graphics for such a classic. The only of the saga i liked.
Yowza.
anyone thats says that this movie did not scare them is a FUCKING LIAR this movie get a 10 out of 10 on my (((shit pants meter)))
….
One of my Favs to watch!
still watch it at 2 am everyday
My parents said this movie was the scariest they’ve ever seen, I didn’t think it was scary at all, but I could still respect it for the time
Duh
if someone says that this movie didn’t scare them the first time they saw it, they are liars.
you’d pretty much sh** your pants if you saw this movie.
creepy not scary i agree with Hunter661
I’m being fucking serious here. This IS without a DOUBT the scariest film of all time, and it is PROVEN to DESERVE the title in every single possible aspect. Most (if not all) of my friends STILL TO THIS DAY refuse to watch the movie! And when I first saw it as a kid, it GENUINELY fucked up my sleeping habits for over a MONTH. The best horror film of all time.
This still remains as the scariest movie I have ever seen.
What really makes me shit my pants when watching this movie is the voice of the demon, holy shit when she talks it just gives me the hibby jibbys. Mr Disgusting is right the first act is boring but its the build up of the roller coaster and when it drops it drops hard.
classic
This movie haunted me for years when I first saw it at age 13. This is still the scariest movie of all time after all of these years.
Scariest movie ever made my arse! A good film yes but i wasn’t scared. People take this film to seriously. it’s not the film that is scary it’s the fact that everyone says it is. I found ths film hilarious. The Begining was good and i thought that the suspense would stay like that but then when the girl was possesed and started to twist her head and vibrate the bed i laughed!!!! It’s funny and that is what makes it funny!!! If you were scared by this then you are just weird and a faggot!! The film is good because it is funny!!
Brilliant and hilarious.
I first saw this when I was five in theaters and it screwed up my sleeping habits horribly.
BEST HORROR MOVIE…..PERIOD! I really do NOT need to say another word. It’s timeless.
To some people, The Exorcist isn’t a scary movie. They find it laughable in places and outdated. The reason I find it so disturbing is the subject matter and the way it is told through the means of the story. An upper class single mother and the fight to save her 12 year old daughter from the clutches of “The Devil Himself” with the help from two priests.
William Friedkin was supposedly close to insanity when the movie was close to wrapping and i can see why. He pushed himself and the cast to the very limits to commit his vision to celluloid. That’s the sign of a true director, this shows in the movie itself.
The Exorcist comes as a whole package. A subtle but slow build up introducing you to the characters. Then the gradual metamorphose from child to demon and how her mother copes with it. You also have the back story of the two priests. One strong in their faith and a true believer as he has encountered the evil decades before, then the other who is questioning the existence of god as he is slowly loosing his faith after the death of his mother. culminating in the classic battle of “good against evil” The movie has it all..
We forget that the Exorcist will be 40 years old in 2013. The younger generations who view this movie will never appreciate just how controversial or how much of an impact it made on release or the horror genre itself.
*Spoiler*
The Exorcist pioneered Hollywood makeup, sound and special FX. No cinema goer had ever before seen a woman masturbating with a crucifix, let alone a 12 year old girl. Or the scene with the projectile vomiting, the crude and vulgar language, the objects flying around the room, the neck swelling and eye rolling sequence where Reagan is convulsing on her bed like being attacked by an unseen force. These scenes back in 1973 would have been truly horrifying. It’s true, as the years have gone by we have become more desensitized
The exorcist paved the way for new directors of the horror genre to be more bold in their approach to filmmaking and how much they could shock their audience. Without this movie, we would have never had the video nasties of the late 70′s and 80′s. We wouldn’t have the horrors we have today that make us cover our eye’s or make us feel a little queasy because of all the gore.
To this day I still cannot watch The Exorcist alone. Although undoubtedly a classic I still find it stays under my skin and plays on my mind for days after i watch it. No other film to date has had the same effect…
A real chiller. I liked the ‘slow-burning’ effect employed, as it really got to me. I was wondering when the climax was coming.
Original plot, good acting, and one of the few films that pulls off a genuine scare.
