Another Top 10 Paranormal Events on Movie Shoots

“The Nun” (2018)

The filming for one of the newest entries in the “Conjuring” franchise pulled out all the stops by eschewing conventional sets for many key locations, instead filming in a genuine Transylvanian castle. With that in mind, is it any wonder the crew had a strange encounter or two? While filming a scene, director Corin Hardy claims to have seen two figures standing in the shadows of an old cell. He initially dismissed the sighting, believing the figures to be members of the crew. But upon turning back, the director was shocked to see the figures had vanished without a trace. Could his imagination have been running wild, or did a pair of spectral entities get curious about the filming?

“The Innkeepers” (2011)

This little known but wonderfully spooky horror movie from 2011 was also filmed in a real location, in this case the historic Yankee Pedlar Inn. The inn has a reputation for being haunted by the ghost of a former owner, who died in room 353 of the historic building. Director Ti West began the production as a bonafide skeptic, but started rethinking his beliefs when bad dreams and strange happenings began to plague the crew. Speaking with Indiewire, West described doors opening and closing by themselves, lights burning out and strange dreams experienced by many on the crew, including actress Sara Paxton, who felt a presence in her room several times.

“Behind the Candelabra” (2013)

This biopic of the legendary performer Liberace flew under the radar for a lot of folks, but is still worth checking out if you get the chance. Directed by Steven Soderberg and starring Michael Douglas as the famous piano prodigy, the film set allegedly had a visit or two from the ghost of the man himself. Apparently, Douglas and co-star Matt Damon felt unseen hands touching them, and the smell of a strong cologne haunted the set. We should point out, however, that this story comes courtesy of the notable tabloid The National Enquirer, and as such should be treated with a healthy degree of skepticism.

“Lords of Salem” (2012)

You’d be hard-pressed to find a spookier location than an old abandoned hospital. After all, hospitals wig a lot of people out even when they haven’t been laying in ruin for years. LA’s Linda Vista Community Hospital, originally built in 1904, stood abandoned for years after its closure in 1991, and the stories of hauntings grew faster than the weeds. The site was even the subject of an episode of “Ghost Adventures.” The cast and crew of Rob Zombie’s 2012 movie “Lords of Salem” allegedly had some spooky encounters when filming there, with many cast members claiming to feel sick after filming in the basement. Probably just a lot of mold down there, but who knows?

“Return to Babylon” (2013)

While tales of hauntings on films sets are somewhat common, this supposed intersection between the supernatural and celluloid is unique. This little known movie was allegedly made using a mysterious box of 16mm film reels that were found on the sidewalk by director Alex Monty Canawati. After deciding to use the film to create a movie in the style of 1920s silent films, Canawati and his crew were astonished to find the footage they had shot plagued by ghostly figures and strange distortions, prompting claims that the film itself is haunted. It’s definitely an intriguing story, even if you’re inclined toward skepticism, and the story would probably make for a good movie itself!

“Ghost Whisperer” (2005-10)

We know this is a movie list, but we just had to mention this one. This dearly departed series starred 90s it girl Jennifer Love-Hewitt as an antique store owner with the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. For the most part, the spirits that Love-Hewitt encountered on the show were brought to life (or should that be afterlife) with plain old actors and special effects, but that wasn’t always the case. According to the former “Party of Five” star, both she and several members of the cast and crew felt an unseen force tugging at their clothes while filming in one location.

“Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” (2012)

Filming a movie frankly sounds exhausting at the best of times, and having a ghost in your hotel keeping you awake probably doesn’t make the experience any easier. Actress Vanessa Hudgens told People Magazine that she spent ten minutes chasing the sound of footsteps around her hotel while filming the “Journey to the Center of the Earth” sequel in North Wilmington. Hudgens even claimed to have an idea of the ghost’s nature, saying “I feel like she might have lost a husband at war and she’s waiting for her man to come back to her. It was definitely a female spirit. I could tell.” Hey, who are we to argue?

“The Passion of the Christ” (2004)

Playing Jesus Christ himself probably comes with a whole ton of pressure, for what are hopefully obvious reasons. Any actor who takes on this role is going to face some harsh criticism and scrutiny, but normally that comes from more, shall we say, terrestrial sources. While filming Mel Gibson’s controversial film about the final days of Christ, actor Jim Caviezel was struck by lightning while filming a scene. Caviezel wasn’t the only one, as assistant director Jan Michelini was also struck while on set earlier during filming. If we were so inclined, we might be tempted to call this a case of divine criticism. Maybe the big “G” thought Caviezel was miscast?

“Ghost” (1990)

Movies featuring ghosts and spooky stuff sure do have a tendency towards supposed real-life hauntings, huh? While there’s no definitive account of a haunting on the set of this aptly titled film, it bears noting that much of its filming took place on Paramount’s infamous sound stage #19, nicknamed ‘Paranormal Paramount’ for its history of creepy goings-on. Stories have included ghostly figures briefly encountering night watchmen before vanishing into walls, and other stories even claim that the spirit of Heather O’Rourke, the young star of ‘“Poltergeist,” still haunts the sound stage. Yeah, we’d take the ghost of Patrick Swayze over a creepy little girl any day.

“Rosemary’s Baby” (1968)

One of the most acclaimed horror films of all time, Roman Polanski’s 1968 masterpiece has garnered a bit of a reputation as a cursed film, with tragedy seemingly following the cast and crew. Obviously we all know about the terrible fate that befell Polanski’s wife Sharon Tate, but what many don’t know is that composer Krzysztof Komeda died after being pushed off an escarpment and suffering a head injury. But even more creepy is the story of producer William Castle, himself a legend in the horror genre, who was rushed to hospital after developing kidney stones. According to legend, a hallucinating Castle shouted out “Rosemary, for God’s sake drop the knife!” during his surgery.