The Exorcist
Directed by William FriedkinBij opgravingen in Noord-Irak vindt priester-archeoloog Merrin een duivelsbeeldje. Net op hetzelfde moment wordt in Georgetown actrice Chris McNeil opgeschrikt door vreemde geluiden in de kamer van haar twaalfjarig dochtertje Regan.
The Exorcist Ratings & Reviews
- Aaron Slade13 januari 2025Perfect! The best horror film ever - and possibly just best film ever.... Period !!! The cinemaphotography is out of this world, the mood set by the lighting, the acting is amazing... everything just worked. Every horror film that has come out since, is measured against The Exorcist. So far, none have come close to surpassing it.
- MR_BigTime7 september 2025I have just re-watched The Exorcist in 2025. That's 52 years since its release. It may not be perfect, but it comes pretty damn close, in my opinion. I will say it holds up to a large majority of the movies of the genre to this day. The acting alone was superb, and the special effects, simple as they look today, were pretty revolutionary in its time. This is a movie by which I measure other suspense/horror films.
- Oʂɯαʅԃσ Rσყҽƚƚ30 maart 2026Stunning visuals, effects and overall horror for 1973. The characters are very strongly portrayed and the feeling of hopelessness is ever-present throughout the movie. Even though some scenes are outright shocking and provocative, there is also a strong element of the uncanny present. This is a very haunting movie that still shocks, amazes and intrigues after all these years.
- CravanThePugilist5 november 2025I first saw this when I was 18. I'd already had hundreds of horror films under my belt. I thought this would be old, & disappointing. Nah. This movie transcends the horror genre entirely. This movie truly struck me in a similar way The Godfather did. It's like that to me.
- johnrodan8 maart 2026An inflection point in horror at the intersection of science, faith and modernity. Face to face with our demons. 👹
- Elliot0478 februari 2026It is surprising to see how exceptionally well this film is. People would have been shit scared back in the 70s. However, I'm coming from the age of Babadook, The VVich, and Conjuring, if you're operating at that level, this will be like an ice cream, a delicious ice cream, but not the dinner. Kudos to the Director for inspiring a future generation of filmmakers and setting a trend.
- Michael Heimgartner15 juli 2025The Power of Christ compels you! I just finished reading William Peter Blatty’s novel and immediately rewatched The Exorcist in its Director’s Cut - and honestly, I’m in awe of how precisely and faithfully the film adapts that book. It’s even more surprising when you remember just how shocking and vulgar the novel was for its time. Seeing it translated to screen with so much respect for the source material while adding its own chilling atmosphere really drives home how rare this kind of adaptation is. For me, The Exorcist is the perfect horror film. I don’t say that lightly. Every single element is so meticulously crafted, so masterfully realized. From the first minute, it’s immersive, unsettling, and impossible to look away from. The atmosphere is oppressive and dread-inducing without ever resorting to cheap tricks. Friedkin’s direction is careful and deliberate, letting the horror seep in slowly rather than hitting you over the head. Even now, decades later, the film retains a raw power that most modern horror can’t touch. What makes it even more impressive is how it balances multiple storylines without ever feeling scattered or unfocused. Friedkin weaves these threads together with precision. Regan’s possession is the anchor, of course, but it isn’t the entire story. It’s the catalyst for examining faith, doubt, grief, and the limits of human understanding. Father Karras’s crisis of faith is every bit as important as the exorcism itself, and Friedkin gives these quieter, more introspective moments just as much weight as the scenes of supernatural terror. It’s also astonishing how patient the film is. You don’t even hear that iconic piece of music, Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells,” until about fifteen minutes in - after all the major characters have been introduced and before the real horror begins to reveal itself. The film takes its time establishing its world and its people, letting us really know and understand them before tearing everything apart. That sort of quiet, confident storytelling is all but extinct in mainstream horror now. And the performances - what can you even say? Ellen Burstyn is phenomenal, bringing a raw, maternal desperation that grounds the entire film. Jason Miller as Father Karras delivers a performance that is painfully human, wrestling with guilt and doubt in a way that feels so authentic. Max von Sydow’s restrained, weary gravitas as Father Merrin is unforgettable, even if he’s only truly on screen for about twenty minutes. It’s a testament to how carefully the film deploys its most iconic elements. Technically, it’s also flawless. The sound design is chillingly effective, from the quiet creaks and groans of the house to the demonic growls that seem to come from nowhere. Dick Smith’s makeup work remains legendary for good reason, giving us some of the most disturbing, realistic possession effects ever filmed. Even the editing choices - sometimes sharp and disorienting, sometimes calm and lingering - serve to keep the viewer off-balance. It’s fascinating that Friedkin deliberately used such minimal scoring. For almost the entire film, there’s no traditional soundtrack at all, which makes the few moments of music all the more jarring and memorable. That choice amplifies the sense of realism, as though you’re watching something truly happening. The film also had an incredible cultural impact. Warner Bros. famously marketed it as “the scariest film of all time,” and by box office receipts - adjusted for inflation - it remains one of the most financially successful horror films ever made, grossing an estimated 2.5 to 3.2 billion USD worldwide. It was a genuine phenomenon, with audiences reportedly fainting or fleeing theaters during screenings. Critics at the time were divided, but many recognized its brilliance even then, and today it's widely accepted as one of the smartest, most thoughtful horror films ever made. It earned ten Oscar nominations and won two - a rare feat for the genre. William Peter Blatty’s original novel was itself inspired by a supposedly real exorcism that took place in the 1940s in the U.S., which adds another layer of unsettling authenticity to the story. Friedkin, already celebrated for The French Connection, approached this material with a kind of documentary intensity that makes it feel uncomfortably real. Sure, you can say the film’s shock value has aged. Today’s audiences might not flinch at the same scenes that once caused mass panic. But that misses the point entirely. The true brilliance of The Exorcist isn’t in its shock tactics - it’s in its exploration of faith versus reason, of parental terror and human frailty in the face of something unknowable. It’s about the existential horror that lingers long after the pea soup and the levitating bed are gone. Even after all these years, The Exorcist remains an absolute masterpiece of horror cinema. It’s intelligent, unsettling, masterfully acted and directed, and still capable of getting under your skin in a way very few films ever do. It doesn’t just scare you - it challenges you, disturbs you, and forces you to confront things you’d rather not think about. For me, it’s the gold standard for the genre.
