The Exorcist is perhaps the most iconic horror film of our time. It was a box office smash on a meager $12-million budget and, when adjusted for inflation, it's Warner Bros. highest grossing film of all time.
While the William Friedkin-directed movie about a young girl possessed by a demon has given us much to talk about for over four decades, the film came into fruition under some pretty freaky circumstances.
For believers, The Exorcist was dabbling in dangerous territory. Ellen Burstyn even refused her role until her line "I believe in the devil" was omitted from the script.
Cast and crew members have continuously asserted that there were strange and ominous forces surrounding the filming that caused major setbacks, injuries, and even deaths on the set. It is believed by many that the set of The Exorcist was cursed.
As if the fact that movie was based on true events isn't creepy enough, the fact that all of this other scary stuff happened adds an entirely new layer of mystery.
You won't want to sleep with the light off after reading this list.
1. According to several sources, including Ellen Burstyn, nine deaths have been associated with The Exorcist. Some of these deaths include those of a cameraman's unexpected stillborn, a security guard, and Linda Blair's grandfather.
2. One of the most notable deaths was that of actor Jack MacGowran, who died a month before the film's release. His character, Burke Dennings, also died in the film.
3. The first set of the MacNeil home burned down during an unexplained fire. The fire set the production back six weeks.
4. While filming, Ellen Burstyn endured a permanent spine injury on set. In a scene where she is thrown across the bedroom, Burstyn’s harness malfunctioned, pulling her away too quickly and causing her to land on her coccyx.
Think that's scary? Wait until you hear what a priest told actor Jason Miller during filming — click to the next page!
- While the movie was being filmed, Jason Miller, who played Father Karras, was approached by a priest on the street. The priest handed him a medallion and warned him against those who do things to “reveal the devil for the trickster that he is, he will seek retribution against you or he will even try to stop what you are trying to do to unmask him."
6. A carpenter reportedly lost some of his fingers while working on set pieces for the film.
- One day, the cast and crew arrived onto the set to find that it was mysteriously covered in snow. Though it was deduced that it was the multiple air conditioners (which were used to preserve the movie's cold feel) had combined with the humidity to make the room snowy — it's still pretty creepy.
8. When The Exorcist was first shown in Rome, it was screened in a theater located between two churches. There was tumultuous rain and lightning as moviegoers filed in. A loud thump was heard: one of the church's crosses had been struck by lightnin
The movie scared not only movie viewers by the actors and crew, too. Click to the next page to find out which actress reportedly had a nervous breakdown during filming.
9. It is rumored that Linda Blair suffered a nervous breakdown while filming.
10. While watching the film in theaters, an audience member fainted and broke his jaw. He sued Warner Bros., who settled for an undisclosed sum.
11. Moviegoers had such visceral reactions that some theaters provided vomit bags and had paramedics on the scene.
- The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty experienced strange activity while writing the book, which is based on true events. His wife believed she saw a hairbrush float on thin air. Blatty didn't believe her until he saw a telephone do the same thing.
