The Exorcist vs. The Shining

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The Exorcist vs. The Shining
61.11%
22 votes
The Exorcist
38.89%
14 votes
The Shining
36 votes. You may not vote on this poll




Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy?
Two timeless horror classics- which one is better? Feel free to explain why chose what you did.

I personally love both but I think The Exorcist struck more of a personal chord with me with the portrayal of the disillusioned priest and the grief-stricken mother.
For me, it wasn't as scary as it was a very emotionally resonant movie. And of course, there are quite a few scenes that do terrify even today.



The Power of Christ That Compels You
The Exorcist for me. For me, it's the greatest movie of all time. The writing, acting, atmosphere, score, tone - everything, it all just came together and Blatty and Friedkin couldn't have done any more. That said, I do really enjoy The Shining too (for similar reasons as listed) but, as you say, the emotional resonance The Exorcist carries is unrivalled for me. More than just a horror movie.
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What an excellent day for an exorcism.



The Exorcist without a doubt. Its characters have more depth, the story flows better, atmosphere is creepier and I like the subject more. Pretty much what people above me said except that I don't really like The Shining.



Don't know if this is a fair comparison, but if I had to choose, I would give it to The Exorcist by a nose...overall, it's a better film, but The Shining has more re-watch appeal thanks to Nicholson's endlessly fascinating performance and Kubrick's atmospheric direction.



The Bib-iest of Nickels
I don't particularly love either of these films. And, I feel like the odd-one out for saying that, but, as a life-time fan of the horror genre, and someone who has coveted it as closely I have, for some reason, I could never get into either of these films. I don't hate either of them, they're both alright enough, but I don't love them. The Exorcist has more than a few moments I'd single-out as worthwhile, but, as for the overall narrative, I found it a little bland and tedious, maybe that's because we've had supernatural horror films beaten to death ever since its 1.5-ish billion-dollar box-office return (adjusted for inflation)?

Meanwhile, the reason I don't care for The Shining, as it turns out, is actually the same reason Stephen King doesn't like The Shining film adaptation. The transition isn't as nuanced as I think it could have been and they try to make it more of an inner-struggle and it feels like there's a disconnect. Jack Nicholson's subtle transition from a crazy person to a craz...ier person.

Again, I know a lot of people loved these two films, and I respect that, but I simply don't share that sentiment.



Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy?
The Exorcist without a doubt. Its characters have more depth, the story flows better, atmosphere is creepier and I like the subject more. Pretty much what people above me said except that I don't really like The Shining.
I've always thought the atmosphere of The Shining was really what gave it it's oomph, while the Exorcist gets power from the performances and story. Man, but the music in both films is just great. Electrifying, foreboding, disturbing- everything the movie needs is in the music.



“I was cured, all right!”
I choose The Exorcist for the major impact that caused in my life as a 7 years old film lover in 2000 when "The version that you never see" was released.



I've always thought the atmosphere of The Shining was really what gave it it's oomph, while the Exorcist gets power from the performances and story. Man, but the music in both films is just great. Electrifying, foreboding, disturbing- everything the movie needs is in the music.

No argument that the music in both films is excellent.



Out of the two, the Exorcist. Although, first time watching was with 16 friends, drunk like a wet sponge, laughed through the whole movie. So it wasn't an ideal experience of the movie.



The Shining is not really "scary". Just creepy. Both have their merits.
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My Favorite Films



Wow, I don't even want to vote on this. Too close to call for me. I suppose The Shining only because of how unique it is, while there have been some successful offshoots of the Exorcist that have been able to replicate the horror.



I expected Everyone to go with the Shining and go on about how overrated The Exorcist is. Glad the Exorcist is getting love though but id still pick The Shining probably. The Thing and Alien trump both though



Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy?
I expected Everyone to go with the Shining and go on about how overrated The Exorcist is. Glad the Exorcist is getting love though but id still pick The Shining probably. The Thing and Alien trump both though
I love the Thing! As far as sci-fi horror goes it's the cream of the crop. Alien isn't one of my favorites but it's definitely excellent.



I expected Everyone to go with the Shining and go on about how overrated The Exorcist is. Glad the Exorcist is getting love though but id still pick The Shining probably. The Thing and Alien trump both though
I love the Thing! As far as sci-fi horror goes it's the cream of the crop. Alien isn't one of my favorites but it's definitely excellent.
Yeah I was surprised when I watched The Thing thefirst time as I didnt expect to like it more than Alien but I really do find it more enjoyable overall.



Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy?
Yeah I was surprised when I watched The Thing thefirst time as I didnt expect to like it more than Alien but I really do find it more enjoyable overall.
I think it's that heart-pounding, interminable, tension that The Thing has which is not as prevalent in The Alien. Also, the story itself is more sophisticated for me.

As far as special effects and cinematography go, both are great.



Yeah I was surprised when I watched The Thing thefirst time as I didnt expect to like it more than Alien but I really do find it more enjoyable overall.
I think it's that heart-pounding, interminable, tension that The Thing has which is not as prevalent in The Alien. Also, the story itself is more sophisticated for me.

As far as special effects and cinematography go, both are great.
Well a lot of it as much as I adore the design of the Alien in Alien the special effects in The Thing always grip me in a way most movies cant. Im not easily scared or disturbed but something about that kennel scene feels so intimidating. And yeah the movie is loaded with tension and I do love the isolated snowy setting though the space ship interior in Alien is still impressive and claustrophobic.



Both absolutely brilliant films, and among my favourite horrors. The Exorcist tops it though, one of my favourite films ever. It's just perfection.

Strangely, I didnt like it the first time I saw it. I think I had way too much expectation. My nan had raised me and my cousins on horror films so we'd seen them all. The one we absolutely under no circumstances we were ever allowed to watch though, was the Exorcist. So it was the forbidden fruit of our teen years! Then in 2001, I was 14 and they lifted the TV ban in the UK and every kid in my school went wild for it, everyone had their own plans of how to stay up late to watch it and not get caught! And on Monday in school, all anyone could talk about was how rubbish it was and it wasnt even scary! All that hype and expectation of our childhoods had kind of ruined it for us!

I gave it another chance though a few years later, with a little more age and wisdom, and appreciation for filmmaking and couldnt get enough it. Saw the Director's Cut re-release at the cinema on Halloween a couple of years ago. It's just fantastic, every shot, the patience to build characters before everything starts to go to hell, making us care about them, questions of what faith is, the atmosphere. Not to say the Shining isnt also a brilliant film (and I think potentially a scarier film than the Exorcist) but as a film geek, I adore the Exorcist.



Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy?
Definitely "The shining".
I just laughed at "The Exorcist"
Any particular reason? I laughed quite a bit during both movies (the gross-out scenes and the deaths in both are pretty funny today) but both still had that creepy tension regardless.



The Exorcist. No one who's been on this site for a while will be surprised by this. But for the newer members, I've said it many times on this site it's the best made horror film I've ever seen. The Shining, on the other hand, is boring. Really, really boring.
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5-time MoFo Award winner.



Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy?
The Exorcist. No one who's been on this site for a while will be surprised by this. But for the newer members, I've said it many times on this site it's the best made horror film I've ever seen. The Shining, on the other hand, is boring. Really, really boring.
The Exorcist certainly has a lot more going on in terms of plot. I was never bored at any point in The Shining though, I found the creepy atmosphere fascinating throughout,