When The Exorcist came to Sunderland, and viewers were so scared they turned to the church for help

The Exorcist was showing at the ABC Sunderland and it was so popular, it went on for weeks in 1974.

But there was a side effect. Young people who saw it were disturbed by it - some could not sleep, others were waking in the middle of the night.

50 people rang for help

After the film opened, young people from the Bethesda Free Church were “on duty” among the queues outside the cinema. They handed out leaflets containing phone numbers of ministers who they could contact if they needed help.

The Rev David Jones, pastor at the Bethesda, said at the time that at least 50 people phoned him in a fortnight.

“Some of them have phoned a few times for help and reassurance.

‘I never expected it to be so evil’

“Many of them seem to have had a delayed reaction to the film. They have had various feelings about it, but the main one has been one of fear. My telephone has been ringing into the early hours with requests for help.”

The callers, young and old, have been telling him things like: “I was really frightened, I locked myself in my room, ” “I have been on tablets for two nights. I can’t sleep, ” and “I never expected it to be so evil.”

‘It has exposed them to a new realm of evil’

“People have gone to see this film out of curiosity, and it has exposed them to a new realm of evil, ” said Mr Jones.

Tell us if you went to see the film and if you remember the effect it had on people.

Or maybe there is another memory of Sunderland cinemas of the past that you want to share.

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