The Exorcist (1973)

The Exorcist (1973), an American supernatural horror film, was directed by William Friedkin and adapted from William Peter Blatty’s novel. Priest Lankester Merrin joins an archaeological expedition in the ancient ruins of Hatra in northern Iraq. There, he discovers a stone talisman depicting a winged being that triggers a worried expression on his face. In the midst of his exploration, he has a vision where he is confronted by a giant version of the same creature. Meanwhile, actress Chris MacNeil and her daughter Regan reside in a grandiose house with hired help in Georgetown, Washington D.C., while she stars in a film directed by her friend Burke Dennings. At the same time, psychiatrist Father Damien Karras, who advises priests at Georgetown University, travels to New York to see his sick mother. Later on, he confides in a colleague about his struggle with faith.

Chris throws a party, joined by Karras’s friend, Father Dyer. Dyer fills Chris in on Karras’s job as a counselor and mentions his mother’s recent passing. Regan appears, visibly unwell, and relieves herself before being comforted by Chris. After returning her to bed, Chris is disturbed by violent shaking. Later on, Dyer consoles Karras for not being with his mother during her final moments. As time goes on, Regan’s behavior becomes increasingly aggressive. Medical tests show no physical cause for her condition. During a house call, Regan displays extraordinary strength. One night, Chris discovers the house empty except for a sleeping Regan; meanwhile, Dennings is found dead at the bottom of a nearby set of stairs that begin beneath Regan’s window. Detective William Kinderman interviews Karras and shares that Dennings’s head was turned in an unnatural direction.