The Voice Behind the Exorcist's Demon and Why it Brought Mercedes McCambridge to Tears
Vložit
- čas přidán 25. 10. 2023
- Emotionally, mentally and physically challenging. Mercedes McCambridge went to great lengths to bring the demon Pazuzu's voice to life in The Exorcist. This is how she did it and why it brought her to tears in 1972.
#theexorcist #mercedesmccambridge #horrorstories
Follow NostalgAK on Instagram: / nostalgak
Follow us on Facebook: / nostalgak
Synopsis:
"The Exorcist," a 1973 horror classic directed by William Friedkin, is a chilling tale of possession, faith, and the battle between good and evil. The film is based on the novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty and features a talented ensemble cast that includes Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, and Jason Miller. Notably, the demon's voice was provided by the iconic actress and radio star, Mercedes McCambridge, who won an Academy Award for her role in All the King's Men
The story revolves around Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), a young girl living in Georgetown with her mother, Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), a successful actress. Their peaceful life takes a horrifying turn when Regan becomes inexplicably possessed by a malevolent and powerful demon. As Regan's behavior becomes increasingly erratic and violent, her mother, desperate to help her daughter, turns to the medical community for answers. When modern medicine fails, she seeks the assistance of Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a priest struggling with his own crisis of faith.
Father Karras, along with experienced exorcist Father Merrin (Max von Sydow), begins the terrifying and dangerous process of performing an exorcism on the demon that has taken hold of Regan's body. The battle between the forces of good and evil rages within the walls of the MacNeil home, leading to intense and disturbing scenes that have become iconic in the horror genre.
The film's shocking imagery, haunting performances, and spine-tingling soundtrack combine to create an unforgettable and truly terrifying cinematic experience. "The Exorcist" is renowned for its impact on the horror genre and remains a landmark in film history, with Mercedes McCambridge's contribution adding a unique layer of eerie authenticity to the demon's presence in the film. - Krátké a kreslené filmy
Wow. She should be posthumously be awarded an Oscar. She wasn’t even credited until recently.
She deserves SOMETHING, right?! Amazing work.
@@NostalgAKAnd she put herself through what I consider torture to achieve that certain something that makes her performance work so well!
Absolutely!!! She scared the shit out of me
It is best because EVERYONE that was credited in the movie was CURSED. EVERYONE WAS CURSED. She may have escaped.
@@Unique8802Um, okay, if you want to think about it that way!
There has never been a better demon voice than this portrayal. It was basically flawless....everything after and since this film has sounded off...
Nothing has ever come close IMHO. Thanks for watching! Appreciate you taking the time to dive into my work.
@@NostalgAKYeah, she scared the shit out of me!
Exactly
Tbh most films that have any possession themes avoid everything The Exorcist did because they'll always be compared to the film and do not aim to be copies of it. If they used similar techniques they'd just be called poor attempts to copy the film.
And the voice of the demon in Exorcist 2 was terrible.
This woman needs more recognition for her masterful performance!
She made the Exorcist, without her talent it wouldn't have had the enormous affect it did.
@@honiotes1 absolutely
@@honiotes1FACTS
I absolutely agree with you!
I think the voice is the scariest part. Bless her. I hope she’s found peace’
Ditto that sentiment 💕 Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your day to watch 🙏
@NostalgAK TBH she probably struggled. In 1987 her son shot and killed his wife and both daughters (aged 9 and 13), then he took a gun in each hand and shot himself in both temples simultaneously. He was involved in embezzlement from the firm he was at (he was a very successful futures trader), where he set up a fake account in Mercedes McCambridge's name. Before his murder/suicide event he wrote her a long and bitter letter, effectively blaming her for his actions for refusing to "work things out" with him. Look up John Lawrence Fifield on Wikipedia (or Markle as he had later changed his surname to match his stepfather's). I can't imagine she thought about much else after it happened. Liked the video although I was already aware of everything in it. Still enjoyed it though so I liked and subbed.
@@giggitygiggity8391oh God! Some people have more than her fair share of tragedy. I hope she was able to retain her sobriety through out that terrible time. May she rest in peace. She certainly left her mark on cinematic history🙏
The voice still gives me chills.
Agreed. Sends chills down my spine everytime I hear it.
True.
"Lonnie wake up!"
