The Exorcist (1973)
86%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: Won 2 Oscars
16 wins & 17 nominations total
The Exorcist rides its supernatural theme to magical effect, with remarkable special effects and an eerie atmosphere, resulting in one of the scariest films of all time
The Exorcist is a classic horror movie that still manages to scare audiences to this day. From the makeup to the puppetry, the film’s special effects are top-notch and will leave you feeling repulsed in the best way possible. And let’s not forget about the iconic scene where the little girl’s head spins around – it’s enough to make your head spin too! Overall, The Exorcist is a must-watch for any horror fan looking for a good scare.
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, Act III Act III Communications,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Mosul, Iraq
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong language and disturbing images
Year of Release
1973
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Mono (original release)
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:2h 2m
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Language(s):English, Latin, Greek, French, German, Arabic, Kurdish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 26, 1973 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 23, 1999
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
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Worldwide gross: $441,306,145
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,286,863,775
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 6
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 358,436,617
US/Canada gross: $233,005,644
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,735,434,277
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 5
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,175,666
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $60,892,650
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 170
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $11,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $81,928,389
Production budget ranking: 512
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $44,118,437
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $3,160,816,948
ROI to date (est.): 2,508%
ROI ranking: 38
Linda Blair – Regan Teresa MacNeil
Max von Sydow – Father Lankester Merrin
Lee J. Cobb – Lieutenant William Kinderman
Kitty Winn – Sharon Spencer
Jack MacGowran – Burke Dennings
Director(s)
William Friedkin
Writer(s)
William Peter Blatty
Producer(s)
William Peter Blatty
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 2 Oscars
16 wins & 17 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (86) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (72) | Rotten (14)
The film continually struggles to suggest through atmosphere what it promises but fails to provide in substance.
March 27, 2020
Richard Combs
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
They went above and beyond…we have movies like The Exorcist to thank for so many other movies…
October 26, 2018 | Rating: A
Chris Stuckmann
ChrisStuckmann.com
TOP CRITIC
“The Exorcist”.. may not be a great film. It is, however, a brilliantly successful horror movie.
February 9, 2018
Kathleen Carroll
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
Friedkin seems to have found his forte.
January 8, 2018
Stanley Kauffmann
The New Republic
TOP CRITIC
The Exorcist, with its excellent cast, mounting intensity, and ingeniously constructed surprises, is still a commanding achievement.
October 15, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/4
Desmond Ryan
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
The movie that launched a new era in horror films, and which, for one generation, remains one of the scariest experiences of their lives.
October 15, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
Jack Mathews
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
As much as it has been parodied and referenced and imitated millions of times, it is still one of the best horror movies ever made. Full review in Spanish.
April 18, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
Sebastian Zavala Kahn
Me gusta el cine
The director’s horrifyingly maintained assault of the viewer’s senses and faith leaves the audience subject to devilish, claustrophobic torment that makes the resultant spiritual awakening all the more powerful.
March 18, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
It’s actually kind of astonishing to me that the film still retains the power to shock and frighten a first-time viewer.
October 22, 2021
Graeme Tuckett
Stuff.co.nz
Scary then, scary still. Without a doubt one of the most frightening films ever made. [Full review in Spanish]
March 27, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Fico Cangiano
CineXpress Podcast
Remains one of the scariest movies to date given the shocking nature of its subject matter of a little girl possessed by devil, and it’s really up to the audience to believe if that can happen or not.
November 5, 2020
Paul McGuire Grimes
KSTP-TV (St. Paul, MN)
The makeup is still top-notch and spectacularly chilling, paired perfectly with puppetry and repulsive props for several of the most alarming cinematic shots.
August 29, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins…
Plot
A visiting actress in Washington, D.C., notices dramatic and dangerous changes in the behavior and physical make-up of her 12-year-old daughter. Meanwhile, a young priest at nearby Georgetown University begins to doubt his faith while dealing with his mother’s terminal sickness. And, book-ending the story, a frail, elderly priest recognizes the necessity for a show-down with an old demonic enemy.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film The Exorcist on Fresh Kernels.
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