The Exorcist Reviews and Ratings


  • kogrone
    November 23, 2009
    kogrone
    This movie may be will done but it id truly weird and gave me nightmares. I do not recommend it. Richard Burton was perfection as always.
  • mvk61
    November 21, 2009
    mvk61
    Horror movies are meant to be watched alone. Watching with buddies ruins it.
  • Yelverton
    November 20, 2009
    Yelverton
    The scarriest movie of all time. Do NOT watch this alone.
  • baybsisa
    November 17, 2009
    baybsisa
    scared me half to death
  • ythelastman89
    November 17, 2009
    ythelastman89
    I will always think this movie was great on the soul fact that Ellen Burstyn's screaming still scares me. It's a true staple of American horror and is an amazingly disturbing story. It's one of the times where acting, directing and writing all came together and made an impression...( read more) on the way we live. It comes at you from a religious aspect, something not many movies dare to even touch.
  • Arianeta
    November 13, 2009
    Arianeta
    The Exorcist is a 1973 U.S. horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted from the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty, dealing with the demonic possession of a young girl, and her mother?s desperate attempts to win back her daughter through an exorcism conduc...( read more)ted by two priests. The film features Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, Kitty Winn, Lee J. Cobb, Jason Miller, and Mercedes McCambridge. Both the film and novel took inspiration from a documented exorcism in 1949, performed on a fourteen-year-old boy.
  • kellylouise2
    November 11, 2009
    kellylouise2
    Epic. I could not agree more with The Exorcist being the best horror movie ever made, but it is a little disturbing to think that the best horror movie ever made still does not creep me out. Am I that a twisted fuck? Linda Blair is absolutely awesome in this.
  • exsidlsd
    November 11, 2009
    exsidlsd
    i wanna see this movie
  • nightrulez
    November 11, 2009
    nightrulez
    a must must see for a horror movie fan!!
  • andrzejbanas
    November 10, 2009
    andrzejbanas
    Mixed feelings on this one. Don't get me wrong, it's good in that it's excellently shot, the tone is perfectly dreamlike, and there are several memorable moments but overall I'm a bit torn.

    I guess I can't help the pop-culture era I've grown up in so I've been seeing Exorcist p...( read more)arodies since I was a little kid and have heard of many of it's moments in "Top 100 Scariest Movie Scene" lists! Not to mention the gross crap I get sent on the internet. I didn't like this one as much as Rosemary's Baby who's character I felt more concerned about and who's scenes involving the supernatural felt far less exploitive (most of the scenes in The Exorcist just made me think "Regan" going to do next? rather then be worried what's going to happen with her, her mother or the priest). Half the time you don't see what happens either, the movie cops out and has plot holes such as "so what did they do after Regan walked backwards down the stairs?" or "so how did the mother get out of the room?". It often doesn't even matter who is the room because it's just a set-up for special effects to happen. A little more Rosemary's Baby subtleness would be nice. Either way, there are some fantastically shot scenes that . The exorcism of Regan is memorable, as well as the priest brief tumble.

    Overall lump this one with Blade Runner for me with genre films considered the best ever that are visually beautiful but make me wish their characters had a bit more meat to them. Then again, I'm a fan of Brazil and Metropolis that have the same ranking. But Brazil is at least funny while Metropolis doesn't take itself as nearly as serious as the above two do.
  • klsuggs
    November 10, 2009
    klsuggs
    Classic. Greatest horror film of all time!
  • MovieGuruDude72
    November 8, 2009
    MovieGuruDude72
    The single greatest horror movie ever made. One of a kind in terms of direction, script and acting. Linda Blair was absolutely awesome in this film. I first saw this when I was 12 and let me tell you it still scared the bejesus out of me. Pure creative filmmaking at its best and ...( read more)proof a really good director and camera crew can turn a simple movie into a cinematic icon. Spooky stuff man!
  • rainmonkey13
    November 7, 2009
    rainmonkey13
    pretty freakin scary!
  • reagankrug
    November 6, 2009
    reagankrug
    the scariest and best movie out there
  • blizzpirate
    November 5, 2009
    blizzpirate
    only the spider walk and the way she looked at the camera on bed one time scared me, overrated movie definately not that scary
    dissapointed
  • lilboo666
    November 4, 2009
    lilboo666
    Classic Film. Don't have to say any more
  • totalefreiheit
    November 4, 2009
    totalefreiheit
    El EX-Tortista (vendia tortas)...
    MUY buena.
  • stilettokillerz
    November 3, 2009
    stilettokillerz
    Scariest shit. Good story and Linda's performance was one of the best as it looked very real!
  • TheHitcher1987
    November 1, 2009
    TheHitcher1987
    Last Viewed: 31/10/2009
  • gazzbizz
    October 30, 2009
    gazzbizz
    this put me off horrors for life and had to hitch home after!!
  • hannamaye1
    October 26, 2009
    hannamaye1
    this is the most beautifully made horror movie i've ever watched...beautifully as in morbidly and gruesomely good...i was quite appalled at the masturbation part using a cross; and this is where i first heard all those out the world obscenities...

