Top 10 Exorcism Movies
Call a priest! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the scariest and most memorable films involving possessions and exorcisms.
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00:00 "What an excellent day for an exorcism."
00:02 "You'd like that?"
00:05 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the scariest
00:10 and most memorable films involving possessions and exorcisms.
00:14 Number 10. The Exorcism of Emily Rose.
00:23 "And what would your strategy be to defend me against such a formidable man?"
00:27 "That depends."
00:29 "On what?"
00:30 "On how you want to be defended."
00:31 There are dozens of possession movies out there, but none quite like The Exorcism of Emily Rose.
00:37 This one is a combination horror flick and courtroom drama, following Father Richard Moore
00:42 as he's accused of negligent homicide. The Emily Rose in question is a 19-year-old student
00:48 who dies following an unsuccessful exorcism.
00:51 "I'm sorry, Mr. Rose, but I cannot state conclusively that the cause of death was natural."
01:01 The story is loosely based on that of Anneliese Michel, a young German woman whose cause of death
01:08 was deemed a negligent homicide following dozens of exorcisms. The film toes a great line between
01:15 realism and spiritualism, asking us to question the nature of possession and its possible link
01:20 to mental health issues. Add in a fantastically spooky Jennifer Carpenter, and you have yourself
01:26 a memorable horror movie.
01:28 "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I now command you, tell me your name!"
01:34 Number 9. Godless - The Eastfield Exorcism.
01:38 "All I ever wanted was a family, and a garden. A pretty one."
01:45 When you think of possession movies, you probably think of Hollywood films with
01:49 startling special effects that cost millions to produce. Well, that's not Godless. A small
01:55 Australian film said to have been shot on a shoestring budget and made on a MacBook Pro.
02:00 "If anything happens that makes you feel unsafe, call me."
02:05 But the indie filmmaking gives Hollywood a run for its money, as Godless has beautiful photography,
02:11 creative camera work, bombastic sound design, and a memorable lead performance from Georgia Ayers.
02:17 The script is also very smart, offering nuance and intelligence to go with its disturbing themes.
02:23 Just when the possession subgenre seems tired, and to been-there-done-that,
02:28 in comes Godless to inject a bit of life.
02:31 "Leaking now to the primary demon residing in this vessel. I command you, give me your name."
02:39 Number 8. The Medium.
02:40 "I have a medium that can heal you. I have a medium that can heal you. I have a medium that can heal you."
02:50 And speaking of injecting life into an age-old genre, let's talk The Medium. Sort of a mix
02:56 between The Exorcist and The Blair Witch Project, The Medium follows a documentary crew as they
03:01 travel into Thailand. They visit a local healer named Nim, who is convinced that her niece will
03:06 become the new physical medium for the god Ba Yang.
03:10 "My aunt has been the physical medium for Ba Yang for many generations.
03:16 Since she was born, she has been the physical medium for the god."
03:20 Unfortunately, the spirit is of a far more malicious nature. This is a great-looking film
03:25 with a unique setting and wonderful sense of culture, offering visuals and scenarios not
03:30 often seen in these types of movies. Combined with its use of found footage technique,
03:35 The Medium is a refreshing standout in the possession genre.
03:39 "I admit it. It's scary to watch. But she's still our daughter."
03:47 7. The Cleansing Hour
03:49 "Join us again next week to witness yet another miracle, God willing."
03:54 Written and directed by Damien Levesque, The Cleansing Hour is named after the fictional
03:59 livestream of the same name. Longtime friends Max and Drew host the titular internet show,
04:05 in which they stage exorcisms and pass them off as real to millions of viewers.
04:10 "And cut. Nice job, everybody."
04:17 But they get way more than they bargained for when one of the "victims" actually becomes
04:22 possessed. It's a fun and often terrifying commentary of internet fame and the obsessive
04:28 chase for higher viewer counts. It's also a smart meta-take on the genre itself, showing
04:33 how possession scenes can be staged and filmed.
04:37 "50,000 followers and I'm still not verified. I'm never gonna be respected if I don't have
04:41 that little blue checkmark right next to my name."
04:43 6. Requiem
04:45 "They're so angry because it scares them. They know exactly that I don't lie to them
04:50 and that I don't make it up."
04:51 We return to the story of Anneliese Michel with Requiem, a German film directed by Hans
04:57 Christian Schmid. While the story covers similar ground as The Exorcism of Emily Rose, the two
05:03 films couldn't be more different in terms of style. Whereas Emily Rose contained Hollywood
05:08 special effects and grand possession sequences, Requiem takes a far more subdued approach.
05:14 "Let us pray. Come on, you did that last time so well."
05:17 "I don't want to pray. Praying is useless."
05:21 There are no special effects, and the movie is filmed in a more realistic manner, complete
05:26 with natural sound design and a documentary style. This not only makes the scary scenes
05:31 more effective, it also helps present the debate between possession and mental illness
05:36 in a more nuanced manner. And dang, is Sandra Hüller ever good.
05:41 "I'm not going to the hospital. No. Stay here. They won't find anything. I don't have
05:48 a camera. I can't go around."
