Top 20 Cursed Movies
#20: “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” (2018)
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The word "Quixotic,” used to describe someone whose ambitions outpace their abilities to an absurd degree, came from legendary novel “Don Quixote.” It might also be used to describe director Terry Gilliam’s attempt to get this film made. The project went through development hell in the 90s, and while filming did start in 2000, it had to be shut down due to a plethora of issues. There were interruptions from a fighter plane, floods that ruined equipment, and health issues for star Jean Rochefort. This ill-fated production was captured in the documentary “Lost in La Mancha”. However, Gilliam didn’t give up on his dream, and after a long and very bumpy journey, ”The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” was eventually completed and released.
#19: “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955)
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The three leads of “Rebel Without a Cause” are no longer with us. However, they very still could be, if not for the horrible tragedies that prematurely cut their lives short. First, star James Dean was killed in a traffic collision a few weeks before the film’s release. Then, in 1976, co-star Sal Mineo was killed in a robbery. Finally, in 1981, Natalie Wood died due to drowning in a case that is still considered unsolved. “Rebel Without a Cause” is already an emotional viewing experience. But knowing about the awful circumstances of its actors’ deaths makes it all the more intense.
#18: “The Innkeepers” (2011)
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Hotels make the perfect settings for horror movies. However, the creepiness isn't always contained to the story. This film, from acclaimed horror director Ti West, is about the Yankee Pedlar Inn, a real-life historic hotel that is said to be haunted. West not only set “The Innkeepers” at the Pedlar Inn; he also filmed it there. And it reportedly wasn’t the most relaxing production. Strange occurrences included lights going off without warning and phone calls from seemingly no one. Doors would also reportedly swing open with great force. Was this the ghosts telling them to stop their project or helping them by adding as much tension as possible?
#17: “The Possession” (2012)
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The year after “The Innkeepers,” another horror movie with a supposedly cursed production was released. “The Possession” is inspired by the “Dybbuk box”, a supposedly haunted wine cabinet. But it seems there may have been some unfriendly forces at play during production as well. Lights reportedly blew up during production. And, less than a week after shooting wrapped, an unexplained fire in a storage house ruined all of the props. Star Jeffrey Dean Morgan, a self-admitted skeptic, said even he was wary of the box in question and what havoc it could potentially wreak. Though the person who sold the Dybbuk box eventually admitted to making up its supernatural backstory, these inexplicable incidences are still chilling to consider.
#16: “Waterworld” (1995)
Water-set films, even incredibly successful ones like "Jaws" and "Titanic," can undergo extremely difficult productions. Bad pre-release buzz led this Kevin Costner action movie to being deemed a flop before its release due to its then-record high budget. However, unlike “Titanic,” it didn’t exactly bring in massive box office revenue. It also underwent a particularly rough production process. Much of it was actually shot in the Pacific Ocean, and a hurricane destroyed the elaborate set. Multiple actors nearly died during filming, including Costner. Unsurprisingly, many crew members, including director Kevin Reynolds, quit. For multiple reasons, nobody was clamoring to make a “Waterworld 2.”
#15: “Stalker” (1978)
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Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky's "Stalker" is one of the most thought-provoking sci-fi films ever made. But during production, the cast and crew might’ve just been thinking about whether or not it would actually see completion. The film had to be reshot twice, with different cinematographers. The extended shoot also took place at abandoned hydro power plants. Deaths of multiple production members, including Tarkovsky, are attributed to toxic chemicals in the area. Though it took some time for it to achieve recognition as such, "Stalker" is now widely regarded as a cinematic masterpiece. Nonetheless, it’s still a shame that getting it made was such an ordeal, with potentially fatal consequences.
#14: “Fitzcarraldo” (1982)
Director Werner Herzog and actor Klaus Kinski made five films together, all of which reportedly had productions marked by conflict between the filmmaker and his unpredictable star. Their fourth collaboration, "Fitzcarraldo" was no exception. Originally, Kinski wasn't involved. The film was supposed to star Jason Robards. But during filming, he came down with dysentery. In addition to Kinski's erratic behavior, the film was also beset by accidents. The plot concerns an attempt to move a massive steamship. And an actual 320-ton vessel was moved. Tragically, multiple indigenous extras were injured or killed during filming, and one crew member had to amputate his own foot after a snake bite. Making this film might’ve never been easy. But it didn’t need to be this difficult, either.
