In December 1973 the movie The Exorcist was released in 24 theaters through the US and Canada, but no one knew then the true cultural impact of this groundbreaking movie. The movie depicts a battle of good versus evil with Priests locked in a struggle against the devil himself to rid 12 year old Linda Blair of the demons inside her. People lined up for hours to see the movie. Some people were so horrified that they had to leave the theater, some people fainted in their seats, some people loved it so much they came back to watch it multiple times. But in the 1970s and today, some people don’t realize that The Exorcist is based on a true story. This is the allegedly true story of Roland Doe, the inspiration for The Exorcist. 

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Sources:
Shock Docs: The Exorcism of Roland Doe documentary
Ghosts, Poltergeists and Demons from Bustle
The Case of Roland Doe from Novel Suspects
Roland Doe and The Exorcist from All That’s Interesting
Boy Who Inspired The Exorcist from The Guardian
The Diary of the Exorcism from Sensus Fidelium
Cultural Impact of The Exorcist from OnStage Magazine
Psychology and Exorcisms from GoodHealth

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