The Devil Inside possesses the competition to levitate atop the Weekend Box Office

The first exorcism movie of 2012 The Devil Inside surprises the movie industry, showing that good movie marketing can generate an estimated $34.5 million in ticket sales. The Devil Inside movie tossed Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol from the top position with executing a unique documentary shooting style in capturing staged exorcisms.

The Devil Inside depicts the exorcism of Maria Rossi, a fictional character involved in a triple murder in Hartford, Connecticut. The exorcisms performed in the movie resemble Anneliese Michel, a German Catholic girl who died after enduring recurring exorcisms. The death of Anneliese sparked widespread controversy, as the two exorcists and Anneliese's parent were tried in an exorcism murder trial.

Paramount's can be proud of their $1 million exorcism movie making 34.5 times the production budget in the first weekend alone. Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible movie recently finished as the box office leader in previous two weeks. The Devil Inside managed to make $34.5 million on 2,285 screens. Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol placed second with another strong performance, scoring $20.5 million in ticket sales.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows delivered $14.1 million in ticket sales, good for a good three place finish at the movie box office. Coming in fourth place, the consistent A Girl with A Dragon Tattoo generated $11.3 million in ticket sales. David Fincher murder thriller appears to be gathering steam for possible Academy Award nominations. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked finished in fifth place with $9.5 million in ticket sales, bringing the estimated total to $111.6 million.

Running strong after the holiday box office, the War Horse seized $8.6 million in ticket sales to score sixth place in the weekend box office. We Bought a Zoo, also another holiday movie arranged for seventh place finish with $8.5 million in ticket sales, narrowly finishing below War Horse. The Adventures of Tintin collected $6.6 million in ticket sales in its third week in domestic release to finish in eighth place in the weekend box office.

With the passing of New Year's Eve, the ensemble New Year's Eve movie made $3.3 million in ticket sales to land in the ninth spot. Lastly, the costly end of the world movie The Darkest Hour descended downward with a meager $3.1 million in ticket sales. Shooting a good ending can help a future Alien movie enjoy a better box office showing. Next week, The Devil Inside will compete up against Contraband and Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol in another attempt to repossess the box office once again.  

original publication date: January 8, 2012

The "Great Exorcism" of Anneliese Michel: A review of the Anneliese Michel true story of multiple demonic possession and exorcisms

Anneliese Michel
image credit: UnityPublishing.com

The Devil Inside movie depicted Maria Rossi as a multiple demonic possessed woman who murdered three Church servants while undergoing an exorcism. There is truth to the exorcism performed in The Devil Inside movie. The real life exorcism of Anneliese Michel took place in 1975. 

Anneliese Michel was born in German on September 21, 1952. The young girl was raised as a devout Catholic. Anneliese underwent psychological care to treat her mental condition classified as epilepsy. However, an autopsy of Anneliese's brain showed no decay or progression associated with epilepsy suffers (Unity Publishing). The exorcism of Anneliese Michel is depicted in The Devil Inside movie as the Maria Rossi exorcism to demonstrate the evil from within the possessed.   

One eerie aspect of the Anneliese Michel exorcism case began as age 17 with symptoms such as "unusual seizures happening during the night, which involved her body suddenly becoming rigid, the sensation of an enormous weight on her chest, paralysis, and inability to speak" (UnityPublishing.com, par. 6). The seizure symptoms resemble sleep paralysis and an out of body experience. The Insidious movie also depicts astral projection as an act which can open evil portals.   

Stanford's 1999 research on sleep paralysis is consistent with Anneliese's first seizure symptoms. Sleep paralysis sufferers assume they're having an out of body experience (OBE). There is heavy, suffocating pressure as if someone is sitting on their chest. An unknown entity may bite on a dangling hand with gnawing action and a jerking motion. Review Stanford's 1999 research on sleep paralysis to compare the research to Anneliese's early seizure experience. Is it possible that multiple demons entered Anneliese's physical body in 1969, and then manifested up until her death in 1976?   

According to Unity Publishing, Anneliese "began seeing demonic faces during her daily prayers" (par. 7). Seeing the demonic faces are consistent with multiple demonic possession. Anneliese's evil demon experiences urged her to take religious action with the Church. 

As a firm believer in her Catholic religion, Anneliese felt an evil presence in her body that required immediate attention (Unity Publishing). She would experience an uneasy feeling whenever approaching sacred religious artifacts. Furthermore, it is noted that medical drug intervention while undergoing an exorcism disrupted the outcome. The possessed must focus on removing the demons from within their soul. The lack of concentration while undergoing an exorcism can impact the process. 

The Church eventually approved Anneliese's exorcism. She received the "weekly exorcism sessions" which involved the 17th century "full Rituale Romanum" (Unity Publishing, par. 15). Anneliese claimed the evil from within her mind began to command her to do bad things. She struggled to resist the voices.

The Devil Inside depicted Maria Rossi speaking in multiple languages at one time, displaying her intense supernatural powers and showing her resistance from religious artifacts. Anneliese also duplicated the same aggression. She withdrew from religious crosses, monuments, and images which communicated her faith. The Church denied Anneliese further exorcisms to treat her possible demonic possession.

