Released in 1979, the film Antrum has caused horror across various locations where it has been screened. According to statistics and compilations from Screen Rant, to date, over 60 viewers have reportedly experienced “bad luck” while watching this film.
The first case occurred when Antrum was sent to film festivals by a mysterious sender. No one knew who this person was or where the film came from, yet the festivals still screened it. However, shortly after the screenings, several crew members from the festival, particularly those in charge of screening the film, began to experience misfortunes. The first reported case was Janet Hilberg, who passed away shortly after a screening. Following her, Tom Stylum was found dead under mysterious circumstances. The last public report of this event came from Joe Barringer, who died due to complications from a mysterious skin ailment. Additionally, around four other crew members did not survive after Antrum was screened.
This information has stirred considerable controversy, with even a journalist named Nathan Fleet comparing Antrum to “the cursed tape in The Ring.”
By 1988, Antrum began screening at a cinema in Budapest, Hungary, despite previously being banned from distribution. While the film was being screened, a fire broke out in the cinema for unknown reasons. According to investigations, the source of the fire was reportedly traced back to the audience members who were not directly involved in the screening. That fateful evening, 56 people died in the fire, which consumed the cinema and left it in ruins. Despite the tragic circumstances, the film Antrum continued to be cursed, often leading to unfortunate events associated with it.
After five years of silence regarding the incidents in Budapest, a cinema in San Francisco faced controversy when it decided to screen this film. Acknowledging that this film carries a “curse,” many viewers still showed up to watch it. However, that evening’s screening turned into chaos when a cinema employee accidentally ingested an unknown substance during the presentation, leading to a full evacuation of the venue. It was reported that multiple patrons fainted during the screening, including a pregnant woman.
The series of events surrounding Antrum has left many people unsettled as the film has sparked debates and controversies for an extended period. Since 1993, the film has completely disappeared and only re-emerged 15 years later when directors David Amito and Michael Laicini released the documentary Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made. The documentary received critical acclaim, holding a 76% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was screened publicly, yet it still contained a warning line at the beginning of the film.
The plot of Antrum is equally chilling. The film follows two siblings, Oralee and Nathan, who are devastated after the tragic death of their dog, Maxine. Maxine’s death is described by Nathan as “a huge loss,” which they must confront. Before the incident, Maxine had been attacked by Nathan for reasons unknown, which serves as the underlying source of their grief. Oralee seeks a way to “bring back” Maxine through a mysterious book written by a supposed “sorcerer” named Ike. The events take a turn when Oralee attempts to read an incantation to resurrect Maxine, but soon realizes that it has unleashed a curse upon humanity, leading everyone to want to end their lives.
The film follows a similar narrative style to The Ring, Truth or Dare, or Chucky, yet the story and curse within the film have an infectious quality that leaves viewers feeling uneasy. However, the peculiar case of Antrum remains incredibly challenging to explain, as it does not just rely on the film but also has a significant impact on reality. The most notable distinction, as highlighted in the 2018 documentary, is that the details in Antrum are entirely fictional and do not exist in reality, making the overall events of the film and the experiences of the affected viewers even more perplexing.
Source: Screen Rant
