The Exorcist spider walk scene where Regan comes down the stairs toward her horrified mother and her house guests is infamous – but wasn't in the original version. Here's why The Exorcist spider walk scene was deleted from the theatrical cut, then later restored. Often cited as one of the greatest and scariest horror films ever made, The Exorcist still remains the benchmark for demonic possession movies nearly 50 years after its release. Based on the William Peter Blatty novel, The Exorcist was a critical and commercial hit, and one of the rare horror movies to reach renown outside genre aficionados.