Hollywood's Obsession With Exorcism

For nearly 40 years, Hollywood has been obsessed with the possessed.

Since the 1973 blockbuster "The Exorcist" unleashed a head-spinning, pea-soup spewing, foul-mouthed and demon-possessed girl on the American imagination, a host of films featuring exorcisms have hit the silver screen.

And why not? To date, "The Exorcist" franchise -- two sequels and two prequels -- has grossed nearly $500 million worldwide, according to TheNumbers.com, which tracks box office receipts.