#13: “Maximum Overdrive” (1986)
There have been many great films based on stories by Stephen King. But the horror master's first, and so far only time in the director's chair is widely regarded as a disaster, including by King himself. Adapted from his short story “Trucks,” horror-comedy “Maximum Overdrive” apparently caused maximum headaches during production. There were delays due Hurricane Gloria. It also seems safety in general was severely lacking. The cinematographer lost an eye due to a lawnmower-related injury, and actress Laura Harrington is quoted as saying, “You always felt like someone was going to die on this set.” King also admitted to being decidedly not sober during filming. And it’s hard to imagine anyone being in their right mind when making such a misguided movie.
#12: “Return to Babylon” (2013)
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If you're fascinated by the silent movie era, you might've seen this 2013 film, which is made in the style of movies from the 20s. But what may have seemed like a tribute to a bygone era perhaps had more sinister things going on. While filming, those working on the film reported some unsettling experiences during production. For instance, actress Jennifer Tilly said she felt like she was being bothered by invisible entities. Viewing the movie can also be a haunting experience, as there are images that look like faces and other body parts morphing, without the use of special effects. The homes of actual silent film stars were used for filming. Maybe they were trying to offer creative input from beyond the grave?
#11: “Incubus” (1966)
Prior to his leading role on "Star Trek," William Shatner headlined this horror film, distinct for all the dialogue being in the Esperanto language. But while Shatner went on to great fame, other cast members experienced much grimmer fates. Actor Milos Milos, who played the titular demon, killed Mickey Rooney’s estranged wife, Barbara Ann Thomason (stage name Carolyn Mitchell), who he was seeing at the time, before taking his own life. Actress Ann Atmar also took her own life, less than two weeks before the film's premiere. And the teenage daughter of actress Eloise Hardt was brutally killed two years later. As with other films on this list, the eerie occurrences surrounding this film might make it too difficult to watch.
#10: "The Wizard of Oz" (1939)
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Ok, let's first address the elephant in the room: "The Wizard of Oz" is NOT considered cursed because an actor's death was supposedly caught on screen. That's just a famous urban legend. What IS true, however, is that there were enough on-set accidents to lend "The Wizard of Oz" its own cursed reputation. For starters, actors Buddy Ebsen and Jack Haley both suffered severe reactions to the make-up for the Tin Man, while Margaret Hamilton, a.k.a. The Wicked Witch of the West, endured life-threatening burns during her big disappearing act early on in the film. Not even poor little Toto was safe, as an on-set trainer reported that one of the Witch's foot soldiers accidentally stepped on the dog during a take.
#9: "The Passion of the Christ" (2004)
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Getting struck by lightning is never a good sign, but what if you also happen to be portraying Jesus Christ in one of the most controversial movies of the year? This indeed happened to Jim Caviezel on set of "The Passion of the Christ," as well as the assistant director on the film, who got zapped twice. Then, there were the reported accidents associated with the scourging and crucifixion of Christ, which saw Caviezel get accidentally whipped for real by a co-star, endure a dislocated shoulder from carrying the cross, a lung infection from the weather AND massive migraine headaches from the bloody eye make-up. We're not saying that Caviezel and crew were cursed, but we might reconsider doing any more shoots out in the rain for the upcoming sequel.
#8: "The Crow" (1994)
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The Lee Family Curse was nothing new when "The Crow" star Brandon Lee tragically died during filming, as a result of an improperly loaded gun. Rumors had already surrounded the death of Lee's father Bruce years before, with some claiming that his demise at the young age of 32 was the result of a beef with Chinese organized crime families. Sadly, Brandon's on-set accident wasn't the only mishap to happen on “The Crow" set, as a crew member was horribly electrocuted and rushed to the hospital after coming into contact with power lines. Although we'll never know what Brandon Lee could've achieved after his career-defining appearance in "The Crow," his silver screen legacy is at least cemented alongside his father's for all time.
#7: "The Omen" (1976)
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It's not difficult to imagine the sort of heebie-jeebies that filmmakers probably experienced shooting "The Omen" back in the mid-70s. After all, it was Satan's big moment in the sun, after the success of "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Exorcist" made everyone terrified of what was lurking in the dark. Some very real incidents surrounded production on "The Omen," however, from the pre-production death of Gregory Peck's son to some serious airline issues, like lightning strikes to the fatal crash of a small plane carrying film crew. Finally, special effects lead John Richardson, who was responsible for the film's infamous beheading scene, was involved in a tragic car accident after shooting "The Omen," where his passenger, assistant and girlfriend Liz Moore, suffered the same, grisly fate.
