Which was the first horror film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture?

"The Exorcist" is a 1973 American supernatural horror film adapted by William Peter Blatty from his 1971 novel. The film is directed by William Friedkin and stars Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, and Jason Miller. It is the first film in the Exorcist series, and follows the demonic possession of a 12-year-old girl and her mother's attempt to rescue her through an exorcism conducted by two priests.

The cultural conversation around the film, which also encompassed its treatment of Roman Catholicism, helped it become the first horror film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, one of ten Oscars it was nominated for, with Blatty's script and the film's sound winning their categories. It has remained high in critical esteem and commercial success ever since, becoming one of the highest-grossing films in history with a $441 million take as of 2019. For many years after its release it remained the top grosser in the supernatural horror and R-rated horror subcategories, as well.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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19 Comments

filmnut

“Hitch” should have gotten it for Psycho !

Sally Onyett

Whenever I’ve been asked in my life what was the scariest film I’ve ever seen I have always replied “ the Exorcist “ Not only how it scared you while watching...but also after , when alone at night in bed . Nowadays with technology, film production is amazing ; but back then not so much. I also believe it was based on a true story , which made it even scarier...! 😱😱😱

Tom Knox

It scared the living daylights out of me!

elizawheeler

I really thought it would be Psycho. Not my favorite genre, but still a great movie. The acting was spot on.

Char

The biggest to me was the exorcist which gave me nightmares in real life when a week later my youngest woke up screaming bloody murder.. he terrified me after I got him calmed I asked him what scared you he says in there..pointing to his room so I walked him over to the door flipped the light switch on and said see there is nothing to be scared of see..he says in a frightened voice under the bed I was terrified yet knew as scared as he was if I didn't prove to him it was just a bad dream?? I finally took a deep breath and got down and looked under the bed holding my breath .. nothing there but I have always thought thank heavens no mouse came running out at me . 😂 He'd never slept in that room again.. I am not sure it exsist but many believe it does. I know evil exsist and energy never dies so is it possible I'd say yes but if don't want to find out for sure. I won't even mess with a oiji board because ghost are dead people if you can't believe in many live people around you? How do you know that ghost or spirit is honest and good 😊..nope not me

Char

Marianne Frederick Halterman, it's based on a true story which is why it's scary to me .

earlepg

Denise Currie, The majority saved me, too. The Exorcist turned me off the horrer movie genre.

catmom

I love The Birds, very terrifying, Psycho which is great & The Exocist which was incredibly scary.

Francie Carlson

filmnut, great director!

Cora Jeske

Sally Onyett, my dad told me that was the only movie that ever scared him... It was definitely creepy...

janellejaworski

Oh I love the exorcist movie “ the power of Christ compels you”.

Marianne Frederick Halterman

The Exorcist is aTerrible movie, a terrible book, just plain terrible! I threw it down the Trash Shute in my apartment in D.C. because my kitties started acting weird while I was reading it!!!

Margaret O'Neill

This film was really scary... I was a teenager when I went to see it... couldn't sleep for over a week....

Player

filmnut, great film but not really a horror by today's standards more of a psychological thriller.

Kenneth Jacobs

“The burnished rays of the setting sun flamed glory on the clouds of the western sky before shattering in gold and vermilion dapples on the darkening waters of the river.” One must read the book to effectively understand how Blatty painted the portrait which was transformed into an Academy award winning film.