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Almost 50 years after being released, "The Exorcist" to this day still remains the measuring stick to which all other horror films are compared. That is legendary.
One of my aunts saw this when she was in her 20's. The movie scared people so much that the theaters were giving out vomit bags for people who had a weak stomach. Some even left the theaters during the movie cause they couldn't handle it.
The voice and wheezing noises she makes came from a woman who was found by scouting for a person who smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day...she later died of cancer
I’m so confused because I just watched this movie on HBO and that scene wasn’t on there at all and I’m so mad. I watched it and right away went and watched this reaction. The HBO version has so many missing parts and it’s still 2 hrs long
I have heard similar scream in an Indian thriller movie.. Also.. It reminds me of a scream I guess from "silence of the lamb" Movie.. That psychopathic scream thingy!!
"This will be the first horror movie I have watched." That's like saying, "Hey, I'm a new mountain climber, just bought these boots, and I'm going to climb Mt. Everest."
One of the greatest films - horror or not - ever. Visceral and completely unnerving. I met William Friedkin several yrs ago - intense but very polite & kind. Longer ago I went to a special screening in NYC @ Radio City Music Hall (decades before they used to run movies there too) and when I arrived at the entrance an elegantly dressed woman arrived at the same exact moment. Being a gentleman I opened it for her and ushered her into the lobby - she smiled and said 'Thank you!' Moments later the same woman, Ellen Burstyn who plays the mom, was onstage introducing the film. Great job Trix.
Trixy: There are things in old movies, such as this one, that young reactors like you must miss simply because of your youth. For example, the tiny white pills in a tiny metal container was Nitro Glycerin commonly described for heart patients when this movie was made. The movie was letting its viewers know the old priest had a serious heart condition the demon would later exploit to cause him to have a heart attack. Another example: When a patient would get an MRI brain scan, they would shoot dye into the neck of the patient to better show what was going on in the brain. Also, when this movie came out, there were NO demonic possession movies. This was the first of its kind, based on a true story. That made it scarier. The only way to see was on the big screen in a darkened movie theater. That, too, made it scarier. It was the only movie of its kind in which the charters were true to life and reacted to the events in the movie the way people would have reacted in real life. That made it feel more real. That made the movie scarier, too. Lastly, you can't just sit in silence and take fully take in the movie, and how frightening it truly is when you have to think about what you are going to say and say it because you are doing a reaction video. The bottom line is, for us that saw it in 1973, this movie was, by miles, the scariest movie we ever saw or will ever see.
The movies the detective described to the priests, too. If the reactors knew who the actors he mentioned were, they'd know how ridiculous they'd be playing those parts.
Reactors are too young to fully "get" most earlier films. Especially from the 70s. Saying things like "why are they talking that way?" or "why is he smoking?", etc. And forget about cultural references which means they miss half the jokes in some comedies. I dread the day when we go to a theater and half the audience wont stop talking (reacting)! I consider these more as Mystery Science Theater...for good movies. And they ask questions about things that are covered in the film but they missed it hecause theyre talking over dialogue. And their displays! One guy i saw was "reacting" to 2001...on a 20-inch monitor! Another was watching Forbidden Planet...on a tablet! Really sad way to see/experience films when you think about it.
Oh yeah, I was going to mention those nitro-glycerin tablets, think they were marketed under a different name so people wouldn't think they were eating explosives (the tablets are a non-explosive form of the chemical).
Hey Blue, I think the reason, "The Exorcist " resonate so deeply after all these years is the fact that it is one of the first reality based horror flicks that was created. Before that horror movies were about vampires and Werewolves and they were pretty over the top, so you could detach yourself from these events actually taking place. Not so with "The Exorcist" I will never touch a Weegee board in life and don't even try to bring one in the room. I will run the other way for sure. With the Exorcist you fell that you this could definitely happen to you or a love one. And you would be powerless to fight back. Lengenary for sure.
Nobody really ever seems to realize what Father Karras does at the end. He's not attacking "Regan". All he sees is the demon and by willing it into himself he sacrifices his life to save someone he never met. Again, remember, he never met Regan, he only met the demon.
You are correct. People have low comprehension levels I swear. The DEMON wanted to choke and kill Regan. Karras takes control of his body and dives out the window.
This is not just a horror movie, this is The Horror Movie for excellence. My favorite along with The Shining, Rosemary's Baby, The Omen, The Thing (John Carpenter's), Silence of the Lambs and Poltergeist.
When I saw you were reacting to this movie, I said "Hell Yeah!" This is the only movie that I have to mentally prepare myself to watch. Kudos to you for watching it alone.
I saw it back in my local cinema for the 30th anniversary almost 20 yrs ago !dang it was still my best movie experience of all time! sat in a strange position because of my 1st slipped disc, when father Merrin arrived and Megan screamed his name, I had the best goosebumps from a movie ever!
I’ve never thought the newer films that depend on CGI compare to these incredibly well done practical effects. When I saw this at the theater when it was released in the early 70s I was thirteen. It scared most people who saw it. If you really enjoy the novel.
@@davidsavage5630 The best example I can think of is the wall scene in A Nightmare on Elm Street. Stretching a spandex "wall" in the original was a LOT scarier than the cgi cartoon in the reboot, which was probably 100-100,000 times more expensive.
@@thorstrebla980 Yep. The latex wall from 1984 was and still is super creepy and effective. The CGI one in the 2010s remake was just...nothing. Didn't even look like good CGI. All that stuff should be practical. But then stuff like Transformers....I'd still do as much practical as possible even then....but the Transformers themselves and a lot of the weaponry. CGI is the literal only way to do that in the way it needs to be. But they should never quit using one in favor of the other..
Note how the mother didn't seem to be familiar with the term "exorcism". That was true of most folks. This movie made many people aware of it and laid the groundwork for future possession-type movies. As well this movie shows you can generate real horror from something as mundane as crab-walking, which was an actual exercise in my PE class before this came out. Lol...the school district dropped it immediately after this film came out
The spider/backwards crawl down the stairs is still one of the creepiest and scariest moments in movie history. The build up of tension of things prior and surprise of it is brilliant. Your reaction to it is completely understandable
They actually had to take that scene out of the theater release - they thought it would scare the audience too much and put people into shock. (or that could be a really cool rumor)
The reason why it wasn’t in the theatrical cut is because the director thought it was poor pacing to find out about Burkes death and then have that jump scare right after.
My Mum went to see this film in the cinema when she was 14. Afterwards, she was that scared by it that whilst on the bus home the ticket inspector tapped her on the shoulder to ask to see her ticket and she screamed. She always maintained this was the scariest film she ever saw. These days we're desensitized to such things that we rely on jump scares but back then, this would have been genuinely terrifying
I was 9 in 1973. This was one of the scariest movies in the 1970's. There was Rosemarie's Baby, and the 3 The Omen films. And then of course Alien in 1979 which I saw when I was 15.
This is one of the scariest movies I've seen, still one of the best horror films in my opinion. Some of the other great ones about exorcism are The Rite, with Anthony Hopkins and The exorcism of Emily Rose. Both based on real events.
The first time I saw this was in theaters for the 2000 re-release along with the extended cut. I was 17 or 18 at the time and I was a fan of horror movies. This one REALLY stuck with me. Especially that creepy face that keeps flashing every so often. I still hate that face to this day.
same here - I was 21 and having been born in the UK in 1979 I had no access to even the theatrical cut up until then as it had been banned in the early 80's during the 'video nasty' moral panic.
It was a holy medal of a saint used for protection against evil. The medal showed up with the artifact in Iraq. It was a sign to Father Merrin that the demon he had faced before was coming to face him again.