Mercedes should have been nominated for supporting actress, her portrayal of Pazuzu would have won second Oscar. Just an opinon.
AGREED! Her work for this deserved much more praise and accolades!
It’s not just the voice, it’s how accurate her ADR matches Linda Blair’s mouth. That match is perfect, which sell the performance even more.
Mercedes put herself through HELL for this role. She is a class act and one fine actor. She deserves A LOT more credit than she was given. And not just for this role.
What amazes me is how in the world she was able to so perfectly sync the demon voice to Linda Blair’s acting. Can’t imagine having to mimic this with all that emotion. Just brilliant!
Saw it at 19. Didn’t sleep for weeks. The most viscerally affecting film I’ve ever seen.
I've been saying it for years...the voice of the demon is the single element, that, more than any other, separates this film from other classic horror films. The demons voice is why The Exorcist is in a league of its own. Glad to see Billy Friedkin says as much.
Very instructive. It's not just a voice-over, it truly is voice acting.
Most definitely. Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day to watch!
You know it’s a great horror film when the innocent young girl sounds just like DMX.
Now I REALLY want to create that mashup with AI 😂
LMAO BEST COMMENT! 🤣🤣🤣
I saw this when I was 8 yrs old. Scared the Shit out of me. That demon voice stayed in my head a long time. Kudos to Mercedes and everything she went through. That demon voice made that movie so scary.
Omg please tell me u snuck and watched this? That your parents didn't allow u to see this at 8 yrs old??? Wtf.
the demon voice was a huge contribution to the film, wouldn't be nearly as good without it.
There would be no "Exorcist" without Mercedes McCambridge.
The greatest horror movie of all time. Never knew the story behind the voice, which took the experience to another level. Disturbing yet intriguing. Much like the film.
Yeah she had to drink a lot of alcohol and cartons of cigarettes 🚬
This incredible woman single handily inspired me to want to become a voice actor. She was so steeped in her gift and her art. One of a kind! 🖤
I was 18 and in college around 1975 when I first saw it. I would never mention Halloween or A Nightmare on Elm Street in the same sentence with this masterpiece. It scared and perhaps scarred me for life -- in a good way. I had nightmares for about six weeks after that first viewing. It's a shame so many films have copied it that it now seems cliche to the younger crowd. Few today can understand its profound impact and its innovations.
I was 7 years old when I saw it theatrically in early 1974; it seriously messed me up. I still remember trying to cower under my seat. Years later, my obsession with the movie went from fright to fascination. It is easily the most terrifying movie I've ever seen, but it's also one of the best dramas I've ever seen, as well.
I was also 7 when I saw this movie. After we left the movie and got into the car, I remember making sure everyone lock their doors. Took e awhile to get over the fright, but now I use that fear, to fight through life. Love this movie, it thought me that fear is all in your mind and you can over come just about anything.
Where did you see at 7 yrs old ? Who were you with ?
Fibber. Both of ya.
Me too
How were you allowed to see a film like this at 7yrs old?
It was 1974 when I first watched it. I was 9. Today, it remains my old time favorite physiological terrifying movie. And I watch it every year around October. It still gives me the chills man!
I thought i was the only one whose parents made questionable decisions regarding their kid's viewing choices 😂
I was 7, and i read the book cover-to-cover at age 9 (swiped the book off my 21-year-old sister).
I've read the book several times, since, and i still love it. Blatty was a brilliant writer!
MM's voice STILL elicits goosebumps, even after - very literally - having seen this movie in its various releases - a hundred times. It's like an icy finger trailing down my exposed spinal cord - absolutely unmatched by any voice-actor, ever.
She pulled that abject horror from the depths of her own personal hell - she suffered dearly for it - but her performance will NEVER be outdone.
Love her greatly.
I got damaged even more after this, lol Creatively wyse :) Awesome...
Do you remember if the exorcism scene was blue in 1974 like it is today?
Salute!! I was 12 the first time and I was sleeping with the light on the whole following summer
What kind of parent lets a 9 year old watch something like this 🤦🏻♀️
Back in the day when horror movies were horror movies and not stupid mindless jump scares.
What a great documentary showing how the voice of Pazuzu came to fruition! I was about 9 or 10 when I first saw this movie on TV here in Australia, and it scared the living crap out of me! To this day it still remains in my opinion the best horror movie ever made.
