20 Things You Didn't Know About The Exorcist
13. Regan's Bedroom Was Turned Into A Freezer
Director William Friedkin went to some pretty extraordinary lengths to make his actors' work as uncomfortable and challenging as possible on the set of The Exorcist.
Friedkin wanted to demonstrate how powerful a hold the demon that possesses Regan had over her in the film. To that extent, he decided demons shouldn't be able to feel the cold and turned Regan's bedroom into a makeshift freezer.
Using four fans used to keep meatpacking factories cool, the set would get so cold that the crew found a thin layer of snow on the ground during one humid morning. The cast's breath could easily be seen on camera throughout the film, it was that cold.
But due to the powerful lights that were used, the set would warm up quite fast, limiting filming to three minutes before the crew would have to wait for the set to get cold enough again. Actress Linda Blair was clad only in a thin nightgown during filming and still can't stand being cold today.