This article mentions real-life fatal accidents, murders, and other tragic occurrences.
Most horror movies are already terrifying enough on screen to leave the audience shaking with fear, but sometimes, the terror sadly does not stop there. Some of themost hauntingly scary movieshide behind-the-scenes stories that are just as unnerving as the films themselves. Sometimes,these off-screen details end up becoming part of the movie’s pop culture impact, even though often due to misinformation and urban legends.
From apparently cursed productions to mysterious, eerie occurrences, many of thehorror movie classicsthat defined the history of the genre are associated with behind-the-scenes tragedies or at least strange cases. While no movie production is immune to those types of occurrences, they ended up becoming even more noticeable when tied to the production of a horror film.
10The Tragic Fates Of Crew And Cast Members
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
One of the most renowned horror films of all time,Rosemary’s Baby’sbehind-the-scenes story is as chilling as the tale portrayed on the big screen.Directed by Roman Polanski, the themes of occultism and paranoia seemed to bleed into real life, making it one of the most “cursed” films ever made. The tragic coincidences and deaths that followed its release have cast a dark, eerie shadow upon the film.
Rosemary’s Baby
Cast
Directed by Roman Polanski and starring Mia Farrow, Rosemary’s Baby chronicles the chilling tale of Rosemary Woodhouse, the wife of an actor who, after finding out she is pregnant, begins to suspect that her unborn child is something far more sinister than a normal baby. John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, and Maurice Evans also star.
The pianist who scored the movie was accidentally pushed off of an escarpment at a party and went into a coma before sadly dying in 1969 at the age of 37. His death mirrors the demise of one of Rosemary’s friends in the movie.
Sharon Tate, Polanski’s wife and initial choice for the role of Rosemary, was brutally murdered by the Manson Family the following year.
Producer William Castle suffered kidney failure shortly after the film’s releaseand claimed to have been haunted by disturbing visions of its antagonist. Sharon Tate, Polanski’s wife and initial choice for the role of Rosemary, was brutally murdered by the Manson Family the following year.
9The Curse Of The Set
The Exorcist (1973)
Hailed as one of the most terrifying movies ever made,The Exorcistalso became famous for the curse that apparently interfered with its production.The making of the film was plagued by a series of eerie accidents and unsettling events that left many questioning whether the movie had invoked supernatural forces.
The Exorcist
The Exorcist is a supernatural horror film based on the novel released in 1971 and was directed by William Friedkin. When a young girl is passed by a powerful demon, two Catholic priests are brought to her home to attempt an exorcism to expunge the demon.
The production took longer than expected and the cost became three times higher than the original budget.For instance, a fire broke out on set and destroyed most of the MacNeil home except for the bedroom of Reagan, where much of the possession took place.
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Furthermore, nine people who were connected to the movie, including cast and crew members, tragically died during or shortly after filming, while Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn suffered long-term back pain as a result of the movie.Regardless of theexplanations behind theseExorcistbehind-the-scenes details and myths, there is no doubt the coincidences are terrifying.
8The Sliced Finger Accident
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacreis notorious for its raw, visceral terror, but one of the many horrifying occurrences on-screen was not as different behind the scenes. The case involved actor Gunnar Hansen as the dreadful Leatherface and a particularly gory scene with Marilyn Burns, who played Sally Hardesty, and Grandpa Sawyer, interpreted by John Dugan.However, the event was not as much of an accident.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a horror film released in 1974, following five friends who encounter a deranged family in rural Texas. As they strive to survive, they face terrifying ordeals orchestrated by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface, a central figure in this chilling narrative.
The original plan for the special effect was to use a prop knife with a tube squirting fake blood. However, after a series of unsuccessful takes, Hansen secretly removed the protection from the knife and cut Burns’ hand, much to her horror and pain. Even more chilling, actor John Dugan ended up drinking Burns' real blood during the take. This gruesome detail added a disturbing layer of realism to the scene that amplified the film’s already unsettling atmosphere.
7The Chilling Warning of Bob Munger
The Omen (1976)
The Omenis a horror film that delves into the terrifying idea of the Antichrist hidden under the spoils of a seemingly normal child.However, the terrifying aspect of the story was not confined to the script. A series of eerie occurrences appear to have haunted the production, adding a layer of dread to the story. Thebehind-the-scenes story behindThe Omenseemed as cursed as the on-screen horror.
The Omen
The Omen is a classic supernatural horror film that follows a family that begins seeing a dark change in their son as he ages. Unbeknownst to his wife, Kathy, Robert Thorn sees that their child has died during birth and is aided by a chaplain to replace the deceased child with a newborn orphan and raise him as their own. As the years pass, increasingly violent incidents, including the suicide of the family nanny, begin to occur around their son, Damien. Little do the parents know, the child they took on is actually the antichrist.
Bob Munger approached producer Harvey Bernhard with the idea of a movie about the Antichrist but later cautioned that the Devil did not want them to go through with the project. In hindsight, his predictions seemed chillingly prophetic.Gregory Peck, who played the lead role, narrowly escaped disaster when a lightning strike hit the plane he was traveling on.Shockingly, a similar incident occurred later, striking a plane carrying executive producer Mace Neufeld. Even more horrifying, the animal trainer who worked on the set was mauled to death by a tiger the day after filming.
6The Mysterious Fire at the Studio
The Shining (1980)
The Shining, the masterpiece of psychological horror directed by Stanley Kubrick and inspired by Stephen King’s disturbing book, is known unsettling atmosphere. However, one of the most enigmatic incidents occurred off-screen—a mysterious fire that destroyed much of the Elstree Studios,where the filming took place, including two sound stages and threatening a third.
