Exorcism movies have bewitched audiences since the release of William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” in 1973, one of the cinema masterpieces. The exorcist remains among the memorable horror movies with an impact that lasts even longer than so many other evil characters we’ve seen in many exorcism movies. Entity in league with the Devil to create hell on earth.
Over the years, this subgenre has actually risen to unparalleled levels. On the planet of mainstream cinema, this genre is associated with twisting heads, grimacing in pain, writhing bodies as the victim battles an evil force that possesses her. But there are also independent films and documentaries that take the subject more seriously without entering the territory of horror entertainment. Exorcism is an ancient practice that has its roots in distant times.
What is Exorcism
Exorcism is the spiritual practice of driving out satanic forces, jinns or other spiritual entities from an individual, or place, that is thought to be possessed. Depending on the exorcist’s spiritual beliefs, this could be done by prompting the entity to take an oath, performing rituals, or simply ordering it to leave in the name of a higher power. The practice is ancient and part of the belief system of many cultures and religions.
The practice of hearing or reciting the Paritta began very early in the history of Buddhism. It is a Buddhist practice of reciting specific verses from the Pali canon to repel demons. In Sri Lanka, Sinhalese Buddhists summon the Buddha along with the divine being Suniyam to manage and fight evil supernatural forces in a ritual called yakto. The Phantom Exorcist day ritual becomes part of Tibetan custom. Temples and abbeys across Tibet hold major spiritual dance events, the largest at the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Families clean their homes and consume a noodle soup called “Guthuk”. In the night, individuals carry torches, shouting the words of exorcism.
Prayer in Christian Exorcism
Exorcism In Christian practice, the individual performing the exorcism, referred to as an exorcist, is typically a member of the Christian Church. The exorcist might use spiritual prayers and methods, gestures, signs, icons, amulets, and so on. The exorcist typically summons God, Jesus or various angels and archangels to intervene with the exorcism. Protestant Christian exorcists most often think that the authority offered them by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (the Trinity) is the only source of their ability to cast out devils. Possessed individuals are not considered evil in themselves, nor responsible for their actions, as they are thought to be under the power of a satanic force that leads to harm to themselves and others.
Exorcists consider exorcism a remedy and not a punishment. Traditional rites take this into account, making sure there is no violence against the possessed. There are Bible verses, such as John 13:27, which implicitly communicate that demonic memberships can be voluntary, as shown in people like Judas Iscariot, who voluntarily sold himself to the Devil. Exorcism began to decline in the United States in the 18th century and almost never took place until the second half of the 20th century, when the general public saw a sharp increase due to the limelight that exorcisms were getting. There was a 50% increase in the variety of exorcisms performed between the early 1960s and mid-1970s.
Catholic Exorcism
exorcism In Catholicism, exorcisms are practiced in the name of Jesus Christ. A comparable practice is the ministry of liberation. The difference between the ministry of deliverance and the exorcism is that the exorcism is done by priests who have been offered unique approval by the Catholic church, while the ministry of deliverance is a prayer for people who are distressed and wish to recover. psychological wounds caused by demons.
In Catholic practice, the individual who performs the exorcism, called an exorcist, is a specially elected priest. The exorcist recites the prayers according to the rite and can use spiritual objects, icons and sacraments. The exorcist evokes God, specifically the Name of Jesus Christ, together with the members of the Triumphant Church and the Archangel Michael to intervene in the exorcism. According to Catholic tradition, a number of weekly exorcisms over several years are often required to expel a deeply rooted satanic force. St. Michael’s prayer against Satan and the rebel angels, attributed to Pope Leo XIII, is thought of as the Catholic Church’s greatest prayer against cases of diabolical property. The Holy Rosary also has the power of intercession and exorcism.
Best Exorcism Movies To Watch
What Are The Best Exorcism Movies Ever Made? From lesser-known independent films to mainstream classics, in every category the crucifix is the weapon to fight evil spirits.
The Devil’s Doorway (2018)
In the 1960s, 2 Roman Catholic priests, Father Thomas Riley (Lalor Roddy) and Father John Thornton (Ciaran Flynn), are sent to a remote Magdalene laundry, an institution for sinful women run by an order religious, to examine an alleged miracle seen by women and staff: the Virgin Mary’s bleeding eyes. When they arrive, however, they are treated rather badly and the place seems to hide a secret.
“The Last Exorcism” was among the first films ever to transform the sub-genre of exorcism movies into something new with found footage.’s The Devil’s Doorway Aislinn Clarke has similarities to this film. Clarke carefully complements the historical context, showing the enormous abuse that has occurred to hundreds of women considered sinners in the Irish Magdalene laundries. The exorcism itself doesn’t take place to the end, and while it’s less important than other situations here, it’s extraordinarily scary and awful.