However, the only reason preventing me from giving ‘The Exorcist’ a 10/10 is the slow beginning. Like I said, the whole ‘slow-burning’ effect was effective, however I just felt it didn’t justify the rest of the film.
Top 10 Horror Movies of all time. Right next to Halloween, The Shinning, and Silence of the lambs.
Everyone, really everyone seems to adore this movie and really everyone was scared to death while watching it – that’s why I feel a bit ashamed because I definitely don’t adore it and it never managed to scare me.
I just watched it for the third time and… well, it’s a decent 70s flick with brilliant actors and some great effects but it’s way too long (half of it is utter boring), full of plot holes and in no ways scary.
It could of been frightning back in the 80′s, where there was no CGI, & stuff, but I really dont think The Exorcist has that same “Feeling” in this time around
This Movie with out a doubt is the most scarites & Best Emotionally & Horrific Performance in any Horror Film. It is well crafted, well theme (for the genre) & is really styilesih, tenes & thrilling, also great use on special effect & Make-up. The Movie is now one of my 100 top Favourtie Horror Movies of all time & in the 1970′s era (as they brought out the best in the 70′s & 80′s and more in the different area of time) as this film is one in alot of Horror to reach 10 noimated for an Oscar (Which it jus gose to show), the Movie is long, but its well worth the respect & love from use Hardcore Horror Fans, as its everthing you want in a classic old Masterpiece/Epic old Movie, that stands the test of time & always will do its soo morden and really is just fantisc Movie (different in the top 100 of my Favourtie Movie).
great horror movie.
Disturbing, you really feel for the mother. Its a horror classic, although the first half of the film was quite boring and did little.
Not to put it down, really chilling, its a must see – every true horror fan has seen The Exorcist.
9/10
Probably the scariest movie I have ever seen. It really looked real. The voices of the demon were really unsettling, and the spider walk made my skin crawl the first time I saw it. The Directors making all of the stupid “shakey cam” and “dark” movies could stand to learn a lot from this film.
Always No . 1
Classic horror film.
RATED 10! This movie changed my life! VERY SCARY!!!
Th Exorcist is not Only ” The Scariest Movie of all time”, It is also One of the Most Disturbing, Chilling and Entertaining Movies of all time. The Script is Very Well Written, The Suspense/ Story and The whole Atmosphere in the movie is Very Well Done. There maybe only a few Horror films that Maybe Better than The Exorcist, Such as ” Jaws” and The Nightmare on Elm Street, But besides that You have a Horror Film that is Original, Has Horror Scenes that have never been Done. So watch this film if you havent already.
” It is a Horror Film that is More Scary Than you will Think”.
Elegant, sophisticated, slow-burning, and utterly, utterly horrifying. Pea soup aside, close to perfection for both horror buffs and film aficionados alike.
Slightly overrated….
This movie made me feel sick inside. It actually made me think there WAS the devil inside Reagan, and all the religious pounderings were’nt enough to help. You just didn’t know what she was going to do next. Should have been an Oscar Nomination for Linda Blair if there wasn’t one. Something about 70′s horror that seemed realistic. This one is at the top of ALL of them.
well so much for scariest movie ever…. I almost fell asleep this movie is so boring! What the hell is wrong with you people if u find this overrated peice of crap scary
I don’t know how this is the scariest movie ever.
VERY over rated in my opinion.
Amazing Classic
I’ve heard from a couple of people that they regret ever seeing The Exorcist, that instantly makes you think it’s either because it’s too scary or just too evil. I’ve been pumped to see this movie cause it’s everything I love. A haunting story, someone possessed by a demon/ the devil, based on a true story, and most importantly everyone told me not to see it so of course I had too. I not only saw it I bought it
I was waiting for the perfect day to watch this movie cause when I came home with my stash of horror movies I bought from Hollywood Video to show my parents my dad wasn’t too happy when I showed him this movie, in fact he told me I should throw it away. I finally had the time to sit down and watch it and my parents just so happened to be gone that night. The first part of the movie was kinda boring and hard to get into but once Regan was possessed it started getting interesting.
