The Exorcist (1973)

[CinemaInternational]

Ite a film I did not want to particularly want to see, but I felt I had to, given that it was a Best Picture nominee, and also because film fans and , surprisingly to me, Catholics (I am Catholic, it's just surprising to me though how many on religious oriented websites were raving about it) could not stop praising it.

Once was enough. The demon makeup for Linda Blair gave me the creeps, and its a very bleak story, although not as offensive as Rosemary's Baby. That said, Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller, and Lee J Cobb turn in wonderful acting work, and the "Tubular Bells" musical piece remains stuck in my head. ( I did later see Exorcist III, which in spite of a few shock moments, is much more a meditation of the perversity of evil on a verbal rather that visual scale)

[NoShear]

I've watched it twice. The first time the night of its initial release in Westwood CA. This then 21 y/o hadn't a clue what an exorcism was as he waited in a long line to see it. I then remember it shocking and scaring me pretty well, and in fact so much so that I didn't sleep all that well that night.

The second time was about 15 years later on TV, and I then remember thinking I couldn't believe this movie actually scared me that much.

(...and so maybe chalk this up to either becoming more calloused as I aged and/or by then noticing that the film's primary attribute seemed to be in its shock factor and it no longer having the ability for me to be shocked by it)

I envy those such as yourself, Dargo, who got to see THE EXORCIST early on...
A child during its original run, I was not allowed to see it until a bit later. I did get to experience those insane lines for it in the Village - look to see if you can catch yourself in the National footage which dominates the following upload, Dargo:

https://youtu.be/AkIqFK3KoZ4

Saw its original reissue here - maybe even the very evening this awesome marquee shot was snapped, Dargo:

[Dargo]

I envy those such as yourself, Dargo, who got to see THE EXORCIST early on...
A child during its original run, I was not allowed to see it until a bit later. I did get to experience those insane lines for it in the Village - look to see if you can catch yourself in the National footage which dominates the following upload, Dargo:

https://youtu.be/AkIqFK3KoZ4

Yep, I could have very easily been among the young crowd shown in that video, but alas I didn't catch even a glimmer of a then 21 y/o self there, NS.

(...but thanks for posting it, none the less)

[Arsan444]

I was still a minor when I saw the movie when it opened. Luckily the ticket lady sold me the ticket and the doorman let me in. I saw a lot of Adults-Only movies that way.
The line was so long that my main concern was to get in before the movie started. Thankfully I did and I even found a good seat. I don't remember if people walked out of the movie that night, although I do know a couple of people who did.
It still remains one of my favorite movies of all time.

[Bronxgirl48]

"Why you do this to me, Dimi?"

One of the screen's greatest horror movies!

[Bronxgirl48]

This is one of several early 70s movies I've never seen (The Godfather [I &II] being perhaps the most glaring examples). I was too young to see these on first release, and have never sought them out since. Neither genre is really up my alley, but I suppose I should see them just because of their reputation.

Two must-sees of that era!

Enjoy!

[NoShear]

I absolutely think the special effects being physical rather than digital helps the film.

Your observation is spot-on supported by William Friedkin, TikiSoo:

https://youtu.be/M0TmHK6e4SM

[NoShear]

I studied Theology at a Jesuit College (I'm not RC). One of my favorite courses, ca. 1973, was Demonology. Among many other works, we had to read The Exorcist. Father Thomas Bermingham, the Jesuit who advised on the film, had an affiliation with my university. Our teacher, another Jesuit, tried to get him to talk to us about the film and how the exorcism followed all the prescribed rules. But Father Bermingham was very busy around that time, as he also had a small role in the film. He died at his residence at my college in 1998.

Fascinating anecdotes, Swithin.