Until 1973, the Vatican maintained a committee of three elderly priests to watch and comment on controversial movies and formulate official Church opinions. The priests were chosen for their extensive knowledge of Catholic theology, history and doctrine. This policy was changed due to the release of The Exorcist. The images and words of the movie were so frightening and upsetting to the 70+ year priests that two of them had to be hospitalized and the remaining one retired to a monastery. The committee still exists today, but the maximum age of the priests who serve on it is capped at 50.