10 Exact Moments That Changed The Horror Movie Genre Forever
4. The Exorcist - Sticking It To Religion
Based on William Peter Blatty’s novel of the same name, William Friedkin’s 1973 The Exorcist explored an angle not really touched upon in the horror genre by that point as it turned its attention to religion.
The Exorcist marked the first real time that Catholicism had been showcased in such a way in a relatively mainstream movie. This effort looked to explore faith and the battle of classic Good vs. Evil as pulled from the ancient religious texts of old. We were given a demon looking to stick a middle finger up to God, whilst corrupting the innocence of a young child as it did so.
Of course, there are those memorable, gooey set pieces that stand out, yet The Exorcist was just as impactful when it allowed subtlety and suggestion to take centre-stage. But if there is one particular sequence that perfectly captures the notion of this demonic entity making its intentions clear – and throwing religion into the horror genre in an all-new way – it’s poor Regan getting up to, err, no good with a cross.