Horror movies are known for their ability to send chills down our spines and keep us awake at night, but what happens when the terror transcends the screen?
With Halloween quickly approaching, the Reel 360 News Team thought it would be a treat to look at the horror films that have become notorious for the eerie incidents and misfortunes that seem to plague those involved in their production.
These are the cursed horror movies that have gained notoriety for the real horror that surrounds them.
1. The Exorcist (1973)
Forget the bland remake by David Gordon Green . William Friedkin’s The Exorcist is arguably one of the most famous cursed horror movies. The film’s plot revolves around the possession of a young girl, Regan.
During the production, a series of accidents and eerie occurrences struck the cast and crew. A fire broke out on the set, causing significant damage. What makes this incident particularly strange is that most of the set was destroyed, but Regan’s bedroom remained miraculously untouched. Many found this to be an eerie coincidence, adding to the film’s already chilling atmosphere.
One of the film’s actors, Paul Bateson, played a small role as a nurse. However, after the movie’s release, Bateson became involved in a real-life horror. He was arrested for the murder of a journalist named Addison Verrill. The strange part is that Bateson confessed to the crime, but he couldn’t provide a clear motive for why he committed it. The bizarre and unexplained nature of the crime added another layer of mystique to the already notorious film.
The Exorcist continues to be a staple in the horror genre, not only for its compelling storytelling and groundbreaking special effects but also for the enigmatic and unsettling events that occurred during and after its production. These real-life mysteries only serve to further cement the film’s status as a legendary and spine-tingling cinematic experience.
2. Poltergeist (1982)
Poltergeist, from Texas Chainsaw Massacre director Tobe Hooper, tells the story of a family dealing with malevolent spirits in their home. Tragically, a number of cast members from the film experienced untimely deaths after its release, including Heather O’Rourke, who played the young girl Carol Anne, and Dominique Dunne, who played the elder sister.
The eerie events associated with the movie gave rise to the idea that the production may have tampered with real-life paranormal forces.
3. The Omen (1976)
The Omen revolves around a child who may be the Antichrist.
The production was marred by a series of bizarre and tragic events that have led to speculation about the film being cursed. These incidents add to the film’s aura of dread and have fascinated fans and the curious alike. Here are some of the eerie occurrences associated with the making of The Omen.
One of the most unsettling events during the production of The Omen occurred while filming the scene in which Damien and his mother are attacked by a horde of menacing baboons in a car. The zookeeper responsible for the animals was killed shortly after this scene was shot, adding to the mystique of the film’s supposed curse.
A tragic accident befell a stuntman who doubled for Lee Remick, one of the film’s lead actors. While performing a stunt involving a jump from a building, the stuntman felt a push, causing him to miss a large inflatable safety bag. It is said that no one pushed him, raising questions about the unusual circumstances surrounding the incident.
Perhaps the most chilling coincidence of all was an incident involving the individual responsible for designing a particularly gruesome and memorable scene in the film. This person and their spouse were involved in a car crash in which the wife was tragically torn apart by glass. The husband escaped with injuries. What makes this event even more eerie is the fact that, according to reports, there was a sign on the road indicating that the town of Ommen was 66.6 miles away, a number associated with evil and the devil.
These strange and tragic occurrences have fueled rumors of a curse surrounding the making of The Omen. While some may attribute them to mere coincidence, they undeniably add an extra layer of intrigue to the film’s legacy and have contributed to its status as a classic in the horror genre.
4. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Rosemary’s Baby is another classic horror film associated with eerie events. The film explores themes of Satanism and witchcraft, and shortly after its release, its director, Roman Polanski, experienced a personal tragedy when his wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered by Charles Manson’s cult. The coincidence of this real-life horror with the film’s themes fueled speculation of a curse.
5. The Crow (1994)
The Crow is a supernatural action film with a tragic backstory. The film’s lead actor, Brandon Lee, was fatally shot during a scene, an incident that was supposed to involve a blank round but ended in a tragic accident. This unfortunate event left a dark shadow over the film’s production, and it became one of the most infamous cursed movies in Hollywood history.