I was 14 years old, when a cousin of mine pay for the ticket and left me at the entrance of the theater in Puerto Rico to watch by myself, The Exorcist in the summer of 1974. I observed how adult people left the theater in horror, but even though I was also horrified managed to stay until the end. To me was like a test of manhood back then. Then like everybody else I spent weeks sleeping with the lights on.
This movie played on repeat for three days straight at my house. There is not one flaw throughout the entire movie.
The Exorcist is one of the greatest movies ever made. Mercedes Mccambridge was fantastic. She makes the movie 10×scarier. What happened with her son John is true horror!!!
So sad. It's straight out of the Amityville Horror. I don't know how you move on from something like that.
A Senior in High School. Terrified to go to sleep long after viewing. As a Catholic at that time, mesmerized in absolute terror. I viewed it a second time a few years ago, it wasn't all that scary because it was a "70's" film. I've seen it a total of three times since '73/74. Really appreciate the work you did on the Voice and Actress.
I remember this old movie. I was scared as a kid but I laugh at it now.
Saw the 2000 theatrical release in the theater as a 12 year old. The quick Pazuzu face, and hearing a woman crying in a seat nearby after the spider walk sequence, will always stick with me as the most intense movie theater experience I’ve ever had.
I was 9 years old and I’m telling you I didn’t sleep in the dark for months. Nothing can compare to hearing this movie, because I spent most of the movie with my eyes closed.
She was one of the best radio actors of all time. Very, very busy in that medium.
I could have done a 60-minute documentary on just her radio experience! It was an enlightening experience learning so much about her. What a woman!
The voiceover of Pazazu was great, as well as Linda Blair’s makeup.
What a great actress. The whole is thing is bursting with creativity and imagination.
It all came together beautifully :)
This performance....i have no words for how good it was.
To me, she did one of the best performances in movie history. She was the soul of Pazuzu appearance on The Exorcist, not excluding the magnificent Linda Blair performance.
The voice is what scared the crap out of me as a 12 year old. It's taken me many years to get the sounds and images out of my mind. After I would watch this movie, I couldn't sleep at night. I later converted to Catholic, now I say a prayer to St. Micheal the Archangel, and nod right off to sleep. I'm so thrilled to learn that Mercedes was Catholic as well.
I saw this movie when I was like 5 and it truly terrified me for years. I still think it is the scariest movie of all time
Without Mercedes McCambridge this movie would never have become the legendary piece of art it is.
100%!
No question the voice is the key that makes this demon terrifying.
💯 ! Thanks so much for watching! Hope you'll continue to join us on future nostalgia trips!
I was around 10 and half years old (in the year 1985), when I saw this movie first in TV. And the film made my life hell for 3 years of my life & I'm still traumatized. Not a single night I remember when I could get rid of any one scary scene of the movie till now. The first shock I got, when Chris McNeil came & saw the bed was shaking & secondly when Father Carras came to meet Regan (she was tied on the bed). The voice of Pazuzu (by Mercedes) & makeup made me frightened as of now 😄
I was 5 when I first saw this movie back in 1975. And in love with it ever since.
When I was a kid, my mom went on a business trip. Before she left, she said,
"Don't watch anything too scary so you can't sleep." So, of course I watched
The Exorcist on VHS, by myself, at night, and was scared shitless. I doubled
down the next night and watched the unedited version of "Salem's Lot".
Not much sleep either night lol.
It was 1981. I was 9 years old, and horror movies will always be my favorite.
I was 14 in 1974 when I went to see it. My mom read the book first, before she took us to see it. My grandmother told us that Billy Graham doesn't think anyone should go to see this movie, but mom took us anyway. I think the scene wear that statue that was in Iraq appeared with her was the scariest to me. That night when I went to bed, my cat started scratching shaking the bed, I turned my light on and slept with it on the rest of the night. Religious nut jobs were playing rock music backwards at that time, trying to hear demonic messages from it. The 70s were wild. Thanks for the info!
What a time to be alive! I would have kept that light on too ... god knows I still keep them on longer than usual after watching this at night, even now 😆 And, props to Mom for bringing you even after reading the book! She clearly has NO FEAR. Awesome. Thanks for sharing your story. I thoroughly enjoyed it! 🙏
Billy Graham and the rest like him didn’t understand either the book or the movie. It’s about good vs evil at its base but also a story of a priest who is losing his faith but ultimately regains it. Add to that the movie not only had real priests as advisors I believe but also two or three who played parts in the movie.
