The Exorcist (1973) ♥Movie Reaction♥ First Time Watching!

For monthly polls, early access, extended ad-free videos, and watch-along versions*, check out my Patreon: / whimsory
This movie needs no introduction! Just a heads up: as usual, I am watching the theatrical version. However, I did watch the "Spider Walk Stairs Scene" separately during the editing process, and have it marked in the timestamps (see below for chapters).
00:00 Intro
01:48 Reaction
31:53 Outro/Discussion
54:56 Spider Walk Stairs Scene
55:26 Credits
THANKS FOR WATCHING!
*must own/rent a copy of the film to sync up with me

[@charlesmcmanus4229]

Fun fact: Max von Sydow is the actor who played the Father Merrin (the old priest). At the time of this filming, he was only 43 years old. The makeup to make him look 70 is widely regarded as some of the best old-age makeup ever seen on film.

[@jameslauder3984]

I had no idea. His performance as an elderly man was also quite convincing.

[@guitarman8462]

He was also in a Stephen King movie : Needful Things

[@Greenwood4727]

and he looked so similar to that makeup age when he was in his 70's thats great but freaky

[@jcraigie]

AFAIK he actually had some casting issues afterwards since everybody thought he was way older than he actually was.

[@arjaylee]

He also played Jesus in "The Greatest Story Ever Told"

[@DraylianKaiju]

"We meant to make a good movie, we meant to make a scary movie.....but no one knew it was gonna be THAT good or THAT scary" -Ellen Burstyn.

[@Elsupermayan8870]

Damn right.

[@1000000man1]

In the director's cut, the spider walk is in it but it ends differently. She doesn't do the lizard tongue thing or chase her mother. Instead, she opens her mouth while upside down and bleeds out of her mouth, while gasping with a really horrible sound.

[@greyinvader]

Ellen Burstyn, who plays Regan's mother, gives the greatest performance I have ever seen in this movie. You can feel her sadness and her terror. She should've won ALL the Oscars that year.

[@LarryFleetwood8675]

One of the best US screen actresses.

[@haintedhouse2990]

agree. an amazing actress who's believable reactions to her daughters demise kept the film grounded in reality while all the crazy stuff was going on.

[@randycunningham7318]

She should have won for best actor and director, then?

[@greyinvader]

@@randycunningham7318 Yes. And Best Screenplay. Best Cinematography. Best Green Pea Soup Wrangler. Ellen Burstyn is the Best Everything, and she has been since 1973.

[@atodamadre3197]

She was outstanding in Requiem for a Dream

[@Dracounguis]

The fact that Whimsory RE-WATCHES a movie a couple more times before giving a review makes me chuckle in this case. 😉

[@Whimsory]

It was terrible😩

[@s.henrlllpoklookout5069]

And that's what make her videos closer to deep dives instead of generic reactions

[@wiiztec]

When I was in the 6th grade I had a nervous breakdown that lasted about 2 months and a couple weeks after I got over it I I watched this movie and it triggered a two-week relapse of my nervous breakdown and it wasn't even the first time I watched it

[@ThaStranger11]

She's a thorough gal. Got to respect it!

[@elizandropedraza1286]

The number one horror movie of all time !😒🇺🇸🇮🇹🇲🇽

[@shainewhite2781]

RIP, William Friedkin, 1935-2023. He gave us this unforgettable terrifying motion picture experience. The movie is said to be cursed as some of the cast and crew got into unexplained accidents before and during filming.

[@iKvetch558]

I was coming here to say the same things...basically. I appreciate you saving me the typing. LOL RIP, William Friedkin 💯

[@Greenwood4727]

not to mention Paul Bateson the killer

[@rickc661]

Yea, like L.Blair fracturing Her back being flopped around....

[@MitchClement-il6iq]

Love his movie the French connection.

[@vytallicaq.6881]

Check out this video for a field trip to the locations of the exorcism that inspired the story. Including a trip to the grave of the real life "Father Merrin". >>> kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXiwqp6ImL-LqpI

[@JoelTamalon]

It's actually not gaslighting, it's their job to remain calm so as not to cause hysteria in the patient or their family. Loving your reactions!

[@MrGadfly772]

Lee J. Cobb is a tremendous actor. You'll be blown away by his performance in 12 Angry Men. As always a great reaction by my favorite reactor! You put such thought into these I love it.

[@s.henrlllpoklookout5069]

Since Whimsory said that she'll be watching 12 Angry Men soon, I'll just spoil it: there are no female actors in that movie

[@derekharrison1582]

@user-cm8mz6od7t.He was also top notch in ‘ON THE WATERFRONT ‘ with Marlon Brando.

[@chadlynch1551]

Real evil isn't some monster that lunges at you from the dark. Real evil inspires not just fear, but doubt, disgust, despair, terrible feelings of unwarranted guilt, hopelessness. Those are the attacks evil usually makes on a person, either that or it convinces you to indulge in unhealthy things until you feel those other empty feelings. That's why this movie is ultimately more scary than the normal horror flick; because it more arcuately portrays what evil really is.

[@thejamppa]

Monumental moment in your life is, when you watch mirror and see monster you have become... And as cliché it is, we cannot banish our own demons, we just have to live with them. I have become pretty good terms on my own demons. Real evil is inside. This movie is scary because it itroduces evil you cannot fight against, you cannot out run or outsmart it. You can only survive with help of others and that is scary.

[@PerfectNormal]

That’s exactly how the Devil attacks us. "¡Viva Cristo Rey!"

[@hermunkulus]

Best horror movie ever. It still holds up fifty years later. Great choice.

[@chetcarman3530]

​@@D3epFaik🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@s.henrlllpoklookout5069]

They wrote characters that audiences can care about & empathize with. Thats what makes it hold up

[@derekharrison1582]

It’s a pity she didn’t watch the uncut version.I’d have loved to have seen Whims reaction to Regans spider walk down the stairs after her mum was told Burke had been killed.😉👻

[@MaaZeus]

Yup. It was so good that I never want to see it again. Not because I hated it but because I actually want to sleep at night. 😅

[@lustrazor44]

I’d say ALIEN is far more effective. Exorcist is a classic and very well made but it doesn’t hold up in the scare department. A lot of it comes off as funny today.

