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The Exorcist: Whats the big deal? (1 Viewer)

Simon_Lepine

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Feb 19, 2003
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It's not very scary to me, but it has a nice atmosphere of dread and is a very well done suspense movie IMO.

But I have to admit, the few apperances of the devil's face for a few frames always creep me out:



 

Gary->dee

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Feb 14, 2003
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Let's see, scary things about The Exorcist to me...

1) bizarre sounds; howling, moaning, etc.
2) the dead mother of the priest talks through the girl and at one point appears to him
3) the girl stabs herself with a cross, bitchslaps people and priests with a slew of profanity. Granted most of that stuff is just violence but any chick that mutilates herself like that especially with a cross is pretty shocking and boarders on scary for me
4) the voices on the tape the priest recorded from the girl
5) the opening credits
6) the general tone of the movie is unsettling and dark which makes the scary parts seem real
7) Oh yes and also those brief glimpses of the devil or the evil being

There are probably more scary parts but I can't recall them since I haven't seen the movie in about a year or so. Sure today the movie might not scare some people as it did back in the 70's since in 2003 we've just about seen it all, but I still consider The Exorcist the scariest movie ever. Then again, I haven't seen The Ring.
 

Seth--L

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Yep. The film has come up in some American Studies classes I've taken, and the people who were the most upset by it tended to be the religous right.

As for The Ring, I just saw it on cable a few weeks ago, thought it was pretty lame.
 

MartinTeller

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I don't know if I would call it scary, but for me one very disturbing scene is the MRI sequence. That gives me the willies every time.
 

Mitch Stevens

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Apr 27, 2002
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I agree about religion. If you are religious, you will find it a little bit unsettling. I remember the first time I saw Stigmata, it kinda creeped me out, being that I'm a religious person. But after watching it a couple of times more, it's just another movie. Exorcist was really scary back when I was a kid. I think my parents let me watch it when I was around 4 or 5 years old. Now, I don't find it scary, but it I do find it interesting.
 

Ric Bagoly

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Just curious, how did Jack McGowran (Burke Dennings) die in real life during the making of this film?? IMDB doesn't list a cause of death, while urban legend states that he had a "freak accident" like something out of The Omen? I'm pretty curious about this...
 

Matt Pelham

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Mar 13, 2002
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I always thought she said "Jesus F*cks ME"

Anyways I don't find and never have found The Exoricst even moderately scary, which is weired because I scare pretty easily.

I'm with NickSo on this one, I have no idea why anyone would consider this scary. It is a great movie, though.
 

Patrick Larkin

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The Exorcist is REALLY scary. I agree with previous posters about the religious aspect of the film freaking people out. I AM definitely NOT religious but its still freaky to me as are all religious based horror movies.

I don't think The Exorcist could be made today in our PC world.

Also, I think The Exorcist and The Omen are the two scariest movies ever made.
 

Will K

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Regan actually said "Let Jesus f**k you!" (about three times).

What's amazing about The Exorcist is not only is it a terrific horror film, it's all-around great filmmaking. There are many things to savor in this movie and I never grow tired of it. The performances are utterly superb across the board, especially Ellen Burstyn and the late Jason Miller.

I confess it scared the hell out of me when I was young. Not so much anymore since I came out of the atheist closet. :)
 

BrettB

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I think The Exorcist is an incredibly creepy movie. Exactly how scary it is, I'm not sure, it's been a while. I need to revisit it here before Halloween.

I'm wondering about those who seem to be saying that the effectiveness of the film is dependent upon ones beliefs regarding exorcism, religion, etc.

Do you have to believe in the main premise of the film for it to be effective/creepy/scary?
 

Jeff Gatie

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Do you have to believe in the main premise of the film for it to be effective/creepy/scary?
In my case, the fear was enhanced by my Catholic upbringing and my familiarity with the subject matter. YMMV!

BTW (offered only as an explanation of the above), I consider myself a lapsed Catholic and really not a practicing one. But old habits die hard and maybe this is why I am so drawn to the "fallen" catholic character of Father Karras. It's that ol' Catholic guilt that keeps coming back:b .
 

Will K

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Do you have to believe in the main premise of the film for it to be effective/creepy/scary?
Not necessarily. Even though I personally don't believe in supernatural things, I still find it creepy in its execution though it no longer frightens me on a spiritual level. Friedkin directed this with such precision and skill, I'd find it hard to believe any viewer wouldn't be affected somehow.

I'll tell you one thing, though. I would kill to go back in time to 1974 and watch this with an unsuspecting audience! That would be beautiful!
 

Dome Vongvises

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I'm Buddhist, and I still find the film to be quite creepy. Not so much the possession itself, but the effects it has on the family, particularly the mother, and how Father Karras' faith is affected.
 

Brian W.

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I don't think it's a requirement, but it does enhance the effect of the film on you if you believe something like that is possible.
 

Kenneth English

Second Unit
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Sep 29, 1999
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I'm atheist but I still find the movie to be one of the most down-right creepy ever made. Mostly it's the atmosphere Friedkin establishes. Extremely tense and unnerving.

I don't think belief in religion is a prerequisite for "getting" the movie any more than I think belief in zombies, vampires, aliens, or werewolves is a requirement for finding other horror movies scary. I just look at the religious aspects of THE EXORCIST the same way I look at silver bullets or ray guns in other films -- just a convenient fantasy plot device.
 

Shayne Lebrun

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Jun 17, 1999
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Scary? I fail to see why.
That's because you're seeing it from the perspective of a 2003 movie goer, not a 1970s movie goer. It's the same reason people don't stand up and applaud the 'I don't give a damn' line when they see Gone with the Wind, or why we don't have riots in the streets at orchestral performances of Stravinsky's 'Rite of Spring.'
 

RobertR

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That's because you're seeing it from the perspective of a 2003 movie goer, not a 1970s movie goer.
No. I'm talking about the perspective I had (and have had ever since) when I saw the film during its initial run in 1974. It had plenty of creepy ambience, but it did NOT scare me. I've mentioned before that I saw it with my father, who laughed out loud at some of the more outrageous effects (the head spinning, projectile vomiting, etc.).
 

Agee Bassett

Supporting Actor
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Feb 13, 2001
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I don't think belief in religion is a prerequisite for "getting" the movie any more than I think belief in zombies, vampires, aliens, or werewolves is a requirement for finding other horror movies scary. I just look at the religious aspects of THE EXORCIST the same way I look at silver bullets or ray guns in other films -- just a convenient fantasy plot device.
Good point. I, for one, have a hard time understanding why more people cannot apply the same logic to other religiously-themed films, like Ben-Hur. You don't have to buy into its theology, but that shouldn't stop you from investing into it as a dramatic device.
 

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