I found an interesting article on bloody-disgusting.com its long but it talks about the excorsist,its origins,and the freak accidents that happened on-set
Do you remember the first time you watched "The Exorcist"? The first time you saw Regan spin her head all the way around? The first time she spewed all over the priest? The first time the old fashioned drawers glided across the room and nearly crushed Regan's mother? These scenes are pretty damn hard to forget aren't they? I was absolutely ecstatic when they released the "never seen before" version back in 2000. Sitting in that cinema, trying to imagine what it would have been like in the 70's to watch this come to life for the very first time. Then when Regan came down those stairs in the "spider walk" scene, my heart jumped to my throat, and still does today, every time I watch it. You don't have to be a child of any particular generation to be captivated by this film. It has managed to scare the hell out of millions of viewers all over the world and for so many reasons…
"The Exorcist" shocked the world when it was released back in 1973 but not too many people realize it was actually based on a true story. To think that the most terrifying movie ever made was sort of true? That's enough to send a shiver down your spine isn't it? Ask yourself, do demons really exist and are they capable of taking over a human being, making them do things they normally wouldn't? If that's the case it would explain so much in life…murder, rape, suicide, even accidents, but really, is it too far fetched? The story of little Regan is one of hundreds of so-called demonic possessions that have been documented all over the world. I am going to explore these stories, talk about the myth and, of course, discuss the film and what really happened behind the scenes. I'll delve into the disturbances, the deaths, and the ill feelings that surrounded all of the cast and crew while making the movie.
The movie was based on a book published in 1971 called "The Exorcist" by William Peter Blatty. It's about a 12-year-old girl that gets possessed by a demon. This demon changes the little girl's voice, her knowledge, and she even becomes violent while the demon tries to destroy her little soul. So with every avenue exhausted, with 88 doctors failing on every path, her mother calls for an exorcist…but the demon won't leave without a fight!
I have read the book myself and I must admit, it wasn't one I could read alone at night! I found myself unconsciously reading it on the bus or when my roommate was home with me. It literally got me jumping at every tiny noise. It sure does make for good reading, doesn't it? The movie does an exceptional job in transforming the book into film. It didn't omit too much and particular scenes are rather accurate. The great thing about a book is that it goes into so much more detail about how the people feel and what they are thinking. The book elaborates on "Captain Howdy" and how Regan began communicating with the demon through the ouija board. The book also develops more effectively how a demon cannot possess an innocent that does not know about possession to begin with. So Captain Howdy fools Regan into reading a book that was never in the house before, a book about demonic possession. In the novel, this is how her mother discovers that there may be no "medical" explanation for Regan's change in behaviour. Another thing I remember about the book is that the priest has a bigger role. The church had been vandalized before, as with the film, with devil worship suspected as being involved. The book goes into a little detail about a cult that worships Satan and how they rub secretion on themselves, sodomize each other and destroy biblical statues. It honestly doesn't go into incredible amounts of detail, but some of it is still missing from the movie, which is understandable. It just gives you a better idea of the people who worship the darker side of life.
One thing I will add is my personal experiences with the book. My family, well my mother and my grandmother, always feared the movie and the book for some reason. I think it's the Italian background or something. It makes them really take notice of things that happen and read too much into it I guess. My mother told me when I was young to never watch the movie or ever buy the book. When I asked her why she told me that when she was a child her brother had the book in his car, he was reading it at the time, and he got into a really bad car accident. Then my mother's best friend had the book in her school bag when a car struck her, and finally, my grandmother got into an accident while she was reading the book also, which left her somewhat of an invalid after that day. After all this happened, the family has been warning people, but I personally think it's just coincidence. However, I got a little worried when my mother re-married about ten years ago and her new husband hadn't seen the film. He was a black man and mum said he rented the movie, despite my mother's ranting. She said, "After he watched the film he went outside for a smoke and came back inside looking like a white man!" He said he saw this "thing" in the trees outside and he was scared out of his mind! He said it was as tall as the biggest tree in the yard and it had huge yellow eyes. Then the following day, when the movie was still in the house, her cat got run over and had about 10 stitches in its jaw to sew it back together! So that was it, after that it was pretty much banned from being within a 50-mile radius of her. I personally don't remember anything happening to me when I read it, but my family believes whole-heartedly that the whole book/movie is evil. I have had my DVD in the house for about 2 years now and nothing like that has happened to me…however, I still won't watch it alone.