    the spider walk and the sputter...( read more) of blood from the mouth right after is one i will never forget..overall, perfect horror movie...never mind the sequels, it is here that linda blair really shone with her twisting tortured head ^^
  • ksdeparted05
    October 25, 2009
    ksdeparted05
    One of the most funniest movies ever!!!
  • dethklok009
    October 25, 2009
    dethklok009
    I own this movie, and it isn't toooo bad. It's quite interesting at the start, but then wrecks itself as things begin to go a little...... Fake =p
    Similar to Poltergeist in terms of wrecking themselves lol. They begin interesting, but then they OVER-DO it lol
  • mokeypokeyrocker
    October 24, 2009
    mokeypokeyrocker
    never really scared me
  • ElCochran90
    October 23, 2009
    ElCochran90
    "The Power of Christ compells you!"

    THE EXORCIST (1973)


    Director: William Friedkin
    Country: United States of America
    Genre: Drama / Horror / Thriller
    Length: 132 minutes

    ...( read more)t.com/albums/ww125/ElCochran90/?action=view¤t=TheExorcist.jpg" target="_blank">The Exorcist

    When it comes to bringing horror to the screen, the horror portrayed must have a purpose. The Exorcist is, literally, the best horror film ever made. William Friedkin was a talented director during the 70's (The French Connection [1971], Sorcerer [1977]), but he managed to construct an opera of extreme sensations back in 1973. It is usually considered as the scariest film ever made. It is. No film has been so masterfully crafted and orchestrated in order to awaken the deepest fears and most brutally eerie sensations found within the human soul as this film has done it. On a personal note, Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead (1981) surpasses its shock value; however, the surprisingly invigorating terror and breathtaking moments of shock, head spinning and vomit relied entirely on psychological horror, a formula that nowadays has been totally degraded by mindless filmmakers that confuse the terms "scary" and "gory". The Exorcist is a cinematic icon and evil horror in its purest form. Hollywood had never ventured so deep into the vastness of supernatural cruelty and a very direct depiction of the reaction of the Catholic Church towards such a religious landmark event. Its power is unparalleled, and even the aforementioned characteristics do not deviate the film from its fulfillment of every single element that quality, timeless and masterful cinema requires.

    The Exorcist is based on the original novel by William Peter Blatty, a book that contains a true story. When a young girl named Regan is starting to behave in several violent and blasphemous manners, her mother, who is a film actress, resorts to doctors and psychiatrists in order to determine her daughter's possible sickness. No one, however, seems to know the real problem and cause of her supernatural behavior, being unable to explain the extreme spasms that her body presents every night in bed. Finally, the mother gets in contact with a priest who comes to the conclusion that Regan is possessed, so the church decides to hire an exorcist for the job: Father Merrin, a man under a faith crisis who had recently witnessed strong premonitions of evil in Iraq. It seems that the exorcist is about to face an old enemy once and for all. The film received 10 Academy Award nominations for Best Sound, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Director and Best Picture, winning only the first two Oscars and ludicrously losing most of the rest against The Sting (1973).