This movie came out the day after Christmas in 1973 when I was 19. How do I remember that? I took a date to this the day it opened. I thought it'd be a regular horror movie because there had never been a movie like this before. My date made us leave at the bed shaking scene. I had to go back by myself a week later to see the rest of the movie.
I have no idea how many horror movies I've watched, but only two have made me come out of my seat. This is one. On the pyramid of horror, this movie is at the top.
I got to see The Exorcist in the cinema when it was reissued in the late 90s; it was absolutely stunning on the big screen. The juxtaposition of very bright, loud scenes & dark, quiet scenes in one of the things that helps add to the terrifying nature of this film. Personally I actually prefer the extended directors cut, as it adds a little bit more to the film. Fun Fact: In ancient Mesopotamia, the demon Pazuzu was the king of the demons of the wind, brother of Humbaba and son of the god Hanbi. He also represented the southwestern wind, the bearer of storms and drought. Pazuzu is often depicted as a combination of diverse animal and human parts. He has the body of a man, the head of a lion or dog, talons of an eagle, two pairs of wings, a scorpion's tail and a serpentine penis. He has his right hand up and left hand down. Pazuzu was invoked in apotropaic amulets (the charm we see falling & which Regan has). These combat the powers of his rival, the malicious goddess Lamashtu, who was believed to cause harm to mother and child during childbirth. Although Pazuzu is, himself, considered to be an evil spirit, he drives and frightens away other evil spirits, therefore protecting humans against plagues and misfortunes. So technically when Pazuzu appears in Regan’s bedroom, he was protecting her. Also Regarding Ouija Boards The Ouija board, in fact, came straight out of the American 19th century obsession with spiritualism, the belief that the dead are able to communicate with the living. Spiritualism, which had been around for years in Europe, hit America hard in 1848 with the sudden prominence of the Fox sisters of upstate New York; the Foxes claimed to receive messages from spirits who rapped on the walls in answer to questions, recreating this feat of channeling in parlors across the state. Aided by the stories about the celebrity sisters and other spiritualists in the new national press, spiritualism reached millions of adherents at its peak in the second half of the 19th century. Spiritualism worked for Americans: it was compatible with Christian dogma, meaning one could hold a séance on Saturday night and have no qualms about going to church the next day. It was an acceptable, even wholesome activity to contact spirits at séances, through automatic writing, or table turning parties, in which participants would place their hands on a small table and watch it begin shake and rattle, while they all declared that they weren’t moving it. The movement also offered solace in an era when the average lifespan was less than 50: Women died in childbirth; children died of disease; and men died in war. Even Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of the venerable president, conducted séances in the White House after their 11-year-old son died of a fever in 1862; during the Civil War, spiritualism gained adherents in droves, people desperate to connect with loved ones who’d gone away to war and never come home. Over the years the popularity of Ouija boards fluctuated, but following the success of The Exorcist, the fabric of popular culture surrounding them was forever changed & we’re left with what is nothing more than an irrational fear of a board game. Fun Fact: several of the Priests were actually practicing Priests. They were initially hired as technical advisers, but were then cast into the roles. They accepted these under the condition that the concept of possession was treated with the utmost seriousness. Also, when you see the actress who portrayed Regan’s mother fall & grab her back…..that reaction was genuine, due to the stage hands pulling her over with such force. Oh & another thing; one of the radiographer (Paul Bateson) was a real life serial killer!!
good reaction for one so young, I'm going to try to explain a little of this. I was born Catholic so exorcism is part of our religion, though rarely talked about. This movie was based on the last church approved exorcism in the USA. To me its the element of truth that makes this more than just a "scary movie" since I totally believe in possession its especially worrisome. The thing to remember about possession is that the demon has to be invited in, as when the priest said "take me" at the end. A Ouija board is supposed to open the door to the "other side", its not a toy though its often marketed as one. There's lots more, including the relevance of the very beginning excavation scene. But I'll stop here, all the best!
Loved your reaction. This movie was the first of its kind in that it was based in reality. When it was released, people were crying and fainting in the theaters, and many just walked out. They couldn't handle it. In my opinion, the 80s were the golden age of horror films. My recommendation for you is The Thing (1982)...or anything horror-related made by John Carpenter.
The spider walk was one of the scenes added for the extended cut. There are a few reasons it was not originally used in 1973 but I think the main reason was that they were not able to hide the wires in 1973. With the 2000 extended re-release they used digital technology to erase the wires.
Loved your reaction. Now you know why this movie is so iconic. People had never seen anything like it in 1973 (I think it was '73). Not only was the movie upsetting to many, but the things they subjected this little girl (I think Linda Blair was 12 at the time) to, was even _more_ upsetting. I have a few suggestions for you, if you're going to continue the Halloween themed reactions. "An American Werewolf in London" is a fantastic horror/comedy from 1981? (or "82?). Gore, jump scares, humor, surprise dream sequences, love story, sex scene(not very graphic), unusual ending. It's got it all. Oh yeah, the Werewolf transformation scene is iconic, It's been 40 years and no other movie has done anything near as well/good. "The Haunting of Hill House" is probably the best horror series I've seen in a long time. It has 10 episodes, probably too many for you to react to, but I suggest you watch them on your free time. It's much deeper than just a horror story. Most people I've seen reacting to it, cry at some point (some at _several_ points).
And had a body double for certain scenes. Eileen Dietzen, I believe, was the name of her body double...but not for the scene you'd imagine(if I remember correctly).
@@cmr8er8 I read somewhere that Linda actually broke bones in her back while filming the scene where she was going violently back & forth on the bed. I could understand using a double for several scenes, but she must've done something to bteak bones. Like I said, I just _read_ it somewhere, I don't remember where.
@@taylortyler1867 Yeah, she's stated in interviews that that scene messed up her back. If I remember correctly, the use of the body double came about as a result of all the make-up and prosthetics they had to use.
The demon was after Karras.he was having a crises of faith and made him a target.the girl and even Merrin were just pawns to get Karras..you did a wonderful job Blue as usual
You're half right. The girl was just bait. But the demon's beef was with Father Merrin. Merrin had exorcize the demon 12 years prior. It nearly killed Merrin. The demon used Damien to get Merrin there. The demon essentially wanted a rematch. It had unfinished business.
not a commonly known fact, but the man to whom Regan says "You're going to die up there" is an astronaut and there is actually a side sequel movie about him going into space.
I love The Exorcist because it's a slow burn leading up to the finale. My friend's brother was 12 years old when he watched this in '73. It's almost like a right of passage by saying that you watched it. All the commenters statements are true, after 50 years, this movie still holds up.
I absolutely loved your reaction. The more you find out about the details of the movie, the deeper and heavier it gets. For example; Reagan, the little girl, is the one who defaced the statue in the church. At the same time she stole that crucifix. So many incredible details that make it so much scarier. Happy Halloween from California.
I was 9 years old when this was shown on WGN "Chicago's very own channel 9." My dad was in an indulgent mood and let me watch it with him. This was before our area had cable access, so movies like this were heavily censored for TV. Still, he had 2nd thoughts in the middle of the movie and sent me to bed. I sheepishly complied, letting both my parents know how pissed off I was. 10 minutes later, they let me out to watch the rest of it. I don't know what he was worried about. While he knew how offensive the movie was in the theater (we also didn't have a VCR), it wasn't the 1st time he'd watched it on TV so he must've known the "fuck me" bits would be cut.
Jesus.....you picked one HELL of a movie to be your first horror film! Everything else from here on out will seem tame by comparison. Great vid as usual!
The story is really about Father Karras. He's a guilt ridden priest who is questioning his faith. But then he is presented with something he can't explain with logic and in the end he commits the ultimate act of love by sacrificing his life to save someone he never met. Remember, he never met Reagan, he only met the demon.