Deliver United States From Evil (2014)
Scott Derickson is a lesser-known talented horror director than the more well-known modern masters of the genre. “Deliver United States From Evil” is the first of 2 films he directed. Eric Bana plays Ralph Sarchie, a police officer involved in a full-blown demonic ritual. Part exorcism movie, part haunted house film and part crime film, the fusion of genres creates confusion but the film is certainly a scary and energetic piece of horror cinema. The performances of the actors are strong, the setting is well thought out and the fears are great.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
Scott Derrickson is back once again to whirl subgenres together. This time around, it integrates the psychological horror film components and basic demonic fears of “The Exorcist”. Linney plays Erin Bruner, a lawyer who worked to safeguard Father Moore (Tom Wilkinson), a priest accused of the death of a girl after an exorcism. The girl is a spectacular Jennifer Carpenter and her role is relentless, wiggling and distorting her body without the help of digital effects, so much so that the film was off-limits to minors. The film poses a number of ethical dilemmas, and while the first part feels more traditional, the second works. One of the scariest films of recent years.
The Last Exorcism (2010)
“The Last Exorcism” is most likely responsible for the renewal exorcism movies, a subgenre that was close to extinction. Difficult to make a sequel to “The Exorcist”, but this film created enough creeps to revive the category: it’s really scary, and it has its own sequel, “Part II”. Much of the credit goes to actress Ashley Bell. Following in Jennifer Carpenter’s footsteps in “Emily Rose,” Ashley Bell’s efficiency is extremely physical, writhing horribly and writhing her body in ways that go beyond fear, to sheer terror. With the element of an overwhelming spiritual entity, its interpretation is incredibly plausible and at the same time frightening. The fears arrive immediately at the beginning of the film and exceed the limits in the second part.
The Medium (2021)
“The Medium” is scary. An almost mythical and dense slow combustion, all at once has revived the subgenre of exorcism movies that exploits the technique of found footage. Directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun and co-written by Na Hong-jin, “The Medium” is a delirious and shocking film, full of unique cultural suggestions.
In the center is Nim (Sawanee Utoomma), a shaman from a remote village followed by a team of Thai documentaries. Nim claims to be possessed by the divine being Bayan, an ancestral goddess who has had women in Nim’s home for a number of generations. She is called to help her niece, Mink, after she starts showing worrying and aggressive habits. “The Medium” shows us the daily details of rural areas, is over 2 hours long, and makes fear penetrate like candle wax, even fear explodes violently in the last act.
The Exorcist (1973)
The Exorcist is the progenitor and the best film of the horror subgenre of exorcism movies, a art film that stunned audiences around the world. Some spectators even got sick during the screenings. Directed by William Friedkin, written by William Peter Blatty, photography by Owen Roizman, masterfully played by Jason Miller, Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow and Linda Blair as the possessed Regan, is one of the great masterpieces of film history. The film goes beyond just being scary, and ends up being a profound drama: it’s the human element that hits the mark.
Even those who have not seen it associate it with the scariest movie ever made. Others are not even exorcism movies: they are simply films that are not “The Exorcist”. Anything else is an imitation. Thrilling journey into pure horror, it begins with MRIs and medical diagnoses with which Chris tries to understand his daughter’s condition, up to cult scenes that have terrified viewers all over the world. Which is even more frightening, it is a horror inspired by a true story.
The Wailing (2016)
It’s almost unfair to compare “The Wailing” to “The Exorcist”: both are extraordinarily scary and deserve to be recognized as 2 of the scariest movies ever made. Over time, however, “The Wailing” becomes more and more a classic, and impressive film. In some parts, it seems so realistic that it makes “The Exorcist” seem like a mere fiction.
Na Hong-jin directs the story of a Korean police officer from a rural area (Kwak Do-won) in Gokseong as he sees the arrival of a strange Japanese stranger (Jun Kunimura). Citizens of the region think there is something odd about this individual, with some tales portraying him naked lurking in the woods and shocking those he looks upon with scary eyes bright and evil eyes. For some, this stranger may actually be the Devil himself. Being rich in storylines set against the backdrop of Gokseong’s winding and mountainous surface, “The Wailing” is a film of great depth. The duration is totally justified and necessary for such a story: the most important exorcism movie together with The Exorcist.
The Devil Inside (2012)
Twenty years ago, Maria Rossi (Suzan Crowley) killed 3 priests during an attempted exorcism one fateful night. Now insured in an Italian psychiatric hospital, her daughter (Fernanda Andrade) has doubts about her mental illness. Is she crazy … or is she possessed? 4 devils actually ripped her soul out and 2 exorcists (Simon Quarterman and Evan Helmuth) decided to get her out. A documentary-style thrill ride laden with ferocious attacks, convulsions, and carved crosses on lips and arms, director William Brent Bell shows that low-budget cinema is often a plus: The Devil Inside has earned over $ 101 million on one floor $ 1 million in spending.
