It versus the Exorcist

[Schmidty]

When I was staying after waiting for the teachers attention, I decided to read some more of the "Danse Macabre" before I had to return it to the library. Then another teacher walked in and asked me what I was reading. After getting a whole conversation that "It" was scary and how the teacher had to put a towel over the book because the cover scared her and blah-blah-blah. Then the other teacher said that the Exorcist was scary too.(At this point I think these teachers are being ridiculous.) So what I wanna know is "It" more scarier than "The Exorcist" or vice versa?

[J.T. Adams]

The Exorcist for me.

[GNTLGNT]

The Exorcist is a classic, but it bored the dog snot out of me...whereas IT has haunted me for years...

[Spideyman]

IT was way more scarier. Details, description, nightmares!!

[~Ally~]

Well they are two very different stories and will affect people in varying ways, yet asking a question like that on SK's website is likely to lead to a biased result.
IT is my favourite story of all time...I've just recently finished another re~read. IT's like my comfort blanket. :wink2:

However, The Exorcist is another favourite story of mine. In fact, they have just released a 40th anniversary revised and expanded edition that I'm going to buy. The movie version of The Exorcist is not scary, although I can understand why it was deemed the "scariest movie ever" for the generation when it was released. I guess over time we have become hardened to horrors on~screen, therefore many people now view The Exorcist as tame. But the book?? Now that's a different story! I find this immensely more intense and scarier than the movie. As always there's a lot more detail in written format, but this story really got inside my head and under my skin.

Anyhoo, all waffling aside, have you read either story? The best way to judge is from your own perspective, not what other people feel.
IT is my favourite story, but The Exorcist isn't far behind. :cool2:

[Schmidty]

I did realize the bias results I would get. I haven't read either story but I have seen the movies in which neither have scared me.(After a while I can predict when the monster is going to jump out or I can tell when the monster is computer generated, which I hate.) I do plan to read both books as soon as I find the time.

But now I have another thought/question.

What would it be like if Stephen King wrote a text book on chemistry or math ( Attack of the 7's sounds kinda funny)?
Maybe school for some people will be more interesting.

[Out of Order]

I would go with The Exorcist in this match-up with IT, when talking movies, while IT gets the nod in print form.

[~Ally~]

I haven't read either story but I have seen the movies in which neither have scared me.

Yup, neither of the movies have ever scared me, but both of the books have, no matter how many times I've read them.

For me there's nothing scarier than the images our own mind can create when reading these type of books.

And just remember..."Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win."

[wick]

It most definitely. It gave me nightmares not to be believed, and to make matters worse at the time my room was decorated with clowns.

[bryantburnette]

If we're talking novels, it's It by a mile.

If we're talking movies, it's The Exorcist by two miles.

[GNTLGNT]

I like "Attack of the Algebraic 19's!" better...

[Schmidty]

yeah but "7 8 9"

[Aericanwizard]

How about Dividing by Zero?

As for the topic question, I always claimed It was the scariest SK novel I'd ever read; then I read Pet Sematary. Compared to The Exorcist, I would say that the novel of It is scarier, but the film version of The Exorcist is scarier (although Tim Curry's Pennywise has created any number of nightmares).

All I can say is read them both, and let us know what you think once you have.

Long days and pleasant nights.

[Robert Gray]

It really depends on your personal make up. There are many debates about which is "scarier" but the problem lies in the fact that different things scare different people. I found the The Exorcist neither scary nor interesting. I found Pet Sematary terrifying. While It remains my favorite book, I've never considered it a horror story. It is a book about childhood, growing up, and childhood revisited. The fact that there are monsters is besides the point. I see these books this way because of how I'm wired.

[evil ed]

Everyone is different. See, hmm... I loved It, but It was not scary to me at all. There was never a time while reading when I broke out in goosebumps, or had that sudden chill of terror down my spine, had to pause and check my surroundings. To be quite honest, I've never had any of those feelings reading any of Stephen King's books. That's not intended to be a knock to Stephen, I love his writing, I become immersed in the plot and characters, but I never feel the fear that Stephen conveys. I do believe some people have the condition where they just can't feel fright from reading. I think it's called a lack of imagination, or comprehension, haha! I have experienced feelings of fear in other works of fiction so I know I'm not immune to being spooked by reading. I was actually chilled and goosebumped by Joe Hill's "Heart Shaped Box", especially in the beginning of the book when the ghost first arrives to Judas's house. I was also on the edge of my seat terrified when reading certain passages in Bret Easton Ellis's "Lunar Park", especially the halloween party portion of the book where Bret faces strange events in the upstairs of his house. Terrifying! I wish I felt the same while reading King's fiction, but sadly I have yet to experience any of these feelings.

[Schmidty]

well i read par of It and never finished it because I was to busy

[blunthead]

I like "Attack of the Algebraic 19's!" better...Yeah, but you like The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, too.

I haven't read The Exorcist, so I don't belong in this thread. I haven't even seen the movie. I was warned. As far as the book, I'll take GNT's word it is boring. I say what's boring is not literature nor any other art form. Life's too short.

[champ1966]

When we got our first video player back when I was 13 I hired The Exorcist every weekend for about 6 weeks loved it.Went to the cinema to watch it when it got re-released about 10 years ago and it was ruined by kids laughing all the way through it.

IT is the only book I have read 3 times.love it,but neither the book or the film scare mee.I don't read SK books to be scared and his books don't come over good on film,not the horror aspect anyway

The Exorcist is definitely worth a read

[GirlfriendInAComa]

I read It for the first time when I was 9. I got in so much trouble when my mom realized I had it...I think my dad was more impressed that I read that giant book. Anyhoo I have probably read it about 10 times since. I love it. The only thing I hate about it is that it ends. I always find IT scary and thrilling and it's absolutely a way to reconnect with my own inner child.
The Exorcist is terrifying to me in completely different ways but I consider it less about the frightening parts and more about the struggle between faith and doubt. I find myself crying my eyes out at the end every time I read it. For someone who wishes they could find their faith there is something profound in it. If you have read it you might find it amusing that when I have occaision to visit Washington DC I seek out those ominous steps and watch the sunset from there.