I didn’t see it at the time but I did read the book around that time. I was 13.
I was 13 when it came out and my mother wouldn't let me or my younger sister see it. She had also read the book. I remember my friends talking about the movie at school and I was so jealous.
100 percent about the statue that was supposed to be in iraq some ends up in a little georgetown house in girls bedroom
@@beth1627 my mom had no problem with me seeing it she just didn’t want to take me to it. Told me if I could find someone else to that was fine. Didn’t bat an eye when I said I’d try to sneak in. Weird since my parents had no problem taking me to the movie “M.A.S.H” when I was 9.
I think part of the problem was she saw the reactions of people who had seen it it the theater at the time and figured there was little chance I’d sneak in there.
I saw it first when it came out on tv with my mom and grandma at age 4. Didn’t scare me until the 90’s when they added the extras and that spider walk down the stairs freaked me out. Probably because it wasn’t in the original and I didn’t expect it more than anything. The voice was definitely the scariest thing. That and the dialogue. The rest I wasn’t freaked out by because I knew it was just a movie and I never had any difficulty with distinguishing fantasy from reality.
Favorite horror movie of all time. No movie ever made compares to this one. To me, they are all child's play in comparison. I watched this in the 80s. I was about 8. I still remember it like it was yesterday. I watched it alone. I remember hearing that voice and getting so scared that I grabbed the 2 foot tall, heavy plaster crucifix that we had on the wall and holding on to it for dear life.
For a long time, even into adulthood, I would close my eyes when I walked in my house in the dark. We had dark wood doors and if I looked at one, I would imagine seeing those eyes! Ooh. Still gets me.
Of all the horror films I've seen, The Exorcist is the one that really scares the shit out of me. It's a masterpiece and remains so. After watching your video, I realize how meticulously they worked on every detail to make the film as realistic as possible, and they succeeded. I watched it two days ago and when I went to sleep, I still had Reagan's face in my head when she's possessed.
Today's horror films are good to look through, but there are too many special effects and it lacks authenticity. I'm not saying you won't believe it, but it's not done in such a realistic way. When you see The Exorcist, you think it's not a film but something that's been lived. The demon's voice, Reagan's face, the atmosphere in the film, the plot, it scares you.
Even more so when you believe in spirits, anything to do with the paranormal. You're immediately immersed in the film. And Linda Blair's performance is astonishing. She was 13, from what I've read. Yes, it's a film that's disturbing in a brilliant way. Very good video. Very informative!
It's a wonderful film but it's a hard watch. A true horror.
@@ShaneyBrightWondeful, yes. I watched it a week ago and it's still stuck in my head. The mind dives into full immersion and it leaves its mark on you.
I really LOVE the audio of the 70s when the screams were making the sound clip and adding distortion. It really added a lot. They have tried to do demon voices since, but never as good as this one.
I’ve been looking for a documentary like this for many years. Thanks for doing one!
5 years old was my earliest memory of watching this movie and it scared me for a long time.
I understand why The Exorcist is considered the scariest movie of all time. In 1973 nobody had ever seen anything like it before, though the first time I saw it was in 2000 as a 15 year old and it never really scared me in the slightest. I had seen nearly everything from the 80s as a kid, so seeing The Exorcist after everything else, I didn't see it as that scary personally.
2 years old, born 1971 scared the living hell out of me when i was old enough to be allowed to watch this movie
I was 12 years old when I saw the Exorcist! And I was by myself, a kid alone at a rated R movie! Every scene that was scary, I ran out of the theatre! It took me 5 times to watch from beginning to end cause I would run after every scene that scared run out of the theatre and so it had taken me 5 times to watch from start to finish!!
Lived in an apartment building at the time. Had a next door neighbor, big guy, bodybuilder. One day I saw him walking down the hall with a crucifix, rosary, in front of him. " What are you doing?" He told me he just saw The Exorcist. Told myself, I got to see this movie.
The Exorcist played at a cinema in my hometown at least once a year. I was 11 years old. 2 friends and I paid to watch a movie and sneaked in the cinema where the Exorcist was playing. When Regan jumps on the screen and Pazuzu speaks for the 1st time, that’s when I literally ran away. The Exorcist is my favourite movie, I think it’s the best movie ever made. And even though I’ve seen it hundreds of times, I still get uncomfortable.
