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The exorcism.
Is there any scene that doesnt ring truer of the horror genre than that?
Its pretty much universally terrifying, and thanks to 1973sThe Exorcist, it has become a Hollywood standard.
As with all horror films, this genre is prone to someserious tropes that fill every release.
Some of them are terrifying, well-done and produce exceptional results pretty much every time they appear.
Some of them are overused, lackluster, and rarely work well.
Weve collected five of the best and five of the worst.
Timeless: Its A Child Being Exorcised
Children are scary.
Try and think of the absolute scariest film it’s possible for you to.
Theres a child involved in some way, right?
By centering exorcism films on a child, we automatically feel more sympathy and a whole lot more fear.
Exorcised: Its An Adult
Adults arent that scary.
They know what a demon is, and they have an understanding of exorcisms to a certain degree.
Basically, get over yourself, adult.
Just take a look atThe Devil InsideorThe Conjuring.
But, in general, it’s a good trope.
By the end of the film (spoiler alert), Anthony Hopkins himself becomes possessed.
The very man trying to save those who are possessed gets possessed himself.
Who will help him?!
These scenes are completely natural and real, giving a disturbing edge to the performances.
If you consider it for too long, you might start to ask yourself why theyre there.
Well, they shouldnt be.
No supernatural elements involved here, just some weird passive-aggressive stuff.
A sure-fire way to avoid a disappointing interaction with a demon- keep them talking in Latin.
We dont need to understand what theyre saying!
Exorcised: When The Demon Speaks Through Their Subject
The Exorcistdid it perfectly.
We didnt need it to happen again, because it was never going to be as good.
Timeless: Jump Scares
Say what you like about jump scares.
Remember inThe Exorcist IIIwhere the nurse gets sprung upon?
Or inThe Conjuringwhere the witch-like thing is on the wardrobe?
Even though the latter featured Harrison Ford, none of them could hold a candle toThe Exorcist.
Sure, take influence, but stop trying to rip it off, it wont work!
This fad turned the entire concept ofThe Exorcistand its storyline into a trope itself.
NEXT:10 Creepy Horror Movies Inspired by True Stories