The creepiest part about the event was that, in the original novel, the haunted hotel ended up burning down.However, Kubrick deliberately avoided this ending in his film adaptation, considering it"cliché".
The cause of the fire was never determined, leading to much speculation and mystery.
The parallel between the conclusion of the book and the real-life blaze on set almost seemed like a challenge to the director, who was questioned about his controversial choice.The occurrence deepened the unsettling aura surroundingThe Shining.
5The Tragedy Following The Cast
Poltergeist (1982)
Poltergeistis one of the most beloved horror films of the 1980s, but the behind-the-scenes facts surrounding the movie reveal a string of eerie and tragic events that haunted its production and aftermath.More creepy than tragic, during the filming, JoBeth Williams, who plays the mother, fell into a swimming pool filled with bones that turned out to be real human skeletons instead of props because of the cheaper costs.
Poltergeist
Poltergeist is a supernatural horror film directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg. Released in 1982, it follows the Freeling family as strange phenomena disturb their suburban home, prompting them to seek the expertise of parapsychologists to confront the malevolent forces threatening their daughter.
However, the curse of the movie revealed itself through the tragedies that plagued its cast.Shortly after the release of the first film,Dominique Dunne (Dana) was horrifyingly strangled to deathby her boyfriend. Heather O’Rourke, who portrayed Carol Anne and was only six years old when she starred in the first movie, died at the age of 12 due to what the doctors believed was an undiagnosed congenital intestinal abnormality.
4The Thousand Dollars Worth Bees
Candyman (1992)
Candymanbecame a classic of the genre by delivering to the audienceone of horrors' most memorable villains.However, one behind-the-scenes detail that stands out is the film’s use of real bees to intensify the chilling impact the title character had on the public. Actor Tony Todd, who played Candyman, ignored his initial apprehension about filming with real bees and negotiated a clause in his contract that foresaw an extra $1,000 for every sting he received.
Candyman
Candyman, directed by Bernard Rose, is a 1992 horror film based on Clive Barker’s short story “The Forbidden.” The plot follows graduate student Helen Lyle, played by Virginia Madsen, as she explores the urban legend of the Candyman, a vengeful spirit with a hook for a hand. Tony Todd stars as the titular character, whose presence is summoned by those who dare to speak his name five times in a mirror.
In the film’s climactic scene, Todd was required to fill his mouth, using appropriate protection, with over 500 live bees.The actor was stung multiple times, and, as a consolation prize, earned an additional $23,000 for his efforts.The extreme commitment proved by Todd added an unnervingly realistic quality to his portrayal.
3The Accidental Stabbing of Ulrich
Scream (1996)
One of the most iconic slasher horror movies of the 1990s and the renowned first chapter of a beloved saga,Screamis a classic that continues to entertain audiences to this day.However, behind the scenes, one particularly intense moment during production almost turned into a real-life horror.
Scream
1996’s Scream follows a teenage girl who is targeted by a masked killer a year after her mother’s murder who uses horror movies as a deadly game against her and her friends.
Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), after discovering that her boyfriend Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) is one of the killers tormenting her, stabs him with the pointed end of an umbrella. While the stabbing was scripted, Ulrich felt the pain for real. Despite wearing a protective vest, the umbrella accidentally struck Ulrich in a sensitive spot, hitting a scar from a previous open-heart surgery. The scream heard in the scene now carries an extra layer of authenticity, as it was born from genuine pain rather than just acting.
2The Mysterious Waves and the White Owl
The Craft (1996)
When it premiered in 1996,The Craft(1996) was a surprise hit, aclassic horror that blends fantasy elements with teen drama,centering around a group of high school girls who practice witchcraft. Beyond the dark magic depicted on screen, there are a few chilling behind-the-scenes details that have become an eerie part of the film’s legacy.
The Craft
The Craft is a 1996 teen horror movie starring Robin Tunney, Neve Campbell, Fairuza Balk, and Rachel True. The Andrew Fleming-directed film focuses on a group of outcasts at an LA high school who practice witchcraft and create their own coven. The film received mixed reviews but was a surprise hit at the box office for Columbia.
During the filming,a couple of strange and unexplained occurrences left the cast and crew on edge.Before the filming of a ritual scene on a beach, the filmmakers consulted some park rangers to ensure that the tides would not impact the shot.
The cast members reported that a white owl followed them around during the production, adding a mystical, almost otherworldly layer to the production.
However,regardless of the predictions, when the girls started the incantations, the waves began to emerge.If that wasn’t strange enough, the cast members reported that a white owl followed them around during the production, adding a mystical, almost otherworldly layer to the production.
1The Real Story Inspiring Final Destination
Final Destination (2000)
Very few films are as scary asFinal Destinationand its sequels.The series is built around the terrifying idea that death has a plan for everyone and that trying to cheat it is not only useless but even counter-productive as it will lead to more violent and elaborate consequences. By the end of the movie, the only consolation left to the audience is that the story is simply fiction. However, a creepy detail behind the scenes reveals a real-life inspiration.
Final Destination
Final Destination follows a teenager who experiences a premonition of a fatal plane crash. After preventing the disaster, he and his friends are pursued by a malevolent force seeking to reclaim the unintended survivors. Released in 2000, the film explores themes of fate and mortality.
The story began in 1994 when then-aspiring screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick came across a profoundly disturbing article.The story was about a woman who, the day before she was supposed to board a flight from Hawaii, received a warning from her daughter who claimed to have a “bad feeling” about the trip. Acting on her daughter’s instinct, the woman decided to switch her flight at the last moment. The plane she had originally booked crashed, with this story serving as the inspiration for the first film.
