10 Things You Didnt Know About The Exorcist

Warner Bros. Pictures

The Exorcist. This 1973 classic directed by William Friedkin and based on the novel by William Peter Blatty has been terrifying audiences for nearly 50 years. From a cursed set to a pea soup scene that may make you lose your lunch, here are 10 fun facts about The Exorcist that will make your skin crawl.

1. True Story

The film was based on a true story: The Exorcist was inspired by the real-life exorcism of a boy named Roland Doe in 1949. Blatty read about the case while he was a student at Georgetown University and later used it as the basis for his novel.

2. Haunted Set

The set was cursed: During filming, several strange incidents occurred on set, including a fire that destroyed the set of the MacNeil family home and the death of actor Jack MacGowran, who played Burke Dennings in the film.

3. The Music

The iconic theme music was created by a classical composer: The haunting theme music for The Exorcist was composed by Krzysztof Penderecki, a Polish composer known for his avant-garde classical music.

4. Banned

The movie was banned in several countries: Due to its graphic content and themes of demonic possession, The Exorcist was banned in several countries upon its release, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Australia.

5. Actual Exorcisms

The film caused a surge in interest in exorcisms: After the release of The Exorcist, there was a surge in interest in exorcisms and demonic possession. The Catholic Church reported a significant increase in requests for exorcisms, and several books were published on the subject, including one by the film’s screenwriter, William Peter Blatty.

6. Breaking Records

The Exorcist, was a huge commercial success, grossing over $441 million worldwide, and becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time at that time.

7. Special Effects

The film’s special effects were groundbreaking: The Exorcist was one of the first movies to use advanced special effects to create realistic and terrifying scenes of demonic possession. The film’s visual effects supervisor, Dick Smith, used a combination of makeup, prosthetics, and animatronics to create the iconic transformation scenes of Linda Blair’s character Regan. Smith’s work on The Exorcist earned him an Academy Award for Best Makeup.

8. Award Nominations

The film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards: The Exorcist was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress for Linda Blair. It ultimately won two awards: Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound.

9. Protests

The Exorcist’s graphic content and themes of demonic possession sparked controversy and protests upon its release. Some religious groups accused the film of promoting Satanism and even staged protests outside theaters showing the movie. The controversy only added to the film’s notoriety and helped to make it one of the most iconic horror movies of all time.

10.

The film’s director performed an exorcism on set: In order to create a realistic portrayal of an exorcism, director William Friedkin consulted with several Catholic priests and even witnessed an exorcism himself. He also had the set of the MacNeil family home blessed by a priest before filming began.