Scariest film of All Time? No but an excellent movie nonetheless

Rating: 10/10 (17 March 2005)

I've seen a good share of horror films,and from what I've heard this is THE ONE that scares everyone,the one that makes you have trouble sleeping,the one that'll make heads turn(Bad Joke). I received The Exorcist as a gift today,and to tell you the truth the legends about the film being so scary frightened me. The Exorcist tales the story of Chris MacNeil,and her beloved daughter Regan,they share a close bound.Chris is somewhat of a movie star,and has a big house.Regan becomes ill,she starts saying vulgar words,and acting violently.Chris naturally worried contacts every doctor she can find,until they recommend getting the help of the Catholic Church.Chris meets Father Karras,who is at a time in his life where he seems to begin to loose his faith because his beloved mother passed on.Karras is also a psychotherapist,he agrees to see Regan to see if an Exorcisim is the right thing to do.Regan is now controlled by the Devil,who knows Karras is weakening,The Devil insults him about his mother,and towards the end speaks in his mother's voice.Karras then asks if he speaks other languages,The Devil did but it was backwards English.Karras plays the tape,and the name Merrin is shouted over and over.Karras knows he has to perform an Exorcism.The Church authorizes one,but sends Father Merrin to over see it,as he had performed a similar Exorcism before *cough,Exorcist:The Beginning* In the Director's Cut which is what I have there is an interesting scene which has Merrin unearthing a sculpture of the Devil on a dig in Iraq.Merrin know he has to face the Devil again,he doesn't even open the letter asking him to perform the Exorcism.The priests go to perform the Exorcism,but can they save innocent Regan? The Exorcist is not a scary film(well at least to me) I believe the reason it is hailed as the scariest film of all time is because the generation that saw it in 1973 was a Catholic one.The concept of the film is very scary,movies about Hell all most all ways are.The film does have a lot of disturbing images(The split pea soup scene,Regan stabbing her private parts with a crucifix,and Karras' demise.The character development is great,both priests are somewhat flawed,Karras is loosing his faith,and Merrin has had heart problems since he performed his last Exorcism.The Direction is great too,how the house changes through the course of the film.I agree that the Exorcist is an excellent film,but not one to be scared of.
10/10 or 4/4