The Real Story…
Since demonology is a qualified profession and is believed to be real by so many around the world, maybe there is a hint of truth in my families fear. Mount Rainer, Maryland is allegedly where the real story happened. Since it was back in 1949, the paper trail is apparently a little hard to follow. A diary was found years later that contained documentation about many of the incidents. Apparently it all began when an aunt introduced the 12-year-old boy to a ouija board. She died soon after and family members say that's what got the boy using the ouija board more, to try and speak to her. It was then that all the weird things started to happen. The diary is well documented. It has dates and when things happened. Some parts of the diary go as far as to record combs flying through the room, kitchen tables being overturned, and even coats flying off hangers and sailing through the air!
The little boy was even removed from school because his desk kept shaking and disrupting the class. It states that the young boy and his grandmother heard dripping noises regularly, pictures moved, and they heard footsteps caused by invisible feet. This phenomenon would go on for days; sometimes it would stop, but later it would start up again. Behind the walls scratching noises could be heard, the little boy's bed would shake, and fruit would drop to the ground with no one near them. A month later things had worsened drastically and the boy was taken to a priest. Whilst under his care the priest witnessed a chair tilt on its own, the bed shook, and the boy's blankets moved around the room at their own accord. Another priest recounted the incidents as being some of the most active poltergeist activity he's ever seen. It's said that they had to do the exorcism ritual 20-30 times to cast the demon/s out and in between the boy was throwing huge tantrums, becoming violent, swearing, and speaking in Latin, which he previously didn't know. The child showed markings on his body that he didn't have before, he also vomited and urinated wherever he pleased. The boy was taken to the Catholic Church and after two months he was finally rid of the demon/s. "Possessed: The True Story Of An Exorcism", which was written by Thomas B. Allen, tells the full story.
(Thanks to: http://www.strangemag.com/exorcistpage2.html)
Possession: The Myth, The Stories…
Possessed: obsessed or strongly affected, as by a supernatural force.
It's true, since science has taken over the world subjects such as "demonic possession" have been replaced with "mental illness". Schizophrenia, borderline disorders, personality disorders, multiple personality disorders, sociopaths, and even depression have all taken the stage instead. Possession is something that you read in horror novels or see in movies. It doesn't really happen…or does it?
Back in the Middle Ages, demonic possession was as common as the flu. It was a part of everyday life, accepted, lived with, and often undefeated. God and The Devil ruled the world and any strange behaviour had to be the cause of one or the other. Not only with personality, but if one's cattle were to die or even a child was to become sick, then it was the work of the Gods. This made business for priests, witch hunters, and warlocks a very wealthy one. Feeding off the feeble minds of the innocent, they could cast anything supernatural out and charge a hefty fee for the service. With a complete ignorance to the world of science, possession was everywhere. It has been manu scripted that the early signs of possession were that of a croaky voice, sexual thoughts or acts, bodily odour (such as sulphur), drastic weight loss or, in some cases, levitation.
Nowadays, most of these symptoms can be explained by something more "logical" but there are a few nations that still harbour the idea. Hawaii is one of them. An article was written in 2001 about a girl that was possessed by a demon while in Hawaii. A group of teenagers harmlessly went out and got incredibly drunk. They joked about superstitions in the area and went to check out a so-called "haunted tree". After dancing and yelling around it, they got bored and agreed to go home, but one girl just stood there unable to move. The girl then began to shake violently and her eyes rolled into the back of her head to expose the whites only. She then screamed and began to rant in a language no one knew, in a voice that was far from hers. Then she sort of fainted. Her friends took the girl to a nearby church and her family moved her out of the area within a few days…
To be completely honest with you, trying to find stories on real possession is really difficult. It is not something that people want to advertise and, therefore, resources are minimal. I do remember about 10 years ago there was a tiny story in the papers here in Australia. I only remember it because it caught my eye. A woman that lived on a farm somewhere here went out to feed the pigs one morning and came inside looking different. Her husband said her face was twisted in ways he had never seen before, she was using a language he never heard her use and she was throwing things around the house with frightening strength. Apparently an exorcism went ahead but she died in the process. The priests decided the demon was in her stomach and leant on it so much that she died from internal bleeding. Who knows how much of this story is actual fact but an interesting point is that ancient Romans used to fear the pig. They used to say that, "It had the skin of a human but the deformities of the devil!" therefore they were seen as carriers of evil spirits and stories would drift of these spirits jumping from pig to human from time to time.
