The Exorcist Effect: Horror, Religion, and Demonic Belief

The Exorcist Effect explores the relationship between horror movies and Western religious culture, tracing the cycle from 1968 to the modern day. It examines how religious beliefs and practices inspire films, which in turn influence religious beliefs, practices, and experiences. The book includes interviews with horror authors, film writers, and paranormal investigators and draws on psychology, sociology, and folklore studies to theorize how film informs religious experience and shapes religious culture.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 24 December 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The Exorcist Effect is a captivating exploration of the enduring interplay between horror films and Western religious culture, particularly from 1968 to the present day. Drawing inspiration from the 1973 film The Exorcist, widely believed to be based on a true story, this book delves into a fascinating cycle wherein religious beliefs and practices find their way into film narratives, which, in turn, influence religious beliefs, practices, and experiences. Authors Joseph P. Laycock and Eric Harrelson, drawing extensively from archival research, shed new light on the intricacies of this phenomenon, while also incorporating insightful interviews with horror authors, film writers, and paranormal investigators.

Laycock and Harrelson employ psychology, sociology, and folklore studies to theorize how film shapes religious experience and contributes to the formation of religious culture. The Exorcist Effect scrutinizes the production, reception, and cultural impact of seminal horror films such as Rosemary's Baby (1968), The Exorcist (1973), and The Omen (1976). It also explores the roles of figures like Malachi Martin and Ed and Lorraine Warren, who actively inserted themselves into the public spotlight, as well as the horror films that were influenced by and inspired by their careers.

The book further examines the areas where the influence of this cycle was most evident, including the Satanic Panic, religious exorcisms, and moral panics over heavy metal music and its purported messages. The final chapter delves into the contemporary manifestation of "The Exorcist effect" through the QAnon conspiracy theory, highlighting numerous allusions to film in the theory's narratives.

In conclusion, The Exorcist Effect is a meticulously researched and compelling volume that appeals to horror enthusiasts, religious scholars, and historians alike. It offers a profound understanding of the complex relationship between horror films and religious culture, shedding light on the ways in which these two mediums have influenced and shaped each other over the years.

Weight: 564g
Dimension: 167 x 244 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197635391