In the new horror thriller The Vatican Tapes, a priest (Michael Peña, Ant-Man) teams up with two Vatican exorcists to save the soul of a young woman (Olivia Dudley) who is possessed by an ancient and powerful demon. Djimon Hounsou, Dougray Scott, and Kathleen Robertson also star; Mark Neveldine (Crank) directed.
Whenever horror movies venture into religious subject matter, it's always a tricky dance to remain respectful toward the devout while also shining a light on the more terrifying possibilities. That's especially true when the stories involve priests and/or the Vatican, as the following video clips make clear.
The Exorcist (1973)
A groundbreaking tale of terror, William Friedkin's classic shows the lengths that Ellen Burstyn goes to get help for her daughter Linda Blair before finally calling upon priestly assistance from Max Von Sydow and Jason Miller.
Stigmata (1999)
Vatican investigator / Jesuit priest Gabriel Byrne races to help Patricia Arquette from a team of exorcists, led by a Cardinal (Jonathan Pryce) whose actions have questionable motives.
The Rite (2011)
Anthony Hopkins stars as a priest who is well-known at the Vatican for his success as an exorcist. He is not vainglorious about it, however, as he explains to a young man (Colin O'Donoghue) who has serious doubts about becoming a priest.
The Devil Inside (2012)
A woman whose mother killed three people during an exorcism decides to make a documentary about exorcisms. She travels to Rome, where her mother is still living in a Catholic psychiatric hospital, and begins by visiting a Vatican school to learn more about exorcisms.
Deliver Us From Evil (2014)
A New York police officer (Eric Bana) meets a Jesuit priest (Edgar Ramirez) at the station; the priest has arrived to help one of his "charges," a woman who acted in a very disturbing manner at the zoo. Eventually they team up to solve a series of increasingly baffling crimes.