- parcolan3 juli 2025top ten
- kenngineer22 juni 2025i would always commend and have this movie as one of my standards in critiquing horror movies. it is plainly scary. and i do not use "plain" in the negative context. plainly scary means the movie does not rely on jump scares (as most horror movies do nowadays) to be scary. great stuff.
- Otacon!2 februari 2026Anyone knows this movie, maybe someone hasn't watched it and maybe doesn't love scary movies, but it's a classic. A good one from 70'. For the time must have been, as someone has told, a trauma. I love it. It's impressive the interpretation too, for a young Blaire, I love it
- Theo Jansson12 mei 2025Sure good cinematography, but scariest movie of all time? God No, but overall, good acting and use of cameras and music
- mickerdoo22 januari 2026Objective complete. Cannot finish. Too scared.
- Eric Bakke4 november 2024I had the unique experience of watching The Exorcist for the first time at Seattle’s Cinerama theater, the largest screen in the city, and—let me tell you—I almost died of fear. It was a matinee showing, and I was there all alone, which only made the whole thing feel even more terrifying. I kept looking over my shoulder the entire time, half-expecting some demonic entity to come out of the darkness and send me straight to Hell. It’s easy to see why The Exorcist earned its reputation as one of the scariest movies ever made. The atmosphere, the unsettling tension, and those horrific possession scenes are so effective at creating pure dread. The film is brilliantly written and the performances, particularly by Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn, are superb. You can see the emotional toll this story takes on everyone involved, especially the mother-daughter dynamic. That said, there are a few scenes where the horror goes a bit too far, especially the infamous crucifix stabbing scene. It’s effective in making you squirm, but it also feels excessive, almost to the point of being gratuitous. Still, I can understand why the film had such a profound cultural impact at the time. It's no wonder church attendance in America skyrocketed following its release. Ultimately, The Exorcist is a masterclass in horror, and the fact that it still holds up as one of the scariest films ever is a testament to its lasting impact.
- Spoons16 oktober 2024“The Exorcist” remains a landmark in horror cinema, brilliantly blending religious lore with intense human drama. The film’s focus on the MacNeil family, whose very name resonated with me, highlights a gripping narrative of a mother’s love and a priest’s crisis of faith. Linda Blair’s performance as Regan, coupled with the groundbreaking practical effects, makes the supernatural horror palpable. The film’s slow build to its shocking climax, paired with its exploration of themes like sacrifice and redemption, left an indelible mark on me. “The Exorcist” not only redefined the horror genre but also stands as a testament to the power of storytelling in cinema. It’s a must-watch for anyone seeking a profound, chilling experience.
- Daniel Gustavsson12 oktober 2024Pretty shocking for the seventies, I would imagine. Not at all a bad movie, however it is far from perfect. The pacing could be better, although it's definitely refreshing to actually get to know the characters a bit in a possession movie. The attention to details is great too - something seldom seen in movies in general today.
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The Exorcist Trivia
The Exorcist was released on 26 december 1973.
The Exorcist was directed by William Friedkin.
The Exorcist has a runtime of 2 u, 1 m.
The Exorcist was produced by William Peter Blatty.
Bij opgravingen in Noord-Irak vindt priester-archeoloog Merrin een duivelsbeeldje. Net op hetzelfde moment wordt in Georgetown actrice Chris McNeil opgeschrikt door vreemde geluiden in de kamer van haar twaalfjarig dochtertje Regan.
The key characters in The Exorcist are Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller).
The Exorcist is rated 18.
The Exorcist is a Horror, Drama film.
The Exorcist has an audience rating of 8.7 out of 10.
The Exorcist had a budget of US$ 12 mln..
The Exorcist has made US$ 441,3 mln. at the box office.