William Friedkin’s 10 Most Jaw-Dropping Movie Moments

By Keith Tomlinson /

9. The Exorcist (1973)

Arguably the most influential horror movie of the modern era, The Exorcist plays deeply into Catholic doctrines of good and evil, demonism and possession. Friedkin€™s adaptation of William Peter Blatty€™s novel is a landmark in cinema for so many reasons, it€™s hard to pin down which moment is the most iconic. The Exorcist is fit to bursting with scenes which have burned themselves into generations of nightmares; such is its power to unsettle that even today its mystique is in no way diminished. Yet perhaps the scene which was the most controversial back in the 70s, was the one involving a crucifix€