13 Cursed Movies for Friday the 13th, From ‘Poltergeist’ to ‘The Crow’ (Photos)

Happy Friday the 13th. Making movies proves that Murphy’s Law is a real and horrifying thing. These 13 films were struck by chaos, misfortune — and in some cases even death, during their production. Some became massive blunders while others became cult favorites famous for their notorious development.

Over the course of the making of the Poltergeist trilogy, four cast members died. The most shocking was 12-year-old Heather O’Rourke, who died of septic shock at age 12.

No one was seriously hurt during filming of The Omen. but chaos seemed to surround everyone involved. Star Gregory Peck and screenwriter David Seltzer had their flights struck by lightning on way to filming. Director Richard Donner‘s hotel was bombed by the IRA, and members of the crew were caught in a car crash.

Francis Ford Coppola was tempting fate when he decided to film Apocalypse Now during monsoon season. Big mistake. The monsoon destroyed multiple sets, Martin Sheen suffered a heart attack during filming, and Coppola was so stressed he reportedly threatened to kill himself.

“The Exorcist” is one of the most infamous cursed movies of all time. Nine people died during the shoot, and it is said that a fire destroyed large portions of the set. The story of the film’s production is just as eerie as that of the film itself.

“Fitzcarraldo”

Dysentery. Injuries. Fights among the crew. Nothing seemed to go right during the filming of “Fitzcarraldo.” The story concerns hauling a boat over a hill, which the crew literally accomplished, but not without the same nightmarish difficulty as is depicted in the film. And in the end, director Werner Herzog looked as mad and overly driven as its hero. Check out the documentary “Burden of Dreams” for more.

“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”

Bad luck ran amok in Middle Earth during the filming of “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.” DVD interviews revealed that multiple actors and stuntmen suffered injuries while shooting the film’s elaborate fight sequences. The worst was Viggo Mortensen, who broke his toe and chipped his tooth while filming.