MovieChat Forums > The Exorcist (1973) Discussion > Most Atmospheric Movie Ever?

Most Atmospheric Movie Ever?


This movie has such a palpable atmosphere, feels like you can cut it with a knife. It has a very specific eeriness to it. Any other movies that compare or rival it?

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I don't think so. The Exorcist was the best horror movie ever made....

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The Shining.

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Salem's Lot(1979)

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I don't know if it's the most atmospheric movie but it is up there!

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The opening credits of Ridley Scott's Legend with Jerry Goldsmith's score (the international cut or director's cut, the american theatrical was crap).

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Wow, how to define atmospheric? For me, the scenes immediately following the "ascent of man" part of 2001 (after the ape through the bone that turned into the space station) was incredible. As was the whole movie.

For horror, yes, the music helped set atmosphere for Exorcist (which remains a scary movie to me), and the tone of The Shining is comparable. The clacking of typewriter keys...amazing.

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One of them. I think the subtler moments in the film tend to get overlooked by a lot of people in favor of the more shocking moments like Regan's head turning backwards. The great opening scene with Father Merren, Chris exploring the attack, Merren arriving at the house, for example.

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I agree. It's a movie that unsettles you and makes you feel uneasy from the start.

Specifically, when Merrin is digging in the hole, the camera slowly zoons into the hole just before he pulls out the Pazuzu talisman, and you expect something bad to happen. The low drone on the soundtrack also adds to the atmosphere.

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Silence of the Lambs

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