[@Jeff_Lichtman]

The music is Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield. He's a British musician who's best known for multilayered album-length compositions using elements of Celtic and other folk influences. The movie gave his career a big boost, as a shortened version became a hit single after the movie came out. Oldfield also wrote the song Family Man, which was a hit for Hall and Oates. Linda Blair was one of those child stars whose life went off the rails when she achieved fame. Fortunately, she straightened out her life when she got older. When The Exorcist came out in 1973, it raised a lot of public interest in possession and exorcism, and people started doing real-life exorcisms. It annoyed the hell out of me at the time. Why can't people recognize the difference between fact and fiction, between real life and entertainment? At least we got some jokes about pea soup from the whole thing. You've said you're working your way through the IMDB Top 250 films. The list isn't static - it's based on used ratings, which change all the time. There's a recency bias in the list, with newer movies displacing older ones. Do you try to take this into account when picking movies? Other good horror films (these aren't all in the IMDB top 250 list): - The Shining - Rosemary's Baby - Let the Right One In (the original in Swedish, not the inferior American remake titled Let Me In) - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the original 1956 version) - The Birds - Get Out - Us - Halloween - The Silence of the Lambs (a great film, though some don't consider it a real horror movie) - Carrie

[@spinynorman887]

Congrats, Whim! You have survived what is rated as one of the MOST scary movies in history! And I loved your reaction! And I feel that one of the reasons horror movies in the 70s are so much scarier, is that they couldn't use CGI to generate the fear. So instead they had to rely on TALENT, acting, practical effects and great directing. So the mind reacts stronger because subconsciously it's saying "This is actually happening in front of the camera!"

[@davidmartinez-fe3zr]

She laughed through her viewing, she might not have even gotten the movie-making masterclass. Not one mention in camera work, sound, acting, editing, sound. Just giggling. Hmm

[@Officer_jackie]

​@@davidmartinez-fe3zrit's a masterpiece.. Cult classic!! ❤ Even here in india 🇮🇳❤

[@jaketapgameplay2345]

What its not scary but now the demons that possess innocent people thers a fastest way to fight and remove them in body many witch doctor can easily fight them even all of them even lucifer,kane,balezeebub,nero,judas,hetler.they can fight them

[@johnfleming6236]

Only 4 people died while seeing this movie in the theaters!

[@88feji]

Its scary also because of its quietly realistic tone in its build up to the final scene ... you can hear the air noise type of realistic makes it really like its happening in your room .... its unlike most cheesy movies these days using cgi for exaggerated effects and cheesy music cues to create fake looking overly dramatic scenes ....

[@sca88]

I was 8 and snuck into the Exorcist with my friend and his older brother. It was pretty intense at that age and I had trouble sleeping for quite a while. In 2018 I got to meet Linda Blair and got to talk to her for a while and only learned to embrace the role later in life. She was typecast and missed out on lots of roles for years because everyone thought of her as Regan, the possessed girl. She's really sweet and tiny and of course I got an autographed photo of her as the Demon. Great reaction from someone of any age let alone someone as young as you are.

[@ventibreeze6648]

WTF 8? 😮

[@user-ul9vn6hn2g]

I read the book in my room at night after everybody went to sleep. I read it over several nights and was having bad dreams. It was 1972 and I was 11, the movie came out in 1973 and our family saw it at the drive-in. The book was scarier than watching the movie but, it was hood.

[@strogaa]

I was 9, when I first saw the transformation scene of "American Werewolf in London", and it scared the shit out of me. At the age of 17, already turned into a big fan of the horror movie genre, I wanted to watch "The exorcist", and it was the first movie I stopped in the middle. Took me almost three years to give it a new try.

[@Kainlarsen]

My grandad told me that my dad watched this by himself as a kid in a cinema when they were on holiday in France, while he and my gran went sightseeing. It apparently freaked him out so much that he ran all the way back to the hotel before they got back. :D

[@Elsupermayan8870]

Yeah, Linda Blair was in Exorcist 1 & 2 which were in the 70's. I didn't see her in another movie until I saw her in one called Witchery in 1988. Horrible movie, but since Lind Blair was in it I watched it.

[@alexdonovan1974]

As soon as I saw the thumbnail for this, I knew I was in for a treat. The sweetest, most innocent reactor I've ever seen watching one of the most disturbing films in the history of cinema. "My poor little heart is twerking." Yeah, that about sums it up. 😂 Highly entertaining, as usual. 😀

[@moseshorowitz4345]

I was a young kid when this came out, and I can tell you that the adults around me were _freaking out_ over it. This was in Boston, which is very Catholic. People were running out of the theatre, fainting, having nightmares, the works.

[@Roger-bi1zm]

I'm 76 and a lifelong horror movie fan. I saw this in a packed theater when it came out. The audience reaction was even more entertaining than the movie itself. Always love your reactions!

[@steved6092]

Musician Mike Oldfield produced 'Tubular Bells' and played every instrument on the LP ... initially it sold slowly but gained worldwide attention in 1973 when the opening theme was used for the soundtrack to the film 'The Exorcist' ... This led to a surge in sales which increased Oldfield's profile and played an important part in the growth of the Virgin Group ... Check out the CD or LP or whatever, it really is a masterpiece ... Great reaction Whimsory, hope you sleep well after watching it so many times !

[@TheCryptofHorrors-DerCryptaxis]

Much as I dislike the film the music is so masterful, iconic, and influential

[@nicolasbaron4506]

One of the greatest horror movies ever made and it’s easy to see why! Every actor does such a great job, a lot of effort was put into the makeup, and it’s overall really frightening!

[@johnbernhardtsen3008]

im pretty sure William Friedkin went to work on this movie having the editor as a sideman! I know they editors do what ever the director says, but I think he asked the editor for most input before cutting the movie! the last 20 minutes are so intense!

[@pushpak]

RIP William Friedkin. Thank you for giving us this masterpiece.

