In 2016, Fr Francesco Bamonte, president of the International Association of Exorcists, said that “the way in which evil, demonic possession, the prayer of exorcism and liberation” are presented in film and television was “disappointing and unacceptable”. His main criticism was that fictional portrayals of exorcism tend to exaggerate human and satanic power over God.
The slew of films depicting demonic possession that have appeared over the decades can, of course, be traced back to William Friedkin’s classic, The Exorcist. The influence of that movie, released in 1973, can be seen throughout the horror genre, from Rosemary’s Baby to Paranormal Activity. The current headline-grabber Bird Box, with its story of mass suicide triggered by the sighting of a malignant spirit, is the latest to owe a debt to it.
