Scary movie backstories

[Trevor]

The amount of deaths on set of THE LAST LION.
The serial killer who was an actor in THE EXORCIST.

[LilCerberus]

Saw a video over the weekend about the tragedy on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie.....

[Trevor]

Saw a video over the weekend about the tragedy on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie.....

That was horrible. 😳

It still amazes me that John Landis got away with murder and worse: that his career continued successfully thereafter 😳😳

[M.10rda]

Who was the serial killer in THE EXORCIST?

[LilCerberus]

Who was the serial killer in THE EXORCIST?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Bateson

[Alex]

Saw a video over the weekend about the tragedy on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie.....

That was horrible. 😳

It still amazes me that John Landis got away with murder and worse: that his career continued successfully thereafter 😳😳

A couple of years ago, just after the pandemic, I went to an exhibition of Ray Harryhausen's work. I found myself unable to listen to the narrated tour as it was John Landis who had recorded it.

[Trevor]

Saw a video over the weekend about the tragedy on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie.....

That was horrible. 😳

It still amazes me that John Landis got away with murder and worse: that his career continued successfully thereafter 😳😳

A couple of years ago, just after the pandemic, I went to an exhibition of Ray Harryhausen's work. I found myself unable to listen to the narrated tour as it was John Landis who had recorded it.

😳😳 I don't blame you for feeling that way.

[Trevor]

Who was the serial killer in THE EXORCIST?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Bateson

The second scariest fact about THE EXORCIST.

[M.10rda]

Who was the serial killer in THE EXORCIST?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Bateson

Thanks. What a story. IMHO, the Wiki alone fails to provide any persuasive evidence that Bateson was actually a "serial killer" as opposed to just a convicted murderer (of one victim). I tend to think the prosecutor was trying to railroad him for the other, distinct and unrelated murders - not an unheard of strategy per law enforcement during the era. The serial murders are totally dissimilar from the crime of passion Bateson definitely committed, and as Batesom himself stated (and as his behavior w/ cops would reflect) - he was a serious alcoholic drinking a liter of vodka a night, which made him (as it generally would make me) pretty docile and unmotivated to do much but sleep. One night of cocaine, poppers, and rejection drove Bateson to hit a guy over the head and then stab him - which doesn't remotely match the methodical work of the Bag guy.

Besides the halfhearted allegations of law enforcement  all we've got to go on is William Freidkin's claim that Bateson told him he committed the serial murders, as well... but Friedkin (who was still promoting CRUISING) got all the details wrong about the murder that Bateson did commit, so...       not too persuasive.

On the upside - this made me spiral down an RH that included a suggestion from last year (!) that David Fincher planned to revive the engrossing, sadly truncated "Mindhunters" as a trilogy of movies... so that's  .

[LucanReeve]

Who was the serial killer in THE EXORCIST?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Bateson

Wow, I didn't know that before. I am surprised to read that all.

[Trevor]

What happened on the set of THE CONQUEROR and later is even more scarier. 😳

[M.10rda]

Oh sure. Something like THE CONQUEROR goes way beyond Landis' negligence on his TWILIGHT ZONE installment, in my book. But Landis is still alive whereas everyone involved in THE CONQUEROR is dead, so I guess it would make little sense to be screaming for accountability on that one.

[Trevor]

I mentioned the South African film THE LAST LION (1972)

It is known as South Africa's cursed film and with good reason.

Its star Jack Hawkins died before the film was released.
The film's composer Con Lamprecht died during post production.
The film's female lead Karen Spies quit acting not long after.
The film's sound man James Chapman was mauled to death by a lion.
The lions trainer Ossie Bristow was arrested for murder.

A nice film to watch - screenplay by Wilbur Smith, no less - if you don't know the backstory. 😳😳