The Exorcist Effect

Book excerpt: "The Exorcist Effect is a historical study of the ongoing relationship between religious culture in the West and horror movies, looking particularly at the period from 1968 to the present. Taking its name from the 1973 film The Exorcist, which was widely understood to be based on a true story, this book outlines a cycle in which religious beliefs and practices become the basis of films that in turn inspire religious beliefs, practices, and experiences. This book draws on archival research to shed new light on such figures as Ed and Lorraine Warren and Malachi Martin, who inserted themselves into this cycle. It also incorporates interviews with horror authors, film writers, and paranormal investigators. This book draws on such fields as psychology, sociology, and folklore studies in order to theorize how film informs religious experience and shapes religious cultures. Next, it examines the production and reception of Rosemary's Baby (1968), The Exorcist (1973), and The Omen (1976) as seminal films in the genre. Two chapters examine the Warrens and Malachi Martin, respectively, including the horror films that influenced and were inspired by their careers. The next three chapters examine areas of culture where the influence of this cycle was most apparent: exorcism, Satanic Panic, and moral panic over heavy metal. The final chapter considers the QAnon conspiracy theory and its numerous allusions to film as a contemporary manifestation of The Exorcist effect."--