The Exorcist was the first of it’s kind. Virtually every single movie about possession takes from the this masterpiece. And this without CG and modern sound effects. Everything was analog and while some of it is dated, it gave us one of the most frightening experiences in motion picture history.
It was the first movie of this magnitude ever made and it did its job in scarring and entire generation. I was alone in my car at a drive-in movie and it scared the bejesus out of me.
The age makeup on Max Von Sydow is so good. Dick Smith was a makeup legend, and you never doubt Merrin's age or frailty here, despite the actor being only in his 40s and quite fit.
Did you know that author William Peter Blatty's novel The Exorcist was inspired by the actual 1949 exorcism of a young boy from Cottage City, Maryland, and the horrifying 1634 Loudun exorcisms? The story goes that Blatty heard about the Maryland case while he was a student at Georgetown University.
Definitely some elements from the case of Anneliese Michel which inspired the film "The Exorcism of Emily Rose". The fantastic podcast "Last Podcast On the Left" did a lengthy episode about her story and it's extremely creepy and heartbreaking. The film was a very loose interpretation of the actual events and I think failed to do her story justice.
Excited for your reaction. You did not disappoint. Hope you're not traumatized This movie starts out slowly building up the tension. The creepy music really helps with that. The movie has some gross things in it but I think its more of a psychological horror So disturbing/creepy Watched this as a kid with friends around 1991. My friend Steven ran out of the room and refused to come back in. Everyone did a very convincing acting job. I'm not a big horror fan but I definitely appreciate how well this was made especially for 1973
I've watched a bunch of other reactions and you are the 1st one I've seen that actually gets the movie. Just a side note.... the spiderwalk scene was not in the theatrical release. Also I've been to the steps it's not that far from me. It's absolutely insane to stand at the top of them and look down. I am in awe of that the stunt man he act did that twice. Great reaction!
You definitely picked up on the fact that Father Merrin and the demon had battled before. I believe that when Father Merrin's dig discovered the artifacts in the beginning that they were a warning from the demon and a hint as to who his next victim would be. The medallion that they found that was "not of the same period" was similar to the medallion Damien wore around his neck. The demon head figurine was similar to the sculptures that Regan made in her basement, including the one that Kinderman found at the bottom of the steps. Merrin may not have understood the clues to Regan and Damien but he definitely recognized the demon head. I think he knew at that moment that he would soon be called to fight the demon again. As someone else commented, despite all that Regan went through, she was not the demon's target. It was a priest, to get back at Merrin for casting him out during the exorcism in Africa years before. With Damien's crisis of faith, he was an easy choice for the demon. "It will bring us together. ... You and us."
16:00 Girl, how you managed to get your eyes that freakin' wide is amazing!! I've seen you scared, but you are straight up TERRIFIED right here! OMG, I feel a bit guilty. Glad you came out smiling after LOL!!
This movie is based on a true story. I used to pass by the building all the time where it happened. The whole top floor was barbed wired. Election Brothers hospital. My cousin was a altar boy during that time
I visited Georgetown to in spring break once,I saw those"steps"from the movie.waljung up,no problem,turning looking down,I froze,.turned and looked up at the "window".I felt a "chill".
Love seeing a kid react how people did 50 years ago!! YES! You know why it get's you, on the scare meter? Because the long, low key, dull scenes of everyday life transition into fast paced nightmare scenes... without much warning. Great juxtaposition, unexpected gross outs and chills.
The Exorcist (1973) is a classic, suspense, horror movie like NO OTHER horror movie. It's not your typical slasher/mass shooting, cheaply made, horror movie. It scared many religious people, in the US & around the world, in the 70's which made it a highly disturbing/controversial movie at the time. Also, unlike typical horror movies, The Exorcist featured popular, highly respected actors of the 70's. Acting legends like Ellen Burstyn (mother), Max Von Sydow (Father Merrin), Lee J Cobb (homicide detective), & strong, newcomers like Jason Miller (Father Karras) & Linda Blair (Regan). You will not find a better cast of actors assembled in the cheap horror films produced after The Exorcist. It was nominated for 10 Oscars, including a nomination for Best Picture, Best Actress (Burstyn), & Best Supporting Actress (Blair). The Exorcist won 2 Oscars. Cheap horror films, & their sequels, get little to no critic acclaim like The Exorcist (1973) did. That's why The Exorcist is considered the BEST suspense, horror film ever made.
This film is iconic and one of the best horror films of its time... there was actually a sequel to the 'Exorcist', 'Exorcist II: The Heretic'... but that one is apparently considered to be one of the worst films ever made. I hope you'll react to 'The Omen', one of the actors in that film played one of the earliest Doctors in Doctor Who, and I also suggest something a bit more light-hearted, a horror comedy, 'Carry On Screaming' (it's one of the classic Carry On films, one of my favourites), it also features another early classic Doctor Who Doctors... ;)
The flash of the demons face during the dream sequence of Karra’s is still one of the scariest scenes in cinema history, it lasts for a a second..great cinema!
Father Merrin was the one who released the evil spirit when he removed the sculpture of the demons head from the ground and the gust of wind that came out of the hole was the spirit being released,
The spider walk doesn’t even exist in the book. Instead, a worst description of what happens that night made me close the book and wait to the next day to collect the courage to continue reading.
The scary thing it that it is based on a true story. It was a 14 year old boy, not a 12 year old girl. The real house is still standing and located in Bel Nor, Montana. It has been featured on some ghost hunting shows.
The "coin" at the end was a St. Joseph's medal. Father Merrin finds one in Iraq at the beginning. Father Karrass sees one falling in his dream. The demon pulls Karrass' medal off in the bedroom at the end before leaping into the priest. (I would recommend The Shining. Alien. Psycho.)
The saint medal protected Damien. The demon had to tear it off him before it could enter. Once the demon entered him, he fought it just long enough to hurl himself out the window to protect Reagan. He sacrificed himself to save her. I recommend The Blair Witch Project and The Village.
"Why in the throat???" That's the way they used to do arteriograms. And yes, thank goodness for progress. :) I've seen this film around 800 times since 1980, and you did an admirable job for your first time.
I knew Blue would have an out of body experience with "THe Exorcist" once Riley peed herself at the dinner party. If Blue was disturbed then, I don't know if she could handle the rest. Lucifer trying to make her mother eat her cooch, or the infamous crab walk down the stairs. We have a long way to go. I hope BLue doesn't need a night light for the next 6 months. "The Exorcist " can make you rethink your soul for sure. Oh I almost forgot the 360 head spin with viseral neck cracking. A sight only a mother of a possessed girl could bear to watch.
The radiographer is actually in jail or murder. She was first having a Carotid Angiogram and then a Pneumoencephalogram on the Philips Polytome, that's the device that had the x-ray spinning above her. In reality the table would be moving in a seesaw motion at the same time. Otherwise they put you in a chair and spun you upside down and took scans at a dozen different degrees to get different vascular/CSF displacements. Both are dangerous. Both phased out now for modern use of MRI and CT. CT came out a few years after this film was made then MRI came out another 10 years later. Pneumoencephalograms require a 'spinal tap' they remove CSF fluid from your brain and replace with air. This is to make the contrast better on x-ray, as x-ray is very poor at discriminating soft tissue. Yes, she would have been crying and screaming. She would have been in pain for weeks after the procedure.
I saw this film on the first day of release in Glasgow and there was a picket line of priests and nuns outside the cinema urging folk not to go in and risk their souls - seriously it was not a publicity stunt! The churches had tried and failed to get the film banned. The hype had been so great that folk were fainting, running out of the cinema and throwing up during the showing.