    Most of the controversy has been originated from its approach towards the Catholic religion. Unlike several Buñuel films and similar directors that either mock religion or criticize the Catholic Church as an institution, Catholicism is depicted as a terrifying and spiritual means of spiritual redemption and the utter and complete extermination of demonic evil. Nonetheless, Friedkin principal purpose was not religion; it only constitutes the strongest and most definitive motor that would ultimately serve the function of plot advancement. It is the ingredient that may cause a shocking cathartic sensation in worldwide audiences, making them to think that the physical shock they experienced was derived from an extraordinarily atmospheric crafted terror rather than from sharing particular religious beliefs, if not all of them. This may lead to an unfortunate and somewhat unfair conclusion that most of the film's popularity owes credit to the morbid attitude of cinematic masses and horror fans. Several blasphemous sequences, one of them including the infamous crucifix masturbation, have been felt unnecessary. However, its power and impact would never have reached the same scandalous and gloriously artistic proportions without resorting to profanity. Evil would lose its main implicit character: the demon legion. To feel insulted is a natural and (perhaps) intentional reaction Friedkin sought for, but to criticize the inner mind world of the director, thus cataloguing it as blasphemy, is a biased statement.

    The justification of the plot comes from the redemption that Friedkin, audaciously enough, seeks during the first 45 minutes of the film, the chapter that offers the necessary psychological backgrounds for character development featuring momentary gruesome imagery. The cinematography is a genius achievement, from capturing the vast desert territory of Iraq with an accurate language to the streets of New York City with expertly shot angles and a predominantly engaging beauty, almost making it seem like a European film with a Bernardo Bertolucci touch. Moreover, the subject matter is treated with dignity and objectivity. The ending of the film may also be subject to debate. In the original novel, the possessed person was a boy and the demons inside his body were expelled with the appearance of the Archangel Michael who was obeying the will of God, one of the two angels of superior rank that The Holy Bible mentions, after several months of unsuccessful exorcism inside an Irish monastery. The ending effectively works and does not disappoint, emphasizing the respect that the film paid towards such controversial thematic material. Movie censorship during those times, including Hollywood, was one of the most affecting aspects, and Peter Blatty took this into consideration for not "ruining" the whole nature that the direction imposed to the film, a nature that was sweetly highlighted thanks to Steve Boeddeker's masterful score. That is why Martin Scorsese's ending for The Last Temptation of the Christ (1988) was catalogued as fantastic and ridiculous. The special effects combined with a terrifying makeup scratch a miraculous realm, and the sound whispers diabolical words to the spirit.

    The Exorcist has an extraordinary cast, from Swedish legend Max von Sydow to early talented actress Ellen Burstyn. The effort and work that Linda Blair put was so brilliant, natural and convincing that she ruined her reputation as a non-possessed person, a prejudice that would affect her filmic career. The editing is utterly shocking and the climactic exorcism sequence is definitely one of the best horror sequences ever committed to celluloid, a scene full of such horror, desperation and hopelessness that it has the ability to prevent audiences from sleeping, making them wander if they will be subject to a demonic possession that same night. The character of Regan while being possessed becomes an entity that we cannot fully hate because of the dark humor the razor-sharp screenplay allows her to originate. Yes, it is dubious to enjoy the insulting and hypocritical one-liners of a legion of demons; even so, this legion allows Regan to have a fragmented personality, making us to doubt if we should either smile or feel guilty because of how much empathy one as a viewer may slowly (and unintentionally) starts to build. Even so, this reaction we may have is compensated with a strengthening of faith while witnessing what may be the most gigantic, realistic and epically implicit fight between good and evil, that is, God versus approximately seven demons. Of course, the atmospheric nature of The Exorcist is so direct and brutal that we are capable of understanding that such massive fight should not be seen under entertainment purposes. Seriousness is a present factor all the way through. The Exorcist has established a new landmark in horror filmmaking, and its present ambitious is so colossal that nowadays directors had to resort to an equivocate source of shock value: graphic violence. Nevertheless, Friedkin's best film and only work of art is now a legend and one of the most venerated and respectable pieces of horror that cinema could ever witness, not to mention a film that has strengthened the faith of several people around the world, myself included. A film that shattered the moral of Christianity, it is a masterpiece that I will see for the rest of my days as a reminder of the power of faith and the factual presence that the will of God executes in a more modern world full of sin, depravity, false religions, atheism and witchcraft.

