Still turning heads and stomachs after 27 years

Moviegoers screamed, fainted and vomited. Some walked - and some ran - from theatres. The Reverend Billy Graham claimed the very celluloid was possessed by a demon.

The year was 1973 and the film was, of course, The Exorcist.

Director William Friedkin's screen version of the William Peter Blatty novel packed cinemas and became one of the first blockbusters of a resurgent 1970s Hollywood.

The tale of a young girl's possession by an unspeakably evil, ancient demon tapped into deep-seated fears, shocking audiences with scenes that have become part of film lore - swivelling heads, slime-green projectile vomiting, levitation and that unforgettable, guttural growl (the demon's voice was in fact performed by Mercedes McCambridge - who had to sue Warner Brothers for a credit - and not child actress Linda Blair, who plays Regan).

Now The Exorcist is back, in a 'director's cut' which adds about 11 minutes to the film, including an astonishing scene where the possessed Regan walks like a spider down stairs and a new ending which is closer to that in the novel.

In 1973, many dubbed it the scariest film ever. But has it stood the test of time? We went to the GV cinema at Tsing Yi for a special Halloween preview to see how moviegoers were handling being repossessed.