The Exorcist isn't just one of the most influential horror films of all time – it's one of the most influential films of all time, period. If it scared your mother in 1973, it's still likely to scare you now. Fifty years and hundreds of possession horror movies later, nothing comes close. How did a 1970s horror flick (one without CGI or practical, modern-day effects) withstand the test of time? The answer is a bold director with a daring vision, one who knew exactly what he was doing – even if it was unheard of at the time.
Sure, there were pre-code exploitation-style films with plenty of sex and gore – but those weren't being marketed to a massive, global audience. This was the first time anything like this had hit the mainstream: a bloody masturbation scene involving a crucifix, constant spewing of neon green bile, vulgar dialogue that came from the mouth of a child, and a fully intact head spinning around (and around and around).
