10 Classic Horror Movies You Must See Before You Die

2. The Exorcist (1973)

The Exorcist frequently tops polls of "greatest horror film ever made," a tribute to its lasting power. Indeed, there is something not quite right about William Friedkin's movie, imbuing it with an uncomfortable atmosphere that surges through every frame. Perhaps it's this wholly unique tone (one that feels touched by a demonic force) that has allowed the movie to lodged itself in the brains of so many horror aficionados. Friedkin famously put his cast through hell to deliver this masterpiece, which tells the story of a young girl who ends up possessed by Satan.

As an exercise in pure horror, there is perhaps no other picture that feels legitimately "cursed" in the same way that The Exorcist does. Or will make you feel as cursed, when seeing the uses for a crucifix that they definitely weren’t intended for.