Hollywood has never failed to surprise us but as soon as the surprise turns into a blood-soaked hand on our shoulder, we bet getting a cardiac arrest is a small thing. When it comes to horror movies, cursed elements and hauntings are usually saved for the plot. However, we rarely get to know the hardships behind a successful horror flick. Other than the hard work and spooky narrative, our favorite cast and crew often fall prey to paranormal activities.
As strange as it might sound, there have been instances when our favorite flicks based on true events had to bear with a great deal of curse and misfortune. Even though it’s no less than a twist of faith, with the instances mentioned below it’s easier to comprehend that the movies can be cursed too.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
The film “Rosemary’s Baby” is an everlasting masterpiece. With his star-studded and delightfully controlled tale of a lady named Rosemary (Mia Farrow) who is pregnant with the Antichrist, director Roman Polanski twisted the whole horror genre. However, people linked with the movie met with misfortune after its release: composer Krzysztof Komeda died in a fall; producer William Castle was hospitalized with severe kidney stones and barely survived; and Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of director Roman Polanski, was brutally killed by the Manson Family, who broke into their house and said, “I’m the devil and I’m here to do the devil’s business.”
The Exorcist (1973)
Because of the numerous tragic events surrounding “The Exorcist,” released in 1973, it was believed to be cursed. Some of the incidents include a set burning down that mysteriously left Regan’s bedroom untouched, and on-set injuries for actresses Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn. Actors Jack MacGowran and Vasiliki Maliaros died while the film was in post-production – both played characters who died in the movie. Things didn’t stop once the film debuted, either; one audience member sued Warner Bros after he passed out during a screening, fell out of his chair, and broke his jaw. Mercedes McCambridge (the voice of the demon Pazuzu) suffered a tragic loss in 1987 when her son murdered his wife and children before killing himself.
The Omen (1976)
This flick is at the top of our list of “cursed” movies because, even if the events surrounding it are merely coincidences, they’re disturbing. Gregory Peck, the lead actor, and a film executive were both on different flights when they were hit by lightning. A plane that was almost used for aerial filming in the movie crashed, killing everyone on board, and an animal trainer who worked on set was devoured by a tiger the next day. IRA bombed director Richard Donner’s hotel. John Richardson, and his assistant, Liz Moore, were involved in a car accident in Holland. a sign nearby the crash site read, “Ommen, 66.6 KM”. Chills. All of these occurrences are terrible in their own way, but when connected to the storyline of the film – the Antichrist slaughtering his enemies – they instantly turn creepy.
Poltergeist (1982)
The classic ’80s horror film “Poltergeist” is said to be cursed, as four crew members died in sad circumstances within a six-year timespan after Poltergeist was released. Dominique Dunne (Freeling’s oldest daughter Dana) was strangled by her ex-boyfriend in 1982. She was only 22 years old. Will Sampson, who played medicine man Taylor, died in 1987 owing to surgical complications. Heather O’Rourke, the child celebrity, died at the age of 12 from a misdiagnosed intestinal problem. Julian Beck lost to stomach cancer as well. There were also rumors that true human skeletons were used in the famed pool scene, and an exorcism was performed on set after filming was completed.
The Exorcism Of Emily Rose (2005)
Starring Jennifer Carpenter – “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” was released in 2005 and is an intriguing combination of horror film and legal drama. According to Jennifer Carpenter’s claims, her radio kept turning on in the middle of the night while filming the 2005 demonic possession film, It played one part of the Pearl Jam song “Alive” (particularly, the line that goes, “I’m still alive” over and over). Scott Derrickson, the director, validated the claim and stated that this also happened to Linney. “This is true. Also, Laura Linney’s radio turned on at night 3 times during production,” he tweeted.