What I don’t get is why wont people pull their heads out of their asses and realize that if you open the door for evil to enter do you not think “it” wont pass up the invitation??? It all depends on the things you are doing in your life. If your doing things that attract evil, even if you don’t mean to it’s going to come right on in whether you open the door or not. A lot of people think that the things I’m doing and consume my life with such as all things horror I’m opening the door for evil to come in but I disagree. What I’m doing is not as bad as what the people who do get possessed are doing. In the beginning and middle of the movie it shows Regan playing with a Ouija board! Oh yeah that sure wont attract evil spirits, keep on trying to communicate with your dead cat.
I didn’t think this movie was as bad as everyone made it out to be. Oh sure it probably was back when it came out which was 1973!! So my opinion still stands cause it’s 2010 and when you look at the horror movies that came out in this time and compare it to the 1973 Exorcist it doesn’t come close to being as bad as EVERYONE said it was. Don’t get me wrong I still really liked this movie I thought it was tastefully done and well played, I just didn’t think it was scary, creepy yes scary no. I wouldn’t mind seeing a remake of this movie even though I’m not a big fan of remakes of classics cause every remake I saw of classic movies the director ruined it. I am aware that they made sequels and prequels of this movie and other forms of exorcisms movies but I want the 1973 original remade. I want them to make it scarier and creepier then the first one, oh and I want Rob Zombie to direct it
My only down fall of this movie is they should of showed more of possessed Regan and cut out the first part of the movie cause it was boring and just bunch of people digging in sand in some weird country and priests talking about leaving the church cause they lost their faith. YAWN! for that I give this movie 4 out of 5 Skulls!
Awesome. simply, the scariest movie of all time. Maybe not for now, but for it
It’s the scariest film horror cinema had to offer.
This movie is the mother of ALL horror movies!
The best horror I have ever seen. I first saw it when i was about 13 in the early 80′s. I had friend that his parents had borrowed it out. When the parents went to bed we watched it. This movie scared me as a child. It messed my brain up for years. I was frightened senseless. Scared I was going to be possessed for years. In my teens I read the book…Wow even scarier then the movie. I have seen the movie probably at least a dozen times now.
Sometimes I cant even watch it all if I am watching it by myself. I dont think my kids freak out as much as I do because there is so many horror movies around and the are desensitized. But to me it is THE only horror movie that still scares me …even after seeing it so many times. The acting is great. The filming is great and the story is great. It truly is a classic horror that still delivers the goods after so many years.
One of the greatest horror films EVER. Nothing will beat this. If they make a remake . All fans will be pissed. One of my fav. horror films.
10 out of 10.
Not the scariest movie of all time. I actually fell asleep in the most intense part of the film lol
All in all I can see why it’s a classic though. The acting was top notch and it had an extremely creepy atmosphere. I liked it a lot and am proud to add it to my collection.
Easily one of the best horror movies ever made. With a slow, but intense plot-device directing the viewer into the very madness of posessed mind, The Exorcists most powerful weapon is silence and the 0,1 second flash scenes that leave a real, haunting image terrorizing the viewers mind.
And then there are just things that arent that scary, but just overly badass. With the famous quotes like:
“Your mother sucks cocks in hell, Karras, you faithless slime” and “Look what she did! Your cunting daughter!” and “That too much vulgar display of power” the Exorcist makes its way as a real classic with no “ohthisissocultandkevlt”.
This scared the piss out of me when I was younger. Not so much now. Highly recommended, especially if you are a good little
X-tian. Classic.
Best. Horror. Movie. Ever.
Need I say more?
Easily the scariest movie ever made, lost some steam these days, but still one of the more scary movies you’ll see.
Truly creepy.
One of the greatest if not the greatest of all time.I find the movies that deal with religion and faith to be real creepy and intresting.If you dont have this in your collection ,what the hell u waiting for
The crown jewel of possession films.
Easilly one of the scariest movies ever made. Totally recommend it to every horror fan. Simply perfect from beginning to end.