I believe it's from a true story that happened in Germany in the 50s or 60s. The girl, Linda Blair, couldn't get many acting jobs after this, kinda cursed! But she should have got an Oscar and lifetime Oscar for this! The mom is Ellen Burstin, with many fine acting roles. What she did in Requiem for a Dream, was outstanding!! So many pro tips on this...look up in here, any shorts or documentary on it. It still sets the standard for horror! To put movies up with this I would say first 3 evil dead, drag me to hell( same director 😮) the descent, barbarian, the nun, woman in black, The Thing, The Fly, Alien, the shining, and as good or better than this, hereditary! The old priest was only 42, makeup job. He had some trouble getting roles after this because directors thought he was older! The green puke hit him in the face, it wasn't supposed to but the director had it happen for a more surprised look on his face! Sometimes the director fired gunshots next to an actor, for A very surprised look on their faces! He kept the room at 40 degrees! The mom was permanently hurt during her fight scene with Reagan! The woman who does the voice was originally uncredited, she didn't want it known it was her! Orson Welles called her the greatest voice actress of all time! She smoked cigs and drank whiskey daily her whole life! Linda had to have 24/7 security for almost a year, people were convinced she was possessed! Basically this movie is a second rematch. Marron found the idol, and the Catholic pendant, in the beginning. In Iraq. How they both got here, I don't know. 'm guessing the pendant was with the idol, to keep it contained. Likely it was this demon, Pazuzu or Paimon. Then his exorcism that lasted 6 months in Africa, it was this demon again. Somehow, the pendant made it's way to the younger priest who wore it for protection and a piece of the idol, made it to this house.this is why the old priest, and this demon knew each other. In Iraq, the evil idol, and st judes pendant, were together. As if the pendant was holding back the demon.
When this came out, you needed a note if a minor to get admission, which at 13, my friends and I all got from our parents. None of us ever spoke of it ever again, and I slept with the lights on for at least a year after. Still a powerful thing. Honestly wish I'd never seen it.
Blue not bad for a movie that will be 50 years old in 2023. Allthe effects were practical no CGI and basically the only difference is what is known as the spider walk scene. It was cut from the original release because you could see the wires. This version was able to digitally remove the wires. This movie also used subliminal sound to amp up the creepiness. Many of the background demonic sounds like when Father Merrin squared off with the statue the director used the sound of bees layered into the noise. Bee sounds can trigger a fear response subconsciously in some people. The lack of any music in the background of scenes also makes you focus more intently on the action.
@@nsasupporter7557 Ouija boards date back to the early 1900's and were considered for the most part a fun parlor game it was this movie that planted the evil and dangerous reputation Ouija boards now have
“What the hell did I just witness?!” And you’re watching it with lights on and a small screen. Can you even imagine what it must have been like in 1973? In a dark theater with lights off and a giant screen with others screaming? No wonder there were people running out of the theaters, watch the videos on TH-cam they are very insightful. We have to remember people hadn’t been desensitized with decades of horror, blood and gore in their movies back then. It was shocking to say the least. Great reaction video.
In the novel, possessed regan was no longer eating that’s why she had the nasogastric tube in. So when she threw up, she was vomiting bile. That was what she vomited at father karras in the novel.
I recommend watching the first season of The Exorcist TV series, it works as a sequel to this movie. Not as good as the movie, of course, but definitely better than the movie sequels.
Scariest part of the Exorcist has to be location. I grew up about three or four blocks from that house and those freaking stairs. First saw the movie when I was 15, did not want to go near those stairs for the longest time….still won’t go down (or up) those stairs at night.
This is the only horror film that freaked me out as a kid. I think it impacts people who believe in God and the Devil the most. The idea that evil can, without reason or invitation, possess the body of the most innocent, and appear more powerful than good, and in the end, manage to escape, paints a most horrific message. As for the film, yes, this was the same demon (as symbolized by the demonic statue (demon is named Pazuzu) seen at the start of the film when Merrin was in Iraq) Merrin defeated ten years prior. The demon manipulated events (possessing the daughter of a famous actress, faking pain at the tap water in an effort to meet the criteria for an exorcism, using the words, "help me" to surface on the girl's belly) to lure Merrin back for a final showdown. The demon laughed during the exorcism as it realized Merrin had lost much of his power and stamina. The demon was also dumbfounded when Merrin collapsed and died, and then laughed once it realized that it indirectly caused his death by causing such stress on his fragile health which caused heart failure. The medallion Father Karras wore (St. Joseph) symbolized his faith, which already was on shaky ground as he admitted. When the demon tore off the medallion, it symbolized that his faith--which protected him--was willingly abandoned in an effort to save the girl's life/soul. Therefore, the demon could take advantage of the "invitation" of possession by Karras, who retained enough of himself to fight it and jumped out the window. Although Karras was himself when he jumped, the fact his face returned to normal also indicated the demon left his body just before the fatal fall. So, even though the girl's soul was saved, it came at the cost of three lives, including two of God's servants.
Almost 50 years after being released, "The Exorcist" to this day still remains the measuring stick to which all other horror films are compared. That is legendary.
Yeah, that combination of really good acting, screenplay and practical fx is rarely achieved!
*its the only movie that sacred me the right way*
That flight of stairs outside,some people are a little hesitant to walk them,because of the movie.
Even though this film is like...50 years old. It's still creepy and not dated at all....no wonder people back in the day were so frightened by this.
One of my aunts saw this when she was in her 20's. The movie scared people so much that the theaters were giving out vomit bags for people who had a weak stomach. Some even left the theaters during the movie cause they couldn't handle it.
First time i saw "c******" as a verb heh
My mom saw this film with her sisters back when this came out. They were so spooked by it they slept in the same room together for a week!
The voice and wheezing noises she makes came from a woman who was found by scouting for a person who smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day...she later died of cancer
It is dated in some ways,c'mon...but it is very much a classic,yes🎩
16:04 - Best reaction ever to the staircase scene. A scream so blood-curdling it could have been in the movie!
I was doing some work listening…. I heard that yell and looked up..saw the staircase and was like..yup..that will do it lol
I’m so confused because I just watched this movie on HBO and that scene wasn’t on there at all and I’m so mad. I watched it and right away went and watched this reaction. The HBO version has so many missing parts and it’s still 2 hrs long
@@dedo7326 That's because you watched the original theatrical version; the staircase scene is only in the Director's Cut.
I have heard similar scream in an Indian thriller movie..
Also.. It reminds me of a scream I guess from "silence of the lamb" Movie..
That psychopathic scream thingy!!
This is not "old school" horror, this is first day of school horror. This is the where true horror was born
"This will be the first horror movie I have watched." That's like saying, "Hey, I'm a new mountain climber, just bought these boots, and I'm going to climb Mt. Everest."
*breaks leg trying on boots in the shoe store
One of the greatest films - horror or not - ever. Visceral and completely unnerving. I met William Friedkin several yrs ago - intense but very polite & kind. Longer ago I went to a special screening in NYC @ Radio City Music Hall (decades before they used to run movies there too) and when I arrived at the entrance an elegantly dressed woman arrived at the same exact moment. Being a gentleman I opened it for her and ushered her into the lobby - she smiled and said 'Thank you!' Moments later the same woman, Ellen Burstyn who plays the mom, was onstage introducing the film. Great job Trix.
