20 Things You Didn't Know About The Exorcist
19. The Infamous Projectile Vomit Scene Was Filmed In One Take
Despite the probable mess involved, this infamous gross-out moment from The Exorcist was completed on the first take.
There was a good deal of prep involved beforehand, including scrutinising the effects of various pea soup brands to get the texture of the vomit spot-on (Andersen's was preferred to Campbell's by the film crew). The vomit was also supposed to be rigged so that it would hit actor Jason Miller in the chest to save him from getting too messy during filming.
Unfortunately for the actor, the plastic tubing spraying the vomit misfired and hit Miller square in the face, leading to some very genuine looks of shock and disgust. Miller later admitted he was rather angry in the aftermath of being hit in the face by the mush when interviewed after the film was released.
It's just as well that they managed to get the shot done the first time as we can't imagine Miller would have been too keen to go back for another go at it.