    100/100
  • facemeltingshredder
    October 21, 2009
    facemeltingshredder
    "Do you know what she did? Your cunting daughter?" Love this line.

    Epic movie
  • bonniemiller1
    October 16, 2009
    bonniemiller1
    Im not really into scary movies...so didnt really care for this...
  • jpmalice
    October 15, 2009
    jpmalice
    Horror at its absolute best. Many regard this film as "the scariest movie of all-time." Now movies dont have the ability to scare me anymore, but I gotta admit, when I first seen The Exorcist, I had nightmares for a week! Theres no debate that this was one of the most controversi...( read more)al films of all time, and remains till this day a cant miss for true horror genre fans.
  • vboston
    October 14, 2009
    vboston
    Scariest movie of all time
  • PBur170856
    October 4, 2009
    PBur170856
    Lost count how much I watched this movie
  • jamesm1068
    October 3, 2009
    jamesm1068
    One of the top 5 horror flicks of all time, a must see. you might have nightmares after this one.
  • SparkleLady
    October 2, 2009
    SparkleLady
    I watched this so many times and it is an all time favourite of mine a great movie
  • whosinthenews
    September 30, 2009
    whosinthenews
    One of the top ten greatest horror movies ever made and one of the few that actually deserves the genre title (as opposed to slashers and scary movies)...Anyone who's even thinking of making their own horror movie should be forced to write a twenty page essay on why this works: h...( read more)ere's a hint for ya, it has (get this) characters you can relate to and sympathize with. On-screen horror derives from the audience's identification with the character's human frailties set against immovable forces. When fear is presented on multiple emotional levels, as it is here, the film takes on a deeper psychological dimension that transcends the mere 'fear of death' and opens up painful questions regarding the here and now; domestic and spiritual crises.
    What's all too common in the genre recently is the depiction of horror as being something that's only related to the destruction of the body...as a mindlessly detached form that's basically on par with the gladiator sport.
  • amirampang
    September 29, 2009
    amirampang
    sooo horror..best horror all the time
  • GreenGoblin92
    September 29, 2009
    GreenGoblin92
    Excellent comedy, awful horror film.
  • Rishi69
    September 24, 2009
    Rishi69
    Scariest movie of all time? I think so.
  • grumpymm18
    September 24, 2009
    grumpymm18
    Scared the crap out of me.
  • xibalbatrasher
    September 21, 2009
    xibalbatrasher
    Mi primer para pelos de niña!
  • uchpa
    September 18, 2009
    uchpa
    best horror movie ever
  • SirPant
    September 18, 2009
    SirPant
    Fuck me (Jesus), this is the scariest film ever made. Brilliant!
  • fryguy666ca
    September 17, 2009
    fryguy666ca
    The Best !! no one since has made a better movie to beat it . This movie had peole being rushed from the viewings from heart attacks , and other health issues . The people who went back to church from viewing this movie is astounding . Based on the real life case of a child , it ...( read more)is one of the most intense movies out there . Bitchin' .
  • writergirl79
    September 14, 2009
    writergirl79
    While not a technically perfect film I wouldn't change a thing!
  • darkvoodoodaddy
    September 6, 2009
    darkvoodoodaddy
    The first movie to ever scare me ...
  • jamins6
    September 5, 2009
    jamins6
    YEAH, I LOVED IT..A GREAT SCARY ONE IN IT'S DAY B4 SCARY MOVIES "SCARED" ME...CAN'T WATCH 'EM ANY MORE THO...
  • Topsie11
    September 4, 2009
    Topsie11
    best horror film. the make-up of the girl is perfect really scary. the story is so simple but it really makes sense to watch and entertaining. the fact that it may happen to me scares me more. excellent direction and cinematography..
  • mityar1815
    August 31, 2009
    mityar1815
    SUPER, SUPER, SUPER, SUPER,ĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦ

Summary

The Exorcist Summary