Trixy: There are things in old movies, such as this one, that young reactors like you must miss simply because of your youth. For example, the tiny white pills in a tiny metal container was Nitro Glycerin commonly described for heart patients when this movie was made. The movie was letting its viewers know the old priest had a serious heart condition the demon would later exploit to cause him to have a heart attack. Another example: When a patient would get an MRI brain scan, they would shoot dye into the neck of the patient to better show what was going on in the brain. Also, when this movie came out, there were NO demonic possession movies. This was the first of its kind, based on a true story. That made it scarier. The only way to see was on the big screen in a darkened movie theater. That, too, made it scarier. It was the only movie of its kind in which the charters were true to life and reacted to the events in the movie the way people would have reacted in real life. That made it feel more real. That made the movie scarier, too. Lastly, you can't just sit in silence and take fully take in the movie, and how frightening it truly is when you have to think about what you are going to say and say it because you are doing a reaction video. The bottom line is, for us that saw it in 1973, this movie was, by miles, the scariest movie we ever saw or will ever see.
The movies the detective described to the priests, too. If the reactors knew who the actors he mentioned were, they'd know how ridiculous they'd be playing those parts.
Reactors are too young to fully "get" most earlier films. Especially from the 70s. Saying things like "why are they talking that way?" or "why is he smoking?", etc. And forget about cultural references which means they miss half the jokes in some comedies. I dread the day when we go to a theater and half the audience wont stop talking (reacting)! I consider these more as Mystery Science Theater...for good movies. And they ask questions about things that are covered in the film but they missed it hecause theyre talking over dialogue. And their displays! One guy i saw was "reacting" to 2001...on a 20-inch monitor! Another was watching Forbidden Planet...on a tablet! Really sad way to see/experience films when you think about it.
Hate to say it, but so many young people are just plain idiots today. And have you noticed that about half are illiterate too?
Oh yeah, I was going to mention those nitro-glycerin tablets, think they were marketed under a different name so people wouldn't think they were eating explosives (the tablets are a non-explosive form of the chemical).
@@Joe-hh8gd many people today are just stupid and lazy and have no sense of civilization whatsoever...
21:05 ''Holy Jesus, what the hell did i just witness?'' Welcome to the OG horror movie. Almost 50 years later, still in the top 5.
"I've seen The Exorcist about 167 times and it keeps getting funnier EVERY TIME I SEE IT!"
- Beetlejuice
The scene where she is reverse crab walking down the stairs is the extra scene they added for the directors extended cut.
Hey Blue, I think the reason, "The Exorcist " resonate so deeply after all these years is the fact that it is one of the first reality based horror flicks that was created. Before that horror movies were about vampires and Werewolves and they were pretty over the top, so you could detach yourself from these events actually taking place. Not so with "The Exorcist" I will never touch a Weegee board in life and don't even try to bring one in the room. I will run the other way for sure. With the Exorcist you fell that you this could definitely happen to you or a love one. And you would be powerless to fight back. Lengenary for sure.
Nobody really ever seems to realize what Father Karras does at the end. He's not attacking "Regan". All he sees is the demon and by willing it into himself he sacrifices his life to save someone he never met. Again, remember, he never met Regan, he only met the demon.
You are correct. People have low comprehension levels I swear. The DEMON wanted to choke and kill Regan. Karras takes control of his body and dives out the window.
I was raised Catholic and this movie is a masterpiece. Even now as an atheist I still love it.
To me,the freakiest part of this movie,after the preist goes out the window,then down a flight of stairs.later on wiggles his fingers.
This is not just a horror movie, this is The Horror Movie for excellence. My favorite along with The Shining, Rosemary's Baby, The Omen, The Thing (John Carpenter's), Silence of the Lambs and Poltergeist.
The onlybthing I don't like on the shining it has the same ending as burnt offerings with oliver reed. Which came out before the shineing
Excelent films
& Psycho
When I saw you were reacting to this movie, I said "Hell Yeah!" This is the only movie that I have to mentally prepare myself to watch. Kudos to you for watching it alone.
I saw it back in my local cinema for the 30th anniversary almost 20 yrs ago !dang it was still my best movie experience of all time! sat in a strange position because of my 1st slipped disc, when father Merrin arrived and Megan screamed his name, I had the best goosebumps from a movie ever!
not a coin, a holy medallion with the likeness of a saint on it
Fun Fact" Max Von Sydow AKA Father Merrin was only 44 when he played the 80 year old priest in The Exorcist.
I’ve never thought the newer films that depend on CGI compare to these incredibly well done practical effects. When I saw this at the theater when it was released in the early 70s I was thirteen. It scared most people who saw it. If you really enjoy the novel.
Linda Blair paid for those practical effects with a lifelong back injury.
CGI certainly has its place but not as an alternative to the type of work done in The Exorcist. Because everything in The Exorcist looks phenomenal..
@@davidsavage5630 The best example I can think of is the wall scene in A Nightmare on Elm Street. Stretching a spandex "wall" in the original was a LOT scarier than the cgi cartoon in the reboot, which was probably 100-100,000 times more expensive.
@@thorstrebla980 Yep. The latex wall from 1984 was and still is super creepy and effective. The CGI one in the 2010s remake was just...nothing. Didn't even look like good CGI. All that stuff should be practical. But then stuff like Transformers....I'd still do as much practical as possible even then....but the Transformers themselves and a lot of the weaponry. CGI is the literal only way to do that in the way it needs to be. But they should never quit using one in favor of the other..
I saw this back in 1973 at the theater. I still consider it to be the scariest movie I have ever seen.
Note how the mother didn't seem to be familiar with the term "exorcism". That was true of most folks. This movie made many people aware of it and laid the groundwork for future possession-type movies.
As well this movie shows you can generate real horror from something as mundane as crab-walking, which was an actual exercise in my PE class before this came out. Lol...the school district dropped it immediately after this film came out
"I’ve seen 'The Exorcist' about 167 times and it keeps getting funnier every single time I see it".
The spider/backwards crawl down the stairs is still one of the creepiest and scariest moments in movie history. The build up of tension of things prior and surprise of it is brilliant.
Your reaction to it is completely understandable
They actually had to take that scene out of the theater release - they thought it would scare the audience too much and put people into shock. (or that could be a really cool rumor)
@@zeer0squared Aye i remember hearing it was removed for being too much for the times
The reason why it wasn’t in the theatrical cut is because the director thought it was poor pacing to find out about Burkes death and then have that jump scare right after.
No the director said you can see the strings. That's why they took it out. Now they can remove it so you can't notice it.
I don't watch reactions that don't include this scene, it's my favorite scene and gets the beat scare reaction 😅
My Mum went to see this film in the cinema when she was 14. Afterwards, she was that scared by it that whilst on the bus home the ticket inspector tapped her on the shoulder to ask to see her ticket and she screamed. She always maintained this was the scariest film she ever saw. These days we're desensitized to such things that we rely on jump scares but back then, this would have been genuinely terrifying
16:02 best reaction to the spider walk scene
I was 9 in 1973. This was one of the scariest movies in the 1970's. There was Rosemarie's Baby, and the 3 The Omen films. And then of course Alien in 1979 which I saw when I was 15.
The only thing that actually ages this movie is the amount of people smoking in a hospital.
This is one of the scariest movies I've seen, still one of the best horror films in my opinion. Some of the other great ones about exorcism are The Rite, with Anthony Hopkins and The exorcism of Emily Rose. Both based on real events.
Glad to see more people discovering the Exorcist.
The first time I saw this was in theaters for the 2000 re-release along with the extended cut. I was 17 or 18 at the time and I was a fan of horror movies. This one REALLY stuck with me. Especially that creepy face that keeps flashing every so often. I still hate that face to this day.
same here - I was 21 and having been born in the UK in 1979 I had no access to even the theatrical cut up until then as it had been banned in the early 80's during the 'video nasty' moral panic.
It was a holy medal of a saint used for protection against evil. The medal showed up with the artifact in Iraq. It was a sign to Father Merrin that the demon he had faced before was coming to face him again.