#6: "Apocalypse Now" (1979)
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The next movie on our list is a case of time being the great equalizer. That's because nearly everyone making "Apocalypse Now" seemed almost certain that their time in the jungle was cursed, so troubled and dangerous was this film's production. Although Francis Ford Coppola's war epic is now considered one of the greatest cinematic achievements ever, the director allegedly contemplated taking his own life over thoughts of his personal financial ruin. Natural disasters destroyed pricey sets, Marlon Brando showed up unprepared and overweight for his role, while Martin Sheen even suffered a freakin' HEART ATTACK during his time on set. Sure, it's all gravy now, but we're guessing that being in the thick of "Apocalypse Now" was anything but fun.
#5: "Twilight Zone: The Movie" (1983)
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On-set accidents are never easy to discuss, but they're made even more tragic when they have to do with young children. Unfortunately, one infamous stunt gone wrong would go on to define this otherwise highly anticipated 1983 blockbuster, "Twilight Zone: The Movie." The incident occurred during director John Landis' segment, where actor Vic Morrow and two child actors were killed when a helicopter sequence went horribly wrong. Both of the children were paid under the table and hired without the required permits for shooting at night with minors, but the tragedy did have a silver lining. It prevented the curse of gross negligence from afflicting more films in its wake, as more shoots were required to have risk management on set to prevent these accidents in the future.
#4: "The Conqueror" (1956)
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Speaking of negligence, 1956's "The Conqueror" might be the most cursed movie of all time...at least when it comes to absolute stupidity. Ignoring for the moment that John Wayne was cast to play, of all people, Genghis Khan, "The Conqueror" was also inexplicably shot on land that was formerly the site of U.S. nuclear bomb tests, meaning that there were extremely high levels of fallout present. What's worse, producer (and noted eccentric) Howard Hughes had tons of the contaminated dirt shipped Stateside for reshoots. The results weren't immediate, but they were widespread and deadly, with nearly half of the film's cast and crew ultimately contracting cancer. There are even reports of relatives and children contracting the disease some decades after visiting the location with their parents.
#3: "Rosemary's Baby" (1968)
We've already mentioned The Devil earlier in this list, but did Old Nick himself actually curse the production of "Rosemary's Baby?" There's definitely some evidence to that, starting with the film's composer Krzysztof Komeda, who suffered a bad fall and died before seeing the film's release. Producer William Castle suffered from kidney stones not long after "Rosemary's Baby" hit screens, but it's writer/director Roman Polanski whose personal reckoning was most infamous. The Hollywood pariah's wife Sharon Tate would become the most high profile victim of The Manson Family during their killing spree in August of 1969, serving as the unfortunate face of madness and murder during the Summer of Love.
#2: "The Exorcist" (1973)
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We'll probably never again see the sort of hysterical reactions "The Exorcist" enjoyed when it first hit theaters back in 1973. The movie continues to be cited as a gold standard for the horror genre, however, bringing with it rumors of a supposed curse that swirled around production, cast and crew. Looking for specifics? Take your pick. From a fire that destroyed nearly every set EXCEPT for Regan McNeil's bedroom, on-set injuries suffered by stars Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn and a real life murder charge in 1979 for actor Paul Bateson, who played a radiological technologist in the film, "The Exorcist" is full of creepy coincidences. Then again, when you're dealing with the Devil, you take your chances playing with fire.
#1: "Poltergeist" original trilogy (1982-88)
Did the use of real human skeletons during the filming of 1982's "Poltergeist" result in a curse that would follow the franchise and those involved to the bitter end? We're not sure, but what's certain is that all three films from the original trilogy featured their fair share of tragedy. Dominique Dunne was murdered by her boyfriend after appearing in the first film, while young Heather O'Rourke, who played Carol Anne, died from complications following an undiagnosed bowel obstruction some years later. Julian Beck's horrific preacher Rev. Kane also died from stomach cancer after filming and before the release of the 1986 sequel "Poltergeist II: The Other Side," adding further fuel to the conspiracy fire that continues to follow the "Poltergeist" franchise to this day.
