The Exorcist frequently tops polls of "greatest horror film ever made," a tribute to its lasting power. Indeed, there is something not quite right about William Friedkin's movie, imbuing it with an uncomfortable atmosphere that surges through every frame. Perhaps it's this wholly unique tone (one that feels touched by a demonic force) that has allowed the movie to lodged itself in the brains of so many horror aficionados. Friedkin famously put his cast through hell to deliver this masterpiece, which tells the story of a young girl who ends up possessed by Satan. As an exercise in pure horror, there is perhaps no other picture that feels legitimately "cursed" in the same way that The Exorcist does. Wonderful performances from everyone involved, including Max von Sydow and Ellen Burstyn, grants the movie with a dramatic weight, but The Exorcist is also notable for the way in which it ties together elements of a prestige picture with the surreal and dream-like qualities of European art horror movies. The effect is seamless, shocking, and terrifying. No wonder Mark Kermode called The Exorcist "the greatest film ever made."
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