This movie came out the day after Christmas in 1973 when I was 19. How do I remember that? I took a date to this the day it opened. I thought it'd be a regular horror movie because there had never been a movie like this before.
My date made us leave at the bed shaking scene. I had to go back by myself a week later to see the rest of the movie.
I have no idea how many horror movies I've watched, but only two have made me come out of my seat. This is one. On the pyramid of horror, this movie is at the top.
I got to see The Exorcist in the cinema when it was reissued in the late 90s; it was absolutely stunning on the big screen. The juxtaposition of very bright, loud scenes & dark, quiet scenes in one of the things that helps add to the terrifying nature of this film.
Personally I actually prefer the extended directors cut, as it adds a little bit more to the film.
Fun Fact:
In ancient Mesopotamia, the demon Pazuzu was the king of the demons of the wind, brother of Humbaba and son of the god Hanbi. He also represented the southwestern wind, the bearer of storms and drought.
Pazuzu is often depicted as a combination of diverse animal and human parts. He has the body of a man, the head of a lion or dog, talons of an eagle, two pairs of wings, a scorpion's tail and a serpentine penis. He has his right hand up and left hand down.
Pazuzu was invoked in apotropaic amulets (the charm we see falling & which Regan has). These combat the powers of his rival, the malicious goddess Lamashtu, who was believed to cause harm to mother and child during childbirth. Although Pazuzu is, himself, considered to be an evil spirit, he drives and frightens away other evil spirits, therefore protecting humans against plagues and misfortunes. So technically when Pazuzu appears in Regan’s bedroom, he was protecting her.
Also Regarding Ouija Boards
The Ouija board, in fact, came straight out of the American 19th century obsession with spiritualism, the belief that the dead are able to communicate with the living. Spiritualism, which had been around for years in Europe, hit America hard in 1848 with the sudden prominence of the Fox sisters of upstate New York; the Foxes claimed to receive messages from spirits who rapped on the walls in answer to questions, recreating this feat of channeling in parlors across the state. Aided by the stories about the celebrity sisters and other spiritualists in the new national press, spiritualism reached millions of adherents at its peak in the second half of the 19th century. Spiritualism worked for Americans: it was compatible with Christian dogma, meaning one could hold a séance on Saturday night and have no qualms about going to church the next day. It was an acceptable, even wholesome activity to contact spirits at séances, through automatic writing, or table turning parties, in which participants would place their hands on a small table and watch it begin shake and rattle, while they all declared that they weren’t moving it. The movement also offered solace in an era when the average lifespan was less than 50: Women died in childbirth; children died of disease; and men died in war. Even Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of the venerable president, conducted séances in the White House after their 11-year-old son died of a fever in 1862; during the Civil War, spiritualism gained adherents in droves, people desperate to connect with loved ones who’d gone away to war and never come home.
Over the years the popularity of Ouija boards fluctuated, but following the success of The Exorcist, the fabric of popular culture surrounding them was forever changed & we’re left with what is nothing more than an irrational fear of a board game.
Fun Fact: several of the Priests were actually practicing Priests. They were initially hired as technical advisers, but were then cast into the roles. They accepted these under the condition that the concept of possession was treated with the utmost seriousness.
Also, when you see the actress who portrayed Regan’s mother fall & grab her back…..that reaction was genuine, due to the stage hands pulling her over with such force.
Oh & another thing; one of the radiographer (Paul Bateson) was a real life serial killer!!
good reaction for one so young, I'm going to try to explain a little of this. I was born Catholic so exorcism is part of our religion, though rarely talked about. This movie was based on the last church approved exorcism in the USA. To me its the element of truth that makes this more than just a "scary movie" since I totally believe in possession its especially worrisome. The thing to remember about possession is that the demon has to be invited in, as when the priest said "take me" at the end. A Ouija board is supposed to open the door to the "other side", its not a toy though its often marketed as one. There's lots more, including the relevance of the very beginning excavation scene. But I'll stop here, all the best!
omg your reaction to her coming down the stairs on all 4s was priceless, i dont think ive ever heard you scream that loud
Loved your reaction. This movie was the first of its kind in that it was based in reality. When it was released, people were crying and fainting in the theaters, and many just walked out. They couldn't handle it. In my opinion, the 80s were the golden age of horror films. My recommendation for you is The Thing (1982)...or anything horror-related made by John Carpenter.
that spider walk. YES!!! JUMP
The spider walk was one of the scenes added for the extended cut. There are a few reasons it was not originally used in 1973 but I think the main reason was that they were not able to hide the wires in 1973. With the 2000 extended re-release they used digital technology to erase the wires.
Loved your reaction. Now you know why this movie is so iconic. People had never seen anything like it in 1973 (I think it was '73). Not only was the movie upsetting to many, but the things they subjected this little girl (I think Linda Blair was 12 at the time) to, was even _more_ upsetting. I have a few suggestions for you, if you're going to continue the Halloween themed reactions. "An American Werewolf in London" is a fantastic horror/comedy from 1981? (or "82?). Gore, jump scares, humor, surprise dream sequences, love story, sex scene(not very graphic), unusual ending. It's got it all. Oh yeah, the Werewolf transformation scene is iconic, It's been 40 years and no other movie has done anything near as well/good. "The Haunting of Hill House" is probably the best horror series I've seen in a long time. It has 10 episodes, probably too many for you to react to, but I suggest you watch them on your free time. It's much deeper than just a horror story. Most people I've seen reacting to it, cry at some point (some at _several_ points).
She was 14 portraying a 12 year old.
And had a body double for certain scenes. Eileen Dietzen, I believe, was the name of her body double...but not for the scene you'd imagine(if I remember correctly).
@@cmr8er8 I read somewhere that Linda actually broke bones in her back while filming the scene where she was going violently back & forth on the bed. I could understand using a double for several scenes, but she must've done something to bteak bones. Like I said, I just _read_ it somewhere, I don't remember where.
@@taylortyler1867 She had back problems for life.
@@taylortyler1867 Yeah, she's stated in interviews that that scene messed up her back. If I remember correctly, the use of the body double came about as a result of all the make-up and prosthetics they had to use.
The demon was after Karras.he was having a crises of faith and made him a target.the girl and even Merrin were just pawns to get Karras..you did a wonderful job Blue as usual
You're half right. The girl was just bait. But the demon's beef was with Father Merrin. Merrin had exorcize the demon 12 years prior. It nearly killed Merrin. The demon used Damien to get Merrin there. The demon essentially wanted a rematch. It had unfinished business.
not a commonly known fact, but the man to whom Regan says "You're going to die up there" is an astronaut and there is actually a side sequel movie about him going into space.
I love The Exorcist because it's a slow burn leading up to the finale. My friend's brother was 12 years old when he watched this in '73. It's almost like a right of passage by saying that you watched it. All the commenters statements are true, after 50 years, this movie still holds up.
I absolutely loved your reaction. The more you find out about the details of the movie, the deeper and heavier it gets. For example; Reagan, the little girl, is the one who defaced the statue in the church. At the same time she stole that crucifix. So many incredible details that make it so much scarier. Happy Halloween from California.
I was 9 years old when this was shown on WGN "Chicago's very own channel 9."
My dad was in an indulgent mood and let me watch it with him. This was before our area had cable access, so movies like this were heavily censored for TV. Still, he had 2nd thoughts in the middle of the movie and sent me to bed. I sheepishly complied, letting both my parents know how pissed off I was.
10 minutes later, they let me out to watch the rest of it.
I don't know what he was worried about. While he knew how offensive the movie was in the theater (we also didn't have a VCR), it wasn't the 1st time he'd watched it on TV so he must've known the "fuck me" bits would be cut.
Jesus.....you picked one HELL of a movie to be your first horror film! Everything else from here on out will seem tame by comparison.
