English: Ten true horror movies found in newspapers

Horror movie fanatics have likely seen the phrase “Based on a true story” rolling in the opening credits of a horror film on more than one occasion. But Hollywood is known for taking liberties when producing movies based on true stories. So just how accurately did they portray what really happened? So, I went to Newspapers.com to uncover the real events that inspired the Hollywood adaptations. 

1. The Amityville Horror (1979, 2005),  - On November 13, 1974, at about 3 a.m., Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his parents, two brothers, and two sisters while they were sleeping by shooting them with a .35 caliber rifle. Defenses plead of not guilty by reason of insanity; DeFeo was found guilty November 1975 and received life in prison. The Lutz’s purchased the DeFeo home and moved in with their 3 children and dog, 28 days later the family fled the property because of paranormal experiences and have never returned to the house. 

2. The Conjuring 2 (2016), - Based on the true story of the “Enfield Poltergeist” in north London, 1977. A reporter of The Observer described the poltergeist activity of Peggy Hodgson’s home as beginning with strange noises and escalating to marbles and Lego’s flying through the air and furniture moving on its own. The paranormal experiences ceased eighteen months later, in 1979. 

3. The Exorcist (1973), - Based on the story of a 14-year-old boy in Maryland who was possessed by the devil and exorcised by a Catholic priest in 1949. After seeking medical and psychiatric treatments, the boy’s family approached the Catholic Church. 

4. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), - Based on Anneliese Michel. According to claims by the two priests performing the exorcism and her parents, Anneliese was possessed by six demons. During the months of exorcism rituals, Michel refused to eat and ultimately died of dehydration and starvation at a mere 70 pounds.  The two priests, and Michel’s parents, were charged with negligent homicide.  

5.  Elm Street Nightmare (1984, 2010), - Based on the mysterious deaths of approximately 80 Laotian refugees who died in their sleep in the 1980s. In 1981, the CDC recorded 38 deaths due to “Nightmare Death Syndrome” among seemingly healthy Laotian refugees. Two years later, the number increased to 79, and the cause remained unknown. 

6. Connecticut Haunting (2009).  - The Hartford Courant, Oct 30, 1992, recounted the experiences the Snedeker family had while living in their new home, which had been a funeral home. The Snedekers claimed they had been touched and spoken to and had heard, smelled, and seen other unexplainable phenomena.

7. Jaws (1975), - Over the course of two weeks, three fatal shark attacks were reported within 100 miles of each other. The third and final attack left two individuals dead and one injured.  A $100 reward was put in place by the mayor for whoever killed the shark, a panic spread across the coast of New Jersey and New York as hordes of sharks were slaughtered. 

8.  Psycho (1960) / Silence of the Lambs (1991), - Inspired by Ed Gein, who slaughtered 2 women and had 14 cadavers in his home that he stole from the local graveyard. A human heart was found in a pot on the stove, leading investigators to suspect cannibalism. Among the 14 cadavers were 10 heads, all skinned and preserved as masks, other items were also made from human skin: a vest, chair upholstery, and belts. Gain’s two murders, numerous grave robberies, and creation of clothing from human skin were said to be motivated by his desire to be a woman. When news of his crimes broke in 1957, Gain’s neighbors did not suspect him of these gruesome crimes. 

9. Poltergeist (1982, 2015), - Based on the mysterious happenings within the walls of James Hermann’s home in Seaford, New York, in 1958.  Newspapers across the state recounted lids falling off screw-top bottles, porcelain figurines crashing to the floor, and dressers tumbling over in the Hermann house.  

10. When a Stranger Calls (1979, 2006), - Mr. and Mrs. Romack returned home and found their babysitter, Janett Christman, 14, dead in the living room, raped and strangled by the cord from an iron after putting up a fight.  The Womack’s three-year-old son was found sleeping in his room, unharmed. Police found footprints and fingerprints, as well as possible blood and hair samples of the assailant, they never found the killer. 

As always, stay safe! 

- bird