Greetings, My Good Fiends! Welcome to another Freaky Friday at Misty Oracle Grove. In case you missed it, my blog launched on WordPress on Tuesday and my first two posts are up. Check them out at my House of Horror, Oddities & Other Madness.
You can join me in my Horror Hall of Fear tomorrow night for a retrospective of the silent film, Nosferatu (1922). Now, follow me to the Hall of Fear where we can commence our journey back in time through the portal. The scarlet mist swirls, ready to take us back in time to horror history. Sit, enjoy a cup of blood orange tea, some dark roast coffee, or perhaps something stronger and we shall begin with our look back at this week in horror history.
May 20
Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)
Audiences already learned the backstory of Father Lankester Merrin, the doomed elder priest from The Exorcist (1973), with the release of Exorcist: The Beginning (2004). Dominion was originally completed first and reworked into Beginning because the studio feared it would be unsuccessful. After Beginning flopped at the box office, Dominion was released and received mixed reviews.
May 22
Poltergeist (2015)
Announced in 2008, this remake of the iconic 1982 film of the same name was put off several times and remained in “development hell.” The remake starred Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jared Harris, and Jane Adams. Critics gave the film lukewarm reviews and it went on to gross $95 million against a $35 million budget.
May 23
The Shining (1980)
Highly regarded as one of the best horror films of all time, Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s 1977 novel of the same name is an iconic film. Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall deliver memorable performances as Wendy and Jack Torrence as well as Scatman Crothers and who can forget Danny Lloyd’s chilling performance at Danny Torrance? While Stephen King acknowledged the film’s “memorable imagery,” The Shining is the only adaptation of his novels that he could “remember hating.” King objected to how it deviated from his original work. This still often-discussed film received two nominations for Worst Director and Worst Actress for Duvall for the first Razzie Awards in 1981. When it came to light how Kubrick treated Duvall during filming (she was left traumatized after), the nomination was eventually rescinded in 2022.
The film opened to mixed reviews on the same weekend as The Empire Strikes Back, and was the third highest-grossing film opening that weekend. Although The Shining had a rough beginning, critics now praise the film. In 2018, the Library of Congress recognized The Shining as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and selected it for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. A sequel, Doctor Sleep, wasn’t released until 2019.
Frightfully Fun Facts
The Exorcist, I’ve always had mixed feelings about this film. Being an interdimensional being, I have a much different perspective. Why would a demonic being want to possess a child in the first place, and then make her conduct herself in such a way? Humans have such strange mythology. It is a matter of perspective I suppose.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but most interdimensional beings choose not to interact with the material world. I’m a rare one who finds the material realm curious and would like to know more about it. Hence, my presence here. Even my home realm regards me as quite odd. As for the subject of spirit possession, I’m quite capable of fashioning my own humanoid fleshly body, thank you very much. I certainly wouldn’t choose a child’s body, but an adult's so I can have some semblance of autonomy. Not only that, I most certainly would not want to subject myself to a mortal school experience. The thought of being a high school student—to me, that’s a frightening thought. Sorry…I’ve gotten way off track. My apologies! Now, onto a fun fact about The Exorcist.
Recall actor Jason Miller’s reaction as Damien Karras when Regan vomited on him. It hit him right in the face. Of course, even though it wasn’t real vomit, he visibly recoiled with disgust. Needless to say, whether getting hit with vomit or cold pea soup, one wouldn’t have to be an actor to give a genuinely negative reaction. However, here’s the fun fact–the vomit wasn’t supposed to hit him in the face but in the chest. Director William Friedkin loved Miller’s reaction so he kept it in the film.
Wes Craven’s original idea of the ending of the first Nightmare on Elm Street movie was different than what we see in the completed film. Studio executive Bob Shaye insisted on an ending that hinted at a sequel. Shaye’s first idea was to have Freddy pick up the main characters in a car at the end and drive off with them. Craven hated the idea since it made Freddy look like he won. Craven compromised and the result was the ending that ended up in the completed film. Craven always regretted changing the ending. He originally wanted the film to end with Nancy defeating Krueger.
Roman Polanski and John Cassavetes clashed on the set of Rosemary’s Baby, according to Mia Farrow’s 1997 autobiography, What Falls Away. While filming the movie’s climax, the two almost engaged in fisticuffs. She said that Ruth Gordon intervened and calmed them down.
The cabin in The Evil Dead (1981) was in a rural area of Morristown, Tennessee. The budget wouldn’t cover the expense of building a cabin where the story was set. The entire crew, consisting of 13 members, slept in this cramped cabin that had no plumbing. Feeling cramped reportedly made them irritable, leading to many arguments.
Sources:
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, May 7). Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:54, May 19, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dominion:_Prequel_to_the_Exorcist&oldid=1222632643
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, May 3). Poltergeist (2015 film). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:54, May 19, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Poltergeist_(2015_film)&oldid=1222104267
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, May 15). The Shining (film). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:55, May 19, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Shining_(film)&oldid=1224034902
25 Behind-the-Scenes Facts About Our Favorite Horror Movies (movieweb.com)
40 Fascinating Facts About Your Favorite Horror Movies | Mental Floss