The Exorcist

The Exorcist is a horror masterpiece that pushed its genre into dimensions that are entirely different than the current standards. The psychology of the characters and the power of the story make this film a full-fledged, nerve-racking drama that compares favourably to the best of Hitchcock’s work. (11/23/2004)

During the scene when the bed shakes with Regan, I felt a very chilling sensation in my stomach for the first time, which showed me how confusing the previous cautiously stepping freezing had been. Because a kind of tension comes, sneaking in through the back door, unseen and unheard by anyone, and when you let yourself be lightly enticed, it strikes fully. And when the vomiting or the escalated conclusion easily overcome all the deaf moments from the first half, it's a win. This girl deserves her place among the classics. (06/13/2006)

I first saw this movie when I was 15 years old... I didn't sleep that night. Then I bought the book, read it, and discovered that it was probably the exception to the rule where the adaptation is better. I went to the movie theater to enjoy the director´s cut. I knew The Exorcist by heart, I knew what to expect from it, when what scene was coming (the few skipped ones didn't have to be there, just a digital remaster would have been fine), but I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO FU***** SCARED IN A MOVIE THEATER! As far as horror movies go, it's an inimitable thing that makes me smile at almost every movie that calls itself a horror movie. The exorcism scene is like a heart attack. Without a doubt the best horror film of all time. (01/15/2008)

Well, the filmmaking is undoubtedly excellent and the atmosphere is quite unpleasant in some moments, but given that this is considered the scariest film of all time, I was not extremely tense while watching it. It moves pretty slowly and the director seems to be unhurriedly strumming on the viewer's nerves. Things get a lot more intense as time goes on, Linda Blair's face becomes less and less likeable and her horrific actions move the story along at lightning speed. Unfortunately, after the premature climax, when Linda runs down the stairs in an absolutely insane position, the film couldn't surprise me anymore and all the tension vanished after the door to Satan's room was opened, just as user Tosim writes. The strongest and most suspenseful horror film for me remains Kubrick's The Shining. 75% (11/05/2011)

The Exorcist was obviously directed by someone who understood the film industry, the audience, and the market. At the time of filming, there was a peak of interest in the trendy satanic theme, and the audience was already accustomed to many things. One of the few remaining taboos was the connection of satanism with a child as a symbol of innocence. Within a short period, three genre films were created that successfully attempted this and gained cult film status. Alongside The Omen and Rosemary's Baby was The Exorcist. Shocked viewers held their breath as they watched the fragile girl transform into a vulgar monster full of anger. Unfortunately, for me, The Exorcist has always been a film where the prologue and the final scene work. What comes in between, which logically makes up the majority, goes over my head due to its excessive literalness. The prologue, which is unrelated to the rest of the story, is filled with sinister anticipation, tension, and a menacing premonition. Something is not right, but you still don't know where the blow will come from. In the final scene of the film, the camera focuses on the stairs in front of the house where someone had died shortly before. Through that shot, you feel an unspoken question - will the horror continue? The rest of the film plays with such open cards and is so descriptive that it simply becomes uninteresting to me. The director wants to emotionally manipulate me, but it doesn't work anymore because we don't live in the early 70s. For me, it still holds true that fear and tension are best evoked by what you cannot see and do not know. A film is the most powerful when it leaves you to wander in uncertainty. A film like The Exorcism of Emily Rose is much more attractive and impactful to me. Overall impression: 40%. (11/08/2013)