By modern horror movie standards, it's a slow film. But that's because most people don't care about set-up and character development when they watch a horror movie.
Regarding how scary it is, horror is like comedy, it's all subjective. I think it's effective and extremely well made. There's a reason it crossed over from horror movie fans to mainstream audiences.
How is this only rated at a 78%? I just watched this for the third time to refresh my memory, it has been years since I last watched it. What an amazing movie. The tension built up until the last five minutes. The best horror movie in my opinion.
This is, without a doubt, the best horror movie ever made and one of the best movies I have ever seen in my life.
One of the most overrated horror movies of all time!! NOT SCARY!
One of the best movies ever and in my opinion best horror movie.When i saw it as a kid i was scaried for weeks and it was the movie that scared me the most.Watching it again after all these years and still gave me chills. 10/10
I'm not going to bother writing a 10 page essay on why this film has deep meanings or some bullshit like that, but I'll just say, it's pretty damn shocking.
The fact they got a 12 year-old little actress to stab her vagina with a crucifix until it's bloody while yelling, "Fuck me!" is pretty damn ballsy, especially for the time period.
Great performances, haunting music, tense final act with the exorcism, and it leaves you feeling dirty. It's not the scariest movie I've ever seen, but it's one of the most shocking.
This is scary? The effects,the vomit, etc are laughable, that image of the demon that shows in some times is not scary at all. If this is scary then I don't know what hereditary is.
Got to experience The Exorcist for the first time today knowing very sparing details about the plot and it really has stood the test of time. The story is methodical and paced in it's telling, the build up to the exorcism is dread inducing as we see each characters personal struggles develop independently before their paths diverge. Solid performances all around and the quality of film making on show is still comparable to it's contemporary peers. My only gripe is some of the prosthetics and effects (360 head turn) feel out of place after how weighty the build up is in instilling a sense of dread in the audience. I understand it's attempting to shock but the other, tamer effects like the levitation/bed shaking are just as frightful while being much more in-keeping with the movies overall tone. Great flick, and one that will surely enter my yearly rewatch rota to dissect and enjoy further.
This movie gave me a fear-boner when I was young
Regan MacNeil might just be the biggest attention seeker in the history of cinema.
It's difficult to give an honest and fair appraisal of this movie, since it's 50 years old. This wasn't my first time to watch it (I think it's the third?) but it's been so long since I've watched it, it was like watching it for the first time: the only scene I remembered was the "split-pea soup" scene and the head spinning around backward. I suppose, in its day, this was probably considered truly "scary" or terrifying but by today's standards... well, it hasn't aged well. Kudos to whomever did the makeup because they did a bang-up job on Linda Blair's character of "Regan". Some scenes, however, (as in the "Help Me" shot) were far too obviously fake (again, by today's standards) so it cheapened that particular scene a bit. I don't remember - and don't understand - the lead-in story at all; how the excavation in the middle East tied in to the main movie; the film doesn't even give an explanation at any point other than to casually mention that Father Merrin was overseeing the excavations "so he must be healthy". The ending also didn't make a lot of sense to me either...not even the third (or fourth?) time around. In any event, it would be difficult to put this one at the #2 spot of The 20 Best Horror Movies Ever Made, According to Redditt but then, I'm not a part of Redditt. Of course, our next stop is the #1 spot on that same list, and that just proved - before I ever started my journey through this list way back at #20 - that Redditors obviously have no sense of taste when it comes to movies. The Exorcist was plenty.... well, it was probably plenty scary back in its day, but its best runs are far, far behind it. Love that theme song, though.
It becomes immediately apparent in the first few minutes that "The Exorcist" is a truly special film. Director William Friedkin's masterpiece begins with a visually stunning opening sequence that directly captivates the viewer and also impresses with an extremely effective sound design. The latter is also present throughout the entire film: again and again, ambient sounds are effectively used to build up tension and also create terror.
On a narrative level, the film takes its time to establish all the characters. Especially with Father Karras (Jason Miller), I liked this very much; his whole story arc only really comes into effect through his backstory at the end. Ellen Burstyn and Max von Sydow are also convincing, as is the young Linda Blair, who can probably be described as perfect casting.
It takes quite a while until the actual exorcism takes place, but when it does, there is no holding back. The entire sequence is exciting from start to finish, with good effects and a satisfying resolution. There's certainly a reason why this sequence is imitated in pretty much every exorcism movie nowadays; Friedkin simply managed to get the most out of this subgenre back in 1973.