Great vid as usual!
The Exorcist is the Queen Mother of Horror Films…EVER!!! 😱🫣❤️👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Said nobody else, ever, when watching the Exorcist, "It's just like Beetlegeuse all over again!"
The story is really about Father Karras. He's a guilt ridden priest who is questioning his faith.
But then he is presented with something he can't explain with logic and in the end he commits
the ultimate act of love by sacrificing his life to save someone he never met. Remember,
he never met Reagan, he only met the demon.
The Exorcist was the first of it’s kind. Virtually every single movie about possession takes from the this masterpiece. And this without CG and modern sound effects. Everything was analog and while some of it is dated, it gave us one of the most frightening experiences in motion picture history.
It was the first movie of this magnitude ever made and it did its job in scarring and entire generation. I was alone in my car at a drive-in movie and it scared the bejesus out of me.
The age makeup on Max Von Sydow is so good. Dick Smith was a makeup legend, and you never doubt Merrin's age or frailty here, despite the actor being only in his 40s and quite fit.
Did you know that author William Peter Blatty's novel The Exorcist was inspired by the actual 1949 exorcism of a young boy from Cottage City, Maryland, and the horrifying 1634 Loudun exorcisms? The story goes that Blatty heard about the Maryland case while he was a student at Georgetown University.
Definitely some elements from the case of Anneliese Michel which inspired the film "The Exorcism of Emily Rose". The fantastic podcast "Last Podcast On the Left" did a lengthy episode about her story and it's extremely creepy and heartbreaking. The film was a very loose interpretation of the actual events and I think failed to do her story justice.
He actually made a guess appearance in the movie too
Excited for your reaction.
You did not disappoint.
Hope you're not traumatized
This movie starts out slowly building up the tension. The creepy music really helps with that. The movie has some gross things in it but I think its more of a psychological horror
So disturbing/creepy
Watched this as a kid with friends around 1991. My friend Steven ran out of the room and refused to come back in.
Everyone did a very convincing acting job. I'm not a big horror fan but I definitely appreciate how well this was made especially for 1973
The priest's medallion had a relief of St. Joseph, among other things the patron saint of a satisfying death.
I've watched a bunch of other reactions and you are the 1st one I've seen that actually gets the movie. Just a side note.... the spiderwalk scene was not in the theatrical release. Also I've been to the steps it's not that far from me. It's absolutely insane to stand at the top of them and look down. I am in awe of that the stunt man he act did that twice. Great reaction!
Great reaction. And as I always say, read the novel to get the full story.
16:02 RIP people with headphones... 😅
Timeless! And before CGI was even a thing!
You definitely picked up on the fact that Father Merrin and the demon had battled before. I believe that when Father Merrin's dig discovered the artifacts in the beginning that they were a warning from the demon and a hint as to who his next victim would be. The medallion that they found that was "not of the same period" was similar to the medallion Damien wore around his neck. The demon head figurine was similar to the sculptures that Regan made in her basement, including the one that Kinderman found at the bottom of the steps. Merrin may not have understood the clues to Regan and Damien but he definitely recognized the demon head. I think he knew at that moment that he would soon be called to fight the demon again. As someone else commented, despite all that Regan went through, she was not the demon's target. It was a priest, to get back at Merrin for casting him out during the exorcism in Africa years before. With Damien's crisis of faith, he was an easy choice for the demon. "It will bring us together. ... You and us."
16:00 Girl, how you managed to get your eyes that freakin' wide is amazing!! I've seen you scared, but you are straight up TERRIFIED right here! OMG, I feel a bit guilty. Glad you came out smiling after LOL!!
This movie is based on a true story. I used to pass by the building all the time where it happened. The whole top floor was barbed wired. Election Brothers hospital. My cousin was a altar boy during that time
I visited Georgetown to in spring break once,I saw those"steps"from the movie.waljung up,no problem,turning looking down,I froze,.turned and looked up at the "window".I felt a "chill".
Love seeing a kid react how people did 50 years ago!! YES! You know why it get's you, on the scare meter? Because the long, low key, dull scenes of everyday life transition into fast paced nightmare scenes... without much warning. Great juxtaposition, unexpected gross outs and chills.
Creepy fact: they mixed real audio from slaughterhouses into the demon sounds.
The Exorcist (1973) is a classic, suspense, horror movie like NO OTHER horror movie. It's not your typical slasher/mass shooting, cheaply made, horror movie. It scared many religious people, in the US & around the world, in the 70's which made it a highly disturbing/controversial movie at the time. Also, unlike typical horror movies, The Exorcist featured popular, highly respected actors of the 70's. Acting legends like Ellen Burstyn (mother), Max Von Sydow (Father Merrin), Lee J Cobb (homicide detective), & strong, newcomers like Jason Miller (Father Karras) & Linda Blair (Regan). You will not find a better cast of actors assembled in the cheap horror films produced after The Exorcist. It was nominated for 10 Oscars, including a nomination for Best Picture, Best Actress (Burstyn), & Best Supporting Actress (Blair). The Exorcist won 2 Oscars. Cheap horror films, & their sequels, get little to no critic acclaim like The Exorcist (1973) did. That's why The Exorcist is considered the BEST suspense, horror film ever made.
The Exorcist is my favourite movie of all time
This film is iconic and one of the best horror films of its time... there was actually a sequel to the 'Exorcist', 'Exorcist II: The Heretic'... but that one is apparently considered to be one of the worst films ever made. I hope you'll react to 'The Omen', one of the actors in that film played one of the earliest Doctors in Doctor Who, and I also suggest something a bit more light-hearted, a horror comedy, 'Carry On Screaming' (it's one of the classic Carry On films, one of my favourites), it also features another early classic Doctor Who Doctors... ;)
It's not a horror movie that wants to cheap scares, it wants to leave you feeling disturbed, it wants to linger and touch your soul in a bad way.
The flash of the demons face during the dream sequence of Karra’s is still one of the scariest scenes in cinema history, it lasts for a a second..great cinema!
Father Merrin was the one who released the evil spirit when he removed the sculpture of the demons head from the ground and the gust of wind that came out of the hole was the spirit being released,
The spider walk doesn’t even exist in the book. Instead, a worst description of what happens that night made me close the book and wait to the next day to collect the courage to continue reading.
The scary thing it that it is based on a true story. It was a 14 year old boy, not a 12 year old girl. The real house is still standing and located in Bel Nor, Montana. It has been featured on some ghost hunting shows.
I’ve seen this movie like 10,000 times and it just keeps getting funnier every time I see it! 😂😂
You did well to get through it. I saw it in the theater when it came out and was quite terrified
Great reaction! As old as this movie is, it still holds up today…creepy AF! I would have loved to have watched this with you!
Ellen Burstyn is sooo good in this. All the acting is top notch! Classic!
The "coin" at the end was a St. Joseph's medal. Father Merrin finds one in Iraq at the beginning. Father Karrass sees one falling in his dream. The demon pulls Karrass' medal off in the bedroom at the end before leaping into the priest.
(I would recommend The Shining. Alien. Psycho.)
The staircase scene, and many other scenes, didn't make the cut eventually being cut from the movie's Theatrical release
The saint medal protected Damien. The demon had to tear it off him before it could enter.
Once the demon entered him, he fought it just long enough to hurl himself out the window to protect Reagan. He sacrificed himself to save her.
I recommend The Blair Witch Project and The Village.
"Why in the throat???" That's the way they used to do arteriograms. And yes, thank goodness for progress. :) I've seen this film around 800 times since 1980, and you did an admirable job for your first time.
Your life sounds action packed
The procedure is still similar.
@@thorstrebla980 I'm sorry to hear that.
