Spring Break
Exorcism story remains a mystery
Classic horror flick based on 1949 incident in St. Louis won't be soon forgotten
Melissa McCrary
Issue date: 10/25/04 Section: Halloween Edition
One of the most horrifying movies ever made was "The Exorcist." On December 26, 1973, the Warner Brothers film based on William Peter Blatty's novel was screened at theaters all over the United States. The 1974 film about a 12-year-old girl possessed by the devil won ten academy awards and eventually grossed $65 million.
Linda Blair, actress who played Reagan in "The Exorcist" described the horrific role she played in the movie.
"There was a lot of interesting things that happened on the set. Half the people say that there was a fire, but I never saw anything," Blair said. "I walked away from this film, and I never wanted to talk about it again. It was one of the worst things that I have ever went through. I could never talk about it until 30 years later."
Blair said that the novel was a number one bestseller and that is why people still talk about it today.
People know little about the story behind "The Exorcist," primarily that it was based on a true event that took place in 1949, at the Alexian Brothers Hospital in St. Louis.
A plaque on the wall recognizes the history and major events of the hospital including the exorcism.
Blair feels that not one will ever be able to find out the complete truth behind the exorcism.
"You will never get it to the papers. You will only get hearsay. It is a very covered up case, and nobody will ever be able to tell you what really happened in that room," Blair said. "Too many people have tried to uncover these truths, and they are only able to get partial facts."
Even UM-St. Louis students have mixed feelings about the true exorcism.
"I've heard that the exorcism happened here, but I wasn't actually sure about the whole story or where it occurred," Christy Duvall, junior, nursing said.
One priest, Brother William Longo, worked at the Alexian Brothers Hospital at the time, shared his own information about the event, and described the child who was possessed.
Linda Blair, actress who played Reagan in "The Exorcist" described the horrific role she played in the movie.
"There was a lot of interesting things that happened on the set. Half the people say that there was a fire, but I never saw anything," Blair said. "I walked away from this film, and I never wanted to talk about it again. It was one of the worst things that I have ever went through. I could never talk about it until 30 years later."
Blair said that the novel was a number one bestseller and that is why people still talk about it today.
People know little about the story behind "The Exorcist," primarily that it was based on a true event that took place in 1949, at the Alexian Brothers Hospital in St. Louis.
A plaque on the wall recognizes the history and major events of the hospital including the exorcism.
Blair feels that not one will ever be able to find out the complete truth behind the exorcism.
"You will never get it to the papers. You will only get hearsay. It is a very covered up case, and nobody will ever be able to tell you what really happened in that room," Blair said. "Too many people have tried to uncover these truths, and they are only able to get partial facts."
Even UM-St. Louis students have mixed feelings about the true exorcism.
"I've heard that the exorcism happened here, but I wasn't actually sure about the whole story or where it occurred," Christy Duvall, junior, nursing said.
One priest, Brother William Longo, worked at the Alexian Brothers Hospital at the time, shared his own information about the event, and described the child who was possessed.
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