Exorcisms are still performed today but they are considered more "cleansing rituals" than anything else and they are certainly not called exorcisms. Churches all over the world stopped performing "exorcisms" in 1953, when science was developing and mental illness was discovered. Something that has remained is that nothing is more powerful than the power of suggestion, and these rituals make a person believe that they are free or even guarded from evil. They are not necessarily done to drive something out, but more to inhibit bad luck or mythical forces from coming in. Clairvoyance, Tarot Readings, Palm Readings, Fortune Telling, and any other sort of Spiritual
Therapy is all designed to warn us or keep the bad karma out. Some will go as far as to arrange their entire houses in a way to keep the "good fortune" in.
So what about those demons?
History has filled our books with stories of the devil, but I have more than one for you. Here is a small list of some of the so-called demons that are said to have existed, or do still exist. I really don't know which one little Regan had inside of her, you decide…
ABRACAX
A demon with snakes for feet. Short, mischievous.
AHRIMAN
"The most evil mind" There is a long history for this guy, and he isn't pretty. I recommend you look him up if you are really interested, as there really is too much to write, but he was said to be the ruler of death and destruction. There are even statues of this demon. It was said he had a lion's head and wings in some stories.
AMDUSCIAS
This guy is more of a traditional demon in ancient mythology. Said to have a horn in the middle of his forehead like a unicorn. Some pictures have him as a man with a horse's head.
ASMODEUS
Also known as the Demon of Lust. He would plant anger, desire, and revenge into men's hearts and fill them with rage. Also seen as a storm demon, he would conjure thunderstorms and lighting with his supernatural forces.
ASTAROTH
This female demon was cast from heaven and turned into a male demon, with very bad breath. It is said that when called, he appears in human form but half black and half white. He can reveal the past, present, and future…he knows all your secrets!
BAAL
Known as the demon of clouds or cloud-mounter. He was a God of winter rains and a much later developer…he was around in the Hercules days.
BAPHOMET
This one you guys should be more familiar with. Otherwise known as The Satanic Goat of the Witches' Sabbath. He is often pictured on tarot cards, on the "devil" card and was said to have a human head with goat-like features. He had mostly a female following with witches and cults in particular. Baphomet was also known as a magician.
BEELZEBUB
This demon was also discovered through witches' confessions. They were said to kiss his footprints and called him the creator and preserver of all things. He is considered as one of the top 5 most powerful demons, with Satan ranking below him! Beelzebub was also well known for making the pact with Faust.
BELIAL
There has to be one in here doesn't there? "The Demon of Lies"! Mostly of Jewish belief, he dominated a lot of the writings during medieval times. He was considered the prince of deceit, the malicious one, and the master of hypocrites.
DRAGON
The Dragon was considered a symbol of mourning and desolation. The Dragon was also seen as the devil's servant. Some descriptions have the dragon with webbed feet, forked tail, and leathery or scaly in appearance. The dragon was the enemy of God. It's interesting to think that the Asian cultures see the dragon as a saviour, a bringer of luck and a representor of afterlife, yet old medieval beliefs are much the opposite.
FAUST
The story of Dr. Faustus is that of a man that sold his soul to the devil for greater knowledge and power. He is spread all over countries through stories and warnings of what happens to those who dabble in the black arts. He makes very little appearance in the world of real magic and was said to have boasted about things and never backed himself up with evidence. Many ridiculed Faust.
GOLEM
The Golem is something that is created artificially by magic. This includes humans. The stories tell the tale of a statue made of clay or mud that was transformed into a living creature by God or magic, which created the first Golem. The tradition also says that the Golem is very uneducated and was used for household chores but when it ate, it got bigger and often grew larger than the family. On its head is the word "emeth", or truth. If the first letter is rubbed off then the Golem turns to clay again.