Inspired by a true story (loosely), The Exorcist is a classic horror film from director William Friedkin. The story follows a single mother whose daughter begins exhibiting strange behaviors and illnesses, and after exhausting every medical and psychological resource, she turns to a Catholic priest for help. Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, and Linda Blair lead the cast and give strong performances; especially Blair, who does an amazing job at depicting a possessed child. And she’s aided by some extraordinary makeup effects. However, the pacing is slow and maundering, and the script is rather weak and unfocused at times. Yet while it has its problems, The Exorcist is a powerful film that delivers some frightening scares.
Today, this film would probably no longer turn the head of an audience 180 degrees, but this horror film is responsible for it. Like 2001 Odyssey in Space or Apocalypse Now, it is one of the films that have (re)defined a genre and are repeatedly mentioned when talking about important movies. It was not for nothing that this film, which no one expected to be a success, became a worldwide hit. The initial sequence, which is first torn out of context, the slowly building mood, from tense psycho drama of a helpless mother and then the change to obvious horror and twisted body. I saw this film for the first time in 2022 and despite modern viewing habits, I was thrilled and unfortunately can only imagine how blown away I would have been in the cinema in 1973. Clear recommendation from my side to make up for this film today.
This is not just an exorcism movie. This is a deep introspection of a priest losing his faith in the face of evil but who ultimately triumphs to defeat the evil by strengthening his faith and sacrificing himself to save an innocent soul. This could be categorized as hero's journey of sort. An absolute classic.
There's no reason for me to try and explain this movie to anyone who hasn't already seen it. Instead, it would be best to mention the effect this movie had on me over the years. I first saw "The Exorcist" as a 10-year old. Me and a friend weren't entirely truthful when we told our parents what movie we were seeing and the person who sold us tickets didn't care that we weren't old enough to see it, either. I remember hearing stories of how someone had died watching the movie and that others had gotten sick. I didn't know if those stories were true, but I think I remember believing them at the time.
Over the years, my mind could only recall flashes of my initial viewing. The green vomit, the "Help Me" scarring on little Regan's stomach, the bed rising and falling. I'm sure I spent 90% of the movie with my eyes covered, but the horrible sounds were enough to make the experience the most frightening thing I can ever recall. This movie really hit me hard and as a kid and as a person of faith, it tweaked my nerves even more. I remember not being able to sleep through the night for months after I saw it. This had such an effect on my little kid brain, I had never re-watched it until last year.
That's when I decided that I was grown up enough to finally watch it again. And you know what? It's still damned scary. This time though, I was amazed at the disturbingly grainy look of the film, the desperation of Chris MacNeil and the decline of her daughter, Regan. Friedkin's direction during the exorcism scenes is suffocating and the battle that Father Merrin and Father Karras have with the demon is incredibly intense. It's nearly overwhelming in its horror.
This is one of the rare occasions when I'll state that my opinion is the correct one. "The Exorcist" is the best and scariest Horror film of all time.
A classic that will make your head spin!!
"What an excellent day for an exorcism."
This is for sure a top rated movie when it comes to horror. From the flow of the story to the horrifying visuals and groundbreaking ways to scare us... I have no complaints with this movie. Although I am surprised a lot of scenes in the movie were allowed to be released in theaters at the time (70's), I am glad they made that leap in filmmaking for us horror folks. For any horror fans, this is a must watch. Dare I say masterpiece??
"The Power of Christ compels you!"
The Exorcist will never bore me. Amazing cast, those few frames that are still creepy, that shot when Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow) steps out of his car in front of the MacNeil's house, the spider-walk scene, Captain Howdy, Jason Miller as Damien Karras, those sounds the demons make. William Friedkin truly made a legendary film. One of my favorite horror films and one of my favorite films overall.
Lovely rewatch.
best horror movie by far .
When I started watching this movie, I expected.. well, what we see in horror movies nowadays. But this movie turned out to be completely different and in a great way! This movie left a distinct impression on me. Great actors and even greater plot line!
I wasn't looking forward much to watching this film again but I wanted to refresh my memory. I'm so glad I did as it was like I'd never watched it before. I replaced my memory of a boring, slow, underwhelming, dated horror with a tension-building, shocking, classic horror that is the definitive film, The Exorcist. The small frightful interjections featuring Regan were expertly weaved with the slowly unravelling arc of the faithless priest until they exploded in a wonderful and satisfying finale that left me thinking 'have I seriously seen this film before?' as it left me with such a thrill that I can't imagine forgetting that kind of feeling after watching a film.