Anneliese essentially went insane at home. Her violent behavior toward others as well as herself persisted. The Church finally approved the exorcism of Anneliese Michel. According to the Unity Publishing, Bishop of Wurzburg, Josef Stangl authorized two priests to undergo "The Great Exorcism" (par. 20). The exorcism of Anneliese represented one of the most well known and documented exorcisms. In Anneliese's exorcism case, the exorcists' recorded the sessions.  

Consistent with multiple demonic possesssion, Anneliese was possessed with the following demons:

• Lucifer
• Judas
• Iscariot
• Nero
• Cain
• Hitler
• Fleischmann
• disgraced 16th century Frankish priest
• several other demons manifesting inside Anneliese (Unity Publishing, par. 21).  

The power of multiple demonic possession overpowered the helpless Anneliese. Her strong religious faith was no match for the the evil; however, Anneliese agreed to cease the exorcisms. According to Unity Publishing review of Anneliese's handwritten letter to the Church, the young woman claimed that the Virgin Mary visited to give her two choices:

1. To be freed from the Demons immediately
2. To remain possessed for a time longer to show the entire world the dangers and power of demons (par. 25). 

The sweet Anneliese decided to accept choice number #2. Ironically, Anneliese predicted her exact time of death on July 1, 1976 (Unity Publishing, par. 26). The Virgin Mary conveyed to Anneliese that the demons would be freed soon before she had passed, enabling her to leave her physical body in peace. 

Anneliese is deemed as a strong believer who sacrificed her life to save many people from the wrath of Hell. The Anneliese Michel exorcism true story resembles Jesus making the sacrifice to save humans from their sins. How many people would accept a proposition to remain possessed to help others to lead a better life. Anneliese was only 23 years old when she died of complications. 

The court case attracted huge attention to the Anneliese Michel exorcism murder case. Two priests and Anneliese's parents were charged with negligent homicide (Unity Publishing, par. 29). The tapes played in the court revealed demonic voices. In the final verdict, the four people were convicted, but received light sentences with no jail time. The Anneliese Michel exorcism murder case was quite unique since religion entered the legal system.   

In moving Anneliese's body to inspect her remains, the corpse seemed to be completely intact after a few years, pointing the power of the supernatural (Unity Publishing). The Exorcism of Emily Rose depicted the Anneliese Michel exorcism in the 1975. The exorcism of Anneliese Michel took place a few years after The Exorcist (1973) movie. It is rare there are murder trials based on exorcisms.   

Want to read more details of the Anneliese Michel exorcism? Experience sleep paralysis that feels like evil? Afraid of the Devil? The Devil Inside movie is increasing exorcism awareness. Are you convinced there are demons? The Anneliese Michel exorcism is very real. Her demonic possession experiences are extremely evil. Anneliese Michel is identified as devout believer whose acceptance to allow demons to possess her to show the world that demons do exist protected the future of religion like another great savior, Jesus Christ.  

Rest in Peace

Anneliese Michel

September 21, 1952-July 1, 1976  

Interested in the Maria Rossi exorcism portrayed in The Devil Inside movie? Check out The Rossi Files to investigate exorcisms and learn more about The Devil Inside characters and plot. Read about the connection between sleep paralysis and demonic possession.

The Devil Inside Plot Spoiler

Purchase The Devil Inside DVD and save 48% - due out May 15, 2012

Sources:

"The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The True Story." Unity Publishing. Retrieved January 7, 2012, from 

http://www.unitypublishing.com/Apparitions/EmilyRose.htm   

Sleep Paralysis (1989). Stanford. Retrieved June 1, 2011, from http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

Maria Rossi Exorcism: The Maria Rossi Exorcism in the Devil Inside movie and the Exorcism of Anneliese Michel

image credit: ChasingtheFrog.com
Anneliese Michel

The Maria Rossi character is portrayed in The Devil Inside movie as a woman suffering from multiple demonic possession. Multiple demonic possession occurs when several demon possess a subject simultaneously. The Devil Inside movie depicts Maria Rossi as an insane woman with major signs of demonic possession. Nevertheless, the Maria Rossi exorcism explores a Hollywood fictional name rather than detailing the real life exorcism of Anneliese Michel.

Maria Rossi exorcism explores multiple demonic possessions. The real life exorcism victim is Anneliese Michel. Thus, the Maria Rossi exorcism is based on true events associated with the religious controversy surrounding the Anneliese Michel exorcism.

Anneliese Michel was a German girl raised in a Catholic family (Monstrous.com, 2011). She suffered from a severe psychological condition. Lealos (2012) noted the Church attempted to exercise the demon from the possessed girl. In result, Anneliese died from complications attributed to the strenuous exorcisms that took a toll on her health condition. Anneliese underwent two exorcisms a week, lasting from September 1975 up until the night before her eventual death on July 1, 1976 (Unity Publishing, 2012). The 1969 events may represent the source to multiple demons possessing Anneliese Michel.

