CAST
PATRICK FABIAN, IRIS BAHR, ASHLEY BELL, LOUIS HERTHUM, CALEB LANDRY JONES

DIRECTED BY
DANIEL STAMM

Produced by gore hound Eli Roth, The Last Exorcism takes a different direction from other demonic possession movies in that its exorcist is a preacher of the evangelical variety, who just happens to no longer believe in God.

That’s put to the test when faced with a real case of possession, with hypermobile actress Ashley Bell giving it the good ol’ Linda Blair to rather startling affect.

A nice twist ending ups the ante on other “found footage” demonic possession movies (of which there are many), evoking the likes of ‘60s exploitation horror classics in the process.

CAST
ERC BANA, EDGAR RODRIGUEZ, SEAN HARRIS, JOEL McHALE, OLVIA MUNN, LULU WILSON

DIRECTED BY
SCOTT DERRICKSON

Genre stalwart Scott Derrickson put a twist into the standard demonic possession formula by mashing gritty cop-movie elements and supernatural thrills in Deliver Us from Evil.

Based on “true events”, the film teams Eric Bana’s tough NY cop with Edgar Ramirez’s unconventional Jesuit priest in a fight against Lucifer’s minions on the mean streets of New York.

Top notch suspense sits nicely alongside meaningful discussion on the importance of faith while combating evil.

CAST
ROSE BYRNE, PATRICK WILSON, BARBARA HERSHEY, LIN SHAYE, TY SIMPKINS, LEIGH WHANNELL

DIRECTED BY
JAMES WAN

Saw creators James Wan (director) and Leigh Whannell (writer, actor) left behind their love for torture porn to create a spooky and at times bat-shit crazy demonic possession movie in Insidious.

At first hitting the usual notes found in the genre, Wan and Whannell quickly crank things up to 11 as an assortment of demonic creatures from a spiritual plane make their presence known to startling affect, entertaining and scaring its audience into submission.

CAST
LAURA LINNEY, TOM WILKINSON, JENNIFER CARPENTER, CAMPBELL SCOTT, COLM FEORE

DIRECTED BY
SCOTT DERRICKSON

The film that introduced director Scott Derrickson to the world, The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a very loose account of the real life exorcism of German woman Anneliese Michel, yet told through the perspective of an American court room drama.

It’s a twist to the genre that works well, offering an alternative viewpoint to scenes of demonic possession, where Jennifer Carpenter portrays the possessed title character with a gung-ho physicality that amazes as much as it scares.

CAST
VERA FARMIGA, PATRICK WILSON, JOHN BROTHERTON, SHANLEY CASWELL, ROD LIVINGSTON, LILI TAYLOR

DIRECTED BY
JAMES WAN

A genuinely frightening mash-up of The Exorcist and The Amityville Horror, this old school throwback saw director James Wan perfecting the supernatural thrills found in Insidious by sticking to traditional, yet never the less effective genre staples. 

Based on the case files of famed demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren (here portrayed by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), The Conjuring scares us silly with its story of an evil spirit that targets a loving family, in particular mother and housewife Carolyn Perron (Lili Taylor).

Genuinely frightening in its thrills and charming in its old school vibe, The Conjuring will no doubt rank high in demonic possession and haunted house move lists for many years.

CAST
KATIE FEATHERSON, MICAH SLOAT, MARK FREDRICHS, ASHLEY PALMER

DIRECTED BY
OREN PELI

A potent combination of the demonic possession and found footage genres, Paranormal Activity quickly became a worldwide sensation and with good cause, its low budget approach perfect for its slow-burn story of a suburban couple hounded by a demon with possession its goal.

Much like The Exorcist did decades earlier, this Oren Peli directed film had scores of people lining up to get the crap scared out of them.  Numerous sequels followed, but the original is still the most frightening, innovative best.

CAST
ESSIE DAVIS, NOAH WISEMAN, HAYLEY McELHINNEY, DANIEL HENSHALL, BARABRA WEST

DIRECTED BY
JENNIFER KENT

The debut film from Australian filmmaker Jennifer Kent, The Babadook effectively took the theme of grief and wrapped it tightly around a frightening and intimate story all-consuming possession, with Essie Davis giving a bravura performance as a recently widowed mother turned possessed woman of violent intentions.

Different to other demonic possession movies in that its monster is given a name and creepy as hell face, The Babadook also stands out due to its impeccable dramatic acting that makes the horror even more primal.

CAST
MANUELA VELASCO, PABLO ROSSO, JORGE-YAMAM SERRANO, FERRAN TERRAZA, DAVID VERT

DIRECTED BY
JAUME BALAGUERO, PACO PLAZA

A monster mash of the demonic possession, zombie movie and found footage genres, [REC] is as immersive and scary a horror movie as they come, directors Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza creating a claustrophobic and crap-your-pants inducing movie that pits a camera crew against an apartment filled with tenants infected with a demonic disease.

Frights and high tension is felt throughout, but nothing can prepare for a heart pounding finale that will have many crying for their mummy.

CAST
BRUCE CAMPBELL, SARAH BERRY, DENISE BIXLER, DAN HICKS, TED RAIMI, KASSIE WESLEY

DIRECTED BY
SAM RAIMI

Sam Raimi’s classic horror-comedy hybrid Evil Dead II adds laughs to demonic possession thrills, with this sequel/quasi-remake to low budget splatter fest Evil Dead a thing of horrific glory.

Starring Bruce Campbell as tortured hero Ash, Evil Dead II begins with an innocent trip to a cabin in the woods yet quickly becomes a fight for survival against demonically possessed, flesh craving zombies.

Spurred on by Raimi’s innovative, energetic direction and Campbell’s gung-ho performance (the highlight of which is a fight against his own severed, possessed hand), Evil Dead II is as unique and entertaining an entry in the demonic possession movie canon as they come.

CAST
ELLEN BURSTYN, JASON MILLER, LINDA BLAIR, LEE J.COBB, MAX VON SYDOW, KITTY WINN

DIRECTED BY
WILLIAM FRIEDKIN

Is there any surprise? Ever since its release in 1973, The Exorcist has established itself as not only the best horror movie of all time, but a movie of unique slant and high influence.

Every demonic possession movie that followed owes its existence to this William Friedkin directed masterpiece, wherein a faith frazzled priest (Jason Miller) must find strength to exorcise a powerful demon from the body of a fragile young girl (Linda Blair in all of her pea-green vomit glory).

While many of The Exorcist’s offspring can replicate the ground breaking visual effects and scenes of gory body manipulation, what they can’t do is repeat the core dramatic and theological strength found in William Peter Blatty’s writing, where good and especially evil are very real forces in the world, with evil especially the unseen monster that must be reckoned with before it consumes humanity whole.

All together now: “The power of Christ compels you…”