The Exorcist | 100 Movies Bucket List

 

This is a re-watch that I was looking forward to - anything about Exorcisms and I'm all in, but especially when it's a classic like this!

I grew up being told that this was one of the scariest movies to ever exist, so all I can remember is being so excited to see it for the first time and preparing to be really really scared.

And as much as I liked the film, it's definitely not as scary for a modern audience as it was at the time it came out. But that doesn't lessen its quality.

I liked that we really got to know the characters. The film takes the time to let us sit with these people, to understand them and essentially become a part of their lives before the horrors really start, which makes them that much more effective.

The performances in this film are outstanding. Ellen Burstyn and Jason Miller are fantastic in the lead roles and Linda Blair is incredible as Regan. The film thrives based on these performances, particularly Blair.

The visuals are great. The deterioration of Regan's physical appearance is fascinating to watch, and the way the special effects are used as things get more and more severe is so interesting. We see the development of the possession and are more invested as things get worse.

The story itself has become the blueprint for a lot of more modern exorcism movies. While this wasn't the first movie of someone becoming possessed, it definitely popularised the idea of this and of exorcisms in general. And since this film, exorcisms have almost become a usual part of modern horror movies.

There are so many iconic images throughout the film, which only makes it clearer how much of a classic this is. From the look of Regan and her movements, to the poster image of the priest standing in front of the house, this is probably the most iconic horror film of all time (tied with Psycho). And the same can be said for the score!

And what an ending - it tackles so many different themes and emotions, and by the time the credits roll, you're stunned by what you've just seen.

So overall, there are a lot of classics on the list, but this one is one of the first movies you think of when you hear 'classic horror', and for good reason! If you're a horror fan and you haven't seen this movie, it's a must-watch. And even if you're not a huge horror fan, I'd definitely still recommend it.