Anneliese Michel's diagnosis is mistakened as a severe medical condition related to "depression and epilepsy" (Lelos, 2012). The Devil Inside movie conveys Maria Rossi as a mentally disturbed woman. Another truth to the exorcism case is that the Church authorized the exorcism, but then later denied the exorcism request to succumb Anneliese to continued psychiatric treatment (Monstrous, 2012). The Church must authorize exorcisms to determine whether an individual qualifies to undergo an exorcism to seek healing. Anneliese's worsening condition at home proved to change the Church's decision. The Church required immediate exorcisms to remove the multiple demons possessing Anneliese Michel.  

Anneliese's parents and two priests agreed to perform the authorized exorcism on Anneliese Michel. At the request of the Bishop of Wurzburg, Josef Stangl, Father Arnold Renz and Pastor Ernst performed the "Great Exorcism" (Unity Publishing, 2012, The Exorcisms section par. 5).  Hence, the Anneliese Michel exorcisms later had adverse effects on her health condition, resulting in her eventual death. The evidence heard in the audio tapes had a dramatic impact on the verdict (Getler, 1978). As a result, the parents and priests were prosecuted for negligent homicide, though the convicted never received any jail time.

Maria Rossi is a real life girl who murdered her elderly neighbor. According to the UK's The Independent, MacDonald (1993) indicated that two adolescents, Maria Rossi and Christina Molloy, brutally murdered their elderly neighbor Edna Phillips. In the newspaper report, the murder provoked an uprising of 300 people who "stoned the Rossi house" (MacDonald, 1993, par. 9). Moreover, the Rossi family attracted vandalism on their various properties.

The local reaction toward the Rossi family continued to worsen, making the case sound like a "not guilty verdict" in the Casey Anthony trial. Any person somehow related to the Rossi clan experienced the wrath of the angry locals. In The Devil Inside movie, Maria Rossi is depicted as a troubled soul. In real life, Maria had to be possessed to butcher an old woman who once adored her as a child. The combination of two real life events (exorcism leading to death and a psychotic adolescent murderer) energized The Devil Inside movie plot.        

The Devil Inside movie depicts the exorcism of Maria Rossi, portraying the Anneliese Michel exorcism which is believed to derive from multiple demonic possession. The Anneliese Michel exorcism is also depicted in The Exorcism of Emily Rose movie. It is suggested that Anneliese died from the effects of the exorcisms; however, the young woman wrote a letter to the Church to ask the exorcisms to stop (Unity Publishing, 2012). Anneliese accepted one of the Virgin Mary's choices to remain possessed up until the moment she passed away July 1, 1976. Her decision to remain possessed is explained in the "Letter written by Anneliese," which you can read a review on iExorcism.        

Exorcism movies delve into the demonic world to show that demons and the Devil are indeed real. We question the balance between good and evil. Will God save us? Can we defeat a demon possession without the Church? The court system took another route in prosecuting Anneliese's parents and the two priests connected to the exorcism murder case. The court system viewed the penalties differently, neither giving the convicted parents and the priests jail time.

Maybe The Devil Inside is depicting Casey's Imaginary Friends, who are actually multiple demons possessing Casey Anthony. Even though the court system found Casey Anthony innocent of murdering  her daughter, we still question the truth. Who would murder a child and dump the small body in a shallow ditch down the street? It takes pure evil to perform such a hideous act. Casey's Imaginary Friends could be identified as multiple demons possessing the young Casey Anthony.      

The Devil Inside movie team realized the mainstream advantage in dramatizing real life events. Thus, the mockumentary film inspired the divide between the Church and the legal system in performing exorcisms. The Maria Rossi exorcism is a fictional event, though the plot conveys various true facts acquired from the exorcism of Anneliese Michel and the Maria Rossi psychotic murder of an elderly woman Edna Phillips in the U.K. Anneliese was once a beautiful young girl before she experienced a mental illness and possible multiple demonic possession, and then died during vigorous exorcisms the Church authorized to free her soul. May Anneliese's soul rest in peace.

Enjoy watching The Devil Inside! 

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The Devil Inside Movie Ending

The Devil Inside Plot Spoiler


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Sources:

"Cries of a Woman Possessed; German Court Hears Tapes in Exorcism Death Trial" by Michael Getler, Washington Post (Friday April 21, 1978).


"The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The True Story." Unity Publishing. Retrieved January 7, 2012, from 

http://www.unitypublishing.com/Apparitions/EmilyRose.htm   

Lealos, S.S. (2012). 'The Devil Inside' and the Story of True Life exorcisms on Film. Yahoo. Retrieved January 7, 2012 from, http://movies.yahoo.com/news/devil-inside-story-true-life-exorcisms-film-192500585.html 

McDonald, M. (1993). The Independent. Retrieved January 7, 2012, from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/custody-for-evil-girls-who-killed-pensioner-1496496.html

Real Exorcism of Anneliese Michel. Monstrous Forum. Retrieved January 7, 2012, from http://www.monstrous.com/forum/index.php?topic=6840.0