Where Was The Exorcist Filmed? 1973 Movie Filming Locations

Table Of Content

• 'The Exorcist': That time William Friedkin gave us a tour of the movie's making
• Russell Crowe’s Horror Thriller ‘The Exorcism’ Trailer Arrives
• What Happened After The Exorcism Of “Roland Doe”
• 'Challengers' Director Luca Guadagnino Explains Origins Of The 'Spider-Verse' Reference
• Jerry Seinfeld Says He Still Thinks About Being Heckled at a Stand-Up Set 30 Years Ago: “It Was Mean”
• Cast

Perhaps he’s the one who, at Blatty’s request, blessed the film crew in Washington. They’d already been blessed twice during filming in New York City, though it didn’t seem to have done much good. But the priests did not deny that the exorcism took place in St. Louis. Follow-up news articles, some based on excerpts from the diary Blatty used to pen his book, placed the exorcism at the rectory of St. Francis Xavier College Church on the Saint Louis University campus and in the Alexian Brothers Hospital.

'The Exorcist': That time William Friedkin gave us a tour of the movie's making

Set for release soon, the film’s trailer showcases its meta approach, inspired by the cursed production of The Exorcist. Apart from the intriguing premise, the star-studded cast has added to the buzz surrounding the M. When a charming 12-year-old girl takes on the characteristics and voices of others, doctors say there is nothing they can do. As people begin to die, the girl's mother realizes her daughter has been possessed by the devil--and that her daughter's only possible hope lies with two priests and the ancient rite of demonic exorcism.

Russell Crowe’s Horror Thriller ‘The Exorcism’ Trailer Arrives

The Conjuring House is real and in Rhode Island. Here's how to visit - The Providence Journal

The Conjuring House is real and in Rhode Island. Here's how to visit.

Posted: Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Under that arrangement the studio rents the theater from the owner in the initial run and keeps all the ticket revenue. However, the steps aren’t actually that close to the real house; the filming crew added an entire fake wing on the eastern side of the house, so that Regan’s bedroom window could be closer to the steps. A horror anthology series focused on fictional accounts of demonic possession, and the efforts of religious authorities to counter it with various acts of faith. Likewise the practice of healing and deliverance today takes a variety of forms; he uses the official rite in less than 5 percent of cases.

What Happened After The Exorcism Of “Roland Doe”

The novelist, of course, asked to see the diary, but Bowdern refused to hand it over. To assure the confidentiality of those involved, Blatty decided to change his story’s lead character from a teen boy to a teen girl. He did eventually get his hands on the diary and much of what he read figured into the book. Though their surroundings are gorgeous, it is not long before things take a sinister turn and Regan begins to show signs of demonic possession. The Exorcism (2024) is a supernatural horror film that explores the psychological unraveling of a troubled actor, Anthony Miller, during the filming of a horror movie.

One morning the crew arrived to find the room had gotten so cold there was a thin layer of snow covering the set. The team resorted to chilling the bedroom sets to capture the authenticity of the actors’ icy breaths in scenes of exorcism. In one memorable scene, Father Karras listens to the tapes of Regan’s recordings. The filming of the scene, along with some others, took place in the basement of Keating Hall, within the premises of Fordham University, a premier university situated at 441 East Fordham Road, in the Rose Hill neighborhood of NYC. There are some movies that everyone has heard of, and The Exorcist is one of them – a classic horror movie that tells the tale of 12-year-old Regan who is believed to be possessed by the devil.

'Challengers' Director Luca Guadagnino Explains Origins Of The 'Spider-Verse' Reference

One night, Chris finds the house empty except for a sleeping Regan; Dennings is found dead at the bottom of a set of public stairs that begin beneath Regan's window. Detective William Kinderman questions Karras, confiding that Dennings's head was turned backwards. Kinderman tells Chris that the only plausible explanation for Dennings's death is that he was pushed from Regan's window. As Kinderman leaves, Regan has another violent fit, stabbing her vagina with a crucifix and turning her head backwards. The possessed Regan claims to be the Devil, and projectile vomits into Karras's face while speaking in tongues.

Yes, the Exorcist House in St. Louis is Real and Don’t Go There

Blatty, who also produced, and Friedkin, his choice as director, had difficulty casting the film. Their choice of relative unknowns Burstyn, Blair, and Miller, instead of major stars, drew opposition from executives at Warner Bros. Principal photography was also difficult, taking place in both hot deserts and refrigerated sets.

After consulting with the university’s president, these two Jesuits agreed to perform an exorcism on young Ronald with the help of several assistants. The story began in January 1949 in Washington, D.C., where 13-year-old Ronald Hunkeler, a.k.a. Roland Doe began exhibiting disturbing behavior that left his parents baffled and terrified. He was calm and normal during the day, but at night, he would suddenly erupt into screaming fits and other wild outbursts. Meanwhile, he would enter a trance-like state, make sounds in a guttural voice, and break out in scratches and red lines all over his body. In real life, the dwelling, which was built in 1950, consists of 3 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, and 2,808 square feet living space.

It is a film that takes on big questions and aspires to do much more than shock. After the release of “The Exorcist,”Blair began receiving death threats from religious people offended by the film. Warner Brothers had to hire bodyguards to live with her family 24 hours a day for six months. The threats continued off and on for years; at times her parents had to hide her with friends in other states.

If Roland is still alive today, he would be in his mid-80s. Although the scratches, shouting, spitting, and cursing in the movie mimicked what Ronald had experienced, the boy’s head never turned 360 degrees like Regan’s did in the film. Similarly, Ronald never vomited green matter during his many tantrums, nor did he use a bloody crucifix to masturbate.

The infamous stairs, which figured so prominently in the story, are located just east of and adjacent to the house. “One day in late July of 1974 we were making our way back from Squibnocket Beach heading east and trolling off South Beach when we saw a boat in the distance sinking by the stern,” Mark wrote. After the film’s release, gawkers started visiting the Exorcist steps and what became known as the Exorcist House at 3600 Prospect St. NW. But the fact remains that the real-life story behind author William Peter Blatty's best-selling novel The Exorcist had its origins in St. Louis.

The university used to own the home, but it is now in private hands. Beside the house is a steep set of stairs known as The Exorcist Steps. As for the cozy house on Roanoke Drive, it sold to new owners in 2005 for $165,000.