[@zulby09]

This is a true story. My mom and my 2 elder sisters used to bring my brother and I to watch The Exorcist when I was only 5 years old in first year of kindergarten. Most of the time I felt a bit bored and bothered my mom for snacks/drink or just to gain her attention. Only 3 scenes made me stop and watch: the opening desert archaeology scene with the red blood movie title; the crucifix masturbation scene; the final exorcism scene. My sisters were annoyed and complained to mom that I don’t know how to watch a movie in a cinema. Almost 2 decades later, I gained respect for this vintage classic as a young adult who is also a movie buff. So when it was playing on tv for its 25th anniversary close to midnight, I recorded it on vhs tape but since there were commercial ads the original duration is inflated. I let the tape continue recording the show In Living Color after the Exorcist ended until the tape ran out. One fine day, my parents were out sleeping over at my sister’s house leaving me all alone at home at night. I am not insane enough to watch The Exorcist in such situation but I needed to reel the tape fast forward in order to access and watch In Living Color. I remember of fast forwarding only about 2 hours and 7 minutes then press play on the remote control. Imagine my horror and shock when the scene that exploded on tv at cranked up volume was that of Regan roaring and sticking her tongue at the 2 priests. That completely freaked me out; I turned off the tv and turned on all the lights that night while sleeping. It’s ok if I watched it from start to finish but not smack right in the middle of a scene from this movie.

[@Gakusangi]

This movie is historic, not just for itself as a consumable piece of media but the entire story of how it was made.

[@MacMc691]

The spiderwalk scene still creeps me out, one of the best scenes in horror history.

[@jordanhurd1988]

That wasn’t the one in the cut though. Here’s the right one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2mpXnijf9tjZ7ssi=cuwGlOOnUqAMEf-q

[@MacMc691]

@@jordanhurd1988 Haven't watched that one before, only the one without the blood. Looks like that was in the director's cut. Should have kept that one in, but with how things were rated back then, especially how this film in general was received, not too surprising they removed that little bit. Thx.

[@jordanhurd1988]

@@MacMc691 they removed it initially because they couldn’t convincingly remove the wire rig that held her up. Fun thing is that the one that she watched was more accurate to the book.

[@derekharrison1582]

I don’t know if it would have creeped Whims out though,she loves laughing at stuff like this!😸👻

[@sluglife9785]

Allow me to be the voice of dissent. I think the spiderwalk looks even stupider than the spinning head.

[@ev-yt2064]

My wife and I stood in line for 3 hours in a line around the block in Westwood, Calif the week of the premier 1973. News stories reported people fainting in the theatre. It was an amazing experience for everyone in the theatre.

[@DouglasJohnson.]

There's a reason this film has stood the test of time. It absolutely delivers the terror, in an unapologetically brutal fashion. Shocking for it's time and still shocking today. All wrapped up in a compelling portrayal of a mother trying to save her child. They're re-releasing this in theaters in October and I can't wait. Don't waste your time with "The Excorcist II" but "Excorcist III: Legion" is a worthy sequel that delivers it's own set of unforgettable chills.

[@hnationmusic3099]

Whoa are you serious?!?! I literally was thinking to myself I need to email whatever company holds the rights to the movie to tell them they need to re-release it I. Theaters. The youth of today have no idea what they are about to witness.

[@helvete_ingres4717]

it's not about a mother trying to save her child, the mother is completely excluded from all the pivotal scenes and for better or for worse the film isn't too interested in her. It's about the priest's crisis of faith

[@ToThePointCT]

​@@helvete_ingres4717it's about whatever you want it to be about

[@ToThePointCT]

​@@hnationmusic3099the youth of today are bored and amused by this movie. I don't understand the mentality but.... "youth"

[@hnationmusic3099]

@@ToThePointCT It was a false alarm anyway. I thought they were re-releasing the original. They are making another sequel. You can be sure it won't have the same impact as the original. There is something imprinted into that film. I don't believe many "youth" today could handle it. It is still the top horror movie of all time. It doesn't hit like the rest. Lookup some of the reaction videos on it.

[@jhschmidMD4]

Perhaps the best movie ever made, and certainly the best horror film. The scene that gets me is the head turn, not because of the head turn, but knowing that possessed Regan killed Burke Dennings by twisting his head around, and then she asks "Do you know what she did?" in BURKE'S VOICE! Loved your terrified reaction, and thoughtful commentary and analysis!

[@richardb6260]

The head turn really stuck with me. So much so that when I saw The Jerk in a theater a few years later, there was a scene when Steve Martin finds out a check is for a lot more than he thought and his head turns completely around. I jumped in my seat like I was watching a horror movie. The Exorcist flashbacks.

[@user-mg5mv2tn8q]

When her head turns around, the sound effect does a lot of the heavy lifting. The put a bunch of celery up close to a microphone and *twisted* it to make that spine-cracking noise.

[@jhschmidMD4]

@@user-mg5mv2tn8q Again, as gross, and disturbing as the head twist effect is, the point of my comment was to highlight what the demon says to Regan's mother, AFTER the effect happens. By taking on the murdered persona and voice of Burke, after physically demonstrating with her own head, what she had done to his, implies to the mother (and the audience) that she had also captured Burke's soul when she murdered him! Most people are so shocked by the effect, that they miss the even more disturbing aspect of WHY she does the head twist, and what it will mean to Regan's mother. It's a similar attack to what she does later to Father Karras, by claiming "your mother's in here with us, Karras"

[@ToThePointCT]

​@@jhschmidMD4 you'd have to have a poor attention span to not know this. It's repeatedly discussed (kinderman) and Burkes voice is distinct enough

[@jhschmidMD4]

@@ToThePointCT Then, as you would have it, most people have "poor attention spans" because whenever I bring this point up, very few catch this detail. You must be special.

