History Film / TheExorcist

The original movie is considered one of the best (and ''[[NightmareFuel/TheExorcist most terrifying]]'') horror movies of all time and was followed by two sequels and (for complicated reasons) two versions of the same prequel, with varying levels of quality and success from each of them. A TV series of the same named premiered on [[Creator/{{Fox}} FOX]], which was later revealed to be another sequel to the original. There's also a very, [[MindScrew very weird]] non-horror, semi-spinoff movie called ''Film/TheNinthConfiguration'', adapted and directed by Blatty himself from his earlier novel of the same name, which is set in the same universe as this movie but has very few direct connections to it. A new trilogy of ''Exorcist'' films from director David Gordon Green (''Film/{{Halloween|2018}}''), produced by Creator/{{Blumhouse|Productions}} and jointly distributed by [[Creator/{{Universal}} Universal Pictures]] and Creator/{{Peacock}}, has been announced, with the first film set to release theatrically on October 13, 2023; this series will also be a sequel to the original film and feature Ellen Burstyn reprising her role as Chris.

Creator/MaxVonSydow and Jason Miller star as the two priests, Father Merrin and Father Karras.

* PlayingGertrude: Creator/MaxVonSydow was only 44 when he played the elderly Father Merrin. This worked nicely in ''Exorcist II'' where you see young Fr. Merrin investigating Kokumo's healing abilities and later exorcising Pazuzu out of him.

* ActorAllusion: When Father Karras and Detective Kinderman banter back and forth, Karras tells Kinderman he looks like Creator/PaulNewman while Kinderman says that Karras looks like Creator/{{SalMineo}}. Kinderman was played by Creator/LeeJCobb, who co-starred with Newman and Mineo in the 1960 movie ''Film/Exodus1960''.

* ActorAllusion: When Father Karras and Detective Kinderman banter back and forth, Karras tells Kinderman he looks like Creator/PaulNewman while Kinderman says that Karras looks like Creator/SalMineo. Kinderman was played by Creator/LeeJCobb, who co-starred with Newman and Mineo in the 1960 movie ''Film/Exodus''.

* ActorAllusion: When Father Karras and Detective Kinderman banter back and forth, Karras tells Kinderman he looks like Creator/PaulNewman while Kinderman says that Karras looks like Creator/SalMineo. Kinderman was played by Creator/LeeJCobb, who co-started with Newman and Mineo in the 1960 movie ''Film/Exodus''.
* AbortedArc: Kinderman's investigation into the death of Burke leads him to suspect that a priest might somehow be linked, perhaps having to do with the desecrations at Holy Trinity[[note]]these are all done by the demon using Regan's body and art supplies without her knowledge[[/note]] which he's previously spoken with Karras about; Karras speculated it's a "sick priest". Kinderman later insinuates that perhaps Karras himself might be the "sick priest". Aside from the fact that Burke's neck was broken in a particular way supposedly used by devils to murder witches, and the desecrations might be "Satanic" (they're mostly burlesque sexual satire), there's no real evidence leading him to this speculation. It gets dropped with no resolution, but when Kinderman speaks to Karras for the last time, late in the book, he lets on without saying it explicitly, that he has figured out there actually is a demon and that it killed Burke and possessed the little girl.

** Self-inflicted (sort of), with a crucifix, as Regan uses it as a dildo.

** When Pazuzu remarks that an Exorcism would bring Regan, Karras, and him together, [[spoiler: he was right because he ends up possessing Karras.]]

* XanatosGambit: Pazuzu tries to do this; either the priest or the girl but the priest decides to TakeAThirdOption

* UsedToBeASweetKid: Regan before becoming possessed.

* StealthSequel: WordOfGod states that ''Film/TheNinthConfiguration'' is the true sequel to ''The Exorcist''. According to Wiki/ThatOtherWiki, the astronaut in ''The Exorcist'' is Captain Cutshaw in ''The Ninth Configuration'', driven to a mental breakdown by what Pazuzu tells him at the party. In the book series, several unused pieces of dialogue from ''The Exorcist'' were used in ''The Ninth Configuration'' instead.

* AbortedArc: Kellerman's investigation into the death of Burke for some reason, leads him to suspect that a priest might somehow be linked. He insinuates that perhaps Karras himself might be involved. He never says what evidence lead him to this conclusion, or indeed how one could be linked. It gets dropped with no resolution.

* TitleDrop: From the Monsignor, while contemplating whom to call in to helm Father Karras.
-->'''Monsignor''': What about the exorcist? Have you any ideas?

->'''Regan McNeil:''' Sometimes.

->''"Is there someone inside you?"''
->''"Sometimes..."''

* ArtImitatesArt: The iconic shot of Merrin arriving at the house was inspired by the 1954 painting ''Empire of Light (L'Empire des lumières)'' by René Magritte.

* ArtisticLicenseReligion: One scene shows Karras breaking the communion host during the Eucharistic Prayer while speaking the words of consecration. While Karras gets the words right, in an actual Catholic Mass the breaking of the bread takes place later, just prior to the priest taking communion.

* AdultFear:
** Father Karras is deeply depressed about choosing a life of poverty instead of becoming a rich doctor - and his uncle gives him a WhatTheHellHero about it. (His mom, on the other hand, is [[SoProudOfYou proud of him]].) Made worse that he can't afford to give his mother proper health care when she develops life-threatening cerebral edema, and she [[DyingAlone dies alone]] in her squalid apartment. Pazuzu exploits this fully.
** Regan's possession also counts. The idea of a mother being unable to save her child from a mysterious, unexplainable disease that [[ThatThingIsNotMyChild completely wipes out her mind and personality]] is ''far'' scarier than any monster or demon.
--->'''Chris:''' I'm telling you that [[ThatThingIsNotMyChild that thing upstairs isn't my daughter]]. Now I want you to tell me that you know for a fact that there's nothing wrong with my daughter except in her mind. YOU TELL ME YOU KNOW FOR A FACT THAT AN EXORCISM WOULDN'T DO ANY GOOD! YOU TELL ME THAT!
** This is why Friedkin originally cut out the spider-walk scene. He knew that if the audience spent the whole movie wondering if/when Regan was going to leave the bedroom and attack somebody, it would distract from the drama unfolding inside. That's right: a scene where a demon-possessed CreepyChild walks backwards down a staircase and vomits blood was cut out because it was ''less scary'' than a mother's agony over her child's well-being.

* ArtisticLicenseReligion: One scene shows Karras breaking the communion host during the Eucharistic Prayer while speaking the words of consecration. While Karras gets the words right, the actual breaking of the bread takes place later, just prior to the priest taking communion.

* YourMom: "'''''[[MemeticMutation YOUR MOTHER]] [[GutturalGrowler SU]][[EvilSoundsDeep CKS]] [[EvilIsPetty COCKS IN HELL!!!]]'''''"

* PantyShot: There's a frontal view of Regan's white panties when she's possessed and levitated.