Great video.
Eric
In 1973, I was going on 14. I went to see The Exorcist with an older cousin. Yes, it was scary!
Which part was the scariest, hard to pick. Perhaps when Regan's strength increases, and she violently frees her hands from the bed, and begins to levitate, as the priest asperges her with holy water, causing burning lacerations on her body.
Regan is silent and calm.
Powerful scene!
Excellent movie, with rich symbolism!
For me the most chilling scene was her reaching up in silhouette screeching while the image of Pazuzu statue in background
1:25 you and me both. I'm still scared to watch even the clips of the movie. Because of that voice.
What an outstanding performance! Bravo to Mercedes McCambridge!
Scariest part when she comes down the stairs bent backwards, , chills
I was just 10 years old. Saw the film in a drive in movie with my parents in 1973.
I don't think she cried cause she did not get recognized. The amount of intense feeling and unsettling dialog was enough to make a talented and good person cry. By the way, it was her acting that made the movie soooo good.
Her voice is maybe the thing that still scares me the most till this day. Such a great performance.
Scared to hell just listening to the radio ads, while being a kid back then. Serious s***! And it was the voice of this woman that did it.
I seen it 3x at the same theater. I think I was 18 then! I was like, "No way!" I got the directors uncut version. I wish they had left those scenes in the theatrical version.
Parents let me watch this at 8 years old......I will never forget what this movie did to me as a child and to this day,I will never forget
I saw It when I was around 10. Probably one of the most shocking things about the voice Is the laughter, specially in one scene. In the middle of the exorcism, when she's like mocking Karras and Merrin's efforts to help Reagan. That scene Is something else.
12 years old, when I saw it in the 70's. Honestly, couldn't sleep well for about 3 months after and a friend at school was very worried about me. I managed. I let my daughter see it when she was 17. She laughed the whole way through. Didn't scare her a bit.
1975 I was in med school. I saw it with a friend and had to sleep with the lights on. Scared the crap out of me! I’m 80 now and it still spooks me
THAT VOICE FROM MCCAMBRIGE WAS THE SCARIEST PART OF THE MOVIE IN MY OPPINION
I was about 17 when I watched it at the drive-in. I went to get some popcorn and soda, and on my way back to the car,she spun her head all the way around!! I jumped and screamed a teeny scream(so many cars!),and lost a lot of popcorn because I jumped!! People in the cars around me were laughing and so was I!! It must have been a sight to see!! LOL!!! That was in the late 70's.
I was 14 in1979 when I first saw this but I had read it two years earlier and even though I knew what was coming it still frightened me deeply the visuals were amazing as was the acting of everyone involved especially Linda Blair and Jason Miller
I was in the US Air Force, stationed in Vandenberg AFB. Took a bus to LA from Lompoc, CA, to see this movie. I was 20. I recall people or viewers got 'sick', nauseated, and stunk up the theater. Hilarious and frighteningly astonishing.
Excellent actress and phenomenal voice.
I saw this movie in 1973 I was 5 years old in a drive in theater . Scared me for life .
Thanks for this. She deserved greater credit for her contribution.
Oh my God!…..I was most likely in my late 20’s early 30’s when I first saw the film. I gotta be honest, I found it almost comedic. I guess because CGI has come such a long way since the 1970’s, and back then they were simply having to work with the limited tech they had at the time. None the less, it is an awesome movie! I found Regan’s gradual downward spiral and descent into ‘Hell’ really quite disturbing. However, having learned that it was in fact a woman who pulled off the voice of Pazuzu, and the limits she went to in doing so, that right there has got to be the ultimate scariest aspect of The Exorcist for me! Just wow! That is one hell of a commitment on Mercedes part!!😦
I was 10 years old when this movie came out and didn’t see it until I was about 13 years old scared the heck out of me.
1974 I was 5 years old, my parents made the mistake of taking me and my 5 year old cousin to the drive inn to see this movie, traumatized me for years, thinking a demon was in my room under my bed, love this movie
When I saw this movie in 73 women were fainting in the theater and running out, screaming in terror that is how scary this movie was at that time.
I was 13 years old….it shook me then…and still does…one of the best films ever made, regardless of genre…Jason Miller and Ellen Burstyn were absolutely robbed at the Oscars…Miller was mesmerizing as Karras..
i watched The Exorcist at 14 years old and it scared the shit out of me.
