10 Horror Movie Scenes That Weren't Meant To Be Funny (But Were)
5. Projectile Vomiting - The Exorcist
It's safe to say there is no horror film with more iconic moments than The Exorcist. "The Power of Christ" chant. The twirling head. I mean, the spider-walk is well-known amongst horror fans, even though it didn't appear in the final cut!
But another defining moment is when Father Karras (Jason Miller) first meets Regan (Linda Blair), who is possessed by the demon, Pazuzu. The demonic entity taunts Karras, claiming his mother is "in here with us". Knowing Pazuzu is lying, Karras asks him what his mother's maiden name is. Enraged that the priest saw through his ploy, Pazuzu defiantly spews vomit over Karras' face.
It's ironic how memorable this part is, considering it detracts from the whole confronation. After watching the pea-soup coloured puke spray all over Karras, we should be left shocked and disgusted.
But the timing is SO sudden, it's just funny. It feels more jarring, considering everything else in this scene is played straight. It's so unintentionally hilarious, you can understand why the projectile vomiting bit has been parodied over the years more than any other scene from The Exorcist.