Awsome movie and you can’t beat that cool looking poster!
when i watched this movie for the first time i was probably a little too young to see it. this is the movie that sent me to bed with the light on for months. and to this day it will always remain the scariest movie of all time for me. everything about this movie is perfectly made. Blair is great, but the mother played by E. Burstyn does a job that should have garnered her an oscar. the story of the younger priest is well thought out. the fact that it is based on a true story makes it that much better. supposedly people really died while making this movie, which adds to the hype. the costumes and makeup are still top of the line and hold up pretty well. and the soundtrack will forever be embedded in people’s minds as freaky sounding. tubular bells will live forever now. i still think that what scared me most about this film were the sound effects. the way Regan sounds as the softball sized tumor grows out of her neck, the noises that the demon makes as it has a conversation with the priest, the different voices that come out of Regan’s mouth, and of course all of the profanity. this movie has it all, the only problem now is that when you watch it with people who are watching it for the first time, they tend to spoil it because of all of the hype that is always surrounding it. they think that just because it’s the Exorcist, all they have to do is watch, but they have to participate in it just like any other horror movie. MUST SEE!!!!!!
Classic.
loveeeeeeeeeee this movie i give it 10 out of 10 creepy girl faces
There is one hauntingly beautiful shot in “The Exorcist” which has been displayed on the front cover of the DVD’s for the film as well as a couple of its official posters. The image, which features the silhouette of a man wearing a fedora in front of a lamppost, which stands out in front of that legendary house. It took me many tries with “The Exorcist” to realize this; but this film is the most frightening I have ever seen.
Yes, yes I know. Many others have said the same for “The Exorcist”. What true horror fan does not admire its beauty? But it is often easy to forget that this is more than just a horror film; it is a study of religious fate, humanity, and the simple existence of evil. Religious fanatics may want to stay away from this one.
If “The Exorcist” is a film about demons, then it is in fact the most powerful one ever made. The film begins with an expedition in Egypt to find relics. The searchers do find a relic; one of them being a statue of Pazuzu, the great demonic figure. Then the film shifts its focus on a mother who believes that her daughter has been acting strangely lately. The odd occasions range from the bed moving on its own to the presumably innocent little girl urinating on the rug after saying some not-so-nice words.
At first the young girl, who is named Reagan, is diagnosed with a simple sickness. And the mother believes it, because what else could it be? But then, things get increasingly worse. Reagan’s voice begins to get drastically deeper. Her words become more malicious. And she begins to upchuck Pea Soup. Did I mention that she also can turn her head all-the-way around? If not then yeah, she can do that too.
The film takes a while to truly get started, as only the best horror films do. It has character build-up; so much that we care for each and every character involved. The film essentially gets started- REALLY started- when we are introduced to a priest who is loosing his faith. The reason for this is undeniably the death of his sick and elderly mother; and her passing has haunted his dreams ever since we witness the death. Being the kindly man that he is, the priest agrees to help Reagan when the mother consults him about her behavior. He expects that it will be nothing more than a mental problem. But like the doctors; he is oh so very wrong.
“The Exorcist” is relentlessly terrifying and horrific in what it depicts. I have spoken to friends about the film, and they do not think it is scary. But then again, most people of this generation would not. Me, I think “The Exorcist” is wonderful because it knows how to display true fear. It understands both the meaning and the nature of such a word, and it does not abuse the phrase “horror film”. It’s the best one I’ve seen, after all. And it always will be.
“The Exorcist”, like all good films involving demonic possession or the presence of evil should, builds atmospheric tension through music. The film has one of the best, creepiest, and most unforgettable horror movie scores of all time; and you can’t help but feel fear and tension rising when you hear the film’s main theme. And the visuals…well, I have not seen make-up effects been used so well since the day I day I first saw “The Exorcist”. The cinematography is wonderful, and the film is crafted with artistry in mind. This film is disturbing, but profoundly moving therefore. There will never be another film quite as scary. That is one thing I can promise you, among others.
The greatest Exorcism movie of all time!Always imitated never duplicated!A must own!
Still has the power to scare, still has the energy to make people scream. Well done, well acted, and just slow enough to not lull you all the way to sleep, but get you good and comfortable before nocking you out a little later.
