10 Weaknesses Of Great Horror Films

It may be a controversial claim, but many agree that the iconic spider walk from The Exorcist ultimately hurts the flow and underlying threat of the film. It's a scene that seems to divide film lovers straight down the middle.

Does it look cool? Yes, it certainly does. It's totally unexpected, and is one of the biggest talking points of the movie. But it kills all tension, alters the tone, and fells rather sloppy. The reason that the film is more effective without its inclusion is that having all of the demonic activity confined to a single room makes the MacNeils' situation considerably more frightening. It's far more disturbing to be shown an ordinary, pristine family home, then to be faced with the grotesque horrors festering behind Regan's bedroom door: it's the juxtaposition of the mundane and the nightmarish.

The theatrical cut excludes this iconic scare, among other things, and is a much tighter film as a result. The Extended Director's Cut, also referred to as The Version You've Never Seen, reintroduced the spider walk and restored the movie to its lengthier runtime. Friedkin, although fond of the scene, did admit that it wasn't necessary and contributed little. He was right.