There are some horror films that can scare audiences for generations. They can stand the test of time and even amaze people to this very day. That’s why, even now, horror lovers can’t seem to get enough of William Friedkin‘s The Exorcist. An intense nightmare flick with some of the most iconic imagery in all of cinema, this 1973 classic is undisputedly one of the most compelling and terrifying horror movies of all time.
There’s no discussion of the greatest horror films ever without bringing up The Exorcist. Besides all the incredible scares, it’s perfectly directed, powerfully acted, and full of palpable suspense. Truly, it’s hard to top this masterpiece sometimes. This is why, for the purposes of this article, we’ll be looking at ten other iconic and beloved horror movies that can stack up alongside The Exorcist. Some of these are almost or just as good as Friedkin’s masterpiece, and some are even arguably superior. So, sit back, turn off the lights, and prepare to be scared because these horror greats really deserve your attention.
10
‘Rosemary’s Baby’ (1968)
Directed by Roman Polanski
Starting with a banger is Roman Polanski‘s 1968 psychological horror film Rosemary’s Baby. A masterclass in using suspense and subtle horror to effectively freak out the audience, it’s become a beloved classic that’s often brought up alongside The Exorcist as a prime example of brilliant horror storytelling.
The film stars Mia Farrow in a career-defining performance as a first-time mother who slowly comes to believe her husband and new apartment tenants intend to use her unborn child for sinister purposes. As mentioned before, it scares viewers with its subtle build-up and mounting tension. It all culminates in one of the most shocking endings in horror history, which continues to have a massive influence on filmmaking. It’s brilliant, iconic, and just as good as Friedkin’s film, which came out five years later.
9
‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ (1920)
Directed by Robert Wiene
Hailed as a brilliant, iconic piece of German Expressionist cinema, Robert Wiene‘s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a true classic of horror movies that continues to have a positive influence despite being released over 100 years ago. The story sees a German village descend into chaos and paranoia as mysterious murders occur, leading one villager (Friedrich Feher) to suspect they’re being committed by a crazed hypnotist (Werner Krauss) and his brainwashed somnambulist (Conrad Veidt).
Though they are two vastly different films with unique and instantly distinct styles, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari ranks highly among horror buffs for its disturbing imagery, psychological themes, and overall impact on the genre, much like The Exorcist. It’s a classic that many other amazing horror movies we know today have gained their inspiration from. Truly, it’s worth being placed alongside The Exorcist, and it’ll never be forgotten.
8
‘What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?’ (1962)
Directed by Robert Aldrich
One of the most flawlessly performed horror movies was Robert Aldrich‘s 1962 thriller What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? This compellingly told blend of heartbreaking drama and eerie psychological horror sees two acting legends, Academy Award winners Betty Davis and Joan Crawford, as fading celebrity sisters forced to live in isolation in a crumbling mansion. Soon, they find their unbearable living situation turned for the worse when one of the sisters suffers a murderous breakdown.
It’s tense, dramatic, and rich with so much atmosphere that all The Exorcist fans can enjoy. Much like Freidkin’s classic, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? terrifies audiences with suspense and uses its cramped house setting to leave them with an uneasy feeling of dread. It may not be as scary or shocking, but it’s creepy enough to get under the viewers’ skin and leave a lasting impression.
7
‘Diabolique’ (1955)
Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot
A mind-blowing French thriller with so many twists and turns, Henri-Georges Clouzot‘s 1955 classic Diabolique is a compelling shocker in which nothing is what it seems. In a suspenseful story that would later inspire Sir Alfred Hitchcock‘s Psycho, it follows a woman and her husband’s mistress who murder him, an abusive school headmaster. However, things take a darker turn when the husband’s corpse mysteriously vanishes.
Both Diabolique and The Exorcist are edge-of-your-seat horror masterpieces that terrify viewers with gripping suspense and lingering dread. Though different genre-wise, they’re nowadays massive influences on the horror genre and are often brought up as compelling examples when discussing classic horror movies.
6
‘Jaws’ (1975)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Often taking the top spot as one of the most suspenseful horror movies ever made, Steven Spielberg‘s game-changing monster thriller Jaws is an intense nail-biter that can scare to death even the most hardcore The Exorcist fans out of their seats. With a legendary score, iconic imagery, and a talented cast, it sees Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss teaming up as a trio of shark hunters who go on a dangerous quest to kill a monstrous great white shark off the coast of Amity Island.
