12 Surprising Things About Classic Horror Movies
Classic horror movies are filled with hidden facts and surprising details. From special effects tricks to behind-the-scenes secrets, here are 12 things you didn’t know about your favorite scary films.
1. Psycho (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” was the first American film to show a toilet flushing on screen, a detail that shocked audiences of the time just as much as the infamous shower scene. Hitchcock also used chocolate syrup for blood in the black and white film to achieve a more realistic texture.
2. The Exorcist (1973)
“The Exorcist” set, specifically the room used for the exorcism scenes, was refrigerated to capture the actors’ visible breath, which added to the chilling atmosphere. The temperatures were so low that some crew members reportedly wore coats and hats during filming.
3. Jaws (1975)
The mechanical shark used in “Jaws” was nicknamed Bruce after Steven Spielberg’s lawyer. Bruce proved to be notoriously unreliable, which inadvertently added to the film’s suspense, as Spielberg was forced to suggest the shark’s presence, rather than show it.
4. The Shining (1980)
In “The Shining,” the haunting “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” manuscript was no prop. Each page was individually typed by secretary to create an authentic stack of papers, adding layers to Jack’s descent into madness.
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5. Halloween (1978)
The iconic mask worn by Michael Myers in “Halloween” was actually a Captain Kirk mask from “Star Trek.” The production team bought the cheapest mask they could find, painted it white, and reshaped the eye holes, creating one of the most recognizable faces in horror.
6. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
All of the outdoor scenes in “Rosemary’s Baby” were filmed first, because Mia Farrow’s haircut for the film was so extreme that there was no way to hide it in public.
7. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
“The Blair Witch Project” was marketed as a true story, and the actors were listed as “missing” or “deceased” on the movie’s website, which confused and intrigued audiences and was a major factor in the film’s box office success.
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Anthony Hopkins’s portrayal of Hannibal Lecter is a mere 16 minutes of screen time in “The Silence of the Lambs,” making it one of the shortest lead performances to ever win an Academy Award.
9. The Ring (2002)
For “The Ring,” the disturbing and surreal video watched by the characters was shot separately by the director and then treated with various effects to give it an eerie quality, adding to the film’s overall unsettling atmosphere.
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10. The Omen (1976)
For “The Omen,” the filmmakers initially wanted to use trained Rottweilers for the cemetery scene, but the dogs wouldn’t attack the stuntmen. They ended up using untrained dogs, which made the actors genuinely terrified, enhancing the authenticity of their fear.
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11. Frankenstein (1931)
Boris Karloff’s removal of the makeup in “Frankenstein” took almost as long as applying it, requiring up to four hours a day. The heavy costume and makeup were so taxing that Karloff reportedly took to consuming large quantities of alcohol to ease the pain.
12. The Birds (1963)
During the filming of “The Birds,” Tippi Hedren was assured by Alfred Hitchcock that mechanical birds would be used during the famous bedroom attack scene. However, on the day of shooting, real birds were used, and one of them actually clipped her cheek, which was kept in the final cut of the film.
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