FAQ

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is based on a screenplay written by American screenwriters Paul Harris Boardman and Scott Derrickson (who also directed the movie). The screenplay is loosely based on the real-life case of Anneliese Michel (1952-1976), a German woman who was diagnosed by doctors as an epileptic but subsequently underwent 67 exorcisms on the advise of a friend who believed that she was possessed by demons. Anneliese died of malnutrition and dehydration at the age of 23. She weighed 68 pounds at the time.

Yes.Anthropologist Felicitas Goodman [1914-2005] wrote The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel, published in 1981. This book provided the insights for The Exorcism of Emily Rose as well as for a German movie, Requiem (2006) (2006), in which Anneliese Michel is known as Michaela Klingler.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, from Philippians 2:12.

A closer look reveals that the theatrical version is indeed considerably censored. A lot of shots have been shortened and the difference neutralized by alternative shots of the same length. It seems that the studio planned to get the more profitable PG-13 rating for the movie and had to censor it according to the guidelines of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).