Old-school horror flick, but still great and very scary! I can recommend it wholeheartedly to every horror buff.
Nightmarish as hell... I can´t stand the medical scenes.
While this film is currently classified as horror, that's actually not the case anymore. Back in 1973, this movie would no doubt be classified in that genre. It presented things never before seen in film. Words and actions coming out of a young girl that would shock and offend you. Imagery that would linger in your mind long after you went to bed...these were the reasons why this was absolutely horror. Those qualities that were unheard of 43 years ago are all over the place in today's world, which lessens the impact of such "terrifying" scenes. People forget that those aforementioned qualities only present themselves in the last half hour of this two-hour-long film. The first hour and a half dealt with a lot of really interesting things.
In the first 90 minutes, we are introduced to all of the characters and their own backstories. Each individual had a reason to be there, and it wasn't just because they were a priest and that's their job - no...they had deep, emotionally driven past that led them to that point. Regan's mother, being a famous actress, had connections and money to get her child the help she would need if she really was just mentally ill - but she knew it was more than that. Also, Regan's transformation was a slow build-up that would be incredibly boring if you exclusively look at this like it's a horror film. Don't. It is a character-driven drama with a paranormal kick that comes to a head in the end.
The only, I repeat, only issues I had with this film came down to translation and the basic plot that has been butchered in other projects since. No, I have never seen this movie, but I've seen countless films that also dealt with exorcism, and it's always the same basic routine, changed up a little. The Exorcist had that same routine without the extra condiments. It's relatively basic because it kept things simple. That's great if it is 1973, but it's been 43 years since it has been out. We are quickly approaching its 50th anniversary. There's no way anyone can watch this with a fresh and unaltered mind anymore, and that's really too bad.
If you've never seen The Exorcist, get out there and give it a try. You'll be surprised at the fully-developed plot it has, and all the care it took to tell a story without just making a "scary movie". Check it out!
"Do it, do it, do it. And watch good actors. See what they are doing and how they are doing it. You have to practically participate, I think, in order to develop yourself."
With 100 credited roles spanning over 70 years - Max von Sydow is legendary, but today has left this world. His deep commanding voice that brought so much presence and importance to every little thing. This guy could read off your shopping receipt and it will give you goosebumps.
Sydow has such a fantastic ability to portray complex emotions with very little dialogue and do it so convincingly. From such memorable roles like: The Seventh Seal, The Exorcist, Flash Gordon, Dune, Ghostbusters, Minority Report, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones.
Fun fact: When he played Father Merrin in 'The Exorcist', he was only 43 years old when he played the old priest, but with the help of the make-up team and Sydow performance, both pulled it off so convincingly. It still blows my mind today.
One of the all time greats who left his mark on cinema.
Farewell Max von Sydow.
Sorry but really don’t get how anyone can call this scary or even horror related. All the way trough slow build up and when it should get interesting it doesn’t because what happens does not make me scared at all but just laughing my a$$ off.
Bad acting too I can see bc its an older movie but I totally don’t get how anyone calls this one of the best or the best horror ever because it simply is not for me. :/
As excited I was to watch the big scary movie everyone told me to watch it actually was a waste of time. That’s a common thing these days that horror movies feel funny to me and I’m not getting scared..
I got my scares from Paranormal Activity movies, that’s about it.
The makeup and effects are incredible. The whole movie is unsettling but the exorcism is on another level. Linda Blair kills it with her performance. A little long and slow before the last act.
In it's time it was the best film ever. It will always be played in this household.
Un clásico del terror que personalmente no me puedo tomar enserio debido a tanta parodia vista, es una pelicula de TERROR en mayusculas, con la categoria de "pelicula maldita" debido a los acotencimientos ocurridos durante su rodaje.
Eso si oir la musica inmediatamente tu mente se traslada a la pelicula es su gran sello de identidad
Still holds up. Still evokes an intensity appt of other horror films don't match.
Obviously influential, but like so many other classics, I saw most of the best scenes in clips somewhere. It’s a bit slow for today’s standards, but still a good movie. I think I laughed more than you’re supposed to, but I guess in the 70’s this was more shocking than today.
I've watched this twice a year for over 20 years, and it never gets old...perfection in filmmaking and nothing compares.
