Antrum – The deadliest film ever made

By Kushinara M D

We all enjoy a good movie, but can a movie really be cursed? Can your fate depend solely on a movie? Well, Antrum is one such movie known to be cursed and is known as the “deadliest film ever made”. Initially, it was shot and released during the 1970’s and was then banned after the alleged deleterious effects it had on those who watched it. Later, Antrum made its premiere at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival on 14 October 2018, directed by David Amito and Michael Laicini. It was later released to streaming services by Fall 2019.

The movie showcases 2 siblings, a young girl and a young boy who enter a forest to dig a hole to hell to rescue the soul of their deceased dog, followed by suspicious events that occur in their search.

This movie was originally shot in English during 1979, but was of Bulgarian origin. It was submitted for various film festivals, but was rejected every time. Expeditiously, many film festival directors, who rejected the movie died under suspicious circumstances. The movie remained unseen for years until one day it mysteriously appears at a theatre in Budapest during 1988. During the movie screening, the building spontaneously caught fire and took 56 people down with it. Initially, the fire was believed to be the result of a faulty projector,like any other usual case. Later,investigators determine that the fire started from different locations among the audience. Presumably, the film reel should have burnt as well, but surprisingly it did not. Later in 1993, a concession stand worker dosed popcorns with LSD, which resulted in audience growing increasingly anxious and running towards the exit which was all locked and paved no path for their escape, which resulted in a riot and led to death of several people including a pregnant woman. After this screening all copies of the film vanished and Antrum gained the reputation of being “cursed”.

In 2018, a copy of Antrum was found which prompted a documentary crew to make a short film on its history and impact. Although, the origin of the movie remains unknown, scientists, psychiatrists and film experts examined the 35mm reel and determined that the film utilises disorienting soundand subliminal energy, along with other unique properties.Many people associate this movie with the ring’s tape. The documentary crew further determines that unrelated, black&white snippets of a snuff film has been spliced into the original movie by a third party. After 25 years, Antrum was presented again in its entirety.

The incidents and rumours make our brain ponder and so many questions arise, like; Can the movie really be fatal, or is it all a coincidence? Where was the film reel all these years? How does the reel mysteriously appear and vanish? Is it the “devil’s act” like people presume or is someone passing the legacy secretly? Is the movie actually cursed or is it all fabricated? Is it just for mere film promotion or are the rumours true? Does one’s fate entirely depend upon Antrum?; well, all these questions seem to have an unresolved answer— guess we’ll never really know (as the mystery continues).
( Kushinara M D is a journalism student from Mount Carmel College in Bangalore)