No film will ever be as frightening or disturbing as “The Exorcist,” in which two Catholic priests rid a girl of the demon possessing her through a process called an exorcism. To investigate the truth behind exorcisms, Student Life spoke with several members of the Catholic Church, all of whom preferred to remain anonymous.

When “The Exorcist” hit theaters in 1973, it changed the horror genre forever. Sadly, most people only remember the gruesome scene in which the main character’s adolescent daughter turns her head a full 360 degrees. Don’t get me wrong. That scene is amazing. (And horrific. And shocking. And gross. And epic.

The movie “The Exorcist” has a factual basis—a case that occurred here in St. Louis. The directors took some liberties for dramatic effect. The Catholic Church, out of sensitivity for the family involved, does not release information about cases. Here’s what we know happened. In 1949, a 13-year-old boy began displaying symptoms of possession.

Sometimes swearing is a necessity. When I found out that the Office of Residential Life doesn’t provide their off-campus apartments with cable or wireless internet, I expressed some choice words. […]