[@txmoney]

I’m a bit of an Exorcist fanatic. I’ve read and watched just about every article, documentary, and interview regarding this movie. I have to say that your reaction, research, and analysis is on point. That makes your reaction one of the best I’ve seen on KZbin. Well done! I recommend you skip the sequel, Exorcist 2, and go directly to Exorcist 3. William Peter Blatty wrote and directed Exorcist 3 and its a true sequel to The Exorcist. Although Exorcist 3 wasn’t a critical or box office success, it has grown to a cult classic.

[@davidmichels9454]

I wanted to add to my comment pretty much everything you just said. I too, have been really into the history of the movie as well and there are tons of documentaries on KZbin about this. And the story it's loosely based on.

[@user-wr9ej6xe4j]

Theres some Pakistani guys who just reacted to The Exorcist. I think it's my fav react of it. They've never even seen any American movies until recently, then they got this movie thrown at them lol. Overall theyre an excellent channel, called CinePhiles React

[@matthewkirkhart2401]

My cousin is Linda Blair's doppleganger, she looks EXACTLY like her, and when we were kids she used to scare the crap out of me with references to this movie, doing voices, side-eye glances, etc. Such a great movie!

[@ytiniowa828]

Great reaction. I just subscribed to your channel simply because I feel that anyone that puts as much time and effort into researching and analyzing a movie as you do - as opposed to just reacting to it - has earned it.

[@MrDeadstu]

The Exorcist isn't scary, it's disturbing. That is why it stands the test of time. It caused pandemonium when it was released in the theatres in the 70's.

[@rdawgo14]

Great reaction! To me this movie is a triumph of mood-building horror. Early on we see the results/fallout of major events (Regan's deterioration, priest's mom's death) without seeing the actual precipitating events. Time passage is also kind of unclear, which with the quick cuts destabilizes the viewer. I think this intensifies the truly horrifying stuff later with Regan's behavior. My favorite element (besides Blair's amazing performance) is the portrayal of modern medicine, with its capacity to cause Reagan suffering, and the coldness and certainty of the doctors as their expertise fails.

[@Greenwood4727]

as someone who went through a few medical tests in the 80's it was a lot scarier than today's medicine Thank the heavens

[@peterlenihan1613]

I saw this movie opening week at the Ziegfeld theater in Manhattan. We were high AF, and we loved it. It is still the scariest for me. A lot of younger people reacting to the movie wonder why the mom didn't bring Reagan to a priest immediately. Back then, most people never even heard of an exorcism. I was aware only because I went to Catholic school. Back then, the church acted like exorcisms weren't performed since the Middle Ages. As far as the exorcism was concerned, the director was very respectful and had a priest on set to make sure the ritual was perfirmed correctly. I really enjoy the way you watch the movie a second time and give a very thoughtful review.

[@JC-rb3hj]

Let's throw some flowers to the great unsung performance of the personal assistant. That woman looked like she wanted to be on any other planet but earth but couldn't leave the house. When she plugged in that pathetic earphone into her little radio to try and drown out what was going on upstairs it was heartbreaking.

[@WazzzUpFolks]

A real masterpiece! No jumpscares, no conventional stuff, only an incredible dialogue, sound and imagery design!

[@johnsensebe3153]

One thing few people realize is that Max von Sydow (Father Merrin) was only forty-two when this movie came out. His makeup is incredibly convincing, especially for the '70s. If you look at von Sydow's films from after 2000, he looks almost exactly like he does in this film.

[@andrewharrison5288]

I went to college in D.C., and the "Exorcist Steps" (near the Key Bridge) are pretty famous in that area. Steep, too; climbing those suckers is no joke.

[@mego73]

A couple things that still amaze me about this movie. You have a couple of long dialog scenes that are done outdoors. The conversation between Karras and Kinderman and then Chris and Karras. Even now and especially then, recording dialog outside a sound studio meant that you would have to loop, or record most or all of it in a sound studio because of outdoor noises. So, practically 100% of those scenes have re-recorded dialog. It's a difficult and amazing thing to match your performance with a microphone in your face while making sure to be in sync with your original footage and the performances were all on point. If you ever watch that scene again, notice particularly when Chris says "Father Karras, it's my little girl!" You can tell the voice is inside a room. Linda Blair's adult double, Eileen Deitz is the ghostly demon face (considered by fans to be the face of Pazuzu/Captain Howdy). It was actually an early test possession makeup (they had both Linda and Eileen trying out different possession makeups). This was not used because they wanted a look that was much more "organic" and settled on the face with self inflicted cuts, that were infected and an overall jaundiced parlor. But it was interesting enough for them to use for the flash ins that you see and they also superimpose the face on Linda's closeup after the second head turn scene (it was actually a closeup of the dummy face). The stair walk scene you saw is not exactly the same as the one used in the 2000 re-release. What you saw was a rough edit deleted scene shown in an earlier documentary. It follows the book more closely than the way the scene was edited in the actual movie. The movie edit is more shocking.

[@douglaslafreniere5707]

Great reaction , research and commentary as always ! In 1973 there was nothing like this over the years we have been desensitized by TV and films this was truly horrifying . I remember it being banned in Boston and many stories of people fainting and getting Ill in the theater . Such a classic film

[@Chaosixil]

"My bones, they're chilled." lol, I'm using that. Great reaction!

[@MS-19]

After half a century, The Exorcist remains as powerful, controversial and influential as it was when it first came out. After watching it, a relative of mine took to sleeping with a Bible under his pillow for quite some time. It even seemed to take you out of your usually wide comfort zone - so much so that you started off your own exorcism at 19:30! Surely that is evidence of its greatness among horror movies. It has various striking features. Max von Sydow's make-up, designed to make him look older than he was at the time, actually managed to pre-empt how he would indeed look decades later. The young Linda Blair absolutely stole every scene she was in as Regan, the possessed girl - she won a Saturn Award when reprising the role in "Exorcist II: The Heretic" which (ironically) was a huge flop. The foggy breath in the bedroom scenes was achieved by refrigerating the set; the cast members truly had to suffer for their art! There was also some notable use of subliminal imagery - the demonic face ("Captain Howdy") appearing for a few frames at certain moments to disturbing effect. Oh, you may have read it in your follow-up, but the "stuff it spits out" was pea soup. Unsettling though the movie is, revisiting it with you was a great pleasure, Whimsory. Where will you be taking us next? I will look forward to it!

