Are you a horror movie buff? Maybe you’ve seen every horror movie on Netflix. Maybe ghosts and aliens aren’t cutting it anymore. Nothing scares you.
Well, take a look at these 7 movies because they get much scarier once you know the story behind them and learn that these nightmares actually happened to real life people.
- Scream (1996)
When Scream came out in 1996, it was the highest grossing slasher film of all time and still, it continues to be one of the most popular and classic. But not many know that it is actually based on a true story. In 1990, Danny Rollings, who was later dubbed the Gainsville Ripper, caused mass panic in a friendly college town when he murdered 5 students in just 3 days.
Fortunately, unlike Ghostface, the Gainesville Ripper never came back for a sequel, as he was charged with the murders only a year later and was executed in 2006.
2. When A Stranger Calls (1979) (2006)
Most are familiar with this movie, as there have been quite a few remakes and sequels, but are you familiar with the story behind it?
When A Stranger Calls tells the story of the ‘babysitter and the man upstairs’ – in which a young girl goes babysitting at a house in the middle of nowhere and is then terrorized by a mystery man who continuously calls and asks “Have you checked the children?”
While that famous line is a result of a Hollywood spin, the actual story of the babysitter and the man upstairs is not made up. It’s based on the murder of Janett Christman – who, back in 1950, was brutally murdered while the child she was babysitting slept peacefully upstairs. The killer was never caught and 70 years later, her murder remains unsolved, as well as the source of many movies and campfire tales.
I’ve actually covered this case on my podcast Always Time for True Crime!
Listen to the episode below and get all the details on the case that inspired the legend of the babysitter and the man upstairs.
3. Wolf Creek (2005)
Wolf Creek is a horror movie about 3 young backpackers, Ben, Liz, and Kristy, who are hunted and terrorized by a serial killer in the Australian outback.
The movie is based on Ivan Milat, who was known as the backpack murderer – murdering 7 tourists across New South Wales in the late 80s and early 90s. There are many more suspected victims of the backpack murderer who have never been found. This is alluded to in the ending of the movie, when a title card reveals that the bodies of Liz and Kristy have never been found. Note though that Liz and Kristy are not based on real people; they are just based on his victims as a whole.
4. The Town that Dreaded Sundown (1976) (2014)
The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a horror slasher film that follows a three month killing spree by a mystery man in Texarkana. In 1946, Texarkana was terrorized by an unknown assailant, dubbed the Texarkana Phantom Killer, who lurked in the dark and attacked numerous couples. The killer claimed 5 lives and severely injured 3 more victims. He has never been identified or apprehended, though he has inspired many songs, documentaries and movies – just like The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
5. The Girl Next Door (2007)
The Girl Next Door tells the brutal and devastating story of a teenage girl named Meg, who suffers enormous abuse at the hands of her Aunt Ruth, after she is taken in as a foster child. Ruth even gets her sons and the neighbourhood kids to help torture Meg, who eventually succumbs to all the abuse. The movie is incredibly disturbing and only becomes more difficult to watch when you learn it isn’t fictitious. The character Meg is inspired by 16 year old Slyvia Likens, who was held captive and tortured by her caregiver, Gertrude Baniszewski and her children. The case shocked the state of Indiana and remains one of the most sadistic murders in America.
Warning: Both the movie and real life story are incredibly disturbing.
6. Bully (2001)
Bully is a thriller drama about a teenage boy who becomes fed up with his friend constantly bullying him and assembles a group to get revenge – through murder. The story is based on the 1993 murder of Bobby Kent, who was killed in part of a pre-meditated plan by his 7 friends. 3 of the 7 killers remain behind bars; the other 4 have since been released.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a supernatural horror movie about a woman who was possessed by a satanic demon and the priest who tried, but failed to help her. The movie combined scary supernatural with courtroom drama to bring horror lovers something that was terrifyingly realistic. Maybe because it told the story of a real life woman – Anneliese Michel. In 1968, 16 year old Anneliese began blacking out and ‘walking around like a zombie’. Later, the violent convulsions came. Anneliese would undergo 67 exorcisms before dying from malnutrition and dehydration in 1976 at age 23. Her parents, as well as the priests, were charged with negligent homicide. In the end, the priests only served probation.
Now that you know the real stories, which of these 7 movies is the scariest to you? Let me know in the comments!
If you haven’t seen these ones, it’s the perfect time for a scary movie marathon!
Always Time For True Crime 