A Head Full of Ghosts

A devote of the horror genre, Paul Tremblay considers A Head Full of Ghosts to be an homage to both William Peter Blatty’s novel The Exorcist (1971) and the 1973 film of the same title, directed by William Friedkin. He also integrates elements from other classic and modern horror films and series.

The Exorcist follows psychologist and Catholic priest Father Peter Karras as he participates in his first exorcism, that of an adolescent girl named Regan. Father Karras is approached by Regan’s mother because of his dual expertise in mental health and religion. Elements that appear in both A Head Full of Ghosts and The Exorcist include: a girl who is believed to be possessed speaks in several distinct voices and appears to have preternatural knowledge; the challenging, taunting, and tormenting of a priest; vomiting; violence; crawling around and other awkward movement patterns; frigid air permeating the room when an evil entity is present; graphic displays of masturbation; blasphemy; and murder. Blatty based The Exorcist on the true story of an exorcism, changing his main character to a young girl; his novel is purported to be based in or represent fact.

Another famous horror event and accompanying media frenzy surround the murders of the DeFeo family of Long Island, New York, and the experiences that the subsequent owners claimed occurred in the home where the killings occurred. Like the Barretts, the Lutz family found themselves in financial distress after buying the former DeFeo home. They claimed that they fled the home in fear after terrifying encounters with disembodied voices and a spirit who influenced Mr. Lutz to become rageful and violent with his stepchildren. American author Jay Anson wrote a book called The Amityville Horror (1977) about these events.

Anson’s book and the film that followed became a sensation, and attracted the attention of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. It was later revealed that those most involved with the Lutzes knew they had fabricated the events in order to avoid foreclosure on their home and extract themselves from financial ruin. Of Lorraine and Ed Warren, Paul Tremblay said, in conversation with journalist Jason Law, as part of Foxborough Massachusetts’s Boyden Library Speaker Series: “They were con artists that preyed on people in real life” (“Boyden Library Speaker Series: An Evening with Author Paul Tremblay October 21, 2021.” YouTube.com).

Ronald DeFeo, now deceased, was convicted of killing his parents and siblings. He was known to have experienced significant mood and personality changes as a result of his drug consumption. He claimed, in later years, speaking from prison, that his elder sister Dawn participated in the killings with him.