I can assure you, Sarah, that at the time, THE EXORCIST was unlike ANY mainstream horror movie ever made, and I left the theater feeling utterly disturbed, destroyed emotionally, and overall just plain creepy. My stomach and psyche felt like they would never recover. It had a profound psychological effect on me - yes, just a movie. But I have stated here before on many occasions, I am a GREAT audience for films and theater. I believe it ALL; I can't ever sit there and tell myself it's only a movie. Linda Blair's makeup, the gritty, ugly look and sound of the film, and that demonic voice dubbed by Mercedes McCambridge all worked their "evil" on me.
This was long before the stream of HALLOWEENs, FRIDAY THE 13ths, and every possible slasher, possession, and creepfest film had been put out there and when horrendous language can find its way into PG-13 films. So, it may seem tame now, but I can assure it it was the stuff of nightmares in its day. (Of course, so was FRANKENSTEIN in 1931 and it's almost funny now.) It's all in the perspective.
Sorry, DR Sandra. I looked through all my old school textbooks, and that story wasn't in any of them. I haven't checked my own college texts. They're in another part of the house, but I can look for them later. I truly am not familiar with the title or author of the story.
Forgot all about "D'obolique," another French chlller that gave me nightmares.