10 Great Movies That Prove Blockbusters Don't Have To Be Dumb

4. The Exorcist

Horror movies aren't often associated with "smart" and "intelligent" cinema - perhaps more so than any other genre, horror is one most akin to theme park rides and the raw, visceral thrills they deliver. For many, however, William Friedkin's adaptation of William Peter Blatty's novel The Exorcist is an exception. The Exorcist remains one of the most expertly executed horror movies to this day, retaining the same potency to shock audiences as it had back in 1973. While on the surface it's certainly a lean horror movie about the exorcist of a young girl, underneath lies layers of subtext about the nature of guilt and faith which far surpasses the depth of most other horror movies. Not all critics agreed that The Exorcist was a truly important film when it was released but in the decades since it has widely been recognised as a masterpiece. British critic Mark Kermode goes so far as to state that he believes it is the best movie of all time, and whether you agree or not it's certainly smarter than most hugely profitable horror movies.