The Exorcist (1973)

Half of The Exorcist is a medical drama, and that half is the part that gets under your skin. Before anything supernatural shows up, a twelve-year-old gets poked, scanned and tested by doctors who keep shrugging, while her mom watches every option run out. Ellen Burstyn plays Chris like a real person, not a horror movie mom, and her panic feels lived in. Jason Miller’s Father Karras is a priest who looks too tired to believe in anything, which makes him perfect for this job. The weak spots are real. The opening in Iraq is slow and vague, the detective subplot wanders around like it lost its notes, and some of the effects look their age. But William Friedkin shoots the whole thing so plainly that the scary stuff feels like it’s happening in your own house. Made on a reported $12 million, it pulled $430 million worldwide. A 9.0 because it treats a nightmare like a family emergency. $643 says you hear one bump upstairs tonight and suddenly need to call your mom.

What works: Ellen Burstyn’s frantic, believable mom and Friedkin’s plain, almost documentary filmmaking make the horror feel like it’s happening next door.

What doesn’t: The Iraq opening drags, the detective subplot wanders, and a few of the effects show their age when you watch closely.

Who it’s for: Grown-up horror fans who want dread over jump scares, since this one is rated R for a reason.