[@davidwilkins5932]

Great reaction! I was in the theater opening weekend, and it was quite a phenomenon. Lines all the way around the block waiting to get in. We live in an entirely different era, which I don’t begrudge, but the enveloping experience of watching this movie on a 50 foot screen was like nothing else that came before. I’ve said it before, but your approach to reaction is unique and wonderful. The vast majority of others are obviously not engaged at your level, and your appreciation for the art and craft of film is very refreshing and uncommon.

[@TheCryptofHorrors-DerCryptaxis]

Now that would've been very interesting to observe, I like blind first reactions because it gives me a window into the original impact of the films and how they became historic and influential. Seeing it in 2012 for the first time I didn't believe the stories about the panic in the audiences and still somewhat doubt how intense it got. Whereas I'd heard storoes about people trying to climb into the projection booth to stop The Last House On the Left (1972) in its worst moments and definitely believe those 😅

[@stpetie7686]

Holy moly! Not only did I get to see Whimsory watch The Exorcist, I learned that soon she's going to do 12 Angry Men. It's gonna be a good day. I'm thinking she's gonna really enjoy 12 Angry Men. And just so I've said it, Whimsory, your time and effort in these reactions is very much appreciated and clearly shows in the product. Thanks.

[@LiamLacey95]

Probably the best horror movie ever made, up there with Psycho for sure. Hopefully we see more horror reactions from you, Silence of the Lambs is definitely one to see.

[@earthwormandruw]

I would personally place Silence of the Lambs as a Thriller, but still an amazing film!

[@garykuovideos]

Considering how truly disturbing this film is, I’m impressed with and appreciate how you were able to keep your commentary rated G.

[@waldorfstatler3129]

I saw this at a cinema in Leicester Square London in early 1974 and I can tell you it shocked the audience. Some people walked out crying. There were gasps, screams and sobbing. The scene with the crucifix stabbing caused the greatest outburst of disgust and many quickly walked out immediately. Me, I loved it............though I did sleep with the light on for a few nights that week.

[@gorrammudder1600]

Oof, this is gonna be a rough one Whims... this one is more than scary, it's..... it sticks to you soul.

[@dawnofthewalkers4915]

I would say it’s not even scary at all. Maybe I’ve been desensitized to horror movies but I don’t find it scary.

[@user-ln4gd6hx7e]

​@@dawnofthewalkers4915As someone with children, I would argue it's beyond terrifying.

[@LarryFleetwood8675]

@@user-ln4gd6hx7e It's still extremely effective and spooky now, people have merely become jaded because of today's gory f/x and jump scares.

[@dawnofthewalkers4915]

@@user-ln4gd6hx7e I’ve got a kid too but it still doesn’t make the exorcist scary for me. I’ll tell you what movie gets me more because I have a child is pet semetary.

[@The_Dudester]

Fifty years ago, when this movie came out, people were passing out and running out of the theater (refusing to return) because the movie spooked them so bad. There have been two nights where I slept with the lights on. The first was when I saw this movie. The second was when I finished the book "The Black Hope Horror: The True Story of a Haunting"

[@ElliotNesterman]

Max von Sydow was a successful actor in Sweden who came to international attention with his leading role in Ingmar Bergman's film, _The Seventh Seal_ (1957). A classic of world cinema, _The Seventh Seal_ is considered one of the greatest films ever made and it made Bergman a world-renowned director. If you've never seen it, it well repays watching.

[@GuiSilva84]

I watched The Exorcist the right way : 8 years old, hidden from my parents, alone in a dark room. It was airing on TV, and I had no idea what it was about. Little by little, the psichological terror had me glued to the tv, in a state where I wanted to get the hell out of there, but at the same time, I COULD NOT stop watching it. I remember watching it completely covered with my blanket, only nose and eyes wide open sticking out. The effect lasted for so long, that I slept with the lights on for a few months. Those were the good old days 😂

[@timothywait9457]

GuiSilva at 8 you would have been a Virgin so the masterbation rape would not have ment much

[@mikeferris408]

Watch it quite often.. alone, in the dark of course. Best real horror movie to this day, nothing even comes close to it after all these years!

[@richardb6260]

I have to laugh when people tell me The Shining or The Blair Witch Project is scarier. Those movies are The Care Bears and My Little Pony in comparison.

[@paulfromt.o.7384]

I've seen this movie umpteen times, always leaves an impression. Best part of watching first time reactors is watching them go from smiling at the party scene to dead serious when she pees on the floor. Then it just gets worse 😅. FYI for people who like behind the scenes or making of's, there's an official documentary called The Fear of God from late 90's that is fantastic. What the cast and crew had to endure making this masterpiece is remarkable. Cheers and fun reaction.

[@saaamember97]

FUN FACTOID: Those famous stairs still exist today, in Georgetown, MD. To see them, without having to travel there, use Google Earth, and navigate to the intersection of Canal Road NW and Whitehurst Freeway NW. Use the "Street View" feature, and look to the North. You will see a small parking lot in the foreground. At the back of the lot, there is a reddish brick building on the right and a grayish brick wall with a lot of greenery growing on it, to the left. Between the two of them, is a staircase going from the lower parking level, up to the upper street level. This is the staircase that is featured in this movie. Reagan's room is behind one of the top level windows in the red brick building.

[@jo2extreme874]

I like the way you review from an intelligent perspective. It’s kinda rare these days to see a young person expressing clear thought without regurgitation of talking points or lost in superficial candyland or with such a short attention span that they can’t follow a movie. Your giving me hope ❤️❤️❤️

[@Krommer1000]

I swear to God, this was the most adorable reaction to this movie I've ever seen. I literally couldn't stop laughing! Ha ha ha!