Jaws is arguably just as scary as The Exorcist, perhaps only slightly less. They’re also both masterclasses in suspense and paranoia. Jaws‘ terror comes from not knowing when the shark will strike, while The Exorcist ramps up the scares as the demonically controlled little girl Reagan (Linda Blair) advances with possession. Even after more than fifty years, both films are still incredibly terrifying and just as memorable. Truly, Jaws deserves its place alongside this classic.
5
‘The Shining’ (1980)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
When speaking of acclaimed horrors like The Exorcist, The Shining often has that one beat, as it’s just as well-received and arguably even more. Directed by the legendary late Stanley Kubrick, this praised supernatural chiller, based on a Stephen King novel, has scared audiences for decades. It follows Jack Nicholson, playing one of the scariest fathers in horror history, as a struggling writer who slowly becomes unhinged and seeks to kill his family after being influenced by evil spirits while staying as a caretaker at an isolated mountain hotel.
Both are competently directed, flawlessly acted and feature award-worthy cinematography. It’s often hard to see which is the better-shot film, as The Exorcist and The Shining often stack up with each other and are seen as instantly recognizable examples of perfect horror filmmaking. The Shining is, of course, worthy of competing with The Exorcist and deserving of its tremendous acclaim today, even though it was initially mixed upon release.
4
‘Psycho’ (1960)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Powerfully suspenseful and often considered a timeless masterpiece, Alfred Hitchcock’s magnum opus, Psycho, deserves every bit of mention as an all-time great horror movie. With memorable lines and a chilling lead performance, the story follows what happened to a thieving desk secretary (Janet Leigh) when she ran off with her boss’s money and checked into an isolated hotel run by the mysterious Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins).
When it comes to pop-cultural impact, of course, both Psycho and The Exorcist compete for which one is the most memorable. They’re two of the most legendary horror films in cinema, being constantly quoted and having some of their best scenes constantly referenced in other films and TV shows. Time will tell which one will come out as the winner of being the most influential of the two, but as it stands, they’ll likely remain equals, constantly vying for the crown of best of the best.
3
‘Alien’ (1979)
Directed by Ridley Scott
In the same decade when The Exorcist was scaring audiences with its supernatural thrills, Sir Ridley Scott was scaring them in a whole new way in 1979 with his sci-fi horror masterpiece Alien. Seen today as one of the most visually epic and eerily claustrophobic films in the horror genre, it follows commercial astronauts aboard the towing vessel Nostromo, who answer a mysterious distress call in a derelict ship wreck and encounter the universe’s deadliest alien organism.
This nightmarish slasher in space was something the horror genre had never seen up to that point. It’s relentlessly intense and shocking and features an iconic villain, the xenomorph, which became one of the best in movie history. Alien has just as much acclaim as The Exorcist. The two are timeless classics, highly unlikely to ever be forgotten anytime soon.
2
‘The Thing’ (1982)
Directed by John Carpenter
Now, The Exorcist is king of supernatural terror, but John Carpenter‘s The Thing takes the crown when it comes to the best sci-fi terror. A definite must-watch for horror fans, this chilling 1982 remake of a popular ’50s classic has become a highly beloved masterpiece in the years since it initially flopped. Starring Kurt Russell, it sees Americans at an isolated Antarctic outpost who struggle to trust each other and figure out who is human when an alien shapeshifter infiltrates their group.
The Thing is one of the most tense and pulse-pounding horror thrillers of all time, and every minute is suspenseful and leaves a lingering sense in the audience that something terrible will happen at any moment. Its scares are legendary and haven’t been forgotten by horror fans. As a result, it’s often argued by the horror community to be the ultimate horror movie, sometimes more than The Exorcist.
1
‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)
Directed by Jonathan Demme
Finally, the late Jonathan Demme‘s The Silence of the Lambs is a horror masterpiece of monumental acclaim, surpassing that of The Exorcist. Winner of the Big Five Academy Awards, including the crowning achievement of Best Picture, this crime thriller is significant to horror and cinema as a whole. It follows a young FBI trainee as she enters an intense mind game with an incarcerated, brilliant serial killer to learn the pathology of another murderer before he strikes again.
Hailed for having flawless writing, award-winning direction, and some of the best acting in horror history, The Silence of the Lambs deserves a place alongside The Exorcist as one of the greatest in the esteemed genre. It’s kept a strong following over the years and doesn’t show any signs of slowing. The Silence of the Lambs is a perfect film that The Exorcist fans would have a blast seeing and debating which one is better.