The best exorcism movie of all time, a true masterpiece, very impressive, have passed over 30 years and is still shocking to the public.
A classic that never dies and still be overcome. Turn off the lights, go up the volume and get ready for the scariest experience ever achieved.
so, yay for all the 13 year olds saying this movie is “Over rated” because they can’t appreciate a classic. This movie got oscars for a reason. It’s amazing. And for the time, It was a complete game changer for the horror genre! There are parts that still genuinely freak me out!
Stands the test of time and never gets boring alltough it’s long running time.
I can’t get on board with this one. It’s FAR too slow and movies that are too long are a pet peeve of mine (i.e. ‘It’). I’m sure when it GETS to the horror it’s scary but for all the unnecessary scenes and cheesy stuff before the movie gets going, I can’t give this anymore than 2 skulls… and that’s just for the clips I’ve seen over the years! What I’ve managed to get through of the actual movie would get 0 skulls!
Honestly, wasn’t as scary as I had hoped. But definitely as disturbing. Well done, and I can see why this movie was banned in several countries, and I can see why it’s often ranked as the scariest movie of all time. It’s especially scary if you’re religious. Well done, Friedkin.
For all of those people out there who are wondering why so many exorcism movies are made, watch this movie and you’ll have your answer. This movie is the sole reason why we have to go through so many exorcism movies every year. Fearofthedark, I do believe that because a lot of teenagers can’t appreciate a classic is why it isn’t more popular in the younger generation. I am 15, and usually would not go back farther than the 80s to watch a horror movie, but all of the ratings this movie got had me intrigued.
I now see why this movie is dubbed as the best movie of all time. It’s because it is, or at least it is up there. It honestly didn’t scare me all that bad, but it did disturb me. Maybe it is because I’m not as religious as I should be, or maybe it is because I have seen so many horror movies that hardly anything scares me anymore, but it just did not scare me. One of the reasons this movie disturbs me is because I have four cousins near the same age as this little girl. It had me think that’s for sure.
On to the technical part, this movie has superb acting and it was nice to have a bland background so the audience could focus their full attention to Linda Blair. I swear I have not seen a better actress than Linda in this film. She is absolutely amazing, especially considering her age.
All in all, I do believe that ‘The Exorcist’ will still be talked about twenty years from now, and it will still be dubbed as one of the best horror films of all time.
Kind of slow paced the first half, but once they put the hammer down, it does not let up. The characters are so well developed and deal with the situation in such a believable manner, it pulls you in and you invest yourself as well.
Just like many, I wasn’t able to sleep alone for a long time, one of the many reasons because I was 12, the age of Regan in the movie/book when I first saw the film. I read the book several years later…didn’t scare me but was more descriptive and terrifying. What I think makes the movie “the scariest” of all time on screen is that there’s a visceral sense of gripping evil that hasn’t been captured in such a powerful way on film (unless you count the senseless torture in movies like Saw, Hostel, and the original Texas Chainsaw movie). But in a supernatural way…against a truly demonic force, The Exorcist is the most accurate depiction ever told of what true evil is actually like. The voice and the face are expertly done to give it its “dark finesse”. My only main problem with the movie is that we don’t get enough screen time with Regan prior to possession. I would’ve liked to have seen her alone in the basement after her mom went to sleep and play with the oujia board…growing more and more obsessed with it, etc. Show the process of innocent Regan unwittingly opening the door to her own personal hell…with only the hope that someone, somehow, will come to save her. Fitting that at the end of the movie, a ray of light shines on her face the last time we see her…driving away.
You have great horror films and then you have the exorcist. One word EPIC. Although the reaction might not get the same response as it did when it first came out, it is a great watch and is truly untouchable. You’ll find yourself praying after watching this one
Genuinely frightening!
If the devil is real – then this movie gives you a clear glimpse of him … and puts the fear of God in you. Masterpiece.
This is one of the best horror movies ever made every horror fan like this movie. This is just perfect
I loved this movie, everyone should because its a classic. Most people don’t understand that for its time it was a scary movie; and yeah, horror movies have changed, but you have to appreciate what it was, and that was a good movie.
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