[@hughmcboo8329]

First, what a genuinely visceral reaction to a masterpiece. Second, I didn’t know many of those facts you mentioned in your analysis, that was cool. I saw this film for the first time on a date in fall of 2000 when they re-released it. It was shown at a theater on campus of the college we were at so we just walked to it. It ended after midnight and it scared/disturbed the crap out of me. The girl I was with was cracking up at how spooked I was while walking back to the dorms in the dark. I’ll never forget that. Anyways, great job🎉 Edit: I watch any reaction to this movie I can find and the Face that flashes in it ALWAYS gives me goosebumps. That’s wild!

[@Sherman1fan]

Great that you had the reaction that it was meant to have, some reactors are so much into analyzing everything (acting, composition, camera angle etc.) they don't get scared, sad, whatever the scene is supposed to make you feel. The medical technology at the time was very not sophisticated, (pre MRI photos, blood letting) that in itself was traumatizing scary. Those procedures used in the movie are thankfully not used anymore ( I hope, I'm not a med. tech person). Your reviews/discussions are a top notch, you go the extra-extra mile, thank you! ( Yay, you made it through!)

[@HT-in-Alabama]

I'm 70 now and I went to see this movie when it came out back in the 1970s. It's 50 years later now and I love that this movie still scares the grape out of people.

[@gravedigger8414]

This movie is such a timeless masterpiece. And one of the scariest ever. I just love it. Glad you made it through.

[@chrisbanks6659]

Oh wow. It's almost 1am here but I will most definitely be tuning in tomorrow. For now, I need my ugly sleep 😂

[@archstanton664]

18:56 "I've seen enough of what's upstairs." The timing of that comment. 😂😂

[@Wungolioth]

What really sets this movie apart, and what affected most people in the audience so much, was the sound design. Friedkin employed subliminal sounds, including the sounds of angry bees and pigs, also many places where the sound would go from dead silent to loud(the stage coach scene in the beginning). The hospital scenes also affected many people because having Reagan surrounded by machines, the noises they make, her obvious discomfort and pain, gave people claustrophobic responses and sent some screaming out of the theater. Though not illegal, studios frown on the overuse of subliminal sounds in movies since then.

[@magicbrownie1357]

I was just laughing my ass off watching your facial reactions. That was hands down the best reaction to The Exorcist I've seen. Thanks Whinsory!

[@tetleyT]

Ha awesome! A bold choice Whimsory. And one of the all-time great movies - in any genre.

[@alancrofoot]

Now, put yourself in the mindset of a 20 year old in 1973, seeing this on the big screen. Holy Shit! Film footage exists of movie audiences at the time watching this, it was a very shared experience. Nobody had seen anything like it before. It scared the ever loving shit out of me. btw I absolutely love your reactions, especially your deep dives at the end. Keep it up.

[@grubbermeister]

"Ah, well... I attended Juilliard. I'm a graduate of the Harvard business school. I travel quite extensively. I lived through the Black Plague, and had a pretty good time during that. I've seen 'The Exorcist' about a 167 times AND IT KEEPS GETTING FUNNIER EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEE IT!"

[@neiladams3042]

Another great reaction video! I rewatched the Exorcist recently and was pleasantly surprised at how much I still enjoyed it - the atmosphere created and the excellent acting all around made it something special. You didn't call out Jason Miller's performance but I thought he was brilliant in this movie. For an amazing movie with another fantastic performance by Ellen Burstyn you should totally watch Requiem for a Dream. Looking forward to the next one!

[@renzero9206]

Watch 12 Angry Men right now! 😂Lee J.Cobb gives a phenomenal performance in that movie. The whole cast do. Its one of the best films ever made.

[@robovike]

IIRC there was a critic or filmmaker who noted that this film is very actively assaulting its audience, in a way that few films ever have, before or since. The slow build, the loving family vibe, the descent and then the takeover of Reagan. Sound design is a huge character in this film: the demonic voices, the harsh volume shifts, as you noted the plinky, spidery strings of parts of the score. 50 years down the road and it still seems to be effective for modern audiences, gotta love it when art delivers. I should also mention that the author of the novel directed a 1980 film called "The Ninth Configuration" (an alternate title to the film is "Twinkle Twinkle Killer Kane") that, while I'm not sure I'd call it horror, then maybe psychological thriller. I haven't seen it in at least ten years, but I believe that the actor who played Father Karras is in it, as well as an actor from The Exorcist 3 (which is the only other good title in the franchise), and I remember the dialogue being quite funny and snappy and kind of vibing with the way Det. Kinderman talked in The Exorcist.

[@blakewalker84120]

I love that the first few seconds of your video plays "Introduction" by Mike Oldfield, an amazing musical piece from his album, Tubular Bells. That album was the first album ever released by Virgin Records. That instrumental is still one of the purest instrumentals written in modern time. It's front and center in my Jazz & New Age playlist. Oh, yeah, incidentally, the piece was used in the Exorcist.

[@seansersmylie]

William Friedkin passed away a couple of weeks ago, he made several great films. I would say the best is Sorcerer, which is not about a wizard. The title is prob why it didn't do so well at the box office. The Exorcist film was huge, as was The French Connection.

[@seansersmylie]

Also, William Friedkin's autobiography is fantastic. There is a great audiobook version.

[@humandesignsolutions]

Bold choice:) and entertaining reaction, well edited as always. Similar movie suggestion, which I always preferred: "The Omen" with Gregory Peck. Underrated:). And I also recommend "the Hustler" with Paul Newman, or "Cool Hand Luke". Paul was a legend.

And The Hustler's sequel with Tom Cruise.

[@MrSilentBill]

"I've seen enough of what's upstairs." The timing couldn't have been better! :D

[@jonjones1872]

Whimsory, you're the best!!!! You captured perfectly the shock, fear, & disbelief of when I saw it 50 years ago.... Imagine at that time MOST people were at least somewhat religious, making it even more traumatizing!!!! Waiting outside, 6, or 8, or 10 ambulances lined up because people were really freaking out.... I remember trying to be the macho man for my girlfriends benefit but in reality scared shitless!!!! HA.... Thank You, Very entertaining!!!! (Remember, it's JUST a movie) HA!!!!

[@sagittarius420cheefie]

That actually wasn't the spider walk scene they used in the movie. There was two different ones.

