Actual horror encounters caught during 5 classic film shoots

It’s not uncommon to hear of people who experience paranormal encounters all over the world. We’ve heard of stories of ghostly apparitions, creepy places, sightings of unusual creatures or beings, ghosts, possessions, etc. All of these scary things are happening, and it’s not uncommon to hear it from people who have experienced them first-hand.

What’s unusual is the stories and real events we hear from directors, actors, and other people on the set of horror movies. People of high regard notably established directors and actors, are often skeptics of the paranormal. You’ll know that you’re in for a scare once you hear the tales of a former skeptic. 

Often, you’ll hear of misfortune, death, and even curses that are happening on set. Here are some unusual, scary events that occurred during the shooting of some horror films. 

The Exorcist (1973)

For most fans and horror genre lovers, The Exorcist is legendary. Full of scares and terrifying scenes, this movie made adults cover themselves with blankets while watching. It’s not a secret that mysterious things were happening while shooting this classic horror movie.

Jack MacGowran, an actor in the movie, died a few days mysteriously before completing his scenes. After that, two more people who had ties to the film, a security guard and an FX worker, also died. 

However, the misfortune didn’t stop there. The entire set of the movie burned and no one found out how the fire started. Even a priest brought on the set couldn’t get rid of the evil associated with the film as several audience members died of heart attacks when the movie was released in cinemas.

The Possession (2012)

In this film about a cursed Jewish relic, the spirit is let out of its box then possesses a girl and all hell breaks loose. It isn’t in the movie alone, though, that mayhem ensued. While filming, the crew members often had scary experiences on set. Light bulbs would keep blowing up. 

Since the film was about a dybbuk or an evil spirit, the production actually used a box that was rumored to imprison one. One of the most horrifying things to happen on the set, however, was that the warehouse where they kept the props mysteriously burned down to the ground. 

The box was also destroyed along with the other props. The producer felt compelled to replace the box but was ultimately dissuaded by the crew as they believed the box was cursed.

The Omen (1976)

In the late 70s and even today, The Omen remains as one of the most famous horror movies to ever grace the movie scene. The film is about a mysterious boy who seems to have bad luck close to him. Everywhere the boy goes, something tragic happens, and most of the people around him accuse him of being evil. 

In real life, though, misfortune and tragedy also hit the crew while filming this movie. First off, the lead actor’s son committed suicide. This tragic event was only the first to come. 

A lot of crew members also suffered accidents. A crewmember almost died as the car he drove to work crashed. A scriptwriter got hit by lightning and almost died as he crashed the airplane he was piloting. Lastly, an airplane accident killed many crew members as it crashed onto a road.

Insidious (2010)

Another terrifying film, Insidious, is about evil entities, OBE’s or out-of-body experiences, and astral projection. The movie is a cult hit, and many have enjoyed the horrors seen and felt on screen. However, the crew members who were on set did not find the scary things they experienced while filming the movie to be pleasant.

In one of the hospital scenes, a buzzer in a faraway room would often ring by itself without apparent reason. Several crew members also felt sick and uneasy during the filming of the entire movie. 

Psycho (1960)

Although this movie veers away from paranormal scares, the movie makes most lists of horror movies, nonetheless. The film is about Norman Bates, a psychotic murderer who terrorizes a tenant. Unknown to most fans of the film, tragedy struck the crew during filming. 

A stand-in for the lead actress was murdered on the set of Psycho. Further investigations found out that a handyman working with the production team had killed the woman to impress the movie’s director, Alfred Hitchcock. Reports also showed that the murderer was inspired to do the crime because of the infamous shower scene in the movie.

Takeaway

Scary stories aren’t a new thing, and some of them can be terrifying. However, when you hear them from famous people and those working in movie sets, it gets creepier. From untimely deaths to mysterious fires, the crew who worked on the movies mentioned above, are first-hand witnesses to these horrific events on set.