Come On, Admit It, Did The Exorcist REALLY Frighten You That Much?

[fiend_skull]

I remember one halloween a couple years ago, my mom had me watch the Exorcist, because she felt I would enjoy it since she always thought of it as a really scary movie. At the time I liked horror, but didn't quite have a love for it yet where I could appreciate the actual story telling. At the time I felt scary movies were the quick scares and gore. About part way into the movie I could feel myself dozing off trying to watch it (something I'm pretty sure I wouldn't do again if given the chance) and eventually fell asleep. I agree that when people are suspecting quick scares, they tend to get bored with a movie that thoroughly tells an unsettling story.
I personally feel that if I had watched some of the movies I like now, back then, I would be bored to tears.

[FreddyMyers]

I agree that when people are suspecting quick scares, they tend to get bored with a movie that thoroughly tells an unsettling story

Unfortunatly thats the only way the hollywood audience wants their scary movies these days. Story has been replaced with BOO!

[neverending]

I think the success of Paranormal Activity would put the lie to that statement.

The ones complaining it wasn't scary are indeed the ones who need onscreen kills, blood, gore & jump moments.

[FreddyMyers]

Very true. It was good to see an actual scary movie be successful.

[endo]

I love a good scary story, and I found Paranormal Activity anything but. I just thought it was a terrible movie all the way around. I'm 40 and my wife is older than me, and we both regretted wasting the time seeing that movie.

On topic, I didn't see The Excorcist until I was a little older. But, I did have the advantage of being a horror movie fan from a very young age. My sister was 12 years older than me, and both she and my mom loved horror.
So, I got heavy doses of it from about the age of 5 on.

Mostly, older movies played on Saturday nights on Creature Feature, but every now and then I could bug my sister enough to get her to take me to the theater with her.

The first time I saw the Excorcist, I was already a horror veteran so to speak, and I found it pretty frightening. That movie didn't need the Boo! factor IMO. It was so creepy, and the fact that I had heard it was based on true events, I was kinda freaked that this could possibly happen to me or someone I knew in real life.
I was probably 13 or 14 the first time I saw it, still young enough to have that ability to believe some of what I was seeing, but schooled on horror well enough to be cynical.

But, yeah...it scared me. I have the original now and the one with the "crab walk" scene added, and it's still near the top of my favorite movie list, just for the scare factor it offers. Great film.

[milktoaste]

It was the early 90's when I first saw it, I must have been at least 12. It didn't give me nightmares that I can recall, but I still remember every scene. The Exorcist is great because it has scares on multiple levels; I'm still a sucker for old medical practices, the scene where she gets the cat scan-classic.

[GreenDemon]

The first time I saw The Exorcist I was like 5 years old and it scared the fucking hell out of me. I had nightmares for a long time after and did not ever want to put my feet off the bed when the lights were out.

If I would have been older the first time I saw it I'm sure I would have had a different reaction. But those are some of my best childhood memories!:eek:

[ManchestrMorgue]

Not afraid to admit that it did scare me a lot when I first watched it. I can't remember how old I was, but I do remember that I was younger than Reagan.

In fact, on first viewing I don't think I was able to sit through it all! :o

[Posher778]

I think it's too slow moving, and about an hour too long. I've seen it, saw the uncut, or re-release whatever, seen the original, don't care to see it again. No, it's not very scary.

[cheebacheeba]

I saw it for the first time like...5? years ago when it got a cinema re-release, I'm not sure the difference (the backwards walk thing?) but they'd digitally remastered it and it was a directors edition as I recall...
I actually found it quite effectual...not as such the demon character/possession part but the great tense atmosphere, use of both musical score and almost oppressive silence at times. The weird like near-subliminal stuff was unusual and had me feeling a little bit unsettled too. I remember at one point a phone rang in the film and I was like FUCK!
Great building sense of dread. This to me is what worked about it in terms of horror.
The story itself was pretty interesting too.
Was I personally fearing possession? No. Though I think once you get past the point of about 15 years old horror films don't much have that effect on you any more, the only things I personally find "scary" these days are things and situations that I can personally relate to and/or worry about potentially occurring in everyday life (eg - right at your door).
Horror I see, to experience OTHERS putting up with shit that will most likely never happen...and to have a look at directors/writers impressions of "horror" and "scary", I just don't often share it.
Not big on the jump-outs. Sure, it works. But just does not stay with me.