[@ToyutahLifein]

So Whim, I liked this, and I noticed a couple connected things I'll share. First, excellent you like the view of Max von Sydow outside in the dark, on sidewalk by light. So, you mentioned checking out 12 Angry Men"... excellent!. It's in 1957. Also, Max was in a 1957 movie, "The Seventh Seal". I'm not requesting it, but it's rated 8.2 starring Max and directed by Ingmar Bergman, who was also incredible. Ingmar's cousin was Ingrid Bergman, the amazing actress. In 1944 she starred in a movie that you said the title of a few times in your reaction. "Gaslight", from 1944. Not one of her best, but a 7.5. Max just died 3 years ago, born in 1929 and he was in over 160 movies***

[@chriswood232]

I had the opportunity to interview Linda Blair back in the late '80's for a paper I was writing in college. She was incredibly generous and sweet and had a lot to say about Hollywood and the occult. We had a wonderful conversation that I'll cherish forever. ❤

[@dp3154]

This is pretty much the summit, but director William Friedkin is one of the masters. You should also see his movies French Connection and Sorcerer- Sorcerer is pure white-knuckle suspense all the way through. Also, the sequel to this film, Exorcist III, has one of the most phenomenal acting performances ever (both George C. Scott and Brad Dourif give career-highlight acting).

[@stevesheroan4131]

My goodness I love this channel. This young lady is engaged, thoughtful, intelligent, and empathetic to the characters AND the people portraying them. It’s very endearing and entertaining. Quickly becoming my favorite reaction channel. Now go have a cookie and watch something nicer. That won’t be difficult, lol. I’d suggest The Princess Bride if you haven’t seen it.

[@StevesFunhouse]

Wow, you just FORCED me to look up ticket prices, and I was stunned to realize that the price of the average movie ticket was just $1.76 in 1973. Incredible, simply incredible !!! Great reaction, little crazy, funny, beautiful person 👍😉😊.

[@zer0tzer0]

Eileen Dietz was just a hand model for the crucifix scene, which is why you didn't notice. To see Eileen's face you have to look close and fast in the vomit scene. The very last blast of vomit is from Eileen. She is also the face of Pazuzu in the subliminal flashes, those are only a couple few frames of film, the rest is all Linda, except the voice. Mercedes McCambridge did do the voice, but she's not just a voice actor. She's an academy award winning actress in her own right. She had a priest on standby to help her through the ordeal of her performance. The "Poster Shot" was really very difficult to do. The blind had to be set back and positioned off to one side, so it seems closed from the street, while a huge light is shined from the window down through the fog. Also, though Quill is literally correct, contextually it means, the pen of my aunt, which is a cliched French language instruction phrase, because people used feather quill pens to write with, which gives you some idea how old that phrase is since the French now say stylo for pen. And, way back in '73 the language coming from the mouth of a young girl was more shocking and less funny. Morals in the culture and on the screen had loosened up some in the sixties, but you have to remember M*A*S*H originally had an X Rating when it was first release for just a split second of full frontal nudity, so this was pretty bad for back then. And Ellen Bernstein didn't "fall" in that scene, they had a wire on her and she was pulled. The reason Linda's back was injured was the harness she was wearing that was attached to the board came loose.

[@kevinschultx7673]

Whimsory is back with a bang 💣

[@earthwormandruw]

The dream sequence where he's trying to reach his mom is terrifying! I heard the subway is supposed to represent hell and they use this tight shot from a long distance away to make it look like when he's running to her he's not getting any closer no matter how hard he runs to her. This is terrifying to me because I have a reoccurring dream where someone is attacking me and I pull out a revolver to shoot them but the trigger wont pull all the way no matter how hard I try to squeeze it.

[@dr.burtgummerfan439]

Lol, I've had the "gun won't fire" nightmare before. Also had one where the bullets were super slow and bounced lazily off the attacker.😂 (and this was way before The Matrix 🤣)

[@SubZeroCommander]

I never ever had a gun dream in my life and I'm 54, european!

[@doktor_ghul]

I was born in 1963, so I was ten years old when I saw this. Yeah, I saw it first run, ans asked to see it BECAUSE I read the book in school, and loved it. Of course, I grew up reading Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft, so I was really ready for it. I went in as one person, and came out as Doktor G'Hul. I grew up in a rural fishing village in northern Nova Scotia, Canada, and despite being brought up by my Anglican parents, I was a staunch atheist even then, so like Beetlejuice, the move became funnier every single time I saw it. Blatty's cut really gave it a punch that the theatrical cut didn't quite have. At any rate, half a decade before STAR WARS showed up, it was a serious punch in the guts to most audiences. I don't remember anything weird happening when I saw it. Anyway, my respect goes out to Mercedes McCambridge for smashing it , playing the demon's voice.

[@theembalmer3987]

I was there to see it in the theater back in 73 you have no idea what went on while the movie was playing.. People passed out, threw up ran out of the theater complete chaos ambulances were already outside ready to transport people to the hospital or give medical service if needed it was awesome I loved it I couldn't take my eyes off this movie I was hooked 😊 Millennials 😂 you kill me 😂

[@IAMGUAMCPA]

Always a pleasure. But now you share the nightmare. Been dealing with it since it first showed :) Your reactions are always the best, but I knew this one would be special. You didn't disappoint.

[@fuseblower8128]

If you want an antidote to The Exorcist then see it spoofed in the opening of Scary Movie part 2. James Woods is hilarious in it as the priest. 😁

[@Kurahaara86]

"Yes. Sometimes you have to give 'em candy."

[@Holy_Wraith]

"RELEASE ME FROM THIS DEMON!"

[@isoldejaneholland8370]

SNL also did a brilliant parody with Richard Pryor and Laraine Newman.

[@LordVolkov]

There is also a comedy sequel- Repossessed, with Leslie Nielsen

[@rickcain4736]

​@@LordVolkovLinda Blair is also in this playing Reagan again

[@hbron112]

Thank you Whimsory for subjecting yourself to this classic horror movie for our entertainment. I hope you aren't too scarred (or too scared) but your audience applauds.