GREAT BEAST
This is the Great Beast of the Apocalypse. Also said to look like a dragon, with the seven heads and ten horns. It will rise from the depths of the ocean and start the antichrist. Other stories say this beast looks like a leopard, with feet like a bear, and the mouth of a lion. It is unbeatable and no one would dream of fighting against it. It is not clear whether there is only one of these. There may be a few different kinds.
HORNED DEMONS
These guys are more from Christian beliefs. They have been derived from the bull God, or goat, which were once sacred animals. The Devil was said to appear in front of women in the form of a bull and would steal them from their families, never to be seen again. Also seen as a bloodthirsty demon, man eating and fierce!
INCUBUS AND SACCUBUS
The Incubus was a demon that lusted for women and a Saccubus for men. These demons could take on human form…as lovers, husbands, wives, etc. There have been stories of nuns accusing bishops of raping them, when the bishops have been on the other side of the village. It was then insisted that it was an Incubus.
LUCIFER
The man himself! Otherwise known as Satan. The fallen angel, cast down from heaven and forced to live in the undergrounds, ruling his own kingdom and forever vengeful to God. He swore he would be like God and do it with pride. Lucifer can never be trusted. It is said that a seven-year-old girl summoned Satan once. She called him up and in exchange for her soul she could have anything she wanted for the next 7 years. She received nothing for the next seven years and after it was over, he came and collected her.
The Movie, the problems, the story behind the scenes.
This Warner Bros. release came out late in 1973. It won two Academy Awards for "Best Sound" and "Best Adapted Screenplay". It was also up for 10 other nominations that it failed to win. The movie made a comfortable $232 million, not to mention video sales, merchandise, etc. It is currently held at #36 on the highest grossing films of all time list. (#9 adjusted gross) The film was directed by William Friedkin, it starred Linda Blaire as Regan, Ellen Burstyn as Regan's mother, Jason Miller as Father Karras, and Max Von Sydow as Father Merrin, the Exorcist himself. Even now, 30 years later, it is still considered one of the most terrifying movies ever made.
The urban legends about what went on behind the scenes of "The Exorcist" are nearly as legendary as the film itself. Seen as a "Hex Film" due to the accidental deaths, fires on set, and even mental breakdowns of the leading lady, Linda Blair. Some would go as far as to say that a demon was on set, waiting, watching, to make its move and cause more havoc. The rumours are honestly plentiful. Some say that anywhere between four to nine people died during the 15-month production. Jack McGowen just finished filming his small part when he died of a heart attack. Another rumour is that the man that Regan said would "die up there" during her mother's dinner party, was "accidentally" killed while filming. Other deaths were that of Max Von Sydow's brother and Linda Blair's grandfather. A crewmember that refrigerated the bedroom for the exorcism scenes, a night watchman for the set, and a cameraman's newborn child can be added to the list of phenomenal deaths as well. There were also notable spurts of strange behaviour and panic from cast and crew while filming. The future interviews with the makers of "The Exorcist" has had them admit that filming the movie was a creepy experience, and that they were more than a little jumpy. The biggest rumour of them all was the one about the set catching fire one night when no one was there. Apparently it still remains a mystery to this day what caused the fire, and it is thankful that no one was hurt. However keep in mind, a lot of these have been confirmed as merely rumours. Not only did the strange things happen on set, there were plenty more to come when the film was released. Screenings were filled with people vomiting, fainting, and breaking into hysterics. "The Exorcist" has proven to have some of the strangest audience reactions of all time. Mysteriously the death tolls rose in the areas surrounding Georgetown after the movie's release. Heart attacks were recorded all over the world during premiere screenings and a lightning strike destroyed a 400-year-old cross during the Italian premiere at the Metropolitan Theatre in Rome. Keep in mind that nothing was recorded after the 2000 re-release of the film. Linda Blair hasn't spoken much about her breakdown. Some interviews suggest that she blames her own "workaholic" tendencies. It is doubtful that it was related to any supernatural phenomenon. Other "cursed" movies include "MacBeth", "Poltergeist", "Rosemary's Baby", "Twilight Zone", and of course, "The Crow", all of these movies have their own little reasons for being "hexed".
Originally posted by Punker69
I dont know about any of you with a bigger budget than the first 3 films and and new graphics and cgi that they didnt have in the seventy`s i think this movie will turn heads litteraly and make a turn for the best.
Theres just one thing you forget about, which makes a movie good. a Story