10 Movies That Changed Everything In Ways You Didn't Expect
5. It Cemented The Association Between Ouija Boards & Occultism - The Exorcist
Though the Ouija board has always had a connection to the supernatural, in its earlier commercial life it was originally viewed as nothing more than a harmless game that kids could play without worry.
But that all changed in 1973, when a Ouija board was prominently featured early in The Exorcist. Protagonist Regan (Linda Blair) uses the board to contact the demonic entity "Captain Howdy," who later possesses her.
This, combined with the potent satanic panic of the period, sharply changed public attitudes en masse towards Ouija boards.
Though the boards were previously treated fancifully in shows such as I Love Lucy, they were now viewed with fear and suspicion. Ouija historian Robert Murch said of the phenomenon:
"It's kind of like Psycho - no one was afraid of showers until that scene… It's a clear line... But for at least 10 years afterwards, it's no joke… [The Exorcist] actually changed the fabric of pop culture."
And in the half-century since The Exorcist's release, that label has basically stuck: Ouija boards continue to be regular fixtures in modern horror films, typically teeing up the supernatural threat that terrorises the central characters.