American horror film released in 1973. Directed by William Friedkin, with a screenplay by William Peter Blatty, based on his own novel. Starred Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb, Jason Miller, Rev. William O'Malley, Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil, and Mercedes McCambridge as the voice of the demon.
An extremely creepy and unnerving film, it depicts the demonic possession of a young girl and the harrowing exorcism undertaken to drive the demon out of her. At the time of its release, the movie kicked off a horror film boom and a Satanic panic -- people fainted in theaters, church attendance soared, kids were getting "possessed" left and right. It is still considered by many to be the most frightening movie ever made.