A simple story with a convoluted script, that also aged badly. I get that it would have been disturbing to audiences at the time, but from the desensitized modern audience's perspective it looks like Hollywood hadn't quite figured out how to make a horror movie yet, or better yet how not to. The practical effects are unconvincing, and what was presumably intended as elements of horror now pass for elements of camp, which doesn't play too well with the overarching slow drama.
Nowadays other than for research purposes, there's no reason to watch this title. If you've seen any of The Conjuring, Sinister, Hereditary, you've already experienced the themes it takes on that are worth experiencing, done better and streamlined into much more digestible packages.
The Exorsist must be viewed in the context of its release date. This communicates the significant impact it had then, and also its inability to stand solely on its own two feet today. The film is great, absolutely, but the most important horror film of all time and the best horror film of all time are different awards. The Exorcist is a strong contender for the former but not the latter.
This is so intense! I had never watched it until now and Wow! I felt truely afraid.
The theme of this film is faith, and it plays really well.
The best bits of this film are those that cover the ambient lifestyle of an affluent 1970s Georgetown contrasted with the poor neighbourhoods, and the subtext of class. The music is far too infrequent too, as this is the second noteworthy aspect to the film. The room, and it's construction for the effects is the third I suppose. Yet, the story is a perfunctory one, although performances are top tier. It doesn't deserve the praises hoisted upon it, yet there is still some charm in its evocation of period and theme. The first thirty minutes certainly while away the time establishing an arc, but I can't escape the feeling Constantine did it better, launching straight into the action.
Kermode thinks it wonderful. I think he must have some deep association with it from childhood that overwhelms his otherwise reasonable judgement.
Shoutout William Friedkin. RIP. Only a jew could make an anti-Christ Christian film like this, and it's one of the best films ever made. No doubt. I'd only seen two films before he passed (this and The French Connection) and both of them are among my favourites. Now it's time for the binge.
The Exorcist is one of those movies that are so good that it feels almost redundant to review. Like, just watch it idk. I will say I particularly LOVED the mother's constant refusal to believe in the spiritual and/or God for most of the runtime cut between the priest struggling with his own faith which then obviously comes together in the iconic and masterful climax when the atheist mother, after helplessly asking science and psychiatry, finally calls upon God to save her daughter.
Friedkin's 70s roller coaster ride.
Despite its virtues, the novel is better.
One of the bests movies about exorcisms of all times... actually is a cult movie ! Still give me chills just watching it alone
A horror classic. definitely the best horror movie of that time.
Story: 9/10
Dialogue: 9/10
Performances: 9/10
Misc.: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
Pretty shocking for the seventies, I would imagine. Not at all a bad movie, however it is far from perfect. The pacing could be better, although it's definitely refreshing to actually get to know the characters a bit in a possession movie. The attention to details is great too - something seldom seen in movies in general today.
before nowadays horror movies filled with jump scare, blood cgi and cheesy plot, this is the original horror movie masterpiece which mainly rely on dramatic plot and great acting, jason miller is certainly did an excellent job as father karras who throughout the movie shows a subtle yet deep emotional expression, linda blair despite still young has done an awesome job traumatizing audience with her frightening performance and last but not least max von sydow who only appeared at the first and last scene became an integral part of the movie that his experience playing chess with death certainly expressed when he is dealing with the devil, definitely classic gold movie
Engraved into your minds... forever.
Review by AcoucalanchaVIP 4BlockedParent2023-10-03T01:23:58Z
Watching this for the first time at 30, I have no nostalgia for it whatsoever. I was told this is supposed to be scary and it traumatized people... I don't know what to think of that. Not scary whatsoever. It's definitely drama oriented and the whole journey of "let's investigate to see what Regan has" prior to the good stuff happening is interesting. The biggest thing it has going is the characters, they're well-established in the very slow first two acts.
The tone felt completely off for me. When Regan isn't on-screen it's a serious paranormal horror with depressing subjects (especially when Chris is present). The opposite of that is when Regan is on-screen it's 100% camp, funny and ridiculous—and it never fully commits to that tone until the final 25 minutes. But even then, it's on and off with these two tones depending who's on-screen. And so, the fun I had was on and off too!
The makeup for Regan... she looks like a clown with snake eyes and i'm certain they used animal noises for the sounds she does (very clearly heard a bear at some point).
I know this is a classic but it just didn't click with me at all, I still respect it for everything it inspired.