10 Horror Movies Audiences Walked Out On

Adapted from a book by William Peter Blatty, The Exorcist's story of demonic possession is now firmly entrenched in the horror movie pantheon.

Regan, the spirit that possess her, and Father Merrin are all firmly weaved into the genre's tapestry and the 1973 classic is still regarded as one of cinema's scariest outputs even by modern watchers.

So imagine how terrifying it must have been when it first came out.

Not only was the film suspenseful and vile, but it also played heavily with religion imagery and iconography. In 1973, religion was way more untouchable than it is today and various groups denounced the picture for its sacrilegious content.

All of this, combined with the supposed "curse" that afflicted the film's production, made The Exorcist a must watch. Although some people only managed to must-watch some of it before running out of the cinema in abject terror.

Even the sneak preview before the film drove some audience members away. A new monolith had been unleashed on the world and, for those who did stick around until the end, the horror genre and movies in general would never be the same again.