6. The Innkeepers (2011)
The Innkeepers, from X and Pearl director Ti West, is a more recent entry on this list, but it is no less eerie. The film’s production took place in a reportedly haunted hotel, and several cast and crew members claimed to have experienced strange and unsettling events while filming.
These occurrences led to rumors of a curse, with some suggesting that the film’s location had awakened malevolent spirits.
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7. The Conjuring (2013)
The making of The Conjuring, a film based on real-life paranormal investigations conducted by Ed and Lorraine Warren, was accompanied by a series of unsettling and eerie incidents that left the cast and crew with a sense of unease.
Vera Farmiga, who portrayed Lorraine Warren, was so unnerved by the prospect of making the film that she left the script outside her house. To her shock, one morning she discovered three unexplained slashes on her laptop screen. This eerie occurrence added to the atmosphere of supernatural foreboding surrounding the production.
One of the eeriest incidents occurred when the family whose real-life haunting served as the inspiration for the film visited the set. Crew members reported that a “strange gust of wind” seemed to follow the family wherever they went. This inexplicable phenomenon heightened the sense of the uncanny, blurring the lines between reality and the supernatural, just as the film’s narrative does.
These uncanny events during the production of “The Conjuring” only deepened the film’s connection to the paranormal and fueled its reputation as a genuinely chilling cinematic experience. Whether these occurrences were coincidences or something more, they added to the film’s aura of dread and left a lasting impression on those involved in its creation.
8. The Possession (2012)
The Possession is a horror film about a family tormented by an ancient evil spirit through a dybbuk box. During the film’s production, strange occurrences were reported, including a fire that broke out in the storage facility where the dybbuk box was stored.
Some claim that the curse of the dybbuk box extended to the cast and crew, with misfortunes striking those involved in the movie.
9. Annabelle (2014)
Annabelle is part of The Conjuring cinematic universe, which focuses on paranormal investigations.
The eerie and supernatural events that occurred during the production have added to the film’s reputation for being haunted. The film, centered around a malevolent doll, seemed to be surrounded by unsettling incidents on set.
Director John R. Leonetti claimed to have witnessed a chilling phenomenon on set: “three fingers drawn through dust” multiple times. This was particularly unsettling because the demonic doll in the film has three fingers. Such an inexplicable occurrence only deepened the sense of foreboding surrounding the movie.
Producer Peter Sarfran shared a harrowing incident during the film’s shoot. They were filming in an old apartment building near Koreatown, and the first day the actor playing the demon was in full makeup, they brought him up in the elevator. As he walked to the green room where the cast was gathered, a glass light fixture fell from the ceiling and landed on his head. What made this incident even more disturbing was that in the script, the demon character kills a janitor in that very hallway. The eerie coincidence sent shivers down the spines of those involved in the production.
These strange and unsettling events during the making of Annabelle have led many to speculate about the presence of supernatural forces. While skeptics may dismiss them as coincidences, they undeniably contribute to the film’s mystique and have made it a focal point for those fascinated by the paranormal and the macabre.
10. Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Director John Landis, who had fallen out with co-director Steven Spielberg over issues related to safety shortcuts, proceeded with a dangerous stunt despite adverse windy conditions. During the stunt, a helicopter went out of control and crashed into the set.
Tragically, the helicopter’s whirring blades and falling debris resulted in the deaths of three individuals: actor Vic Morrow and two child actors, Myca Dinh Le (seven years old) and Renee Shin-Yi Chen (six years old). This horrific accident sent shockwaves through the industry and had far-reaching consequences.
The incident led to John Landis and four others facing charges of manslaughter in the deaths of Vic Morrow and the two child actors. Landis and the other defendants were eventually acquitted of these charges, but the tragedy had already left a profound impact on Hollywood.
While many skeptics dismiss the idea of curses, it’s impossible to deny the unsettling coincidences and tragedies that have occurred in the wake of these cursed horror movies. Whether it’s a case of superstition or something more sinister, these films continue to haunt our collective imagination, both on and off the screen.
When it comes to cursed horror movies, the line between fiction and reality blurs, leaving us to wonder if there are forces at play that we can never truly understand.
Boo!
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The Geek is a working screenwriter, director and screenwriting instructor.