[@hk43xx]

The thing to keep in mind is that in 1973 there were no summer blockbuster releases. Studios released their big movies during Christmas season.

[@BeanieBoi6520]

You should check out The Shining (1980)

[@scottstevens7639]

Really loving your reactions. Unlike many others, you take a deep dive into all aspects of the movies you watch. You have a genuine curiosity about and appreciation for them. It’s your best quality and it’s greatly appreciated. As to the upsetting nature of this film on audiences, there are in fact movies that are worse. One such is a French film called “Martyrs” (there is also an inferior American remake). It may not be on the IMDB top 250, but I dare you to watch that. It’s not as ‘scary’ as “Exorcist”, but is more difficult to watch and has caused it’s own fair share of medical emergencies. Keep doing what you’re doing. Eventually you’ll get through that very long list and I’m here for all of it. 😊❤

[@MrSurabane]

I'm imagining Whimsory in the theatres during the original release laughing like she does here and the looks those people would give her. lol

[@Spills51]

My Father used to laugh and tell the story of my Uncle, who after watching this in the theater in the 70's would come home from work after dark and for weeks after he would sprint after getting out of his car for his house door....he was creeped out....along with a whole generation at that time.

[@richardb6260]

The Exorcist ruined horror movies for me because I knew I'd never see a scarier movie and I never did.

[@Holy_Wraith]

Laughs in - The Fourth Kind, with Milla Jovovich.

[@TheCryptofHorrors-DerCryptaxis]

Last house on the left and the blair witch project got me pretty hard compared to this

[@chasekemp6915]

@@Holy_Wraithno lol

[@johnsensebe3153]

I've seen _The Exorcist_ about a hundred and sixty-seven times, and it keeps getting funnier every single time I see it!

[@aruruaurynwolferson9713]

I never seen the original just the parody scene in Scary Movie 2 Funfact: The tongue is the same because the makers of scary movie couldn't create an own realistic one😊

[@eatsmylifeYT]

No, you haven't. You're just trying to impress people.

[@KingRich616]

​@@eatsmylifeYTaren't you a barrel of laughs

[@KingRich616]

Still not as many times as Kermode!

[@darenpringle1552]

I'm not sure people got ya beetlejuice reference 😂

[@JRSiebz]

I still remember the SNL episode where they parodied this movie using the line "You mother sews socks that smell" instead of well, the other one 😉

[@joshuah9109]

You can find it here on KZbin. I rewatch it from time-to-time and it always cracks me up!😅

[@white.lodge.dale.cooper]

Such a great movie. Even without the disturbing stuff, it's still so solid because of the screenplay, the cinematography, and of course the impeccable acting that makes it possible for us to buy all that craziness. Not to mention the stunning effect by Dick Smith who is probably the greatest sfx makeup artist of all time; very kind and generous artist who helped the next generations of special effects makeup artists like Rick Baker, Tom Savini, Rob Bottin, Greg Nicotero, etc. He would literally off them his secrets when they'd ask him for advice. I enjoyed his work on an old film called Ghost Story, who actually costars the incomparable Fred Astaire, of all people! And now that you've seen it, you finally know why it freaked people out so much when The Exorcist was released, and still continues to leave a wake of gaping mouths and jaws on the floor. Personally, as a recovering Catholic, this movie REALLY freaked me out. First time I saw it was in the very late 70s or very early 80s when it was shown on network TV. Even though it was heavily edited, it still left its mark on me. I was already afraid of the dark back then, but The Exorcist made me terrified of the possibility that I might see that demon face on the range hood when I got up in the middle of the night to the bathroom. Yikes. Fantastic review as usual. You're just so good! We really appreciate your research, attention to detail, and intelligent takes on these films.

[@ThBeatnik]

I was in high school when this came out. The word of mouth that circulated was so troubling that I put off watching it until the mid-1990s. I can't say The Exorcist is the scariest movie I've seen, but the strong element of cringe makes it among the most disturbing. Looking back now, I can see the huge influence this had on The Evil Dead. The rotating head and the vomit scenes are iconic, and have been endlessly parodied. Thanks for a great reaction!

[@richardb6260]

Pretty much every depiction of possession in movies made since copied The Exorcist. I think seeing the subsequent movie knock-offs before seeing The Exorcist probably lessened its impact. But for people who saw it when it was released, it was like nothing they'd ever seen before.

[@lexlewis550]

Abandon all hope 😱😱

[@mitchmitchell326]

I've seen this movie many times and I thought I knew everything about it on and off the screen. But once again, your in depth research has proved me wrong. One interesting thing that I overlooked from the movie until recently was the scene when Reagan turned her head around and said to her mom "Do you know what she did?...Your ******* daughter." Wasn't just for shock value. It was to show how she killed Burke by twisting his head all the way around. For most of the hardcore fans probably already knew that but for some that have seen this once or twice more than likely didn't realize it had a more meaning than just shock & awe.

[@gutspraygore]

The movie came out just before I was born. But there was no avoiding the cultural phenomena that it became in the years since. It was well written, acted, shot and the violence was shocking but not gorey. It didn't feel like exploitation. You really only have to watch it once and you won't forget it. Max Von Sydow also played knight in The Seventh Seal, a 1957 movie where he plays a game of chess against Death. He looks like he could be anywhere between 40 or 50.... he was 28. I swear, the man was born at the age of 30. Ellen Burstyn also played a role in Requiem for a Dream. It's an uplifting story in contrast to her more serious roles. It's worth a watch.

[@r4_broadcast]

The only horror movie to win an Oscar. That speaks TONS of how good it is. I love your style. Making invastigations regarding the movie as part of your analysis after actually watching it makes your reactions pretty unique. Keep up the good work.

[@thomasknash]

Bunch of horror movies have won oscars (MISERY, ALIEN, GET OUT, JAWS, THE FLY, THE OMEN, BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA, 1943 version of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA & 1931 DR. JECKYL AND MR. HYDE, ROSEMARY'S BABY, etc). SILENCE OF THE LAMBS even won Best Picture and Director.