10 Movie Stunts That Went Horribly Wrong

Director William Friedkin had a habit of trying to get the most genuine reactions out of his actors, with not a care for what pain it might cause them. And actresses Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn can vouch for this as their 'stunts' required no acting.

When Regan is thrown up and down on the bed, Blair fractured her lower spine when a piece of the rig broke. She screamed out in pain but it was all believed to be part of the act.

Burstyn received an even worse treatment during the scene when Regan slaps her mother. She was attached to a rig which was supposed to pull her away lightly, and edited to look more violent.

But Friedkin secretly instructed the coordinator to pull Ellen as hard as possible. As a result, she landed on her coccyx, which lead to a permanent spine injury. The take was left in the final cut and the screams you hear are of real agony from the actress.