William Friedkin’s 10 Most Jaw-Dropping Movie Moments

By Keith Tomlinson /

8. The Exorcist (1973)

Given the huge influence of The Exorcist, it only seems right to have two clips from the movie on the list. But rather than opt for another single scene, perhaps something unseen (or rather €œunheard€) might be more surprising. Famously, the actress who portrayed Regan, Linda Blair, was only 14 at the time of the production. In order to make her sound more €œdemonic€, her voice was dubbed in post-production with the altered tones of veteran actress Mercedes McCambridge, whose gravely, very adult dialogue, gave the childish, diminutive presence of Blair a chilling juxtaposition. Regan€™s €œpossessed€ voice has become so familiar and parodied in the years since the film€™s release, there is remarkable jolt in hearing the original pre-dubbed version, featuring Linda Blair€™s own, more innocent voice:The effect might be very different, but it does have its own peculiar disquiet.