The Cleansing Hour (2019)
Around a live streaming program on exorcism organized by “Father” Max (Ryan Guzman) and best friend Drew (Kyle Gallner), where every week a fake exorcism script is written to entertain the public, the incredible happens. Drew’s girlfriend (Alix Angelis) becomes possessed and the true devils of the underworld take control of the show with the growing number of viewers. Drew is obsessed with increasing audiences and finds himself offering unpredictable home entertainment that turns into true evil when a seemingly safe and fake exorcism becomes too genuine.
The Possession (2012)
The Possession is a film that plunges into the abysses of director Ole Bornedal, exploring theunconscious and the shadow side. Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays a basketball coach who raises his children (Natasha Calis and Madison Davenport) after a bad divorce. The family moves to a new house where there is an evil entity: Abyzou, which in Hebrew means “Taking children”. When they believe the demon has disappeared, Abyzou revives in unlikely places like a hospital. The wind moans as Calis’s body rocks on a stretcher, her family lights candles as a rabbi yells words from the Bible. The film is full of exorcism movie clichés but it’s done well and the script based on the allegedly haunted dybbuk box isn’t bad either.
The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Sequel to the James Wan’s initial Conjuring sees Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson reenact their characters as a pair with extraordinary powers investigating the paranormal. While it doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor, the Amityville murder scenes, Joseph Bishara’s haunting musical arrangement, and Wan’s adrenaline-pumping direction keep most Conjuring fans happy.
The Conjuring 2 is full of sudden thrills all shot with cinematic techniques inspired by 1970s cinema. As a grand finale, the latest exorcism leaves you in suspense with its setting in the rain, damaged shower curtain rods, flashes of light. Compelling and terrifying, Wan once again proves that he is an excellent director of the horror genre.
Agnes (2021)
In front of the exorcist priest Sister Agnes (Hayley McFarland) writhes in a dark room, foam at her mouth in front of a gathering of Carmelite nuns. The aftermath of demonic events are the leitmotif of Agnes, a quite interesting exorcism movies. The initial exorcism infects the rest of the story when Agnes leaves the church to live a normal life. Satanic forces turn into wounds, racing between flashbacks of the Santa Teresa pact with bloody faces and knocking doors at the supermarket where Agnes works today. Director Mickey Reece (Country Gold) skillfully mixes fear and drama in a film brimming with looming dangers, crises of faith and unanswered prayers.
The Exorcist III (1990)
A hidden gem from the popularity of the first film, William Peter Blatty steps forward to direct this third episode. Blatty set the story 17 years later and makes it the last chapter of the “Trilogy of Faith”, the exorcist trilogy. Lieutenant Kinderman (George C. Scott) sees parallels between a murder investigation and the “Gemini Killer” of 15 years ago, with a health center panicking as bodies fall like flies on the floor. Putting The Exorcist aside, fear buffs actually thought about the qualities of the third chapter without finding any contrasts with the initial. There are a lot of scary scenes: the empty corridor where a nurse is eliminated during her shift at the cemetery, the message “It’s a wonderful life” scribbled in blood, and Father Karras (Jason Miller) repeating his role in a cameo. Truly terrifying scenes and sequences.
The Witch (2015)
The Witch is Robert Eggers’ first film that tells a New England folk horror story of 1630. The story follows a devoted family, led by dad William (Ralph Ineson) and his wife Katherine (Kate Dickie), who reside on an isolated farm after their expulsion from Puritan society. A menacing witch (Sarah Stephens) wanders in the woods and abuses their presence, kidnapping their child and leaving the family in disarray. Quickly every member of the family is targeted by evil forces. In a cult scene Caleb rests on his bed, arching his back and dying before the eyes of his family. Soon after, the young twins claim that their older sister Thomasin is the witch of the woods. Unlike horror movies built on a dark black man bouncing out of the dark, The Witch’s tone remains calm in the atmospheres of spell, black magic and evil without excess, with exceptional interpretations that make it one of the darkest horror dramas of. all times.
Requiem (2006)
The Requiem by Hans-Christian Schmid, both frightening and touching, is a research on 2 phenomena often related in the course of history: demonic possessions and mental illness. Its strength comes from realism capturing that slowly building sense of doom and the omen that many scary films ignore in favor of silly scares and special effects. Sandra Hüller plays the epileptic Anneliese Michel, a German woman who was thought to have been possessed by numerous devils before her terrible death in 1976. What makes it even better is that it’s a horror film based on a true story. Could it be true? It doesn’t really matter in this case because it looks real.