You can say I’m jaded or just bragging but this and other horror movies don’t scare me. The only movie that freaked me out like that was the movie “Faces Of Death”. But now that I’m older and know what’s behind it that doesn’t scare me either. But the original “Exorcist” is a classic in the horror Cinema!
The movie scared the crap out of me. That was one movie I couldn't see until I was older. The 2nd movie was just as good
I was about 20yrs old when I saw this movie late one night...and was so scared I could hardly sleep. There were so many disturbing parts to it. People that tell me they weren't scared by it or even found it funny have some serious problems lol. People who don't have a bone chilling takeaway from this film legitimately frighten me.
TRUTH! They're the scary ones 😂 I can understand adults in the 2000s seeing it for the very first time and not finding it that scary, but anyone who watched it for the first time in 73, or saw it as a KID, had to be shocked by it, right?! Even if they tell us otherwise
I was 11 and I am 46 and it still scares the hell out of me
That about echoes my experience 😂
Hi! I was 12 when I saw this film for the first time by accident at a friends party where there was no adults present. It terrified me for years. I saw it again as an adult around 2015-2016 and I loved it. It’s one of my favourite horror films today. 👍🏻
That voice is absolutely one of the best ties of the film. I was born in '83 and my mom "told" me to watch this when it was on TV before I was 10. It remains the worst and best for me of all time.
I watched it first quite late in life, I am not into horror films but had heard so much about it. So, I watched it.
Once was enough! It scared the poop out of me, a truly brilliant film and I could see why it received such attention but, I dont want to watch it again!!! 😊😊
Nice video, but I’ve never found any horror movie including this one truly scary. I can watch them with great enjoyment over and over and over.
Wow! This lady made the demon bone- chilling. 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮
It should have been met with awards and the highest of praise from the masses! I wish more people knew this back in the day
I was 13 years old, and it was a two flick evening night with Evil Dead by my nephews house on VHS.
I never forgot the trip home alone on the bus.
I was 10 when I first saw it. The scariest moment is when Reagan is on her knees on the bed stretching her arms up before the demon in her room.
I was 9 years old when i first saw this at the drive - In with my mother & her friend, I was sitting in the back seat in the middle & the entire movie scared the crap out of me, So the scariest part for me is when she spung her head around i no joke hopped to the front seat so dam fast my soda and popcorn went everywhere. :(
I saw the exorcist 1979 i was 16 maybe 17 at the midnight movies i came from a christain family. I couldnt beleive my eyes and ears. One of the scarriest parts for me when she was stabbing herself. I slept with my lites on that night. Scarred the holy crap out of me. No other movie has ever done that to me. Ever.
And I don't think any movie ever will! Isn't it amazing that nothing has come close to touching it in 50 YEARS?!
She is as important as the director, and editor in the sense that she played a MAJOR role in the telling of the story. I am 54 years old and as today's kids think this movie looks dated, it ruined my childhood. I was so afraid of the dark and my imagination through the 1980's, so I'd say the two Bills formula worked... Also, my brother and I grew up with Friday the 13th as well, and in 1982 in junior high there was a triple feature on HBO - Friday the 13th, Friday the 13th Part 2, and Mel Brooks History of the World part 1. I can tell you my brother and I didn't sleep for 3 nights and it was glorious...
That voice made the movie. Amazing acting that hasn’t gotten enough credit. “What an excellent day for an exorcism…”
Just reading the line gives me chills ... thanks for checking my video out! Appreciate you!
Great vid… thanks.
Ironically one of the scariest moments of the movie for me, voice-wise, was when Burke Dennings’ voice came out of her mouth. That freaked me out.
That was terrifying ... I recall thinking, "is dead Dennings in there too?!"
‘Go to’ horror movie means once is plenty enough. Never need to see it ever again.
At 13 I went home and prayed til I fell asleep
I think what makes it so scary is how grounded and gritty it is, like most 70's movies. The fact that the demon fixates on such sexually explicit language and actions, almost like a porno. When that is coming from a 13 year old girl in a mainstream movie it just shocks you to your core. You know that this is no holds barred. I watched the trailer for the latest Exorcist movie and it felt like the exact opposite. Such a safe, mainstream, clean, stereotypical possession movie.