The Exorcist

I can’t believe this flick didn’t get 100%, the creepiest movie I’ve seen in my 63 years! A DEFINITE MUST SEE!

The father of horror movies, scariest movie ever made

I was curious about the 78% critics rating. Obviously, this horror masterpiece should be rated in the high 90s, if not a perfect 100. So I started clicking into these reviews to see when they were written. Apparently, Rotten Tomoatoes did a dump of newspaper review clippings from the time of the movie's release (almost all of them have the same 2023 date). Practically all the negative reviews are in this same format. Almost no contemporary negative reviews. I forgot, when this movie came out it was extremely controversial and polarizing. Many audiences and critics alike hated it because it was so shocking and gratuitous, they had trouble processing what they had just witnessed so they slammed it. It was just too visceral. Watching this movie today is still shocking, one of the most disturbing movies of all time. But after 50 years of modern horror, a lot of it built upon the very broad shoulders of The Exorcist, the shock value has definitely lost its edge. But imagine watching this in a dark theater for the first time in the early 1970s, and nothing else had ever come before it quite like this. It would've been a shock indeed.

With a ladder and a small house you have already ground the ground to make a Horror. A sound, minimalist abstraction of: a subway is a pedestrian tunnel under a road, goes to coincide with the road noise of cars, expanding on something else clearly intimidating and cumbersome. Then something happens that you don't expect, or at least not immediately; archaeological excavations and a substantially naive and nocturnal sun. Beautiful.

The Exorcist (1973) is one of those horror films that sticks with you long after the credits roll. It sets itself apart with an eerie, slow-building tension rather than relying on cheap scares. The story follows a young girl who begins exhibiting disturbing behavior, leading her mother to seek help from both medical professionals and, eventually, the church. The plot is simple but highly effective, creating an unsettling atmosphere that feels grounded in reality. It doesn't waste time on unnecessary subplots, keeping the focus tight and the tension high. William Friedkin's direction is masterful, balancing realism with the supernatural in a way that makes everything feel disturbingly possible. The opening in the desert is a great example, setting up the film's themes with a quiet unease before shifting to the main story. The cinematography reinforces the horror without feeling over-stylized, using dim lighting, tight framing, and cold color tones to build dread. The way the camera lingers just long enough on certain shots makes you feel like you're watching something you shouldn't be. The acting is phenomenal across the board, but the standout performance is from Linda Blair as the possessed girl. She delivers a chilling performance that makes the supernatural feel shockingly real. Ellen Burstyn and Max von Sydow bring depth to their roles, adding weight to the film's emotional core. The dialogue feels natural, which makes the disturbing moments hit even harder. The script is smartly written, giving just enough exposition without over-explaining, letting the horror unfold naturally. The sound design and score elevate the entire experience. The use of silence is just as effective as the unsettling sounds that creep in at the right moments. The film's signature theme, Tubular Bells, is simple yet haunting, perfectly setting the tone for the film. The shock scenes are well-timed and never feel excessive, keeping the horror grounded rather than over-the-top. The Exorcist still holds up today as one of the most well-crafted horror films ever made, blending strong storytelling, unsettling direction, and incredible performances into something unforgettable.

I was left with sadness for Regan’s ordeal, and questions. We start in the Middle East, but I was left wondering how that particular demon reached all the way to Georgetown. Was the statue brought to Washington? I wondered about Regan finding the ouija board, and why Chris didn’t make more out of the planchette being snatched away from her fingers. I wondered how come the demon didn’t tear up the whole house, instead of just the room, especially once it was proven that it could loosen the bonds that held it to the bed. It came down stairs once at a party and another time upside down, but that was it. Meanwhile it was scrabbling in the attic before the full possession occurred. It was scary, but I read the book and have been nervous about seeing the movie for years, so it might have just been my fear of actually seeing it. I will admit that I said my prayers before going to bed and turned a nightlight on, though. Just in case.

This is an incredibly boring film that's not even slightly scary. Frankly, it's even corny. Don't buy into the hype, and don't waste your time with this piece of trash. It's quite possibly the most overrated horror movie.

Um dos melhores fipmes de terror que já vi, com atuações fenomenais e efeitos visuais impactantes (e aquela música...). (avaliação: 8/10)

when this frst came out I was 13 and we all thought it was funny, nothing scary about it at all, it was so ham they should have given cheese slices away at the video shop, (Remember them) so why does everyone think it was scary now, terrible acting terrible script, badly filmed, the classic line "your mother sucks c**ks in hell" became a saying everyone laughed about,

I only like these movies cause it has a russian actor lee j cobb and I visited the exorcist stairs