[troggi]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

A lot of people I know who saw The Exorcist on release at the cinema in the '70s actually have stated that they find it laughable now. Many have gone as far as saying that they won't watch it again, due to not being able to take it seriously anymore.

I do like The Exorcist, and understand it's importance and history within cinema, but I'd only rate it around 8/10: Good, but not a favourite by any means.

I can understand why folk would not be "able to take it seriously anymore" but, please, try to put the film in context; nothing like it had been seen before, the polarised reaction it got from groups in society, the media coverage it achieved (bearing in mind the media of the day and the ultra media coverage that it would have got if today's media was around then), and the lasting effect that it had on it's audience (yes even the ones who find it laughable now). Add to that the film's subject matter, it is a "true supernatural horror" film not just a collection of gristly murders stitched together around a bunch of unlikeable, vapid teenagers who are only there to be murdered in a gristly fashion like so many of the later '70s Slasher flicks are, (sorry but I've got a bit of a downer on formulaic slashers).

The Exorcist, in my opinion and with my limited experience, is a vastly important film and should be treated as such. By today's standards maybe it is "around 8/10" but think about it, 8/10 after 40 years and when put up against the film-makers tools we have today such as animatronics and CGI? It's a heck of a score!