@@fr_reynolds5002 I assure you, it is. :)
@@billshinn7001 The photograph procedure doesn't sound like machine gun fire anymore, so that's good.
Loving that "what the hell did I just watch" face at 14:16.
The omen 1976 should be good as well. Plus the Birds, REC, the Descent, Hills have Eyes and Clockwork orange
13:21 Don't be that happy yet, the injection of contrast via jugular for brain angiography is still used and CT Scan and MRI still sound like that...
I knew Blue would have an out of body experience with "THe Exorcist" once Riley peed herself at the dinner party. If Blue was disturbed then, I don't know if she could handle the rest. Lucifer trying to make her mother eat her cooch, or the infamous crab walk down the stairs. We have a long way to go.
I hope BLue doesn't need a night light for the next 6 months. "The Exorcist " can make you rethink your soul for sure.
Oh I almost forgot the 360 head spin with viseral neck cracking. A sight only a mother of a possessed girl could bear to watch.
Don,t feel bad,trixie.that "spider walk"down the stairs still freaks me out too.
The radiographer is actually in jail or murder. She was first having a Carotid Angiogram and then a Pneumoencephalogram on the Philips Polytome, that's the device that had the x-ray spinning above her. In reality the table would be moving in a seesaw motion at the same time. Otherwise they put you in a chair and spun you upside down and took scans at a dozen different degrees to get different vascular/CSF displacements. Both are dangerous. Both phased out now for modern use of MRI and CT. CT came out a few years after this film was made then MRI came out another 10 years later. Pneumoencephalograms require a 'spinal tap' they remove CSF fluid from your brain and replace with air. This is to make the contrast better on x-ray, as x-ray is very poor at discriminating soft tissue. Yes, she would have been crying and screaming. She would have been in pain for weeks after the procedure.
The demon that is found in the expedition is called Pazuzu, and he is who is possesing the girl.
I saw this film on the first day of release in Glasgow and there was a picket line of priests and nuns outside the cinema urging folk not to go in and risk their souls - seriously it was not a publicity stunt! The churches had tried and failed to get the film banned. The hype had been so great that folk were fainting, running out of the cinema and throwing up during the showing.
To me this movie is more like a documentary rather than a horror.
I believe it's from a true story that happened in Germany in the 50s or 60s. The girl, Linda Blair, couldn't get many acting jobs after this, kinda cursed! But she should have got an Oscar and lifetime Oscar for this! The mom is Ellen Burstin, with many fine acting roles. What she did in Requiem for a Dream, was outstanding!! So many pro tips on this...look up in here, any shorts or documentary on it. It still sets the standard for horror! To put movies up with this I would say first 3 evil dead, drag me to hell( same director 😮) the descent, barbarian, the nun, woman in black, The Thing, The Fly, Alien, the shining, and as good or better than this, hereditary! The old priest was only 42, makeup job. He had some trouble getting roles after this because directors thought he was older! The green puke hit him in the face, it wasn't supposed to but the director had it happen for a more surprised look on his face! Sometimes the director fired gunshots next to an actor, for A very surprised look on their faces! He kept the room at 40 degrees! The mom was permanently hurt during her fight scene with Reagan! The woman who does the voice was originally uncredited, she didn't want it known it was her! Orson Welles called her the greatest voice actress of all time! She smoked cigs and drank whiskey daily her whole life! Linda had to have 24/7 security for almost a year, people were convinced she was possessed! Basically this movie is a second rematch. Marron found the idol, and the Catholic pendant, in the beginning. In Iraq. How they both got here, I don't know. 'm guessing the pendant was with the idol, to keep it contained. Likely it was this demon, Pazuzu or Paimon. Then his exorcism that lasted 6 months in Africa, it was this demon again. Somehow, the pendant made it's way to the younger priest who wore it for protection and a piece of the idol, made it to this house.this is why the old priest, and this demon knew each other. In Iraq, the evil idol, and st judes pendant, were together. As if the pendant was holding back the demon.
Interesting fact: Linda Blair who played Rags came up with the green vomit. If you wanna know what happened to Fr. Karras check out The Exorcist III
When this came out, you needed a note if a minor to get admission, which at 13, my friends and I all got from our parents. None of us ever spoke of it ever again, and I slept with the lights on for at least a year after. Still a powerful thing. Honestly wish I'd never seen it.
Blue not bad for a movie that will be 50 years old in 2023. Allthe effects were practical no CGI and basically the only difference is what is known as the spider walk scene. It was cut from the original release because you could see the wires. This version was able to digitally remove the wires. This movie also used subliminal sound to amp up the creepiness. Many of the background demonic sounds like when Father Merrin squared off with the statue the director used the sound of bees layered into the noise. Bee sounds can trigger a fear response subconsciously in some people. The lack of any music in the background of scenes also makes you focus more intently on the action.
She said she’d never mess with a Ouija board… Blue is a smart kid!
@@nsasupporter7557 Ouija boards date back to the early 1900's and were considered for the most part a fun parlor game it was this movie that planted the evil and dangerous reputation Ouija boards now have
@@paulobrien9572 what are you talking about? Ouija boards were evil long before this movie,it had to do with the First World War in the 1800s
“What the hell did I just witness?!” And you’re watching it with lights on and a small screen. Can you even imagine what it must have been like in 1973? In a dark theater with lights off and a giant screen with others screaming? No wonder there were people running out of the theaters, watch the videos on TH-cam they are very insightful. We have to remember people hadn’t been desensitized with decades of horror, blood and gore in their movies back then. It was shocking to say the least. Great reaction video.
In the novel, possessed regan was no longer eating that’s why she had the nasogastric tube in. So when she threw up, she was vomiting bile. That was what she vomited at father karras in the novel.
I recommend watching the first season of The Exorcist TV series, it works as a sequel to this movie. Not as good as the movie, of course, but definitely better than the movie sequels.
Scariest part of the Exorcist has to be location. I grew up about three or four blocks from that house and those freaking stairs. First saw the movie when I was 15, did not want to go near those stairs for the longest time….still won’t go down (or up) those stairs at night.
Revisiting this classic reaction :) Such a great movie. Just recently watched this on the big screen for the 50th anniversary. Still great.
skip the second and watch the proper sequel Exorcist 3. Well worth watching
This is the only horror film that freaked me out as a kid. I think it impacts people who believe in God and the Devil the most. The idea that evil can, without reason or invitation, possess the body of the most innocent, and appear more powerful than good, and in the end, manage to escape, paints a most horrific message. As for the film, yes, this was the same demon (as symbolized by the demonic statue (demon is named Pazuzu) seen at the start of the film when Merrin was in Iraq) Merrin defeated ten years prior. The demon manipulated events (possessing the daughter of a famous actress, faking pain at the tap water in an effort to meet the criteria for an exorcism, using the words, "help me" to surface on the girl's belly) to lure Merrin back for a final showdown. The demon laughed during the exorcism as it realized Merrin had lost much of his power and stamina. The demon was also dumbfounded when Merrin collapsed and died, and then laughed once it realized that it indirectly caused his death by causing such stress on his fragile health which caused heart failure. The medallion Father Karras wore (St. Joseph) symbolized his faith, which already was on shaky ground as he admitted. When the demon tore off the medallion, it symbolized that his faith--which protected him--was willingly abandoned in an effort to save the girl's life/soul. Therefore, the demon could take advantage of the "invitation" of possession by Karras, who retained enough of himself to fight it and jumped out the window. Although Karras was himself when he jumped, the fact his face returned to normal also indicated the demon left his body just before the fatal fall. So, even though the girl's soul was saved, it came at the cost of three lives, including two of God's servants.
One of my favorite horror movies of all time. I'm so glad you reacted to this.