5 things you didn’t know about The Exorcist
WASHINGTON - The Exorcist was released on December 26, 1973 – 50 years ago.
The horror film 'The Exorcist' showing at the Warner Rendezvous cinema in the West End of London, UK, 14th March 1974. The film was directed by William Friedkin from a book by William Peter Blatty. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Imag
The movie, which takes place largely in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington D.C., scared audiences of sold-out shows on opening day, prompting some cities to try and ban the horror film altogether.
But in the decades since, the movie has been named one of the best horror films of all time. Tourists and locals alike have flocked to notable locations from the film, including the famous (or infamous) Exorcist Steps in Georgetown featured in the final scene of the movie.
Tourists take a selfie at the bottom of the stairs made famous by the 1973 movie "The Exorcist" in Georgetown in Washington, DC, on October 29, 2018. - The 75 steps served as the final scene for one of the most troubling films in the history of cinem
Here are five things you may not have known about The Exorcist – and its connections to the D.C. area.
1. The Exorcist was based on a true story
The 1974 movie The Exorcist was based on a 1971 novel of the same name by American writer William Peter Blatty.
Blatty’s novel was inspired by the exorcism of a 14-year-old boy in the 1940s, which Blatty learned about when he was a student at Georgetown University.
The 14-year-old, often referred to as ‘Roland Doe,’ lived with his family in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The boy reportedly played with a ouija board his aunt had given him (just like the ouija board Regan plays with in the film.)
After the death of the aunt, the whole family was subject to household objects moving on their own accord, and a priest was brought in to assist.
The story goes that an exorcism was attempted at Georgetown Hospital, before the boy was taken to St. Louis for a second exorcism.
2. The Exorcist steps used to have a connection to another horror film
Before they were known as the "Exorcist Steps" the M Street Steps near Georgetown’s campus were sometimes referred to as the Hitchcock steps – in honor of Alfred Hitchcock.
The stairs themselves, which date back to the 19th century, "always evoked something spooky and suspenseful," according to Blatty in a 2013 USA Today interview.
READ MORE: 'Exorcist Steps' in Georgetown adorned with thousands of origami
3. The Exorcist production was supposedly cursed
The set and production experienced a number of accidents throughout filming. A carpenter lost several fingers while working on the set, leading a professor of theology at Georgetown to bless the production. The set itself mysteriously caught fire and had to be rebuilt.
Nine people reportedly died during the production. Jack MacGowan, the actor who played Burke Dennings, died in his sleep not long after the film was finished.
"We were plagued by strange and sinister things from the beginning, it is simply the hardest thing I have ever done in my life," said director William Friedkin in an interview with the horror magazine Castle of Frankenstein in 1974.
4. Hundreds Georgetown students appeared in the film
According to Georgetown University, some 300 students, faculty and staff joined the film as extras. The 1972 Georgetown men’s rowing team was featured doing a workout on the Exorcist steps. The protestors at Healy Hall were made up largely of students and faculty.
5. The Exorcist steps are now a historic landmark – but not for the reason you’d think
The 97 steps at M Street NW, the retaining wall on one side and the old Capitol Traction Station building on the other side were declared a historical landmark in 2019 – but not because of the Exorcist.
The Historic Preservation Office granted the site historical landmark status instead because of the Capital Traction Station, which was built in the 19th century as a three-story transit hub for four streetcar companies. The building’s soaring clock tower and arched windows also serve as an example pf Romanesque Revival architecture. The steps and the retaining wall next to the Capitol Traction Station building were included due to the "historical and architectural significance of the site," according to the report.
The historical status isn’t due to the steps’ connection to the movie – which at the time were to recent to be considered necessary for protection. Either way, the area is protected from modern development in the area both by its historical status, as well as being protected due to its location in the Old Georgetown Historic District.
READ MORE: 'Exorcist Steps' commemorated in DC
Where to watch The Exorcist 1974
The Exorcist 1974 is available to watch for free on Pluto TV and Sling TV. It is available for rent through Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube TV.
A new movie, Exorcist: Believer was released in 2023, and features the return of Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil. It’s available to watch on Peacock.