In late December, 1973, Warner Bros. Released the horror film The Exorcist. It was directed by relative newcomer William Friedkin, coming off of the incredible success he had helming 1971’s Oscar-winning The French Connection, which also saw him pick up one of the golden statues for Best Director.

Its release was met with furore from its audiences, who far from put off from its R rating, revelled in its depiction of an exorcism, even if that meant a fair amount of vomiting and the like viewing it, as well as a number of protests from religious groups, and even being banned for a time in the UK.

Fifty years on and the classic is getting a welcome re-release, celebrating its 50th anniversary. But can a 50-year-old film still give modern audiences the heebie jeebies today?

Having just moved into an impressive, rented townhouse in Washington D.C. is Chris (Ellen Burstyn), her 12-year-old daughter Regan (Linda Blair) and their entourage of staff. Chris is there to star in a film shooting in the capital, as her daughter and staff settle into their new accommodations.

Everything seemed to be going fine, with everyone fairly comfortable in their new surroundings, until Regan starts to complain of little things, like her bed moving in the night, which were dismissed by all as just something a young teen would say. But things started to progress further, with the consensus being that Regan might need medical attention.

But after extensive and exhaustive tests, leaving the medical minds stumped, the source of Regan’s behaviour soon revealed itself, and it was something that no one could have predicted, with young Regan being declared as being possessed by an evil entity; one that had no intentions of moving on anytime soon.

It’s incredibly rare for a 50 year old film, especially in the horror genre, to still be able to make an impact on audiences. It’s no wonder that the film is often credited as being one of the best horror films of all time, a statement that is still rings true to this day.

Friedkin’s film was based on a 1971 novel written by William Peter Blatty, who not only wrote the film’s screenplay, but also picked up an Oscar for his troubles. And although much of the film’s success over the years can be attributed to an excellent script, it’s probably Friedkin’s direction that elevates it, much like Regan in the infamous bed scene.

The director chose a different approach for his film, that saw it move away from the loud and trashy style horror films, and create something far darker and realistic, almost taking on the appearance of a documentary. It’s this matter-of-fact approach that manages to give more weight to the already disturbing scenes that the film has. There’s also very little by way of a sound score, which again heightens the sense of horror throughout. And without a constant barrage of musical signals, its sound effects are far more startling, provoking a far greater sense of fear.

There are some incredible performances from all the cast, especially that of Father Karras, played by Jason Miller, a priest with psychiatric training whose faith is tested to the limits. And of course young Linda Blair, whose entire career has been defined by this role, but who also redefined what young actors could achieve on screen.

There have been rumours since its release that the film was cursed, with a number of injuries and deaths linked to the production, but these have mostly been debunked as just great marketing for the film, with Friedkin more than happy to fuel such wild speculation.

With the impact it made an audiences, it’s no surprise that the film was the first ever horror film to be nominated for a Best Picture, as well as being nominated in ten categories, winning two overall. It’s also another entry in the US National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

It may well be fifty years old, but there’s no doubting that this horror classic is still as potent and powerful as ever in its depiction of the supernatural. Considering all the gross and shocking scenes, it still manages to tell its story with subtlety and, more importantly, an air of believability.

With The Exorcist: Believer set for release, a supposed direct sequel to this original - even seeing Burstyn reprise her role – there’s no better time to see the original, and superior (it’s from the same team that rebooted Halloween- nuff said), especially in celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Although this original is often parodied, it still remains an undeniable, masterful horror classic that still manages to shock with its portrayal of the epitome of evil.