While there are plenty of horror films worldwide, some stand out a lot more than others. The Exorcist is one such classic horror film. The Exorcist is the 1973 film that is considered to be the scariest film ever. Furthermore, if you have watched the film, you can totally understand what we are about to say with the course of our article. Interestingly, this film was labeled as ‘cursed’ way before it was even released. Plenty of superstitious, scary, and unnatural things happened while the film was in its making. In addition, plenty of supernatural things happened even after its release. Nonetheless, from 3 Oscars to 4 Golden Globe awards, this film received several accolades.
If you are curious to know about the spooky things that took place during and after the film’s release, then you are in for a treat. Read on to have the chill feels.
The Exorcist Is Actually Based On A Novel
While many of you may or may not be aware of it, The Exorcist is actually based on a 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty. The horror that the novel brought to the world was way ahead of its time. Furthermore, it is safe to say that it continues to shock and scare people even decades later. Fast forwarding to 2 years, in 1973, the movie version of Blatty’s book came out that carved a niche in horror movie-making forever.
To date, this directorial work by William Friedkin is helmed as the most spine-chilling film ever. Interestingly, Friedkin populated his movie with a lot more believable actors rather than choosing household names. The film featured Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller, Max von Sydow, and Linda Blair in pivotal roles. Furthermore, Friedkin made an excellent choice by casting Linda as Regan, the young girl. She left an impact that is, to date, hauntingly impressive.
Superstitious Activities During The Making Of The Film
Back in the days of the film’s shooting, plenty of people believed that they were surrounded by dark forces. One of the many creepiest things that happened at the set was the unexplained fire. Yes, you are reading it right. The first set of The Exorcist caught on fire, and interestingly, everything got burned down except for Regan’s room. The room where most of the exorcism shoots were supposed to happen. Because of this unexpected incident, the shooting of the film even got delayed by six months. However, this is not the only creepy thing that happened. Actress Ellen Burstyn who portrayed Chris MacNeil, got a permanent spine injury during the shooting. The shriek you hear while she was being tossed by the evil forces in the film is actually real. Another nerve-wracking incident was how 9 people who were associated with the film died due to unexplained reasons.
Another unbelievable thing was how during the shoot in Rome, a 400-year-old cross fell down due to a bolt of crazy lightning. The breakdown of Linda Blair and warning signs by priests are other impactful examples that are a testament to the superstitious activities during the film’s making.
Reaction Of Audience Upon The Exorcist’s Release
The film was labeled as “cursed” when people associated with The Exorcist died. Nonetheless, the excitement level that was there among people to watch it was so much. People used to stay in queues for so long just to buy tickets. Furthermore, there are well-documented testaments of how people reacted during and after watching the film. While some ran from the theatre or fainted, many even puked inside the hall.
The terror that Regan created was beyond petrifying. If reports are to be believed, the situation was so gruesome that plenty of ambulances used to stand outside the theatre. Rumors suggest that many of the pregnant ladies had miscarriages and many people even had heart attacks. The impact left by the movie was so scary that even atheists started visiting priests. Even critics who went to watch the film could not watch the movie with complete peace of mind.
Since 1973 several horror movies with special-effects advancements came; nonetheless, no one could match The Exorcist. Therefore, it is safe to say that this 1973 film, to date, remains unparalleled and the most disturbing cinematic experience ever.
Have you watched the film? Do you also believe it is cursed and the scariest movie ever? Tell us via the comments below.
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