Did you know that The Exorcist is still voted the scariest horror movie since its debut 50 years ago? The movie came out in 1973 and was an instant hit.
Every horror fan knows about the cult-classic, The Exorcist. Whether it be the film, book, or both versions, you’ve probably seen/heard about it. To briefly summarize the movie, a young girl is believed to be possessed by a demon, and a local priest requests that an expert help him to perform an exorcism to try to save her.
The Exorcist was unsurprisingly scary for its time, especially for religious people. Its contents weren’t mainstream in the 70s. It wasn’t common for movies to contain blasphemy, profanity, or the sexualization of children. The special effects and the deep voice coming from a character that’s clearly a little girl were unsettling. Everything seemed realistic, and it terrified people that the premise of the movie could actually happen in real life. It was alarming to see a child used to depict a demonic possession.
More families were active church participants in the 70s, so it was scarier to see religious themes in a dark light. The religious angle angered many people as well. To some, the movie glorified demonic possessions and evil forces. It sparked discussions of good versus evil among its viewers. However, the director of the film, William Friedkin, claims that the movie wasn’t meant to be a horror movie; it’s about faith.
It’s understandable that it would be the scariest movie for the 1970s, but in 2025, the contents aren’t identified by viewers as taboo. The film has definitely influenced many other great movies and books, but it doesn’t push the same boundaries that it did back then. However, its religious narrative and it being a classic continues to garner people’s votes. Overall, people are still disturbed and that will probably never go away.
Personally, I wouldn’t even rank it in the top 100 scariest movies. Maybe if I lived in the 1970s and saw it then, but many horror movies have come out over the years that are far more terrifying. It’s a great movie, and people are always drawn to the classics, so it’s not surprising it stays number one or at least in the top three for many. I also understand how the movie could be scary for parents with children. Even so, you won’t catch me dead saying The Exorcist is the scariest horror movie ever made.
Philosopher Muse • Sep 1, 2025 at 7:40 pm
Hey Evie, I really like how you highlighted the cultural impact The Exorcist had in the 70s—it’s hard to imagine now just how groundbreaking and taboo it felt at the time. Perhaps that’s why it still gets credited as “the scariest,” even if, by today’s standards, it doesn’t shock the way newer films do. What still fascinates me is how much the psychological element of the story holds up—the fear of losing control, the terrifying thought of evil preying on innocence, and of course the theme of faith being tested. Even if the special effects don’t scare modern audiences as much, the underlying ideas remain unsettling.
That said, I agree with you—calling it the scariest ever is probably nostalgia and respect for its influence rather than how it plays to fresh eyes today. Horror has evolved so much, with films like Hereditary or The Conjuring hitting emotional and visual nerves that The Exorcist didn’t. But it’s no doubt a cornerstone of the genre, and it deserves that recognition.
What do you think makes a horror movie “timelessly scary”—is it the visuals, the atmosphere, or the ideas behind it? Do you think people in 50 years will look back at today’s horror classics the same way audiences still talk about The Exorcist? And since Mike Flanagan has been confirmed to direct a new Exorcist project, what are your thoughts—do you think he’ll be able to reinvent it for modern audiences, or will the original always overshadow remakes? And what kinds of choices would you hope he keeps faithful to the original versus reinventing for today’s audiences?
Evie Lindgren • Sep 8, 2025 at 10:37 am
Hi, thank you so much for your comment! I really appreciate that you took the time to read my column.
I think a horror movie can be labeled as timelessly scary if it represents something that humans have always and will always fear, such as fear of the unknown. Also, anything that relies on the viewer’s imagination will most likely always terrify people because then it’ll be up to their own mind.
In 50 years, I don’t think people will look back at today’s horror classics the same way that audiences still talk about The Exorcist because of its impact on its time period. The film was shocking for its time, so it’s no wonder why people still talk about it the way they do. However, now we are used to seeing horror in our media, so it’s difficult to create something that will shock audiences. People have become more desensitized.
I’m interested in seeing what the new Exorcist project will bring to the table, but the original is highly unlikely to be overshadowed by it. As I mentioned before, the time period that it was released in is what made it groundbreaking. It’ll be difficult to replicate that, but I’m excited to see how it turns out! I’m also wondering how much modern-day technology/special effects will be used. It’ll be interesting to compare it to the original film when that stuff wasn’t as advanced.
As much as I love jump scares, I hope that the film will stay true to building up an atmosphere instead because it works better with its psychological themes. Also, I hope that there aren’t too many special effects being used to the point where everything looks fake because that can really ruin a movie. All in all, I’m definitely willing to give the new project a chance.