The Exorcist (1973)
The scariest classic horror of all time?
Presentation:
Back in 1973, this was considered one of the scariest films of all time. So much so that people would leave the theatre in mass hysteria. Watching today, I didn’t find it chilling at all. What’s more fascinating about this film is the backstory. This film was supposedly haunted with things going wrong on set and crew members dying under strange circumstances. When you see the film, it sort of makes sense. The practical effects in this film remain timeless and what it doesn’t deliver in scares ends up delivering in story. I was fascinated by the stories and characters, something Friedkin is very good at developing in all of his films. This means that the beginning drags on far longer than it should with perhaps one of the slower introductions in recent memory. Basically nothing happens in the first 30 minutes, which I suppose makes the turn all the more shocking from the mundane. The moody lighting is very well done and does a lot of heavy lifting especially because there is minimal soundtrack other than the opening iconic theme.
Conclusion:
For me, a great horror needs to have a great story. Even though nothing in this film was scary, I found the story really interesting. That may be because of my desensitization with the genre. The whole presentation of subliminal images felt weaksauce to me in 2025 after all modern films have already evolved upon it. Peering back into time, this film is only fine, but boy what a trip it must have been to experience such novel effects in 1973.
Recommendations
Fighting fire with dynamite.