05:49 5. The Taking of Debra Logan
05:52 "They want to make a movie about me, isn't that right? What do you think of that, Harris?"
05:56 "I think it's a good idea."
05:57 "You do? Well, we'll see."
06:00 Found footage complements possession movies very well. There's something about seeing
06:04 these types of scares through what's meant to feel like a handheld camera that really
06:09 gets the spine tingling. The Taking of Debra Logan is one of the best movies of its kind,
06:14 concerning the character of, well, Debra Logan.
06:16 "Mom, you went to Germany, remember?"
06:21 "Well, that must have been a long time ago."
06:27 A small documentary crew hopes to chronicle Debra's battle with Alzheimer's, but they
06:32 soon learn that something paranormal is affecting the woman's mind. The acting is commendable,
06:37 and the film utilizes the technique of found footage to offer up some very memorable and
06:42 unique scares. We guarantee that one specific visual at the end will never leave your memory.
06:48 4. The Last Exorcism
06:52 "Do you believe that if you go ahead and allow the Holy Ghost into your heart,
06:55 you can be cleansed of all your sins and enter the kingdom of God? That's what I'm talking about,
06:59 you gotta get an amen."
07:00 Another found footage movie, The Last Exorcism, follows Cotton Marcus, a Louisiana reverend who
07:06 performs fraudulent exorcisms on people who think they've got demons or evil spirits in them. Having
07:13 lost his faith, Cotton does not believe in real possessions. That is, until he meets one,
07:19 Nell Sweetser.
07:20 "You know, I acted like I did. It's not like I saw any demons come out of anybody."
07:24 "So for the last something odd years, you've just been a fraud."
07:27 "That's your word, not mine."
07:28 The story twists and veers into some unexpected directions, which helps keep things gleefully
07:34 unpredictable. This is especially important in the possession genre, as the lesser entries tend to
07:40 repeat the same old story beats. This, combined with the style of the film and the creepy lead
07:45 performance from Ashley Bell, ensures that The Last Exorcism will not be the last exorcism movie
07:52 on your mind.
07:53 "Hey, Lewis. Now just remember, I took the devil out of your house, but it's your job to keep him
07:58 out."
07:59 Number 3. The Conjuring.
08:00 "Breaks the victim down, crushes their will, and once in a weakened state,
08:06 leads them to the third and final stage, possession."
08:09 James Wan changed the horror industry with The Conjuring. Is that an exaggeration? Maybe,
08:15 but it sure was important. An enormously successful film, The Conjuring grossed over
08:20 $300 million and launched an extended fictional universe that has grossed billions. In fact,
08:27 it is currently the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time, and it all started
08:32 with this little haunted house movie.
08:34 "I'm so afraid this thing wants to hurt us. I mean, you have a daughter. I mean,
08:38 wouldn't you do anything you could to protect her? Please, please, can you come and take a look?"
08:42 Wan is a masterful director of horror, which he proved with The Conjuring,
08:47 and it's equally engrossing sequel. He draws great performances out of his actors,
08:52 crafts a sublimely creepy atmosphere, and envisions some of the most creative scares
08:57 in the genre. The Conjuring conjured up a new era of horror. OK, we're done with the puns.
09:02 "By the power of God, I condemn you back to hell!"
09:07 Number 2. The Wailing.
09:16 The Medium was written by South Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin. The Wailing was both written
09:22 and directed by him. And let us tell you, the man is a fantastic director. The Wailing
09:28 shares many similarities with The Medium, including themes of possession, Asian mythology,
09:33 and a remote setting. In this one, a mysterious man enters the small Korean village of Gokseong.
09:39 Shortly after his arrival, the residents begin acting erratically, supernaturally, and dangerously.
09:46 "The lady killed them all."
09:47 "What?"
09:49 "She's not dead. She killed them all in her room."
09:53 Running at two and a half hours, The Wailing is gloriously dense, providing ample time for
09:59 an absorbing story that is wickedly dark and perfectly paced. This is a masterpiece of the
10:05 genre, not just the possession genre, but horror in general. "What is this? How do I go back?"
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10:29 Number 1. The Exorcist.
10:32 "Yeah, well, it just so happens that somebody very close to me is probably possessed."
10:43 We mean, it's The Exorcist. Long hailed as the scariest movie ever made, The Exorcist
10:49 helped legitimize the horror genre with its historic Oscar nomination for Best Picture.
10:54 It influenced many of the possession tropes that are still being used decades later,
10:58 and the filmmaking techniques, including its Oscar-winning sound, still holds up.
11:03 It also produced a very solid third entry. How many horror franchises can say that?
11:08 "He is inside with us! He will never get away! His pain won't end!"
11:17 But while The Exorcist is remembered for its possession sequences, most of the film
11:22 centers around a dramatic personal crisis that raises interesting questions about faith and
11:27 spirituality. All of this is conveyed through Oscar-winning writing, proving that The Exorcist
11:33 isn't just a great horror movie, it's a great movie, period.
11:37 "I think the point is to make us despair. To see ourselves as animal and ugly."
11:48 Do you believe in possessions? Let us know in the comments below.
11:52 "And, uh, how do you go about getting an exorcism?"
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