On December 26, 1973, The Exorcist was released. Moviegoers braved hours-long lines in winter weather to see it. Half a century later, the movie that both inspired and transcends the modern horror genre has lost none of its power to terrify and unsettle. Segaloff reveals the complete story of this cultural phenomenon, from the real-life exorcism in 1949 Maryland that inspired William Peter Blatty's bestselling novel on which the movie is based, to its many sequels, prequels, TV series, and homages. He shows that Friedkin and Blatty's goal was far more ambitious than making a scary movie; they aimed to make people "think about the concept of good and evil." -- Adapted from jacket.